The Absolute Best Crockpot Beef Stroganoff Recipe

Crockpot beef stroganoff that only requires 5 ingredients and cooks all day in your slow cooker. The best way to make tender beef with a creamy sauce. If you loved our stroganoff casserole this is a lot less work and cooks all on it’s own.

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff without Cream of Mushroom Soup

It cooks by itself all day which is great if you work, and it is good old fashioned food your mom or grandma probably made when you were young.

I have updated this post from last year and included two different ways of making this dish now so take your pick, or try both and see which one you like best! I like using stew meat either way because it is cheap to buy, breaks down to tender easily and I don’t have to cube it myself.

Let’s talk a little bit about slow cooking shall we?? First off I have a few different varieties and I love them all. Each one has an occasion to be used like….

1. This is my favorite 6 quart programmable one with a locking lid so it’s great for bringing to a potluck too.
2. I prefer not to use liners, but rather just spray olive oil inside before adding my food for easier cleanups.

Let me give you a peek of my pretty thang I bought recently. It goes with my kitchen so I can just leave it out on the countertop all the time. 😉

How to Make Beef Stroganoff with Stew Meat

Of course you can cut steak into bite size pieces but this is already in chunks and sold that way. It is super cheap too which is another win!! I am all about easy when it comes to cooking dinner for my family. Finding something that all 5 of us love is a must too.

There is something about slow cooker beef stroganoff that just takes me back to when we went to my Grandma’s house for dinner. The smell itself makes me think of her. 😉

Of course she didn’t cook it in a crockpot, but with 3 kids it’s kinda’ necessary for us. If you love stroganoff you’ve gotta’ try this easy crockpot beef stroganoff recipe of ours. You seriously just throw everything in and it cooks by itself.

Crock pot Beef Stroganoff Ingredients

If I think about it at first I will toss meat in a medium bowl with seasonings to coat. Some insist on browning the meat first, which is fine but an added step. If you do this, deglaze the pan with a bit of red wine and pour that into the pot as well.

1. Stew meat stroganoff in Instant Pot can be made too with similar ingredients, or beef tips are already cut into chunks at store and cheap
2. Beef broth
3. Sour cream
4. Cornstarch
5. Egg noodles
6. Onion

Unlike our Instant Pot stroganoff casserole where the pasta and meat are cooked together you’ll need to boil it separately this go around. About 1/2 hr. before serving cook the egg noodles separately in a pot (you will serve meat over these), and in a bowl combine the 3 ingredients to make your rue. Over mashed potatoes is wonderful too though.

How thick is the stroganoff sauce supposed to be?

It should resemble a gravy, but exactly how dense it is is up to you. What I do so that it isn’t chunky is to whisk together 1/3 c. flour, 1 c. sour cream and scoop enough of the warm beef broth out of the pot to create your rue (this thickens the sauce).

Put this thickening mixture into your crockpot and cook for about 30 min. longer. If you like it thicker you can combine more to your mixture. Serve over egg noodles! If you’re in a hurry try our other stew meat in Instant Pot recipe

What cut of beef is best to make stroganoff?

If you are making ground beef stroganoff then 80/20 is best. Fat = flavor. If you don’t want meat for a stew like suggested you could cube up a chuck roast instead. That has a decent amount of marbeling so ti will get tender as you slow cook it.

How do you make slow cooker stroganoff with cream of mushroom soup?

Here’s version #2, added a year after this initial post and recipe. This next one requires a few more ingredients and is more of a stew with veggies in it. It’s another great recipe using condensed soup as the base.

• One cup beef broth
• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 
• Three tbsp. minced garlic
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 2 cups mushrooms, sliced
• Two cups carrots, chopped
• 1 pound beef stew meat, same as we use to make slow cooker beef tips
• Onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup sour cream 
• Half a brick of cream cheese
  • could use dairy free version if you like
• 2 cans Cream of Mushroom Soup 
• 12 ounces medium egg noodles, cooked and drained 
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Now Greek yogurt, plain can be used instead of sour cream if you prefer. If you want to make this dairy free just use lactose free products. they really do taste the same, Lactaid has great products we have used and nobody knows the difference.

Easy Crock pot Beef Stroganoff Recipe

This is directions for the #2 version above. If you want the throw it all in at the beginning version with few ingredients then opt for the recipe in the card below. We have made both and they a re always a hit either way but one has more requirements and a bit more work.

• Add all ingredients except egg noodles, cream cheese, and salt and pepper to a crock pot.
• Set heat to low and cook for 3-4 hours or until beef is fully cooked and tender so that it falls apart when pulled with a fork. 
• Add the cream cheese and allow it to melt completely while cooking the egg noodles according to package directions. 
• Stir ingredients and then season with salt and pepper. Serve the beef stew over top of the egg noodles.

Ground beef can be used instead with the same other instructions but would need to be browned first in a skillet and then added, or made in a skillet like our hamburger helper beef stroganoff recipe. In this case since it’s smaller pieces and already precooked it doesn’t take long to get done. Just a few hours is all you would need for that version.

Here is another easy crockpot recipe you can try for 5 ingredient chili. It’s my most popular post and recipe!!

Stew Meat Stroganoff

Notes: Browning the meat on your stovetop to get a sear on the outside is optional. This may add 15 minutes to the overall prep time. Cover and cook on low. If you cook on high the meat won’t be as fall apart tender in my opinion. The reason you would do this is to keep them more moist. With a sear on the outside the juices will be trapped a bit more.

If you do have the time I would recommend taking this additional step, if not just throw it all in. I have done it both ways depending on how much time and patience I have and it’s not going to ruin it if you skip.

How can you make stroganoff better?

Ok so hear me out on this one, it is a game changer!! This is comfort food is a great recipe during the chilly winter months but can be made even better with just one thing on the top. Often I’ve added 1/2 cup of fried onions to the top of this to take it over the top too!

Livens up our Crockpot steak and potatoes or Instant Pot steak too when you just want a little salty crunch to it.

Can you make beef stroganoff with frozen meat?

Forget to defrost? NO problem, you can actually use frozen stew meat with these same directions. The timing doesn’t change whether it starts out rock hard or defrosted! The only thing you need to do is make sure the pieces are separated, or break apart halfway thru. Once you see this is possible, give our Crockpot frozen roast a whirl too.

Recipe instructions for method 1 below. Nutritional information such as calories and saturated fat listed below too.

1. Put the cubed stew beef in the crockpot and mix with packet of onion dip mix.
2. Add your beef broth and onions.
3. Now cook on low for a good 6 hours (this is best so the meat gets really tender). 
4. Before serving, about 30 minutes prior, whisk together some of the hot broth in your slow cooker, your sour cream, and cornstarch to create a thick roux.
5. Add that to the Crockpot to thicken up the broth. 
6. Put lid on for another 30 minutes so it all melds together.
7. Serve over egg noodles or rice cooked separately.