Easy Crockpot Beef Stroganoff

Name: Easy Crockpot Beef Stroganoff
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 480 min
Total time: 495 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 2-3 pounds chuck roast (cut into 2-inch cubes); 10.5 ounce canned French Onion Soup; 1 large sweet or yellow onion (sliced); 8 ounces mushrooms (sliced); 3 garlic cloves (minced); 1 packet Lipton Onion Soup Mix; 3/4-1 cup sour cream (regular or reduced-fat); 6-8 ounces cream cheese (regular or reduced-fat); 8-10 ounces pasta; Optional Add-In: Worcestershire Sauce and Dijon Mustard (Amount as Desired)

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This Easy Crockpot Beef Stroganoff is made simple with no-frills by cooking a chuck roast low and slow in the slow cooker. Fall apart beef and noodles with a perfect creamy sauce, it's a hands-free dinner from scratch!

When it comes to hearty and comforting meals, few dishes can rival Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff. The rich combination of tender beef, a creamy sauce made with sour cream and cream cheese, and a hint of warm spices creates a melody of flavors that will have you singing dinner praises.

While the traditional stovetop method requires constant attention, this easy Crockpot version uses just a handful of simple ingredients and is prepped in just 15 minutes. You can enjoy this classic Russian dish with minimal effort!

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If you love using your slow cooker, you'll have to try some of my other favorite crock pot recipes. My beef and potatoes is comforting and my Mongolian beef is so flavorful! Another roast recipe that my family loves is this Melt in your Mouth Perfect Oven Pot Roast. Slow cooked with carrots and onions and served over mashed potatoes, it’s comfort food heaven!

A fork gathering a bite of beef stroganoff to eat

Table of Contents

Type of Beef for Stroganoff

When making stroganoff in the slow cooker, you need a tougher type of meat with lots of connective tissue, I recommend a chuck roast. When you're cooking beef like this cut at a low temperature for a long period of time, the tough connective tissue dissolves and the meat becomes extremely tender.

If you also see "stew meat" labeled at the grocery store, this is perfect for this recipe. It also tends to be a cut of beef that is very economical and saves money!

Why You’ll like this Recipe

Feel Good Food: It brings back yummy, comfort food memories!
Incredibly Easy: This crock pot beef stroganoff recipe is a super easy meal to look forward to on busy weeknights and one the whole family will love!
Leftovers to Look Forward To: The leftovers are just as delicious as the day it's made!
So Much Flavor and Extra Tender: The combination of melt-in-your-mouth tender beef with noodles and a rich and hearty sauce makes this easy recipe a dinner that is hard to beat!

What You’ll Need

Ingredient Amounts Listed in the Recipe Card Below

Olive Oil: Contributes to the rich and savory flavors of caramelizing the beef.
Chuck Roast: Known for its rich, beefy flavor, this roast absorbs all the yummy flavors and becomes incredibly tender.
French Onion Soup: Contains sweet caramelized onions and a rich broth base that adds savoriness and flavor to the dish.
Sweet or Yellow Onion: Adds sweetness and depth of flavor to the stroganoff. They also complement the savory notes of the beef.
Mushrooms: Hearty mushrooms contributes an earthy and umami flavor to the stroganoff. They also provide a meaty texture, adding complexity to the dish.
Fresh Garlic: Enhances the savory flavor of the stroganoff. It adds a layer of complexity and aromatic depth.
Lipton Onion Soup Mix Packet: Gives this dish an intense savoriness and boost of beefy caramelized onion flavor.
Sour Cream and Cream Cheese: Provides a creamy and tangy element to the sauce and adds richness and helps create the velvety texture
Pasta (I use Al Dente Carba Nada Noodles): The noodles (or potatoes, rice, or cauliflower rice) provide a neutral canvas for the flavorful sauce and help complete the dish.
Optional Add-In: Worcestershire Sauce and Dijon Mustard

The ingredients to make crockpot beef stroganoff.

Tools You’ll Need

How to Make Easy Crockpot Beef Stroganoff

If searing the meat first, heat oil in a large skillet on high heat. Season roast with salt and pepper.

Seasoning a cut up chuck roast with salt.

Once the skillet is hot, sear the seasoned roast 3 minutes, flipping halfway through.

To a Crockpot, stir together French onion soup, mushrooms, onion, garlic and Lipton Onion soup mix.

Mixing onions and mushrooms in a crockpot with French onion soup.

Add the seared beef to the mixture. Swirl 10.5 ounces water in the hot skillet, and add to the Crockpot as well. Stir, cover, and cook on low for 8-9 hours or high setting for 4-5 hours. The cooking time can vary depending on the brand of crock pot.

Mixing seared cubed beef in a crockpot with veggies and French onion soup.

Stir the mixture and add sour cream and cream cheese. Cover and cook on high 15 minutes.

Cream cheese and sour cream being added to a crockpot of beef stroganoff.

Meanwhile cook pasta per package directions and drain.

Pasta about to be poured in a pot of salted water.

Stir the mixture until well combined, then fold in the cooked pasta.

Dinner in 321's Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff Cook Times: Cook on low for 8 to 9 hours or high for 4 to 5 hours until the beef falls apart.

