Beef & Mushroom Stroganoff

This Beef Stroganoff recipe is sure to warm your tummy.  It’s one of those comfort foods you eat that makes you go Mmmmm. It’s creamy rich texture, peers perfectly with a healthy serving of pasta, rice or even a side of fluffy mashed potatoes. A satisfying dish fit for any beef lover. This easy recipe can be whipped up quickly on weeknights or for a lazy weekend.

In the past I’ve used different cuts of beef to make this hearty recipe. But today, I use ground beef which I had on hand and its actually cheaper. The trick to using ground beef is to not break it up the way you would when making Bolognese sauce for sphegetti. You want to keep it in chunks as much as possible.  The best method is not stir or mix the meat until it is browned and gently turn only when needed. Cook sauce separate and then adding the beef also allows for the meat to remain consistent. 

Fresh mushrooms are a must for me in most beef dishes. They add a delicate texture and exotic earthy taste that compliments beef well. If you do not have fresh mushrooms, feel free to use canned ones. In addition, adding canned mushroom soup can provide the silky creaminess to stroganoff, which some perfere. It also helps to thicken it. Some recipes use starch. However for this recipe I opted to use my own mix of spices to create the rich taste and texture. And decided to use my go to flour and broth for a more gravy like consistency.

Here we go!

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1  medium onion , finely chopped
• 1 cup fresh crimini mushrooms, sliced
• ½ cup button mushrooms, sliced
• 2 clove garlic , minced
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 3 cups beef broth
• 1 teaspoon salt
• pepper to taste
• ½ teaspoon oregano
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon beef bouillon
• 3/4 cup cream cheese
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley

Instructions

1. In a heavy pan, add 1 teaspoon olive oil, cook onion until translucent. Add garlic. To the pan brown ground beef until no pink can be seen (try to manipulate as little as possible). Remove from pan and set aside.
2. Return empty pan to heat, add broth, Worcestershire sauce and bouillon. Add in mushrooms. Season with salt, pepper and oregano (I used a touch of rosemary as well) and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Whisk in flour and cook on medium-high heat for an additional 2 minutes.
3. Add ground beef to pan. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes on low.
4. If using pasta, cook according to package instructions.
5. Remove stroganoff from heat. slowly stir in cream cheese (or sour cream).
6. Serve over pasta, garnish with parsley.

Hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoyed making it! Let me know what you think!