Sarra Ina Garten’s beef stroganoff is a rich, creamy skillet dish with seared filet mignon, mushrooms, shallots, and a sour cream sauce, served over buttered egg noodles. It comes together in about 45 minutes from start to finish. Serves 4.
Ina doesn’t have an exact stroganoff recipe, but she uses this exact method across several cookbooks. Her Filet of Beef with Mushrooms & Blue Cheese from Cook Like a Pro sears filet and builds a mushroom crème fraîche sauce. Her Filet Mignon with Mustard & Mushrooms from Cooking for Jeffrey does the same with heavy cream and Cognac. This version pulls from both, swapping in sour cream the way a classic stroganoff calls for.
The sear on the beef is everything. Ina says to pat filets completely dry with paper towels and get the pan screaming hot before the meat goes in. You want a dark brown crust in about 2 minutes per side, then pull the beef out while it’s still rare inside because it finishes in the sauce.
Ina Garten Beef Stroganoff Recipe
Course: DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy4
servings30
minutes45
minutes650
kcalBuilt from Ina’s filet and mushroom techniques across Cook Like a Pro and Cooking for Jeffrey, this stroganoff pairs a fast sear with a creamy pan sauce that comes together while the noodles boil.
Ingredients
- For the Stroganoff:
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1 1/2 lbs (680g) filet mignon, cut into 1/2-inch thick strips
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2 tablespoons canola oil
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Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
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4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, divided
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12 oz (340g) cremini mushrooms, stems removed, caps sliced 1/4 inch thick
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3/4 cup (100g) minced shallots (3 large)
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2 tablespoons Cognac or brandy
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1 cup (240ml) beef broth
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1 tablespoon tomato paste
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2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
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3/4 cup (180ml) sour cream, at room temperature
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2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- For Serving:
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12 oz (340g) wide egg noodles
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2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Directions
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Sear the beef: Pat the filet strips completely dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper. Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over high heat until almost smoking. Sear the beef in a single layer for about 1 minute per side, until browned but still rare inside. Transfer to a plate.
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Cook the mushrooms: Reduce heat to medium. Add 3 tablespoons of butter to the same skillet. When it foams, add the mushrooms and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often, until browned and tender.
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Build the sauce base: Add the shallots and remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until soft. Add the Cognac and let it cook down for about 30 seconds. Stir in the beef broth, tomato paste, and mustard. Simmer for 5 minutes until slightly reduced.
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Finish with sour cream: Take the pan off the heat and stir in the sour cream until smooth. Do not boil after adding the sour cream or it curdles.
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Return the beef: Add the seared strips and any juices from the plate back into the sauce. Stir gently and warm over low heat for 2 minutes. The beef should be medium-rare.
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Cook the noodles: While the sauce simmers, boil the egg noodles in salted water according to the package. Drain and toss with 2 tablespoons butter.
- Serve: Spoon the stroganoff over the buttered noodles and finish with fresh parsley.
FAQs
Why use filet mignon instead of sirloin for stroganoff?
Ina uses filet mignon in nearly every beef-and-sauce recipe across her cookbooks. It stays tender with a quick sear instead of needing hours of braising.
Cheaper cuts like sirloin or round steak can work, but you need to slice them very thin against the grain and cook them fast. Anything past medium turns tough and chewy in a stroganoff sauce.
Filet costs more, but the total cooking time drops to under an hour.
Why can’t you boil the sour cream?
Sour cream breaks and curdles when it hits high heat. You end up with a grainy, separated sauce instead of a smooth one.
That’s why you take the pan off the heat before stirring it in. Ina does the same thing with crème fraîche in her Filet of Beef with Mushrooms & Blue Cheese from Cook Like a Pro, adding it right at the end so it stays silky.
If you’re nervous about it splitting, temper the sour cream first by stirring a spoonful of hot sauce into it before adding it to the pan.
Can you substitute crème fraîche for sour cream?
Yes. Ina actually prefers crème fraîche in her mushroom sauces because it’s more stable at higher temperatures and less likely to curdle.
The flavor is richer and slightly less tangy than sour cream. If you use it, you can be a little less careful about the heat since crème fraîche handles simmering better.
Use the same amount, 3/4 cup (180ml).
What is the best way to prep the mushrooms?
Ina never washes her mushrooms. She brushes each cap clean with a dry sponge, then removes the stems and slices the caps 1/4 inch thick.
Water makes mushrooms soggy and they steam instead of browning. The whole point of sautéing them in butter is to get that golden color, which only happens on a dry surface.
Give them space in the pan. If you pile them on top of each other, they release water and stew.
Does beef stroganoff reheat well?
It’s best fresh because the sour cream sauce can separate when reheated and the filet goes past medium-rare.
If you have leftovers, warm them very gently over low heat. Don’t let the sauce boil. Add a splash of beef broth to loosen it back up.
You can make the mushroom sauce base ahead through the broth step and refrigerate it for a day. Sear the beef and finish with sour cream right before serving.
