The first time I had beef Stroganoff was in the ’70s, when the dish was so au courant. It was nestled in between Lipton Onion Soup Dip and Swedish meatballs. I always considered it kitsch, right up there with those paintings of sad kids with enormous eyes and Farrah Fawcett posters.
Thirty years later, The One and I traveled to Saint Petersburg, Russia, and on the menu of a decidedly non-touristy restaurant, there it was: Бефстро́ганов. If it weren’t for the French translation, Beouf à la Stroganov,” I would’ve missed it.
It was far more elegant than I remembered, probably owing more to the skill of the cooks back in Swansea, Massachusetts, than anything else. It was served over either rice or noodles. I opted for the latter.
It was the perfect comfort food for a cold winter night. (Yes, The One and I were probably the only tourists in all of Russia during January 2004.)
These days, though, it’s not a cheap dish to make, what with beef (either filet or strip strip) being so expensive. So I played around and came up with this version: All the same flavors but with much more affordable ground beef. Huzzah!
Why Our Testers Loved This
The testers adored this inventive riff on a classic recipe and were incredibly pleased with the flavor of the tender meatballs and creamy mushroom sauce. Leah LeMoine is calling this meatball stroganoff recipe her “all-time favorite Stroganoff.” Makes you want to try it, doesn’t it?
What You’ll Need to Make This
- Ground beef–I recommend using 80/20 or 85/15 ground beef here for the most tender, juicy meatballs. Using very lean beef can turn out dry meatballs.
- Panko breadcrumbs–This, along with the egg is a binder for the meatballs. It helps them to stay tender and juicy without falling apart. You can find panko in most large supermarkets.
- Mushrooms–Use your favorite type of mushrooms here. No need to splurge on anything fancy. White button or cremini mushrooms will work splendidly.
- White wine–Use a dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. Don’t use sweet wine, as it will alter the flavor of the sauce.
- Dijon mustard–This adds a lot of depth to the sauce. If you’re sensitive to the flavor of mustard, you can reduce this to 1 1/2 tablespoons.
- Sour cream–This lends the sauce richness and its signature tang. Don’t be tempted to substitute low-fat sour cream here; the sauce won’t thicken enough.
- Egg noodles–Broad noodles are perfect for catching the creamy mushroom sauce, but if you want to keep the recipe gluten-free, try serving it over crispy French fries or garlic mashed potatoes.
How to Make Meatball Stroganoff
- Combine the beef, panko, egg, Worcestershire sauce, and spices in a large bowl and mix well.
- Gently roll the beef into twenty 1 1/2-inch meatballs.
- Brown the meatballs in a large skillet. Transfer them to a bowl.
- Melt half the butter in the same skillet, then sauté the mushrooms until deeply browned. Transfer them to the bowl with the meatballs.
- Melt the remaining butter, add the onion, and sauté until translucent. Sprinkle in the paprika.
- Pour in the wine and reduce the liquid by half.
- Stir in the beef stock, mustard, and Worcestershire.
- Return the mushrooms and meatballs to the skillet. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Remove the skillet from the heat. Whisk a few spoonfuls of the hot broth into the sour cream. Stir the warmed sour cream into the Stroganoff. Sprinkle with parsley and serve over egg noodles.
Common Questions
Absoulutely! If you’re not a beef fan, or you’re trying to cut down on red meat, consider chicken or turkey. Both work beautifully in this recipe.
Yes. The sauce won’t be as thick, and it also will be less tangy. But sour cream adds so much to the dish.
You have a few options. You can simmer the sauce uncovered in step 7 to help it reduce, which will thicken it slightly. Alternatively, you can add a couple of extra tablespoons of sour cream to give it a thicker texture.
If you want a much thicker gravy, you could mix 2 tablespoons of the sauce with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to create a slurry, then gently mix that back into the simmering sauce and let it cook for a few minutes.
