Easy 30-Minute Ground Beef Stroganoff — Creamy Comfort Food Dinner
A wallet-friendly, kid-approved weeknight dinner that comes together in about half an hour. Make extra — people always come back for seconds.
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 oz egg noodles (wide noodles work great)
- 1 lb ground beef
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 ¼ cup milk
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ cup sour cream
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the egg noodles to package directions; drain and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, warm a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and break it up with a spoon. Cook until fully browned (about 6–8 minutes). Drain any excess fat, transfer the beef to a plate, and set aside.
- In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk continuously for about 2 minutes to form a smooth roux — this is the base that will thicken your sauce.
- Slowly pour in the beef broth while whisking to avoid lumps. Let the mixture simmer and thicken for 3–4 minutes.
- Gradually whisk the milk into the sauce and continue cooking until it becomes silky and slightly reduced, about 5–7 minutes more.
- Stir in the garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and salt. Taste and tweak seasoning as needed.
- Turn the heat to low. Add the drained noodles and the browned beef back into the skillet, tossing until everything is evenly coated and warmed through.
- Remove the pan from heat and gently fold in the sour cream until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
- Plate immediately and serve with a vegetable side or garlic toast.
Notes
- Notes & Tips
- Pasta ratio matters. Use no more than 6 ounces of pasta — too much pasta will soak up the sauce and leave the dish dry.
- Double it. DOUBLE THE RECIPE if you want leftovers — it reheats beautifully and people will ask for seconds.
- Roux reminder: Whisk continuously when you add flour so the sauce stays lump-free.
- Heat control: Add sour cream off the heat or over very low heat to prevent curdling.
- Swap ideas: Prefer lighter fare? Try ground turkey. Want extra depth? Toss in sliced mushrooms with the onions.
- Storage
- Fridge: Cool to room temperature, store in an airtight container for 3–4 days.
- Reheat: Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each, or warm gently on the stove with a splash of milk to revive creaminess.
- Freezing: You can freeze, but dairy may change texture. For best results, freeze sauce separate from noodles.
Nutrition
- Calories: 662kcal
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 1160mg
- Fat: 42g
- Carbohydrates: 41g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 164mg
