Creamy Beef Stroganoff in 35 Minutes

Fast-seared strips of beef in a glossy mushroom, mustard and soured cream sauce with a whisper of paprika. It's rich, comforting and on the table in about half an hour. Serve over buttered pasta or rice for an easy midweek treat.

Proper stroganoff is all about speed and a light touch. You sear the beef fast so it stays tender, build a savoury mushroom base, then finish with soured cream off a gentle heat so it never splits. It’s a genuinely quick supper that tastes like you fussed for hours. Here’s how to get it right every time.

Ingredients

• 600 g beef sirloin or rump steak — cut into thin strips against the grain
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 large onion — finely sliced
• 300 g chestnut mushrooms — sliced
• 2 cloves garlic — crushed
• 150 ml beef stock
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 200 ml soured cream
• 1 small handful flat-leaf parsley — chopped, to finish
• to taste salt and black pepper

Method

1. Toss the beef strips with the flour, paprika and a good pinch of salt and pepper until lightly coated. Set aside while you prep everything else.
2. Heat 1 tbsp butter and the oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Sear the beef in two batches for 1-2 minutes per batch, just until browned outside; don't crowd the pan. Lift onto a plate and set aside.
3. Lower the heat to medium, add the remaining butter and soften the onion for 4-5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for 5-6 minutes until golden and any liquid has cooked off. Stir in the garlic for the last minute.
4. Pour in the beef stock, mustard and Worcestershire sauce, scraping up the browned bits from the base. Let it bubble and reduce by about half, roughly 2-3 minutes.
5. Turn the heat to low and stir in the soured cream until you have a smooth, glossy sauce. Keep it below a simmer so it doesn't split.
6. Return the beef and any resting juices to the pan and warm through for 2-3 minutes, until the beef is cooked through with no pink remaining and the sauce is piping hot throughout.
7. Taste and adjust the seasoning, scatter over the parsley and serve straight away over pasta, rice or mash.

Serve it with

• Buttered tagliatelle or pappardelle
• Fluffy long-grain or basmati rice
• Creamy mashed potato
• A crisp green salad
• Steamed green beans or tenderstem broccoli

Why this works

Searing the beef hot and fast keeps it tender, while adding the soured cream off a rolling boil stops it curdling, giving you a smooth sauce rather than a grainy one.

Common swaps

• Use crème fraîche in place of soured cream for a slightly richer, less tangy sauce.
• Swap sirloin for quick-fry beef strips or thinly sliced fillet to keep the cooking fast.
• Add a splash of brandy or white wine with the stock for extra depth.
• For a lighter version, use half-fat soured cream and lean rump.
• Make it vegetarian with 500 g mixed mushrooms and vegetable stock, skipping the beef.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Overcrowding the pan when searing, which steams the beef grey instead of browning it.
• Boiling the sauce hard after the soured cream goes in, causing it to split and turn grainy.
• Overcooking the beef; it only needs a brief warm-through in the sauce or it turns tough.
• Under-seasoning; taste at the end, as the mushrooms and beef soak up plenty of salt.

Storage, freezing & reheating

Storage: Cool leftovers quickly and keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Reheating: Reheat gently in a pan or microwave on medium, stirring, until piping hot throughout; avoid a hard boil so the sauce stays smooth. Loosen with a splash of stock if needed.

Allergen notes: contains Milk, Gluten, Mustard, Fish. Always check individual product labels.

Estimated nutrition

Per serving, estimated from typical ingredient values — not a substitute for precise dietary calculation.