A plate of Russian beef stroganoff garnished with chives

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If you don’t like this beef recipe, your taste buds aren’t working right. Beef Stroganoff was named after Count Stroganoff from the court of Alexander III. It’s been around for a long time. I’ve tried several variations of this and we refer to it as simply “beef.”

It’s excellent paired with mashed potatoes or over a bed of white rice. Maria (my sister’s mother-in-law) is famous for this dish. She frequently brings it to parties and church potlucks.

This is my all-time favorite beef recipe. I was so excited when Maria shared this with me. I was equally excited to discover it’s not as difficult as I imagined (sometimes beef intimidates me). I’m pleased to share this classic Russian recipe with you. See my notes in the comments section regarding making a larger batch.

Ingredients for Russian Beef Stroganoff:

2 lbs steak – I used: “beef round bottom round thin sliced” or any kind of sirloin should work. Nothing too marbleized. I purchased the thin-sliced steak at Costco at $3.69/lb.
1 tsp Mrs. Dash seasoning
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp paprika
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1  1/2 Tbsp Soy Sauce (i.e. 2 packets from Panda Express)
1  1/2 cups water
1 large garlic clove, finely grated or pressed
1  1/2 cups whipping Cream
2 Tbsp butter
1  1/2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

How to Make the Best Beef Recipe:

Preheat the Oven to 350°F.
1. Trim beef of excess fat and slice it into 1/2-inch strips.

Russian Beef Stroganoff-5

2. Fill a medium pot 2/3 with water and bring to a boil. Add beef and return to a boil. Boil until impurities rise to the top. Skim off impurities with a spoon.

Russian Beef Stroganoff-6

3. Remove from heat and rinse the beef in a colander. Next, place the beef in a dutch oven (for baking) or a regular pot with a tight fitting lid.

Russian Beef Stroganoff

4. Stir in Mrs. Dash, Pepper, Salt, Paprika, Olive Oil and Soy Sauce. Add 1 cup water. Cover and Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes (at 350°F). Check meat after 1 hour  – if the meat has absorbed most of the water, add another 1/2 cup water. (For stove-top cooking, put on tight fitting lid and cook over medium heat until meat is soft, occasionally stirring and checking the water level). There should be enough water to keep the meat moist – remember it’s not a soup.

Russian Beef Stroganoff-7

5. After the meat has been baking for 1 and 1/2 hours, remove from the oven and add the grated/pressed garlic, stir in 1 1/2 cups whipping cream.

Russian Beef Stroganoff-9

6.Next,  melt butter, then blend flour into butter using a fork. Add butter mixture to the pot and stir to combine.

Russian Beef Stroganoff-8

7. Bake an additional 25 minutes. Beef should be very tender and sauce should have a gravy texture. You can add more cream if it gets too thick.

Russian Beef Stroganoff-2

YUMM! YUMM! YUMM!! Notes: if you are going to use something besides a dutch oven (cast iron pot), you may need to adjust how much water you put in. Start with 3/4 cup and periodically check to see if you need more water. Beef – $4/lb,… Organic cream – $3.50,…..Turning around and seeing your son in the crockpot – PRICELESS.

Russian Beef Stroganoff-10

Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook

Maria's Russian Beef Stroganoff

4.96 from 21 votes
Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 4

Instructions

Preheat the Oven to 350°F.

  • Trim beef of excess fat and slice it into 1/2-inch strips.
  • Fill a medium pot 2/3 with water and bring to a boil. Add beef and return to a boil. Boil until impurities rise to the top. Skim off impurities with a spoon. Remove from heat and rinse the beef in a colander.
  • Place the beef in a dutch oven (for baking) or a regular pot with a tight fitting lid.
  • Stir in Mrs. Dash, Pepper, Salt, Paprika, Olive Oil and Soy Sauce. Add 1 cup water. Cover and bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes (at 350°F). Check meat after 1 hour - if the meat has absorbed most of the water, add another 1/2 cup water. (For stove-top cooking, put on tight fitting lid and cook over medium heat until meat is soft, occasionally stirring and checking the water level). There should be enough water to keep the meat moist - remember it's not a soup.
  • After the meat has been baking for 1 and 1/2 hours, remove from the oven and add the grated/pressed garlic.
  • Stir in 1 1/2 cups whipping cream.
  • Melt butter, then blend flour into butter using a fork than add butter mixture to the pot and stir to combine.
  • Bake an additional 25 minutes. Beef should be very tender and sauce should have a gravy texture. You can add more cream if it gets too thick.

