This easy slow cooker beef stroganoff combines tender beef and mushrooms in a rich, creamy sauce flavoured with mustard, paprika and garlic. It's a comforting family dinner that's simple to prepare and perfect served with pasta, rice or mashed potatoes.
The original recipe appeared in the September 2018 BBC Good Food magazine. Beef stroganoff is normally made using steak (fillet/sirloin/ribeye), however, the fact that this recipe uses stewing steak and is cooked in the slow cooker really appealed. I have adapted the recipe slightly, based on reading the reviews for the original recipe - I've added sweet smoked pimenton (or use smoked paprika) and tomato purée which are ingredients I normally see in stroganoff recipes and that I used in my stroganoff recipes that you'll find links to below.
The end result is beef that is delicious and tender and a stroganoff sauce that has a lovely consistency and is full of flavour...we love it!
Tips
- I cook it on low for 6 hours then follow step 3. The beef is beautifully tender!
- Make the full recipe and freeze any leftovers for another day. Just defrost overnight and then reheat in a pan on the hob.
- Optional variations:
- Creamy mushroom beef stroganoff - increase the mushrooms and use extra soured cream or crème fraiche.
- Mustard beef stroganoff - increase the Dijon mustard for a sharper, more savoury flavour.
- Paprika beef stroganoff - use additional sweet paprika for a deeper colour and warmth.
- Beef stroganoff without mushrooms - simply omit the mushrooms and increase the onion or add another vegetable.
- Chicken stroganoff - replace the beef with chicken thighs and significantly reduce the cooking time...or check out this chicken stroganoff recipe.
- Pork stroganoff - replace the beef with diced pork shoulder steaks.
- Lighter stroganoff - use reduced fat soured cream or crème fraiche and increase the mushrooms and vegetables.
- This recipe for slow cooker beef stroganoff is easily adapted if you're cooking for less or more people.
Frequently Asked Questions
Stewing, braising or chuck steak works well because these cuts benefit from longer, slower cooking.
You can, but tender steaks such as fillet or sirloin are generally better suited to quick-cooking stroganoff rather than several hours in a slow cooker.
It's not always essential, but browning the beef first adds colour and extra savoury flavour to the finished dish.
Add soured cream towards the end of cooking to help prevent it from splitting and to preserve its creamy texture.
Dairy ingredients can split when exposed to prolonged high temperatures. Adding soured cream towards the end and avoiding excessive heat can help.
If the sauce is too thin, you can use a small amount of cornflour mixed with cold water, or allow the sauce to reduce slightly with the lid removed where appropriate.
Yes - simply omit them or replace them with another vegetable.
Yes - beef stroganoff can be prepared ahead and reheated gently. The sauce may thicken when chilled, so add a small splash of stock or water when reheating if necessary.
Yes - although dairy-based sauces can sometimes change texture slightly after freezing and reheating.
Yes - crème fraiche is an excellent alternative and is generally more tolerant of heat than soured cream.
It can be, but you'll need to use gluten-free stock, Worcestershire sauce and other packaged ingredients where required, and serve with gluten-free pasta, rice or potatoes.
Traditional versions aren't generally hot. Paprika and mustard provide flavour rather than significant chilli heat, although the exact recipe can vary.
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How to make this Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff
Ingredients
- 700g braising, stewing or chuck steak, cut into strips or diced
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp vegetable or rapeseed oil , plus a little more if needed
- 2 onions (approx. 240g), sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 beef stock cube or pot
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 tsp sweet smoked pimenton or smoked paprika, plus more to garnish
- 500ml cold water
- 50g butter
- 250g chestnut mushrooms, halved or quartered, depending on size
- 2 tsp cornflour
- 200g soured cream (I used reduced fat to lower the calories!)
To serve:
- tagliatelle, rice or mashed potatoes
- smoked paprika, to garnish
- a small bunch of flat leaf parsley, chopped, to garnish
Instructions
- Turn on the slow cooker. Season the beef with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat the oil in a large frying pan on a high heat and add the beef in 2 batches so as not to overcrowd the pan. Cook until deep brown (about 4 to 5 minutes for each batch), then transfer to the slow cooker using a slotted spoon. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook for about 3 minutes until soft, adding more oil, if needed, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of water and scrape any bits from the bottom of the pan. Tip everything into the slow cooker.
