Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff Cooking Light
When you need comfort food, nothing compares to classic Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff. Tender sirloin, mushrooms, and the most delicious silky savory sauce, all tossed with egg noodles. This healthy beef stroganoff is made from scratch using clean ingredients (no canned soup) but still made easy with the help of the crockpot.
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Comfort food and slow cooker- the two words I look forward to every winter. This Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff recipe combines those words and is one of my favorite healthy comfort food dishes to make in the slow cooker.
Of course, you can make this on the stovetop with my easy beef stroganoff recipe, but if you're looking for dinner to cook while you focus on other things, then this crockpot version is for you.
Reasons you'll love this recipe
- Hands-off cooking. There's only a little prep work needed then the crockpot does all of the work.
- Healthy comfort food. Tender lean beef and mushrooms smothered in a silky, delicious gravy served over whole-grain noodles. High protein recipe made with all clean organic ingredients! It doesn't get more comforting than that.
- Make-ahead. The flavors of this slow cooker beef stroganoff get better by the day. So make it on Sunday to warm up during the week or freeze for later on.
Ingredients
Sirloin. Using sirloin steak instead of a fattier cut of beef like chuck roast or beef stew meat creates a crockpot beef stroganoff recipe lower in saturated fat, calories, and cholesterol. The sirloin will get tender and delicious cooking in the crockpot, but you need to watch it, so it doesn't dry out.
Another benefit of using sirloin is that the gravy doesn't end up greasy like it would with a fattier cut of meat.
Onion and garlic. The flavor foundation for this stroganoff gravy. I prefer using white onion, but a yellow onion would work too.
Beef broth. This is the base for the sauce. Don't forget to save ½ cup to make the slurry to thicken the sauce after it cooks. The beef broth gives the best flavor to this beef stroganoff recipe, but any broth will work. If you are watching your sodium then use a low-sodium broth.
Worcestershire sauce. I like to call this my secret stroganoff ingredient – especially when making it in the crock pot. Worcestershire sauce gives the gravy a rich flavor that stands up to the slow cooking process.
Sliced mushrooms. Let's start with the variety. I keep this recipe simple and use sliced white mushrooms. However, you can also use cremini (baby portobello's) for a meatier mushroom with more flavor. Honestly, I find that the type of mushroom doesn't matter because it soaks up the taste of the sauce.
Now, let's talk about what size package of mushrooms to use. When I first started to make this healthy beef stroganoff recipe, I only used one 8-ounce package of sliced mushrooms. Over the years, I've increased the amount to 16-ounces of sliced mushrooms, resulting in the perfect amount of mushrooms after the recipe cooks down.
Dijon mustard. Stroganoff gets its distinct taste from the Dijon mustard in the sauce. I use extra in this slow cooker recipe because long cook times tend to mute flavors. Two tablespoons keep the Dijon mustard recognizable in the sauce.
Dried dill weed. Dill weed is not an ingredient in classic stroganoff recipes, but it's found a place in modern versions, and I think it's delicious. I only use 1⁄2 teaspoon in this recipe, and that's the perfect amount. If you don't like dried dill weed, then leave it out. If you want to use fresh dill, I recommend using ½ tablespoon and adding it at the end.
Cornstarch. Cornstarch creates a creamy, silky smooth sauce quickly, and you don't have to use as much. Traditional stroganoff recipes made on the stovetop use flour to thicken the sauce. Still, cornstarch is another alternative when making this recipe in the crockpot because it has more thickening power than flour. It's also a great option when you want to keep the sauce gluten-free.
Sour cream. Another unique feature of stroganoff sauce is its creaminess, and that's made possible with sour cream. I prefer to use full-fat sour cream because it's a clean option. Light sour cream includes preservatives and additives I don't want in our food.
Egg noodles. This is the classic noodle of beef stroganoff. Use whole grain to keep it a healthier version.
FAQS
What is stroganoff sauce made of?
I guess it all depends who, you ask? Old school versions keep it simple with cubed beef, bouillon, mustard, and sour cream.
Over the years, the recipe has evolved to include mushrooms, different herbs like dill and thyme, onions, garlic, mustard beef broth, and sour cream. Some recipes swap out the sour cream for cream cheese or add both. You'll even find wine in some stroganoff recipes.
Of course, the beef stroganoff recipes of the 70s and 80s include canned cream of mushroom soup, but those have all kinds of additives, preservatives, and other weird processed ingredients.
If you're trying to eat clean, then making stroganoff from scratch is the way to go. This healthy stroganoff sauce is made with clean ingredients and is easy to prepare.
What cut of beef can I use for stroganoff?
Using sirloin steaks keeps this recipe on the healthier side. However, you can also use flank steak, stewing beef, filet, tenderloin, boneless rib eye.
Keep in mind that the cheaper the cut of meat is, the tougher it will be, and you need more cooking time to break the fast and collagen down.
Using a tender, juicier cut of meat like filet or sirloin will work the best if you're making stroganoff on the stovetop.
Cooking Tips
- Don't skip cooking the onions and garlic. For the best flavor, it's essential to cook the onions and garlic before adding them to the slow cooker. If you don't, these ingredients will steam and lose all flavor. I keep the cooking process simple by cooking it in the microwave for a few minutes.
- Browning the meat isn't necessary. All you have to do is add the raw sliced steak to the slow cooker.
