The beef Stroganoff is a flavorful main dish of Russian origin, made with beef chunks cooked with sautéed onions and champignon mushrooms. A bit of tomato sauce is then added to these ingredients, and the whole dish is deglazed with vodka. The peculiarity of this recipe is the addition of sour cream at the end of cooking, which enhances the taste and unifies all the flavors of this recipe.
There are two legends about the history of this dish. The first tells that the dish was first cooked by a French chef, the personal cook of Count Pavel Stroganoff, who added sour cream to the recipe. According to the second legend, the name of this dish derives from Doctor Stroganoff, who treated a herring intoxication with a diet based on beef, onions, and sour cream.
A rich main dish, ideal to enjoy during the winter season and can be served with pilaf rice or seasonal vegetables. If you’re curious to find out how to make it, read the recipe because the beef Stroganoff will be ready in a click!
If you are interested in other winter main course recipes, also read:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: Russian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
- Energy 377.25 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 22.55 (g) of which sugars 5.43 (g)
- Proteins 32.97 (g)
- Fat 15.94 (g) of which saturated 8.44 (g)of which unsaturated 3.93 (g)
- Fibers 2.56 (g)
- Sodium 2,769.25 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 331 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 1.3 lbs beef
- 10.6 oz champignon mushrooms
- 10.6 oz white onions
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1.4 oz tomato sauce
- 2 oz sour cream
- 1.5 oz vodka
- 7 oz water
- all-purpose flour (as needed)
- chopped parsley (as needed)
- salt (as needed)
- pepper (as needed)
Tools
- Pan
- Bowl
- Cutting board
- Knife
Steps
First, clean the onions and slice them in half, then into thin slices. Sauté them in a pan with half of the butter over low heat with the lid on, until they are wilted. Stir occasionally to ensure they don’t burn. If necessary, add a little water.
Meanwhile, clean the mushrooms. Using a knife, scrape off the soil from the stem. Then remove the skin covering the mushroom cap. For champignon mushrooms, it’s important to remove it, especially if they are very large, to preserve their delicate flavor.
Dampen a cloth or paper towel and rub it over all the mushrooms to remove excess soil residue. Make sure the cloth is clean, damp, and well-wrung out, and never wash mushrooms under water. They are like sponges and would absorb too much water, compromising the recipe’s outcome.
After cleaning them, cut them into not too thin slices and add them to the onions. Season with salt and pepper and continue cooking for another 5 minutes.
Cut the piece of meat into strips about 0.4 inches thick and coat them with flour, shaking off the excess. Using a slotted spoon, remove the onions and mushrooms from the pan. Then add the remaining butter and brown the meat on all sides over high heat. Deglaze with vodka and allow the alcohol to evaporate. Add the water, season with salt and pepper, and cook over low heat with the lid on for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Next, add the onions and mushrooms you set aside and continue cooking over low heat for another 5 minutes to allow the meat to absorb the flavors. Finally, add the tomato sauce and sour cream. Mix them well with the meat and cook for a couple more minutes. Once the cooking liquid has thickened, add some chopped parsley.
The beef Stroganoff is ready! Serve it hot accompanied by roasted potatoes or with mashed potatoes, or pilaf rice.
Variations and Tips for Beef Stroganoff
Store the beef Stroganoff in a container with a lid in the refrigerator for one or two days at most.
If you like, you can add mustard at the end of cooking along with the tomato sauce and sour cream.
FAQ Questions and Answers for Beef Stroganoff
Can I omit the mushrooms?
Yes, it is possible not to use mushrooms and substitute sour cream with smetana: a typical Russian dairy product made from fresh cream undergoing lactic fermentation.