- Add the stock cube or pot to the beef, then the mustard, tomato purée, smoked paprika and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the water, stir to combine, put the lid on and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 5 to 6 hours (see Tips).
- About 30 minutes before serving, melt the butter in a frying pan on a high heat, add the mushrooms and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook them for about 5 minutes until they are soft and caramelised, stirring occasionally, then add them to the slow cooker. In a small bowl, mix the cornflour with a little liquid from the stroganoff, then pour it into the frying pan used to cook the mushrooms with 100ml more liquid from the stroganoff, bring to a simmer. Once thickened, pour it into the slow cooker with the soured cream. Turn the slow cooker to high (if not already) and cook for another 20 minutes, then check the seasoning and add more to taste, if required.
- Serve with tagliatelle, rice or mashed potatoes and garnish with the chopped parsley and a sprinkle of smoked paprika. We enjoy ours with some green vegetable side dishes and homemade or shop bought crusty bread on the side to soak up the sauce!
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Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff
Ingredients
- 700 g (1.5 lb) braising, stewing or chuck steak cut into strips or diced
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp vegetable or rapeseed oil plus a little more if needed
- 2 onions (approx. 240g) sliced
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 beef stock cube or pot
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 tsp sweet smoked pimenton or smoked paprika plus more to garnish
- 500 ml cold water
- 50 g (1.8 oz) butter
- 250 g (8.8 oz) chestnut mushrooms halved or quartered, depending on size
- 2 tsp cornflour
- 200 g (1 cup) soured cream (I use reduced fat to lower the calories!)
To serve:
- tagliatelle, rice or mashed potatoes
- smoked paprika to garnish
- a small bunch of flat leaf parsley chopped, to garnish
Instructions
- Turn on the slow cooker. Season the beef with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat the oil in a large frying pan on a high heat and add the beef in 2 batches so as not to overcrowd the pan. Cook until deep brown (about 4 to 5 minutes for each batch), then transfer to the slow cooker using a slotted spoon. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook for about 3 minutes until soft, adding more oil, if needed, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of water and scrape any bits from the bottom of the pan. Tip everything into the slow cooker.
- Add the stock cube or pot to the beef, then the mustard, tomato purée, smoked paprika and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the water, stir to combine, put the lid on and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 5 to 6 hours (see Tips).
- About 30 minutes before serving, melt the butter in a frying pan on a high heat, add the mushrooms and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook them for about 5 minutes until they are soft and caramelised, stirring occasionally, then add them to the slow cooker. In a small bowl, mix the cornflour with a little liquid from the stroganoff, then pour it into the frying pan used to cook the mushrooms with 100ml more liquid from the stroganoff, bring to a simmer. Once thickened, pour it into the slow cooker with the soured cream. Turn the slow cooker to high (if not already) and cook for another 20 minutes, then check the seasoning and add more to taste, if required.
- Serve with tagliatelle, rice or mashed potatoes and garnish with the chopped parsley and a sprinkle of smoked paprika. We enjoy ours with some green vegetable side dishes and homemade or shop bought crusty bread on the side to soak up the sauce!
Notes
- I cook it on low for 6 hours then follow step 3. The beef is beautifully tender!
- Make the full recipe and freeze any leftovers for another day. Just defrost overnight and then reheat in a pan on the hob.
- Optional variations:
- Creamy mushroom beef stroganoff - increase the mushrooms and use extra soured cream or crème fraiche.
- Mustard beef stroganoff - increase the Dijon mustard for a sharper, more savoury flavour.
- Paprika beef stroganoff - use additional sweet paprika for a deeper colour and warmth.
- Beef stroganoff without mushrooms - simply omit the mushrooms and increase the onion or add another vegetable.
- Chicken stroganoff - replace the beef with chicken thighs and significantly reduce the cooking time...or check out this chicken stroganoff recipe.
- Pork stroganoff - replace the beef with diced pork shoulder steaks.
- Lighter stroganoff - use reduced fat soured cream or crème fraiche and increase the mushrooms and vegetables.
- This recipe for slow cooker beef stroganoff is easily adapted if you're cooking for less or more people.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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