Dairy Free Beef Stroganoff

Our dairy free beef stroganoff with steak is delicious. You can use ground beef if you’d rather like our Hamburger Helper Beef Stroganoff with mushrooms in a thick gravy. Served over egg noodles is a family friendly one pot meal.

We first made beef stroganoff casserole with stew meat, that was delicious. I don’t always want to use my oven, especially in the hot summer months. It is nice to have other cooking methods so on the stove was next on the list. NO baking required.

Like I said, you can use ground or beef strip steak cut into pieces for this one, both are delicious. The method we are using here is cooked on the stove in a skillet. We have made this also as a Instant Pot ground beef stroganoff recipe as well. Any of our creations can be made lactose free, and we make them often.

If you find that you all of a sudden have dietary requirements that means you cannot have milk, I agree it is a hard transition. We made the switch last year and have become used to it but just know that you don’t have to cut out all the delicious sauces. We’re here to help. As in our Meatball Stroganoff you can still make it with the same dairy free sour cream as we use here.

I will say the toughest thing to find an alternative to is condensed soups. I’ve bought a few powdered mixes online that are pretty similar, but not nearly as good. I suggest skipping those type of directions and go with ones like you will see here, without cream of mushroom soup entirely. You don’t need it.

Ingredient Notes

You are going to need strips of about 1 pound of beef about 2 steaks worth, sliced into thin strips. You will brown this with some olive oil in your skillet to lock in the juices.

Can You Use Ground Beef?

Yes, you would follow the same steps to brown the meat whether you used sliced steak, stew meat or made as ground beef recipes to make this. The sauce would stay the same to coat whichever.

White or baby bella Mushrooms should be sliced and cooked together or boiled mushrooms will be even more tender

You are going to want a yellow or white Onion sliced as thick as you’d like them to be. Note: the thicker the pieces the firmer they will remain.

2 tbsp of all purpose flour will help thicken the sauce. You will make a sort of roux to whisk with the liquid which will create a paste that will make it thick.

I will tell you that using beef broth is better than water, stock works too.

You will want 1/2 c sour cream dairy free, lactose free variety – Lactaid has a great one, or use coconut milk

To season add about 1/2 tsp salt and pepper, some like a splash of worcestershire sauce, and/or 1 tsp dijon mustard is popular too as a Russian dish

Substitutions and Variations

We will go over a few other ingredients you can use instead of sour cream below. Nowadays I can find the lactose free variety at almost every store I shop at. Just in case you can’t we’ll discuss alternatives below. I’d check with your local organic markets in town if you have a hard time finding it and really want to try this version specifically.

You can make this as a stew meat recipe too instead of ground if you’d rather. I’d cut into small bite size pieces in that case but use the same sauce ingredients. Using coconut milk vs. lactose free sour cream will just change the consistency to a bit thinner but whisking in some cornstarch can fix that.

You could transform sauces into lactose free versions. Like with our Venison Stroganoff you just need dairy free sour cream and the rest works perfectly.

Can you make this vegetarian?

If you wanted to make this vegetarian you could swap out the meat for slices of large portabello mushrooms to make into a mushroom stroganoff recipe you’ll love. Follow the same steps and use vegan alternatives along the way.

Dairy Free Substitutes for Sour Cream (for Beef Stroganoff)

Full-fat coconut cream, extracted from canned coconut milk, can be whipped or blended to create a creamy texture similar but will be a bit sweeter. Make sure to use unsweetened coconut cream for savory dishes.

Soaked and blended cashews can be transformed into a smooth and creamy cashew cream mixture that works well as a dairy-free sour cream substitute. Simply blend soaked cashews with water until smooth.

Plain, unsweetened soy yogurt is another option that can mimic the tanginess of sour cream. Be sure to choose a brand without added sugars.

You can make dairy free buttermilk using a combination of 2 tbsp lemon or lime juice and 1 cup dairy-free milk (such as almond milk). Closest to heavy cream to make it nice and thick, your best bet if you cannot find sour cream. Combine and let sit for 10 minutes to create a tangy and creamy mixture that resembles a flavor.

Nutritional yeast can add a tangy and cheesy flavor to dishes, making it a suitable addition to dairy-free sauces and dressings. Some dairy-free cream cheese alternatives can be used as a substitute. They offer a creamy texture and tangy flavor. Silken tofu can be blended with lemon juice or vinegar to create a creamy and tangy mixture that works well too.

How Long to Cook Dairy Free Stroganoff on the Stove

You need time to brown the meat, mushrooms to soften, and then the time it takes to simmer in the sauce itself will vary depending on how thick you want it to be. In total I would say it takes about 20 minutes or so though which makes for a pretty quick one pan dinner idea.

How to Thicken Gravy

We show you how to add flour to the pan with the beef drippings to create a thickening agent before making the sauce, this should be enough. If you still want it thicken when done, first allow to sit with the lid off for 10 minutes. As it cools it will continue to become firmer. You can also simmer longer with lid removed for more of the liquid to cook off.

What to serve it with

Traditionally this is served over noodles but for lower carbs you could go with cauliflower rice too which is incredible. My kids don’t even know the difference really. 😉 Garnish with diced fresh parsley to add a bit of color and you have a wonderful meal your family will love!!

How long is leftover beef stroganoff good for?

To save leftovers you just want to make sure you keep all the sauce possible so it doesn’t dry out. Make sure the pasta and meat is nicely coated and store in an airtight sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Enjoying within 24 hours is ideal though. Reheat on a plate in the microwave for 1 minute, stirring halfway through.