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

Maria's Russian Beef Stroganoff

4.96 from 22 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's Kitchen Cookbook
    4.96 from 22 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




    Comments

    • Leena
      June 6, 2012

      This recipe looks really good. Thanks for posting. However, I have never heard of whipping cream used in beef stroganoff. All the recipes that I have come across call for sour cream. Is there an adavantage to using one over the other?

      Reply

      • Natasha
        natashaskitchen
        June 6, 2012

        The whipping cream creates more of a gravy base. It’s so so good; you’ll just have to try it 🙂

        Reply

    • lena
      May 3, 2012

      i love ur recipes!! also, your pictures are great. if this is only the camera that takes them so high definition and no editing than can you please tell me what kind of camera do you use? i make headbands and need a good camera! 🙂 thanks

      Reply

    • Mariya
      May 2, 2012

      Hello from WA:) I was making this for dinner tonight and my husband came from work early and when he smelled it he could not wait. I gave him a try and he kept asking me to have some just with bread before dinner:) When he finally ate (in reality it was like 10 minutes) he said that this was the best meat he has ever had:)(And he knows meat lol) . Now he always wants me to make this. Thank you!!!
      P.S. I love the comment you put into your posts. I go through the recipes even if I do not plan on making them just to read:) Thank you for all of your hard work.

      Reply

      • Natasha
        natashaskitchen
        May 2, 2012

        Thats so awesome that your hubby really loved the beef!!! Thank you for writing. I’m glad you find my writing interesting. Sometimes I wonder if anyone reads it 😉

        Reply

    • Beau
      March 20, 2012

      I was trying to decide what to cook for dinner tonight. The idea of stroganoff came to mind as I dug through the freezer looking for meat. When something is on sale I buy it and freeze it. I split up the large family packs and you get three or four meals. Anyway, my Mom always put some tomato paste in hers but that doesn’t seem to be consistent with the other recipes I’ve seen. Have you or any of your readers seen it this way and what is it’s origins? I’ll probably stick with yours tonight, looks so good and I just happen to have some leftover potatoes…Thanks for a great blog.

      Reply

      • Natasha
        natashaskitchen
        March 20, 2012

        I think there is a classic stroganoff that uses tomato paste. I haven’t tried it myself. You are most welcome. I hope you love it!

        Reply

    • Anna
      January 22, 2012

      I just made this recipe again, i cooked the beef for 14min . I boiled it, then in the pressure cooker for 8 min, during that time i pan fried mushrooms and onions- after the pressure released i added it all in with cream and roux and garlic- another 6 min. PERFECT. So cook time is 14 min + time to release the pressure if you do a natural release- so this amazing wonderful meal in 30 min or less!

      Reply

      • Natasha
        natashaskitchen
        January 22, 2012

        That’s crazy! I can’t believe a pressure cooker works that quick! Thanks Anna. Now I’m really, really interested in learning how to use Mom’s 🙂

        Reply

    • Anna
      January 21, 2012

      I have an electric pressure cooker- so it cooks at a lower pressure than a regular stove top cooker. Stove top ones go up to 15, mine only does 12, you can make stove top one have different levels of pressure.

      I am not an expert on this ,but basically because it is cooked under pressure it gets hotter than boiling- so things cook much much faster.

      I have not had mine for a long time but i have done some things it it like chuck shoulder blade roasts, chicken parm, and boiling beats- takes like 15-20 min vs like well over an hour.

      Like i mentioned i completely over cooked this meat and it fell apart, it was 100% done the first 20 min.

      You guys NEED to try it- it is like the fast way of doing slow cooking. But if you overcook you ruin it so it is better to time it on the short side and check it than to overcook.

      Reply

      • Natasha
        natashaskitchen
        January 21, 2012

        Wow, that does sound great! Especially the beets. It’s kind of a bother to cook them for so long. That would be handy!

        Reply

    • Anna
      January 21, 2012

      This was SUPER TASTY. I did in the pressure cooker in 30 min total cook time and i overcooked it but it was still good. Next time total time i will do is 20 min.

      I added mushrooms and onions to it. I sauted them while the meat did 20 min in pressure cooker – then i added them when the recipe called for adding the cream- so mushrooms+onions+cream and then 10 more min in pressure cooker.

      I am actually getting all the ingredients again today to do it again, it was SO SO SO SO GOOD.

      Reply

      • Natasha
        natashaskitchen
        January 21, 2012

        I’ve never used a pressure cooker before. My mom has one and doesn’t know what to do with it 🙂 have you found it useful and how does one learn how to use it?

