Ground Beef Stroganoff Pasta
Wide egg noodles make a tender base for a pale, creamy sauce with browned ground beef and finely chopped mushrooms. The sauce gets its body from flour and broth, then its tang from sour cream stirred in off the heat.
The noodles boil separately, so you can check their tenderness without changing the sauce’s liquid or cooking time. Cook the mushrooms until little moisture remains in the skillet, and finish thickening the sauce before adding the sour cream. This recipe makes 4 servings and takes about 15 minutes to prep and 25 minutes to cook.
Ingredients for Ground Beef Stroganoff Pasta
- 12 ounces wide egg noodles (340g)
- 1 pound ground beef, preferably 85% lean (450g)
- 8 ounces cremini or white button mushrooms, finely chopped (225g)
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped (about 100g)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter or neutral oil, as needed
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups beef broth, plus more as needed
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
Optional: 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard for the sauce and 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley for serving.
How to Make Ground Beef Stroganoff Pasta
- Boil the noodles: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the egg noodles according to the package directions, starting to check at the earliest suggested time. Drain when tender but still holding their shape.
- Brown the beef: While the water heats, heat a large 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef and break it into small crumbles. Cook for about 5 to 7 minutes, until browned and cooked through with no pink remaining. Ground beef should reach 160°F (70°C). If the skillet looks greasy, drain excess fat, leaving a thin coating.
- Cook the mushrooms and onion: Reduce the heat to medium. Add the mushrooms and onion, using the butter or oil only if the skillet is dry. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 5 to 7 minutes, until softened with little mushroom liquid left in the skillet. A crowded pan may take longer. Stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Thicken the sauce: Sprinkle the flour over the beef and vegetables and stir for about 1 minute. Gradually stir in the broth and Worcestershire, scraping up any browned bits. If using Dijon, stir it in now. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring, until the sauce lightly coats a spoon.
- Add the sour cream: Remove the skillet from the heat and let active bubbling stop. Stir in the sour cream until smooth, then season with salt and pepper. Do not boil the sauce after adding sour cream.
- Serve: Spoon the sauce over and among the drained noodles, leaving some noodles visible. If the sauce has thickened while standing, stir in a splash of broth until creamy and spoonable. Sprinkle lightly with parsley, if using.
Why the Noodles Cook Separately
Boiling the noodles in their own pot makes it easier to stop cooking when they are tender, while the sauce thickens independently in the skillet. Cooking dry noodles directly in the sauce is a different method: the broth amount and timing would need to change, and both can vary with the noodle brand and pan.
How to Adjust the Sauce
If the broth sauce is too thin, let it simmer gently for another minute or two before adding the sour cream. If the finished sauce is too thick, stir in broth a little at a time. Avoid simmering it down after the sour cream goes in; boiling can make the sauce grainy or separated.
Storing and Reheating
Refrigerate leftovers promptly in airtight containers and use within 3 days. Store the noodles and sauce separately when practical, since noodles soften as they absorb sauce.
Reheat gently over low heat on the stovetop or in the microwave, stirring as needed. Add a splash of broth or water to loosen the sauce, and do not let it boil. Freezing is possible, but the noodles may soften and the sour cream sauce may separate. For better texture, freeze the sauce before adding sour cream; thaw and reheat it gently, stir in the sour cream off the heat, and cook fresh noodles to serve.
Nutrition Information
Approximate nutrition per serving, based on 4 servings: 720 calories, 39g protein, 30g fat, and 74g carbohydrates. Approximate nutrition per 100g: 175 calories, 10g protein, 7g fat, and 18g carbohydrates. Values vary with the beef, noodles, broth, sour cream, and amount of fat used.
Equipment
- Large pot
- 12-inch skillet
- Colander
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 12 ounces wide egg noodles (340 g)
- 1 pound ground beef, preferably 85% lean (450 g)
- 8 ounces cremini or white button mushrooms, finely chopped (225 g)
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped (about 100 g)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter or neutral oil, as needed
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups beef broth, plus more as needed
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
Optional
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley, for serving
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the egg noodles according to the package directions, checking at the earliest suggested time. Drain when tender but still holding their shape.
- While the water heats, warm a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and break it into small crumbles. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until browned and cooked through with no pink remaining; it should reach 160°F (70°C). Drain excess fat if needed, leaving a thin coating.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the mushrooms and onion, adding butter or oil only if the skillet is dry. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, until softened and little mushroom liquid remains. Stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Sprinkle the flour over the beef and vegetables and stir for about 1 minute. Gradually stir in the broth and Worcestershire sauce, scraping up browned bits. Add the Dijon if using. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring until the sauce lightly coats a spoon.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and wait for active bubbling to stop. Stir in the sour cream until smooth, then season with salt and pepper. Do not boil the sauce after adding the sour cream.
- Spoon the sauce over and among the drained noodles. If the sauce has thickened while standing, stir in a splash of broth until creamy and spoonable. Sprinkle with parsley if using.
Tips
- Cook the noodles separately so you can check their tenderness without changing the sauce’s liquid or cooking time.
- Cook the mushrooms until little moisture remains; a crowded skillet may take longer.
- Thicken the broth sauce before stirring in the sour cream.
- If the finished sauce is too thick, loosen it with broth a little at a time.
- Do not boil the sauce after adding sour cream, as it may become grainy or separate.
Variations
- Dijon Stroganoff: Stir 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard into the sauce with the broth and Worcestershire.