Crock Pot Beef Stroganoff

I have so many requests for this recipe. It’s a family favorite – even my son asks for Beef Stroganoff.

It’s rich and creamy, filling, and oh so comforting.

Beef Stroganoff is one of those recipes that seems like it would take tons of effort and work to make. And yet, the beauty of this recipe is that it’s tossed into the Crock Pot and done.

Why Two Soups and Cream Cheese Make This What It Is

Here’s where it’s important not to tweak things. For instance, you could use two cans of cream of mushroom soup instead of a golden and a cream of mushroom, but you’ll find that the flavor isn’t as rich or complex.

Same thing when it comes to using cream cheese AND sour cream. You could use sour cream only, but the combination of sour cream, just a dollop, and cream cheese make this recipe what it is.

They make it rich and velvety and perfectly thickened.

Salt Last, Dairy Last — Why the Order Here Matters

Dairy products have a tendency to break when added early into the cooking process which is why they’re added at the very, very end of cooking. Always season for salt AFTER you’ve stirred in sour cream and cream cheese.

Here’s a peek inside this easy and delicious Crock Pot recipe.

Serving over egg noodles, made separately and added at the end, makes a wonderfully easy Crock Pot recipe that tastes like you slaved over it all afternoon. You won’t believe how easy this Beef Stroganoff recipe is.

• I know you could cook the noodles in the crock pot too, but they absorb up all of the liquid and get a little too cooked for me. I prefer to cook them on the stovetop at the end of the beef’s cooking time. That way, I can ladle the stroganoff into bowls over the noodles or mix them together as we please. Either way, we love them.

This is another one of my crock pot staples. It’s quick and easy to throw together.

It’s very creamy with a rich, beefy, mushroomy flavor. Serve over egg noodles.

What Goes In and What Each Part Is Doing

Campbell’s Golden Mushroom Soup — 1 can

This adds a darker color and a beefier flavor. Add as is, do NOT add the water.

Cream of Mushroom Soup — 1 can

Adds body and creates a creamy base. Add as is, do NOT add the water.

Stew Meat — 1 lb

Chuck is the best cut to use in this recipe. The fat will help it to remain tender throughout the 6 hours of cooking.

Leaner cuts of meat will be very tough and stringy. Have your butcher cut it for you.

You’re looking for pieces that are roughly 1/2 of an inch. Most stew meat is cut pretty large and takes forever to cook down.

If you’re feeling brave, use a really sharp knife and dice it yourself.

Onion Soup Mix — 1/2 packet

Adds a lot of flavor. But I’ve found that even a full packet makes it too salty for our taste.

I’ve started adding only 1/2.

Beef Bouillon Cube — 1

Concentrated beefy goodness that melts away during cooking.

Water — 1/2 cup

There’s a lot of liquid in the meat and condensed soups that releases during cooking so this is all you’ll need at first.

Garlic — 1 clove

Just a background flavor. Mince or leave the clove whole and smash.

Either way, it will soften up during cooking.

Directions: Add meat and all of the ingredients EXCEPT the sour cream and cream cheese into a large, lumpy mess into a slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 hours.

During this time, there’s nothing to do but walk past it and dreamily inhale the smell. Six hours later, right before serving, stir in cream cheese until completely melted.

Next, stir in sour cream. Taste, add salt if desired, though you probably won’t need it since there’s a lot of salt in the soups and beef bouillon.

Serve over egg noodles.

• One half cup of chopped onion, optional – my family doesn’t care for onions
• One can of mushrooms, drained, optional – my family does like mushrooms
• One package wide egg noodles, we use 1.5 packages
• One 4-ounce package cream cheese, softened to room temp
• A heaping dollop of sour cream
• Salt and pepper, to taste

How to Make Crock Pot Beef Stroganoff

Step 1: Load the Slow Cooker

Add stew meat, both soups, half packet of the onion soup mix*, bouillon cube, water, garlic, onion, and mushrooms. Stir to coat meat in soup mixture.

Step 2: Cook on Low for 6 Hours

Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours. Try not to lift the lid during cooking as you’ll let out a lot of precious heat and steam.

