This classic ground beef stroganoff is a beloved comfort food, combining juicy hamburger meat and a creamy sauce into an incredibly easy, 30-minute meal.
“Poor Man’s Stroganoff”
Beef stroganoff was a staple on the family menu when I was growing up. Granny would brown ground beef and onion and make the sauce with cream of mushroom soup and sour cream. This was an easy, economical meal for our family of six and everyone loved it! Granny served it with rice or egg noodles, likely whichever she had on hand.
Another reason ground beef stroganoff was on the menu so often is that it is also really easy to prepare. You can have it ready and on the table in about 30 minutes!
I still get a craving for it now and then. There’s just something comforting about the creamy sauce and warm noodles that feels like home.
This was one of those times and I found a version of the recipe that we’ve had written down for a long time and gave it a try for Granny’s in the Kitchen. It was fun to have a taste of my childhood to enjoy and share with my children and grandchildren.
We know that “real” beef stroganoff is made with beef strips, fresh mushrooms and a carefully seasoned sauce. But in the sixties, this hamburger stroganoff was all we knew and expected.
Beef stroganoff was quick, hearty, and made with ingredients that were always on hand or easily obtained at the neighborhood grocery. I made it per the recipe below with buttered rice and I really enjoyed it.
We also tried it with egg noodles and that was a hit with the younger crowd as well. For the younger children we thinned the sauce with some beef broth as well.
I hope this dish brings back warm memories for you too! — Sara
Ingredients
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Ground Beef Stroganoff Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup
- 1 cup sour cream
- Salt and pepper (I used 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper)
Buttered Rice Ingredients
- 1 cup rice
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 TB butter
- 2 ½ cups water
Helpful Kitchen Tools
- Large skillet or deep sauté pan
- Pot for cooking rice or noodles
Instructions
- In a large skillet, brown the ground beef with the chopped onion. Drain excess grease if needed.
- Add cream of mushroom soup and stir into the ground beef and onions. Cook on low heat for 20 minutes.
- While the stroganoff cooks, make the rice according to package directions, adding 1 TB butter. If using egg noodles, prepare those according to package instructions.
- Add sour cream to meat mixture and simmer on low for 5 minutes. Serve over rice, or stir into egg noodles, depending on which you’re using.
Prep Tips
- Ground beef: Use whatever kind you normally buy. Ground beef used to be very inexpensive and was a staple in many households. After browning it for this recipe, you can drain the fat. Mine didn’t seem to have too much so I just left it in.
- Pasta or Rice? We probably had it more often with egg noodles in our house. And it has to be egg noodles. Our family loved egg noodles and Granny would serve them buttered with many a meal. But I love rice as an adult and I love the creaminess of the buttered rice in this recipe. You can also use rice without the butter if you prefer.
- Cream of mushroom soup: That’s where the mushroom flavor comes from of course. I used Campbell’s because that’s all we had growing up. So for me, the flavor from Campbells gives it that authentic taste for me.
- Garnish – For a pop of green color, serve with chopped fresh parsley. You can also stir in frozen peas during the last 5 minutes of cooking to add some veggies. Mushrooms are another popular accompaniment.
- Storage – Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
More Ground Beef Recipes To Try:
- West Virginia Hot Dog Sauce
- Southern Baked Beans
- Old-Fashioned Meatloaf with Oatmeal
- Tex-Mex Enchiladas
- Porcupine Meatballs
- Rotel Dip
- Granny’s Vegetable Beef Soup
- Easy Homemade Lasagna
- No Bean Chili
- Classic Salisbury Steak
Ground Beef Stroganoff Recipe (Printable Recipe Card)
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Ground Beef Stroganoff
Equipment
- large skillet
- pot for cooking rice or noodles
Ingredients
Stroganoff Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup
- 1 cup sour cream
- Salt and pepper I used 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper
Instructions
- In a large skillet, brown ground beef with chopped onion. Drain excess grease.
- Add cream of mushroom soup and stir into the ground beef and onions. Cook on low for 20 minutes.
- Cook rice at the same time according to package directions with 1 TB butter. Or, if serving with egg noodles, prepare those.
- Add sour cream to meat mixture and cook on low heat for 5 minutes.
- Serve with over rice or stir into cooked egg noodles.
Notes
- Ground beef: Any kind of ground beef can be used, depending on your preference or what you have on hand. Hamburger meat used to be very inexpensive and was a staple in many households in the mid-century United States. After browning it for this recipe, you can drain the fat if needed. Mine didn’t seem to have too much so I just left it in.
- Pasta or Rice? Beef stroganoff can be served with either rice or egg noodles. Our family loved egg noodles and Granny would serve them buttered with many a meal. But I love rice as an adult and I love the creaminess of the buttered rice in this recipe. You can also use rice without the butter if you prefer.
- Cream of mushroom soup: This is what gives the recipe its signature mushroom flavor. I used Campbell’s soup because that’s what we always had growing up. So for me, the flavor from Campbells gives it that authentic taste for me.
- Storage - Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Nutrition
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EXACTLY what I was looking for. As good as Mom’s, or at least as I remembered (I’m 72). And she used butter egg noodles (what I use). Thank you.
That is the best compliment! Thank you!