Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff is the stew version of traditional Beef Stroganoff. An incredible slow cooked beef that’s fall-apart tender smothered in a creamy Stroganoff sauce with buttery garlic mushrooms, it’s made with economical stewing beef yet tastes like a million bucks!
Beef Stroganoff
You know that anything that involving the words “slow cooked” and “beef” is going to be a winner. And this one is a ripper!
It’s the slow cooked version of classic Beef Stroganoff. Besides the fact that it takes 8 hours in a slow cooker instead of 15 minutes on the stove, this stew version of Stroganoff differs from the traditional version in a few ways:
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Fall apart tender chunks of beef rather than thin strips that are just cooked so they’re juicy inside;
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Made with economical stewing beef rather than good to high quality well marbled steak (essential for a really great traditional Beef Stroganoff); and
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Deeper flavour in the sauce – owing to the long cook time. You can’t shortcut this kind of flavour!
This slow cooked beef melts in your mouth and the depth of flavour in the sauce is magnificent!
What you need for Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff
Here’s what you need to make this incredible slow cooked beef dish! It’s the same ingredients as traditional Beef Stroganoff except using economical stewing beef and more sauce so the beef is submerged while slow cooking!
Use Chuck Beef or other economical stewing beef. Do not waste your money on pricier cuts like sirloin!
Best cut of beef for SLOW COOKER Beef Stroganoff
This recipe needs to be made with economical stewing cuts that need to be cooked for a long time to become tender, such as:
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chuck beef
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boneless beef ribs
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beef cheeks
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gravy beef
In contrast, traditional Beef Stroganoff, which is cooked quickly on the stove, is best made with pricier cuts suitable for cooking as steaks, such as boneless rib eye/scotch fillet and sirloin.
Just a few notes on some of the other ingredients:
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Sour Cream – this is what makes Stroganoff Sauce creamy. It’s added at the end so there’s no risk of it splitting during the slow cooking time;
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Dijon Mustard – for flavour and thickening, a traditional ingredient in Beef Stroganoff Sauce; and
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Flour – thickens the sauce. See recipe notes for gluten free option!
How to make Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff
This is pretty much made just like traditional Beef Stew – entirely hands off for most of the cook time!
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Brown beef aggressively. The better the browning, the better the flavour in the sauce and on the beef!
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Sauté the onion and garlic, mix in the flour;
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Add everything into the slow cooker (or pot);
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Slow cook 8 hours on low or 5 hours on high (see recipe for stove and IP/pressure cooker);
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Sauté mushrooms in garlic and butter;
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Whisk the sour cream with some of the liquid in the slow cooker – this will ensure you don’t end up with sour cream specks in the sauce (can’t mix vigorously otherwise the beef crumbles!);
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Stir mushrooms and sour cream into sauce;
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Serve over mash, pasta, egg noodles or even rice!
Here’s what it looks like straight out of the slow cooker.
And the beef…..fall apart….. juicy…..sucked up all the flavour of that Stroganoff Sauce…
I’ve made this as a stew but it could just as easily be transformed into a chunky soup with potatoes and vegetables. That way, it would also be a meal in one, rather than preparing noodles or mash to serve it over.
I’ve popped notes in the recipe for how to make it into a soup – you just add extra liquid to make the sauce slightly thinner which also increases volume so you can add more “stuff” into it. 😇
Otherwise, if you’re sticking with the Slow Cooked Beef Stroganoff Stew as written, serve it over one of these:
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pasta or wide egg noodles (traditional);
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mashed potato (also common for Stroganoff);
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rice; or
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low carb alternatives: Creamy Cauliflower Mash or Cauliflower Rice
Enjoy! – Nagi x
PS Also, for chicken lovers – > CHICKEN Stroganoff. Because I sauce this good can smother many things.
Watch how to make it
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Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff
Ingredients
- 1.75kg/ 3.5lb beef chuck or other stewing beef , cut in 4cm / 1.5” cube (Note 1)
- 1.5 tsp each salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp oil
- 20g/ 1 tbsp butter , unsalted
- 1 large onion , halved then sliced into 1 cm / 2/5" slices
- 4 garlic cloves , minced
- 4 tbsp Dijon Mustard
- 7 tbsp flour , plain / all purpose
- 1 litre / 1 quart beef stock/broth , reduced salt
- 1 1/2 cups sour cream , full fat best
Garlic Butter Mushrooms:
- 3tbsp/ 45g butter , unsalted
- 700g / 1.2lb mushrooms , sliced into 0.5cm thick slices
- 3 garlic cloves , finely minced
- 1/2 tsp salt and pepper
Serving:
- Pasta, wide egg noodles, mashed potato
- Chives for garnish
Instructions
- Pat beef dry then sprinkle with all the salt and pepper.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large heavy based pot or skillet* over high heat.
- Add beef in a single layer (not squished) and brown aggressively all over - 4 minutes or so. Remove and repeat with rest of beef, adding more oil as needed.
- Let the pot cool down a bit then return to stove. Melt half the butter, then cook garlic and onion for 3 minutes until softened.
- Sprinkle the flour across the surface, then stir. Add the mustard, and stir - it will look gluey, that's ok, it will dissolve.