        Reply

    • Irina
      January 20, 2012

      Wow! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! My husband loved it! And that is very important to satisfy a hungry man after his long, stressful day at work. I didn’t have any heavy cream, but I used half and half instead and about 2 1/2 tbsp of flower, used my dutch oven, but did stovetop. It was delicious. I will be making this again!

      Reply

      • Natasha
        natashaskitchen
        January 20, 2012

        Your version sounds slightly healthier. Woohoo! Isn’t that a great feeling when your family LOVED what you cooked? Thanks for writing. 🙂

        Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      January 1, 2012

      I made a giant batch of this for a potluck/party. I used 8 lbs of sirloin. Increased all the seasonings, oil and soy sauce by 4x and I used about 4 cups water and baked 2 hours at 350, then added 2 1/2 to 3 cups whipping cream and baked at 350 for 30 minutes (I also used 4x the butter, flour and garlic).

      Reply

    • Vera
      August 19, 2011

      I served it with pasta and sauteed green bell pepper, mushrooms and onions. It was super!! Five star!

      Reply

    • Marina
      August 12, 2011

      This dish was a hit with the family. I didn’t have any soy sauce so I added some balsamic vinegar, splash of red wine, ginger, and a table spoon of sugar (hoping to substitute soy sauce somehow). I also added some fresh parsley and chives in the last 10 min of cooking. It was fantastic and definitely going in my “keeper pile”. Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply

    • Michelle
      May 24, 2011

      Previt Natasha! I am so thrilled to find your website. I am an American girl with a unique obsession for Russian culture, Blini is my favorite thing to make, and I have mastered it! I will use this website on a weekly basis 🙂 Tonight will be the carrot salad (that I often buy at supermarket but it’s always different), Meat Piroshki and katleyeti (sp?). I just wanted to stop in and say thank you for sharing these wonderful (yet do-able) recipes !!!! Keep em coming 🙂 p.s. is that your son in the crock-pot? He is adorable !!!! Take Care!

      Reply

      • Natasha
        May 24, 2011

        Hi Michelle – thank you! Yes, that is my son in the crock pot. I turned around and he was sitting in there. He’s funny like that – he likes to sit in the frying pans too!

        Reply

    • Marianna
      April 15, 2011

      This was super delicious! I actually chopped up a big onion (instead of the garlic) and used about 4x more soy sauce and it was incredible! Thank you for these amazing recipes!

      Reply

      • Natasha
        April 15, 2011

        Thank you Marianna – I’m so happy to hear you really enjoyed it. I’ll try more onion next time. Thanks!

        Reply

    • Zory
      April 11, 2011

      Thanks!

      Reply

    • Zory
      April 11, 2011

      This looks really good! I just wanted to clarify that you used regular whipping cream and not heavy whipping cream? I would think the recipe needs heavy whipping cream but I could be wrong…

      Reply

    • Ella
      April 10, 2011

      My mom made this for a birthday party today and it is DELICIOUS! I love this recipe 🙂

      Reply

      • Natasha
        April 10, 2011

        So glad you enjoyed it. I made it today as well for family 🙂 It was a hit!

        Reply

    • Erica
      April 9, 2011

      YUMMY THAT LOOKS SOO GOOD! THANKS SO MUCH FOR SHARING 🙂

      Reply

    • Ludka
      April 6, 2011

      mmm Natasha this looks and sounds delish! Can’t wait to try it this weekend. By the way, little David in a crock pot made me laugh, too cute too cute…

      Reply

      • Natasha
        April 6, 2011

        Hope you enjoy it as much as we did! I’m making it again this weekend as well. He likes to climb into small spaces. He’s always pulling out the pots and pans and sitting in them. It always makes me laugh.

        Reply

    • Joe in N Calif
      April 5, 2011

      That seems like a LONG of cooking time for that meat. It doesn’t turn to mush?

      Reply

      • Natasha
        April 5, 2011

        Hi Joe, It’s tender and delicious! The original recipe said to leave it in the oven initially 1.5 to 2 hours plus 30 minutes, but I did a total of 2 hours and it turned out perfect! If you want to take take it out earlier, you can. I know I wasn’t real specific about what kind of meat to use in the original post so I edited the recipe slightly. I went to Costco again and got more to make this again for family. Under ingredients, it now reads: “beef round bottom round thin sliced” or any kind of sirloin should work. Nothing too marbleized.

        Reply

    • Alza
      April 4, 2011

      Natasha thanks for posting this recipe. Cooking meat has always been intimidating to me but this looks easy and difficult to mess up. This is a great dish for parties and is amazing on mashed potatoes as a super fancy gravy. My husband will enjoy this greatly.

      Reply

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