- Don't add the noodles to the sauce. This might be a personal preference, but I like to spoon the sauce over each serving of noodles on a plate. Adding the noodles can create soggy noodles—also, some people like more sauce than others.
- Make it gluten-free. Use gluten-free noodles or rice – stroganoff is even delicious over mashed potatoes. For a low-carb alternative, then serve it with this cauliflower rice, zoodles, or spaghetti squash.
- Taste for salt at the end. This is one of my favorite tips for any slow cooker recipe. As I said earlier, flavors tend to mute from the slow cooking process. Adding salt at the end helps the flavors pop and come back to life.
- Swap out the sour cream. If you want to reduce fat, then using whole plain Greek yogurt is a good alternative.
Supplies
- Mixing bowls
- 5 1/2 Quart Programmable Slow Cooker
- Small whisk
My Favorite Slow Cooker
programmable slow cooker
Buy Now →How to Make Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff
- Cut the steak diagonally across grain into 1/4 inch thick slices. Place steak into the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Sprinkle salt, pepper, and dried dill weed onto the steak.
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, add the chopped onion, garlic, and olive oil. Stir the onion and garlic until coated with the oil. Microwave on high for 3-5 minutes or until translucent, fragrant, and garlic looks slightly golden.
- In the bowl with onion and garlic, stir in one cup of the beef broth, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour the broth mixture over the beef in the slow cooker.
- Add the mushrooms to the top.
- Place the lid tightly on the slow cooker and set to cook on high 2-3 hours or low for 5-7 hours. I recommend cooking on low if possible because sirloin is a leaner cut of meat and could dry out on high heat.
- Use a small whisk or fork to whisk the cornstarch into the remaining ½ cup of beef broth to make a slurry. Stir the slurry to the juices in the slow cooker.
- Place the lid back on and set it to cook for another 10-15 minutes. The sauce will thicken during this time.
- Stir in the sour cream, place the lid back on, and let it cook for about 5 minutes. At this point, the sauce will be hot, thick, silk, and delicious. Please give it a taste for salt and then serve over egg noodles.
- If you want, sprinkle with fresh parsley or thyme.
Storage tips
This crock pot beef stroganoff recipe gets better by the day!
- Store the stroganoff sauce in an airtight container separately in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I recommend storing the noodles separately, so they don't get mushy.
- If you want to make a portioned-out dinner, then add a portion of stroganoff and noodles side by side into a glass meal prep container. Heat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes when ready to eat, then stir and heat for another minute.
- You can also freeze beef stroganoff using 1-cup silicone trays (Souper cubes) or freeze into portioned dinners as I described above. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
- Another option is to assemble the ingredients into the slow cooker insert and refrigerate. Set the slow cooker the following morning and continue with recipe.
Other Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes
- Crockpot Stuffed Peppers
- Slow Cooker Sausage and Peppers
- Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli
- Slow Cooker Italian Beef
- Slow Cooker Pot Roast with Onion Soup Mix
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5 1/2 quart slow cooker
- 1.5 lbs boneless sirloin steak
- 1/2 teaspoons dried dill
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 16 oz. sliced mushrooms
- 1/3 cup pure cornstarch
- 1.5 cups beef broth divide
- 1 cut sour cream
- 2.5 cups hot cooked egg noodles I used whole wheat
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Cut the steak diagonally across grain into 1/4 inch thick slices.
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Place steak into the bottom of the slow cooker. Sprinkle salt, pepper, and dried dill weed onto the steak.
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In a small microwave-safe bowl, add the chopped onion, garlic, and olive oil. Stir the onion and garlic until coated with the oil. Microwave on high for 3-5 minutes or until translucent, fragrant, and garlic looks slightly golden.
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In the bowl with onion and garlic, stir in one cup of the beef broth, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce.
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Pour the broth mixture over the beef in the slow cooker.
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Add the mushrooms to the top.
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Place the lid tightly on the slow cooker and set to cook on high 2-3 hours or low for 5-7 hours.
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I recommend cooking on low if possible because sirloin is a leaner cut of meat and could dry out on high heat.
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Use a small whisk or fork to whisk the cornstarch into the remaining ½ cup of beef broth to make a slurry.
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Stir the slurry to the juices in the slow cooker.
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Place the lid back on and set it to cook for another 10-15 minutes. The sauce will thicken during this time.
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Stir in the sour cream, place the lid back on, and let it cook for about 5 minutes. At this point, the sauce will be hot, thick, silk, and delicious.
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Please give it a taste for salt and then serve over egg noodles. If you want, sprinkle with fresh parsley or thyme.
One serving is about 1 1/4 cups sauce and 1/2 cup of noodles.
Storage tips
Store the stroganoff sauce in an airtight container separately in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I recommend storing the noodles separately, so they don't get mushy.
If you want to make a portioned-out dinner, then add a portion of stroganoff and noodles side by side into a glass meal prep container. Heat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes when ready to eat, then stir and heat for another minute.
You can also freeze beef stroganoff using 1-cup silicone trays (Souper cubes) or freeze into portioned dinners as I described above. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Another option is to assemble the ingredients into the slow cooker insert and refrigerate. Set the slow cooker the following morning and continue with the recipe.
Serving: 1 g | Calories: 407 kcal | Carbohydrates: 33 g | Protein: 38 g | Fat: 14 g | Saturated Fat: 10 g | Cholesterol: 19 mg | Sodium: 549 mg | Fiber: 2 g | Sugar: 5 g
Did You Make This Recipe?
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