I don’t recommend it. Creamy sauces can separate when thawed.
Helpful Tips
- Use a gentle hand when shaping your meatballs. Pressing them too firmly can cause them to be tough when cooked.
- Remove the pan from the heat before adding the sour cream. Cooking sour cream can cause it to separate. By stirring it in just before serving, you avoid the indignity of having to look at a mess on your plate.
What to Serve with this Recipe
The creamy sauce, meatballs, and buttery noodles make for a filling meal, so you only need a light side dish, such as roasted carrots or broccoli, or a simple salad rounds things out nicely. For dessert, go for something light, such as macerated strawberries.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
Store leftover meatball Stroganoff and noodles in separate sealed containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat leftovers, heat the meatballs and sauce in a skillet over medium-low until warmed through. The noodles can be warmed in the microwave.
More Great Creamy Meatball Recipes
Write a Review
If you make this recipe, or any dish on LC, consider leaving a review, a star rating, and your best photo in the comments below. I love hearing from you.–David
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Make the meatballs
Mix the beef, breadcrumbs, egg, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and onion powders, salt, and a few grinds of pepper in a large bowl.
Roll heaping tablespoons of the beef mixture into 1 ½-inch (38-mm) balls (about 1 oz/25 g each), to make approximately 20 meatballs.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot then lightly coat with oil. Brown the meatballs all over, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and discard any oil and fat in the pan.
- Storage–Store leftover meatball Stroganoff and the noodles in separate containers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheating–Reheat the meatballs in a skillet over medium-low until warmed through. Heat the noodles in the microwave.
- Make it gluten-free–Serve the Stroganoff over French fries or mashed potatoes for a gluten-free meal.
Serving: 1 portionCalories: 619 kcalCarbohydrates: 17 gProtein: 28 gFat: 46 gSaturated Fat: 21 gMonounsaturated Fat: 16 gTrans Fat: 2 gCholesterol: 183 mgSodium: 1670 mgFiber: 2 gSugar: 6 g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe © 2024 David Leite. Photos © 2024 David Leite. All rights reserved.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
This meatball stroganoff has a delicious, bright gravy, thanks to the Dijon, on what could otherwise feel like a heavy meal. Super easy to put together and goes well with something bright green to keep your palate, if not plate, balanced!
It would pair well with a nice merlot or cabernet. At just under an hour, this is great for a weeknight, family meal.
Stroganoff is a supremely satisfying winter meal, and this version with meatballs is easy and delicious. The Worcestershire in both the meatballs and the cream sauce is prominent, so if you like Worcestershire you will love this recipe.
Mushrooms, Dijon, wine (Sauvignon Blanc), sweet paprika — what a great sauce! I might add 1/4 cup more sour cream next time but that is the only adjustment this recipe needs. My husband even went back for seconds, and the leftover warmed up nicely the next day with just a drizzle of beef stock to loosen it up.
I’ve made stroganoff in the past, but usually from memory, and I would make basic mistakes that led to not being totally satisfied with the result. This meatball stroganoff recipe was good in that it laid out the steps so that just about anyone could find success with this dish.
Kudos for the tip to temper the sour cream with a bit of the broth from the pan. Mrs. De Kok liked the dish more than I did, but nonetheless, it was the perfect cold-weather dish for Sunday night supper.
Substituting meatballs for chunks of beef guaranteed tenderness in this oft-made cold-weather dish which usually needs a longer cooking time.
The meatballs (using beef with 7% fat) were simple and came together quickly, though I would have preferred to cook them in the oven rather than pan-frying. Regular button mushrooms gave a hearty mushroom flavor and I opened a new jar of paprika to make sure it had the taste expected. I missed having fresh dill included in the recipe and will add it next time.
The creamy Dijon flavor was better with a cold glass of grechetto (that I also used to deglaze the pan) rather than the Côtes-du-Rhône I’d planned on. This recipe made four very hearty servings.
