Main Page
Festive table
Beef Stroganoff classic

Classic Beef Stroganoff

Tender, mouthwatering strips of beef in a rich, savory gravy. The dish is named for the Stroganov family, and the classic version is made with beef. Let me show you how to make this simple but seriously tasty dish.

Anna

Recipe author

Watch the video

Composition / ingredients

Servings:

Beef

500

Onion

Tomato paste

Flour

Sour cream

150

Vegetable oil

Salt

Ground black pepper

Translation table of volumetric measures

Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe

By weight of the composition:

Proteins 50 % 15 g

Fats 40 % 12 g

Carbohydrates 10 % 3 g

182 kcal

GI: 67 / 0 / 33

Cooking method

Step 1:

How do you make classic beef Stroganoff? Get your ingredients together. Use fresh beef with no gristle, membrane, or fat — younger meat is best, since it cooks faster. You'll want a medium onion. The tomato paste can be swapped for canned tomatoes in their own juice or a tomato sauce, and you can use whatever spices you like. Have a deep, heavy-bottomed skillet or sauté pan ready.
Step 2:

Rinse the fresh beef under cold running water and pat it thoroughly dry with paper towels. Cut it first into thin slices, then into long strips — always against the grain. If you're worried the meat might be tough (and slow to cook), you can pound it lightly before slicing. Alternatively, you can bring it to a boil in water, rinse it, and then fry it.
Step 3:

Set the skillet over high heat and warm the vegetable oil. Add the beef strips and, stirring constantly, sear them on all sides until browned. Transfer the meat to a warm plate set near the stove.
Step 4:

Peel the onion and slice it into half-rings. Add a little vegetable oil to the same pan you cooked the meat in and sauté the onion for a few minutes.
Step 5:

Toss the beef with the flour, add it to the sautéed onion, and stir.
Step 6:

Add the tomato paste, sour cream, salt, and ground black pepper to the meat and onion. Stir everything together well. If you like, you can also add a bay leaf, a few allspice berries, or other spices.
Step 7:

Pour in boiling water (about ⅔–¾ cup / 150–200 ml — you don't have to add it all at once, just enough to almost cover the meat, topping it up later if needed). Stir, lower the heat to just below medium, cover the pan, and simmer the Stroganoff until the meat is done. Cooking time depends on the cut you chose. The finished beef is tender, and the gravy is thick and fragrant.
Step 8:

Serve the meat and gravy hot. Pasta, buckwheat, rice, or mashed potatoes all make good sides. Spoon the side dish and the beef onto each plate and ladle the savory gravy over the top. A sprinkle of fresh chopped herbs is a nice finish.

Keeping sour cream or heavy cream from curdling in a sauce comes down to a few tricks: temper it by stirring in a little of the hot liquid first, keep the heat gentle, and avoid a hard boil once it's in the pan.
The right pan matters, too: a poorly chosen skillet can ruin even the best recipe, so pick one that suits what you're cooking.
The tomato paste in this recipe can be swapped for canned tomatoes in their own juice, fresh tomatoes, or ketchup.