YUMM! YUMM! YUMM!!

    Notes

    If you are going to use something besides a dutch oven (cast iron pot), you may need to adjust how much water you put in. Start with 3/4 cup and periodically check to see if you need more water.
    Course: Dinner, Main Course
    Cuisine: Russian, Ukrainian
    Keyword: Russian Beef Stroganoff
    Skill Level: Medium
    Cost to Make: $$

    Natasha Kravchuk

    Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.

    Read more posts by Natasha

    Leave a Comment

    Recipe Rating




    Comments

    • ALLISON
      August 21, 2023

      I rarely write comments but this recipe makes the most delicious beef stroganoff I have ever had. I am Ukranian myself and do not have a recipe that I like better. except for one thing… I am intolerant of dairy; I can eat a bit, but not a whole lot. Natasha, how do you recommend reducing the diary content in this recipe? Would it be a good strategy to sub beef or chicken stock for half of the cream? Thank you for sharing this recipe. My family LOVES it!

      Reply

      • Natashas Kitchen
        August 22, 2023

        Hi Allison, I’m so happy to hear you loved this recipe! I have not tried the substitutions so it would have to be an experiment. if you do test it out, do let me know how it works out. I’m sure there are others with similar questions.

        Reply

    • Laura
      March 11, 2023

      Hi Natasha! I am wanting to prepare an authentic Russian dish for my son whom we adopted from Russia. Would this be a more authentic version than the one in your video that uses sour cream and is served on egg noodles?

      P.S. I am sooo excited to find all of the Russian dishes you have recipes for! Thank you!

      Reply

      • Natashas Kitchen
        March 14, 2023

        Hi Laura, I think this is a great one for your son! I hope he loves it!

        Reply

    • Kelly
      November 7, 2020

      It is pretty delicious. My husband loves it as well. It was a very long process but well worth at the results. Thank you for sharing!

      Reply

      • Natasha's Kitchen
        November 8, 2020

        Perfect! Thank you for that, Kelly.

        Reply

    • Kelly
      November 7, 2020

      Hello. Am I using the same water from where I boiled my beef from for the 1 1/2 water?
      Thank you

      Reply

      • Natasha
        November 8, 2020

        Hi Kelly, we do not drain the beef.

        Reply

        • Laurie
          March 22, 2023

          Hello- Excited to try but you said you don’t drain the beef but it does say to take the beef out and rinse it. So do you use the water the beef was originally boiling in (step2) for the 1c in step 4?

          Reply

          • Natasha
            March 23, 2023

            Hi Laurie, I think my assistant was responding there and maybe didn’t read the question correctly. We don’t use the beef water in step 4 but clean filtered water.

            Reply

    • Luba
      November 6, 2020

      Hello Natasha I wanted to say a big thank for this recipe I have been making it for a while now and it’s always very yummy. I do have a question is it possible to make it in an instant pot? How would I adjusted the cooking time?

      Reply

      • Natashas Kitchen
        November 6, 2020

        Hi Luba! I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed this recipe! I have not tried this in an instant pot to advise – if you experiment though, I would love to know how you like that!

        Reply

    • Sarita
      August 12, 2020

      Hi Natasha,

      the earlier query is for beef stroganoff. I put it under russian beef stroganoff.

      we like to eat healthy. can I substitute whipping cream with pouring cream. the dish may be too runny. any suggestion?
      thanks

      Reply

      • Natasha
        August 12, 2020

        Hi Sarita, I haven’t heard of ‘pouring cream’ but if it is a light cream, the sauce would be more runny and thin.

        Reply

        • Sarita
          September 22, 2020

          Hi Natasha. pouring cream is standard cream. I made this dish for lunch today. I used 1 cup of evaporated milk instead of whipping cream and very happy with the outcome.
          2 questions : I dont get Mrs Dash here so used some more pepper. any thing else I could use instead? also the beef package says Sirlion (no sub category like u mention). I boiled the meat in water for 5 minutes. No scum came to the top?
          thanks for all your recipes

          Reply

          • Natasha
            September 24, 2020

            Hi Sarita, it is a powder mix. I don’t have a packet on hand to measure it in Tbsp but I believe it is about 2 Tbsp.

