This hamburger stroganoff with sour cream has all of the savory flavors you love from beef stroganoff but is a lot faster and easier to make.
There’s just something about ground beef that screams “comfort food” to me. Maybe it’s because of my mom’s perfect spaghetti and meat sauce, the classic stuffed peppers I grew up eating, or the Hamburger Helper my hubby and I would re-create from scratch, as a nod to our early days of dating and cooking together. All of these dishes are so nostalgic for me. This hamburger stroganoff recipe tastes just like home. Made with ground beef, versus chuck roast, it’s a faster, and more affordable version of the beef stroganoff we all know and love, making it great for weeknights!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- This hamburger stroganoff is so savory, comforting, and filling
- It’s easy to prep and only takes about 30 minutes of cooking (and while the noodles cook, you can chop your mushrooms and measure your ingredients, etc.)
- The recipe is versatile—serve it over egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or even rice
What’s in Hamburger Stroganoff
- Egg noodles—for serving
- Butter—for coating the noodles
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper—always, for flavor
- Ground beef—I use 85/15 because it has more flavor than low-fat
- Brown mushrooms—such as baby bella or cremini (I much prefer these over button mushrooms)
- Yellow onion—you could use shallot, but I like how the onion plays with the ground beef in this particular recipe
- Garlic—helps give the beef even more flavor
- Worcestershire sauce—for awesome umami flavor in the sauce
- Tomato paste—for even more umami flavor in our sauce
- Flour—to help thicken the sauce
- Beef stock—to help give our sauce the right consistency and some more flavor
- Sour cream—a classic stroganoff ingredient (for a creamy sauce, but use full-fat!), though you could use créme fraîche or (full-fat) Greek yogurt
- Green onions or chives—for serving, to add some color and freshness
- Parsley—for serving, to add some color and freshness
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Hamburger Stroganoff
- Cook and season the egg noodles. Cook the egg noodles in salted water until tender (about 10 minutes). Drain then add back to the pot with some butter and stir for the butter to melt. Season with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper and cover with a lid.
- Cook the ground beef. Cook the beef for about 8 minutes or until cooked through, breaking it up with a flat bottom spatula (but not too finely or it will resemble taco meat, and you want it to be chunky).
- Cook the mushrooms. Add the mushrooms, onion, garlic, and salt and pepper, and sauté the mushrooms and onions, stirring often until they soften.
- Make the stroganoff sauce. Add the Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste to the pan and stir well to combine. Sprinkle with the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, while stirring (to help cook out the raw taste). Add the beef stock, stir, and cook for 3-4 minutes for the flavors to come together and the sauce to thicken. Fold the sour cream into the beef mixture until smooth and heated through.
- Serve it all up. Top the buttery egg noodles with the hamburger stroganoff, add a fresh dollop of sour cream, and sprinkle with chopped green onion or minced chives.
FAQ and Recipe Tips
- What is the best meat for stroganoff? Traditional beef stroganoff is made with Chuck tail or chuck roast, but for this humble (and equally delicious) iteration, I use ground beef since it cooks faster and is more affordable.
- What is the difference between Hamburger Helper and beef stroganoff? Both dishes contain beef, but Hamburger Helper is not made with mushrooms. However, this version of beef stroganoff (since it contains ground beef) is a little closer to Hamburger Helper than my traditional beef stroganoff.
- How do you add sour cream to stroganoff without curdling? Adding the sour cream towards the end of cooking helps cool down the sauce. If you add it too early it can cause it to boil and then curdle or break.
- Don’t mince the ground beef too fine; keep it chunky so you can really taste it. If it gets too fine, it’ll be more like taco meat, which you don’t want here.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Sub the sour cream for créme fraîche or even full-fat Greek yogurt if you wish
- Try a different noodle (long fusilli, pappardelle, or tagliatelle would all work great)
Storage Tips
This hamburger stroganoff will keep stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. I don’t recommend freezing it with the pasta. If you plan to make it and freeze it, freeze the beef and sauce but not with your pasta. It will keep in the freezer for about 3 months.
What to Serve With Hamburger Stroganoff
- Roasted Asparagus
- Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots
- Kale Salad with Parmesan and Pine Nuts
- Sautéed Spinach with Garlic
- Easy Green Beans with Browned Butter Almondine
Hamburger Stroganoff
This hamburger stroganoff has all of the savory flavors you love from beef stroganoff but is a lot faster and easier to make since it features ground beef.
Servings 4
Calories 569kcal
Ingredients
- 6 ounces wide egg noodles
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
- ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper divided
- 1 pound 85/15 ground beef
- 1 ½ cups sliced brown mushrooms
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped, about 1 cup
- 3 cloves garlic minced or pressed
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup beef stock
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2-3 green onions or chives chopped
- Chopped parsley
Instructions
- Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil in a large stock pot. Add the noodles and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain then add back to the pot with the butter and stir for the butter to melt. Season with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper and cover with a lid.
- Meanwhile, add the ground beef to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook for 8 minutes or until cooked through, breaking up the beef with a flat bottom spatula. Add the mushrooms, onion, garlic, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon of black pepper. Cook until the mushrooms and onions soften, stirring often, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste and stir well to combine. Sprinkle with the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring. Add the beef stock, stir, and cook for 3-4 minutes for the flavors to come together and the sauce to thicken. Fold the sour cream into the beef mixture until smooth and heated through.
- To serve, top the egg noodles with the hamburger stroganoff, add a fresh dollop of sour cream, and sprinkle with chopped green onion or minced chives.
