This Beef Stroganoff for Two Recipe Uses Leftover Steak Beautifully (2024)

Dinner
Beef Mains
American Food
American Mains
Vegetable Recipes

Janet A. Zimmerman

An award-winning food writer, cooking instructor, and author of five cookbooks. She focuses on dinners for two and date night cuisine.

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Updated on 11/6/23

Tested by

Diana Rattray

Tested byDiana Rattray

Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.

Learn about The Spruce Eats'Editorial Process

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 25 mins

Total: 40 mins

Servings: 2 servings

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Beef stroganoff's origins may be Russian, but it's turned into a classic American comfort food dish over the years. It's also the perfect recipe when you have a few ounces of leftover cooked steak. It's a relatively easy recipe to make, even if you don't have cooked beef in the fridge; you can simply start from scratch with raw sirloin tips, for example.

The recipe begins with cooking the mushrooms in butter and water, letting the mixture boil until the water evaporates, resulting in tender, flavorful mushrooms that brown beautifully. Once the sauce is made, it's time to add the cooked steak. Incorporating the steak at the end will help to keep the meat tender and prevent it from overcooking and getting tough.

This dish is traditionally served over egg noodles. Garnish with fresh dill or parsley for a nice finishing touch.

This Beef Stroganoff for Two Recipe Uses Leftover Steak Beautifully (2)

"The stroganoff had excellent flavor and was an easy preparation. The portions for two were sufficient, even somewhat generous. I served it with wide noodles and a cucumber salad. It was an enjoyable meal, and I am sure I'll make it again." —Diana Rattray

This Beef Stroganoff for Two Recipe Uses Leftover Steak Beautifully (3)

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

6 to 8 ounces cooked steak or raw sirloin tips, trimmed and sliced 1/8 inch thick
8 ounces cremini or white button mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup thinly sliced shallot or onion
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cognac or brandy
1 cup low-sodium beef stock or broth
3 tablespoons sour cream
2 cups cooked egg noodles, for serving
1 tablespoon minced fresh dill or parsley, for garnish

Steps to Make It

Gather the ingredients.
Remove the leftover cooked steak from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature.
Pile the mushrooms into a small sauté pan; they should be crowded. Sprinkle with the kosher salt and add the butter.
Add enough water to cover the contents (the mushrooms will float, but that's OK). Set the pan over high heat and bring to a boil. When the butter melts, stir to combine. Reduce the heat to a low boil and cook until the water evaporates completely. Continue to cook, stirring, until the mushrooms begin to brown.
Add the shallot to the pan with the mushrooms and cook, occasionally stirring, until the shallot softens and starts to brown, about 3 minutes.
Sprinkle the shallot and mushrooms with the flour and cook, stirring, for a few minutes until the flour is browned.
Remove the pan from the heat and add the cognac.
Return to medium heat and scrape the bottom of the pan to dissolve the fond (the brown bits).
When the cognac is mostly evaporated, add the stock and bring to a boil. Cook until thickened to the desired texture.
Reduce the heat to very low—the liquid should almost stop simmering before the next step. Stir in the sour cream, then the beef. Heat for a few minutes, just until the sour cream is mixed in and the beef is warm.
Serve over egg noodles.
Just before serving, sprinkle with the dill or parsley, if using.
Enjoy.

How to Make the Stroganoff With Raw Steak

If using raw beef, sprinkle the slices with salt and toss. Let rest for 15 minutes to help it come to room temperature. Heat a couple of tablespoons of butter in a small sauté pan until the foaming subsides. Sear the beef slices on both sides just until done. If necessary, work in batches so you don't crowd the pan. Remove the meat and set aside. Add enough water to the pan to dissolve the browned bits on the bottom of the pan (this is called deglazing), scraping to get as much dissolved as possible. Add the cleaned mushrooms to the pan and continue with the recipe, adding the meat back into the pan toward the end.

How to Store

Beef stroganoff will keep in the refrigerator for three to four days if stored in a tightly sealed container.
Reheat the stroganoff gently to avoid curdling the sour cream sauce.

Tips

When adding the flour, it's important to stir and cook for about 2 minutes to cook away any raw flour taste.
If using raw steak, it's easier to slice when partially frozen.

Recipe Variations

Replace the sour cream with Greek yogurt.
Add an extra pop of flavor with a dash of Worcestershire sauce.
Instead of steak, make the stroganoff with leftover pork roast.
If you don't have cognac or brandy, use white wine.
If you prefer not to cook with alcohol, add an extra 1/4 cup of beef stock.
Instead of noodles, serve the stroganoff with hot mashed potatoes or rice.

What Is Beef Sirloin?

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
816	Calories
40g	Fat
58g	Carbs
44g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories	816
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 40g	52%
Saturated Fat 18g	91%
Cholesterol 199mg	66%
Sodium 475mg	21%
Total Carbohydrate 58g	21%
Dietary Fiber 5g	19%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 44g
Vitamin C 7mg	33%
Calcium 88mg	7%
Iron 7mg	40%
Potassium 1150mg	24%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

steak
beef stroganoff
entree
american

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