            Reply

    • Sarita
      August 12, 2020

      Hi Natasha,

      we like to eat healthy. Can I substitute the whipping cream with pouring cream. It would end up runny. or any suggestions.

      Reply

      • Natasha's Kitchen
        August 12, 2020

        Hi Sarita, I haven’t tried that yet to advise. Without testing it, I could only guess. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes.

        Reply

    • Margret
      April 29, 2020

      Can you sub the whipping cream for sour cream?

      Reply

      • Natasha's Kitchen
        April 30, 2020

        Hi Margret, without testing that, it is difficult to give a recommendation. The sour cream would give it a completely different flavor profile and that would probably be too much sour cream. I wish I could be more helpful!

        Reply

    • Katie Frye
      March 28, 2020

      So wonderful! I can’t say it enough!

      Reply

      • Natasha's Kitchen
        March 28, 2020

        You’re awesome! Thanks for your great review!

        Reply

    • Natasha Ivanova
      March 27, 2019

      This is absolutely the best recipe ever. I probably make this a few times a month and I quadruple the recipe every time. With our big family it disappears in a day. Thank you soooo much!!!

      Reply

      • Natashas Kitchen
        March 27, 2019

        That’s just awesome Natasha! Thank you for sharing that with me!

        Reply

    • Yelena
      February 25, 2019

      This dish is a favorite among my whole family including my 3 kids! Thank you for this recipe!

      Reply

      • Natashas Kitchen
        February 25, 2019

        Hi Yelena, You’re so welcome! I’m so happy you all enjoyed it!

        Reply

    • Ralph Hughes
      May 19, 2018

      No mushrooms? I thought mushrooms were a ‘must’ for a good strogoanoff?

      Reply

      • Natasha
        natashaskitchen
        May 21, 2018

        Hi Ralph, this is a different kind of stroganoff, but we do have a slow cooker stroganoff posted with mushrooms.

        Reply

        • negar ameli
          December 4, 2018

          Hi Natasha,
          If we wanted to add MUSHROOMS to this recipe, where and how would we go about it?
          N.A.

          Reply

          • Natasha
            December 4, 2018

            HI Negar, you could sauté the mushrooms in the dutch oven before adding the beef and putting into the oven, or you can sautee them and stir them in at the end.

            Reply

    • Natalia
      March 4, 2018

      The best beef stroganoff I ever had. My whole family love this recipe. Thank you Natasha!

      Reply

      • Natasha's Kitchen
        March 5, 2018

        My pleasure Natalia! I’m glad you love it, thanks so much for sharing!

        Reply

    • Elaina Vayntrub
      October 28, 2017

      Hi Natasha! Do you think I can use sour cream instead of whipping cream for this. I don’t have any. Ans if I do, any special changes in prep?

      Reply

      • Natasha
        natashaskitchen
        October 28, 2017

        Hi Elaina, without testing that, it is difficult to give a recommendation. The sour cream would give it a completely different flavor profile and that would probably be too much sour cream. I wish I could be more helpful!

        Reply

    • Nadia
      December 29, 2016

      Could this be turned into a slow cooker recipe? If so, how you’d you do it? Thanks much!

      Reply

      • Natasha
        natashaskitchen
        December 29, 2016

        Hi Nadia, I’ve never done it in a slow cooker so you would have to experiment. If you try it, let me know how it goes. I’d probably try 4 hours on high or 6 hours on low, but test it for tenderness. I just haven’t tested it to tell you for sure.

        Reply

    • Olya
      November 29, 2016

      This is SO good! Love this recipe! My husband loved it and my two year old enjoyed it too!

      Reply

      • Natasha
        natashaskitchen
        November 29, 2016

        Yay!! I’m so happy to hear that 🙂

        Reply

    • Nath
      October 13, 2016

      can it be kept in the fridge for the next day
      when my close friends come to my house for lunch?

      Reply

      • Natasha
        natashaskitchen
        October 13, 2016

        Hi Nath, this does refrigerate well. When you reheat, do so over lower heat so the oil doesn’t separate from the cream.

        Reply

    • Inna
      July 5, 2016

      Made this and my hubby couldn’t stop refilling his plate.. Thank u.

      Reply

      • Natasha
        natashaskitchen
        July 5, 2016

        That is the best! Thanks for sharing that with me 🙂

        Reply

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