Ultimate Beef Stroganoff {Slow Cooker}

If you are looking for the best slow cooker beef stroganoff recipe ever, look no further! So flavorful, so easy, this recipe is a keeper! Bonus: instant pot directions included as well.

If you’ve been waiting your whole life for the best beef stroganoff recipe on the planet, I’m feeling very, very excited for you today.

Very.

This amazing slow cooker beef stroganoff has been a family favorite for over a decade. It’s one of our oft-made Sunday night meals, and it never fails to be a slam dunk hit with every single person in my family every time it appears.

If it looks familiar, you might already be a fan!

I posted this recipe way back in 2008, and it has solidly stood the test of time as one of the most popular recipes on my website.

Today, I wanted to refresh this beloved slow cooker beef stroganoff for several reasons.

I couldn’t imagine a world where some of my faithful readers hadn’t made it yet because it was buried in the archives!

And it also deserved a repost because more often than not, we make it in the Instant Pot and it only seemed fair to share those simple directions as well. Not to mention the really horrific pictures on the original post. Yeah, update needed.

Equally delicious in either the slow cooker or Instant Pot, this flavorful, easy beef stroganoff recipe is one of my go-tos when serving company or needing a meal to take in to someone.

It is the epitome of comfort food. I grew up eating all sorts of variations on stroganoff, so loving the gravy-based meal is in my genes, but I tell you, this really is the best stroganoff ever.

We very often serve the tender, delicious slow cooker beef stroganoff over rice. But it’s also really tasty over baked or mashed potatoes.

And of course noodles make a great bed for the glorious meat and gravy. Egg noodles are a great choice, but any noodle would probably work just fine.

If I’m feeling super ambitious, I’ll make a batch of homemade spaetzle (those are the noodles pictured in this post). But because my ambition doesn’t always run high, that doesn’t happen as frequently as my family would like.

Any way you serve it, this ultimate beef stroganoff really is pretty darn amazing!

Cooked rice, noodles or potatoes
Steamed peas or skillet green beans
French bread rolls

Yield: 6-8 servings

Ultimate Beef Stroganoff {Slow Cooker or Instant Pot}

Prep Time:10 mins

Cook Time:8 hours 30 mins

Ingredients:

• 2-3 pounds stew meat (or a 3-pound beef roast, cubed)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced (see note)
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder or 1-2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 cups beef broth or stock (I use low-sodium)
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/2 cup beef broth, water or apple juice
• 4 to 8 ounces sliced mushrooms (optional)
• 1/2 cup light or regular sour cream

Directions:

1. Slow Cooker Directions: Place the stew meat, salt, pepper and onion in the slow cooker. Stir to distribute the seasonings and onion. In a small bowl, combine the garlic powder (or fresh garlic), Worcestershire sauce, beef broth and ketchup. Pour over the meat.
2. Cover the slow cooker and cook for 7-9 hours on low or 4-5 hours on high.
3. About 30 minutes before serving, combine the flour and broth/water/apple juice in a small bowl, whisking vigorously to combine well (a blender works great as well). The roux should be thick but still pourable. Add additional broth or water, if needed. Pour the mixture into the slow cooker, whisking quickly to avoid lumps, and continue mixing until evenly and well combined. Add the mushrooms, if using, and stir to combine.
4. Cook on high for another 30 minutes to thicken. Stir in the sour cream right before serving. Serve over pasta, rice or baked potatoes.
5. Instant Pot Directions: Place the stew meat, salt, pepper and onion in the insert of the Instant Pot. Stir to distribute the seasonings and onion. In a small bowl, combine the garlic powder (or fresh garlic), Worcestershire sauce, beef broth and ketchup. Pour over the meat.
6. Secure the lid and valve and cook on high pressure for 35 minutes (press “pressure cook” or “manual” and dial up or down to 35 minutes; the pressure cooker will start on its own). Let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes and then quick release the remaining pressure. Stir the meat mixture with a wooden spoon to break up any large clumps of meat.
7. Combine the flour and broth/water/apple juice in a small bowl, whisking vigorously to combine well (a blender works great as well). The roux should be thick but still pourable. Add additional broth or water, if needed.
8. Select the saute function on the Instant Pot. Pour the roux mixture into the Instant Pot, whisking quickly to avoid lumps, and continue mixing until evenly and well combined. Add the mushrooms, if using, and stir to combine.
9. Continue cooking on the saute setting, stirring often to prevent sticking, until the stroganoff is thickened. Set the Instant Pot to warm and stir in the sour cream. Serve over pasta, rice or baked potatoes.

Notes:

You can sub in 1 to 2 teaspoons onion powder for the diced onion, if desired.

Freezable Meal: The leftovers of the stroganoff can be frozen. I store the leftovers in a freezer-safe container and then thaw in the refrigerator (usually takes about a day) and reheat over medium-low heat in a saucepan on the stove.

All images and text ©Mel’s Kitchen Cafe.

Recipe Source: from my cousin-in-law, Tami W.
Recipe originally posted April 2008; updated with new commentary, pictures and recipe notes.