- Add the beef stock and stir well, scraping the bottom of the pot, and bring to simmer. Cook using chosen method below.
SLOW COOKING - choose method:
- Slow cooker: Transfer all liquid into slow cooker. Add beef, then slow cook 8 hours on LOW or 5 hours on HIGH.
- Stove: Add beef into pot. Cover with lid and adjust heat to low/medium low so the it's simmering gently. Simmer 2 hrs (check at 1.5 hrs) until beef beef falls apart easily.
- Instant pot: SKIP FLOUR, follow Note 5 Gluten Free option. 40 minutes on high, same method as slow cooker.
- Other pressure cookers: 40 minutes on high, same method as slow cooker.
GARLIC BUTTER MUSHROOMS:
- Melt half the butter in a large skillet over high heat. Add half the mushrooms and cook until almost golden (~3 minutes). Add half the garlic, salt and pepper, cook until golden. Remove, repeat with remaining butter, mushrooms and garlic.
FINISHING STEW:
- Mix sour cream with 1.5 cups of liquid from slow cooker (Note 2), then gently stir into stew - careful, the beef is delicate!
- Gently stir in mushrooms.
- Serve over noodles, pasta or mashed potato, sprinkled with chives!
Recipe Notes:
- Chuck
- Boneless beef ribs*
- Gravy beef or other beef labelled as "stewing beef"
- Beef cheeks**
** If 200g/7oz or less, cook whole so it looks like this beef cheeks recipe but with Stroganoff Sauce. Chopped cheeks twist and skew once slow cooked - looks better to serve whole (or at most, halved). Other beef cuts ok to use - great for slow cooking but not as juicy all the way through as there are more lean patches:
- Brisket
- Blade roast
Nutrition Information:
Stew Fever!
For fellow lovers of slow cooked goodness, rich sauces and fall apart meat…
Life of Dozer
Furniture shopping with Dozer – he certainly made himself at home!! 🤣
Fabulous recipe! My hubby makes a stovetop beef stroganoff and he even conceded that this knocked his off top spot. It keeps so well for leftovers and is so full of flavour. Highly recommend this recipe. Thanks Nagi!
One of the most delicious things I’ve ever cooked and so easy! Used the leftovers for a pie the next day
Perfect Jess! Love the pie idea too! N x
Hi making this today in my slow cooker, I had to add an extra cup and a half of water to my sauce as it was super thick! Also when do you add the mushrooms and sour cream?
Hi Lauren, it shouldn’t be that thick – what size tabelspoon did you use? You add the mushrooms and cream at the last steps of the recipe under the heading “finishing the stew”. N x
Hi Nagi am going to make this for dinner tomorrow but don’t have any sour cream so what do you recommend as a substitute , i only keep crème fraiche in the fridge? love your recipes x
Hi Carole, that’s perfect! Creme fraiche will work nicely! N x
Made 2 batches, one for a Thank you to an associate & 1 for family – EVERYONE loved it, even teens who don’t care for mushrooms! Great recipe & did not change a thing!!
Hi Nagi, I am planning to make this to take away this weekend with a group of friends however one of the party is allergic to onions. I thought I would make a small pot of this for him without the onions & make it as per the recipe for the rest of us. Do you think it would be too bland without the onions? Is there something I could substitute to give it flavour?
Also, if I am making it ahead should I add the sour cream just before serving or will it reheat ok with it already added?
I also wanted to say you are my go-to website for recipes! They always work & are always delicious!! xx
This Stroganoff is so delicious! Followed the recipe to the letter & wouldn’t change a thing. The addition of the dijon mustard makes it such an elegant stroganoff. Great winter slow cooker meal that permeates the entire house while it’s cooking. Will make this again and again.
Can you freeze this with the mushrooms and sour cream already added?
Hi Kaley, yes you can – I mention this in the recipe notes. N x
The whole family loved this and asked for it to be put on regular rotation!
I love hearing this, I’m so glad it was a hit Alli!! N x
This is so delicious. The mustard really gives it a good flavor. I will make again. Thank you!
I am starting to think that I have a bug somewhere and am not seeing amount of ingredients correctly. Do you really mean 7 tablespoons of flour? That can’t be right.
Yes, you’re seeing correctly Renc – that’s 7 tbls/60g of flour. N x
Made this for dinner tonight – followed recipe as written. My husband and I both loved it – very flavorful and by cooking in slow cooker it had a very rich flavor. He’s looking forward to the leftovers! Thank you for a wonderful recipe
Thank you so much for sharing your recipe. I made this for my family last night . It turned out perfectly. The meat was so tender. I was surprised because I cooked it on the stove instead of a crockpot. Yummy
Nagi I recently made the slow cooker beef stroganoff. My son mentions it often enough that he’s expecting a repeat. It’s the dreamy look and the slight drool that gives him away. I did cut the mustard back to 2 tbsp and that was perfect for my family, Everyone loved it. Thanks
What temp would you cook it on, in the oven in a ceramic dish with lid? And for how long? Many thanks 😊
Hi Alissa, I would cook for about 2.5-3 hours on 180°C / 350°F (160°C fan) – just check at 2.5 hours, the meat should be super tender (if not, it may just need a little longer) – N x