Pro Tips and Substitutions

Optional Add-Ins: Traditional beef stroganoff has dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce in the sour cream sauce. These can be added at the beginning of the slow cooker cook time if desired.
How to thicken stroganoff. Make a slurry with cornstarch. Combine equal parts of cornstarch and water in a bowl, 2 teaspoons of each, and stir into the sauce. Allow to warm through until thickened and add more as necessary.
Cut of meat. I prefer a cut up chuck roast for this recipe, but you can use other beef cuts like sirloin steak, chuck steak, or stew meat. It's important that there is good fat marbling so that the meat is tender and can withstand low and slow cooking for the connective tissues to breakdown.
Ground beef in stroganoff. You can also use ground beef for this recipe. Simply brown and season the beef before putting in the Crockpot. The mixture will need 30 minutes to an hour less cook time on both high and low settings.
Use chicken instead. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs can also be used in this dish.
Extra Creaminess: If you prefer a creamier rich sauce, besides the option of adding a cornstarch slurry at the end of cook time, you can also add a can golden mushroom soup, cream of mushroom soup, or heavy cream.
Sour Cream Variety: Light or full-fat sour cream both work in this recipe. Light will yield a slightly thinner sauce texture. If you don't like sour cream, it can be substituted with 6-8 ounces of regular or reduced-fat cream cheese.
Make homemade french onion soup. Skip the canned, here is a recipe for homemade low-sodium French Onion Sou p.
Make homemade Lipton Onion Soup Mix. Combine in a small bowl:
- 2 ½ tablespoons dried minced onion, 4 cubes regular or reduced sodium beef bouillon, crumbled, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ⅛ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
Homemade Noodles: The nostalgia and appeal of homemade noodles is also an excellent option for this dish. These Egg Noodles are tender and delicious!

What to Serve with Beef Stroganoff in a Crockpot

Classic side dishes for beef stroganoff include buttered egg noodles, rice, or mashed potatoes. Additionally, steamed vegetables like broccoli, green beans, or a simple green salad complement the richness of this dish.

I also love to serve this with my garlic broccoli and mushrooms, restaurant-style house salad, and asparagus with gremolata.

Storage and Freezing

After the mixture has cooled, store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days.

You can freeze leftovers in an airtight, freezer bag or container up to 3 months. Thaw over night in the refrigerator before reheating.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this the traditional beef stroganoff made the same way as this crockpot beef stroganoff recipe?

The classic beef stroganoff recipe or beef stroganov is a Russian dish of sautéed pieces of beef in a sauce of mustard and smetana (sour cream). It originated in mid-19th-century Russia and is named after the Stroganov family. It is popular around the world and often varies from the original recipe.

Can this be made on the stovetop?

While I prefer the Crockpot method over any other cooking method for this dish, here is a stovetop method that you could adapt with my recipe's ingredients from All Recipes.

Can this be made in an Instant Pot?

Yes! Here is a yummy Instant Pot variation from Creme de la Crumb that you can adapt with with my recipe's ingredients.

Can I add the sour cream and cream cheese at the beginning of cooking?

It's best to add both towards the end of the cooking process, approximately 15 minutes before serving. Adding it early may cause the dairy to curdle due to prolonged exposure to high heat.

Can I use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream?

Yes, you can substitute sour cream with plain Greek yogurt. The taste and texture will be slightly different, but it still adds a creamy element to the dish.

Can I use canned mushrooms instead of fresh ones?

While fresh mushrooms provide a superior texture and flavor, you can use canned mushrooms as a substitute. Drain them before adding to the Crockpot to avoid an excess of liquid in the dish.

Is it necessary to brown the beef before adding it to the Crockpot?

Browning the beef before slow-cooking helps seal in the juices and enhances the overall flavor of the dish. It is an optional step.

Can I this easy beef stroganoff recipe be made vegetarian?

Absolutely! You can replace the beef with a meat substitute like seitan, tofu, or portobello mushrooms. Use vegetable broth instead of beef broth, and follow the same steps for a delicious vegetarian version of the dish.

Can I make this recipe as slow cooker ground beef stroganoff?

Yes! In a skillet over medium heat, brown 2 pounds ground beef until fully cooked. Drain excess fat. Transfer to a slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients except for the sour cream and cream cheese. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours. About 15-20 minutes before serving, stir in the sour cream.

Can I use frozen beef for slow cooker beef stroganoff?

Using frozen beef in crock pot meals is generally not recommended because they slowly raise the temperature of the ingredients to a safe cooking level. Starting with frozen meat can slow down this process, potentially allowing the meat to spend too much time in the "danger zone" (40°F to 140°F or 4°C to 60°C), where bacteria can multiply.

Can this slow cooker beef stroganoff recipe be made in advance?

Yes, you can make crockpot beef stroganoff in advance, and it reheats well. Cook per the recipe directions, cool, and refrigerate. When you're ready to serve, reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until it reaches your desired serving temperature. If the sauce has thickened, you may need to add a bit of broth or water to achieve the desired consistency.

How do I thicken my stroganoff sauce?

Make a slurry with cornstarch. Combine equal parts of cornstarch and water in a bowl, 2 teaspoons of each, and stir into the sauce. Allow to warm through until thickened and add more as necessary.

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