Step 3: Stir in the Cream Cheese and Sour Cream

Once it has finished cooking it will look something like this, where the beef falls apart easily with a fork and the sauce has thickened and darkened in color:

Add the softened cream cheese right before serving*. Stir until melted, then add sour cream.

Season with salt and pepper, if needed.

Step 4: Cook the Noodles and Serve

On the stovetop, cook the egg noodles according to package directions. Drain well.

Spoon crock pot beef stroganoff over egg noodles and enjoy.

What Saves This Dish and What Ruins It

My family isn’t crazy about lumpy sauces so I omit the chopped onion, as the flavor from the onion soup mix is enough for us. If your family does like onions, go ahead and add them in.

Use full-fat sour cream, because low-fat tends to separate. Add the sour cream AFTER adding the cream cheese.

Soften the cream cheese to room temperature before adding it in so it melts into the stew easily without lumps. Add it right before serving.

We like it when the egg noodles are drained and put in bowls before topping with stroganoff, but feel free to serve it however you’d like.

• I’ve made this recipe numerous times and found that adding the entire packet of dry onion soup mix makes it too salty. Half the packet has been perfect each time. Also, the cream cheese MUST be softened and stirred in before adding the sour cream. It will separate and become a bit curdled otherwise.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. We’ve found that this recipe has plenty of seasoning from the onion soup mix, beef bouillon cubes and condensed soups so I’d hold off on salting at this point.

Give it a taste after you’ve stirred in the cream cheese then season with salt and pepper as needed.

Softened cream cheese. Cream cheese can be finicky when it’s melted into a sauce.

Give the cream cheese 20-30 minutes to soften at room temp before you’re ready to stir it into the beef stroganoff to help it melt in more easily (and less lumpy!).

Half-inch stew meat – You can absolutely use larger stew meat chunks. I find that the smaller stew meat chunks become a little softer after the 6 hours of cooking.

Ask the butcher to cut the beef into half-inch stew meat pieces to save yourself some work.

Golden Mushroom Soup – I know it’s super tempting to grab the classic Cream of Mushroom soup when you’re in the canned soup aisle…but hold strong friends. The Golden Mushroom soup has a totally different flavor than Cream of Mushroom and it’s what gives this recipe its tasty sauce.

Two Swaps We’ve Made (and One We Haven’t)

• Skip the Mushrooms – For picky eaters we’ll often times leave the canned mushrooms out. The Golden Mushroom soup really gives it mushroom flavor so it’s not needed.
• Serve Over Mashed Potatoes – Egg noodles are the classic side dish here, but I’ve made it over mashed potatoes too. The creamy potatoes soak up all of the tasty flavors.
• Not Into Canned Soups? I’ve made it from scratch and it’s delicious. But honestly, this crock pot beef stroganoff recipe is easier and it’s our family’s favorite. Find my from-scratch stroganoff sauce here.

Day-Two Stroganoff Is Actually Better

Beef stroganoff tastes even better the next day. It keeps up to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge.

Make sure to store it without the noodles so they don’t soak up the sauce. When you’re ready to reheat it, warm over medium-low heat stirring frequently until warmed through.

If the sauce separates, stirring on the stove will bring it back together.

Can it be frozen?

Yes, beef stroganoff freezes well without noodles. Let it cool then transfer to an airtight freezer-safe container.

Keep up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat on the stove over low heat stirring often until warmed through.

Crock Pot Beef Stroganoff FAQ

Can I cook this on HIGH?

Yes, you can.

The meat isn’t going to be the best it could be, but it will still be pretty good. 3-4 hours on HIGH.

Is there another cut of beef I could use?

Chuck is the ideal choice for slow-cooking. If you choose a leaner cut like sirloin or round, you’ll have a much tougher and drier result after cooking for 6 hours.

My sauce looks thin — what do I do?

When the cream cheese is mixed in, it will first thicken the sauce a little. If it is still thinner than you want after that, whisk together 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of cold water and mix into the sauce.

Cook, uncovered, on HIGH for 10 minutes.

Can I add noodles to the slow cooker?

If you’d like a one-pot dish, you can stir in cooked noodles right before serving. Don’t add uncooked noodles because they’ll soak up all the liquid and get soggy.

I love beef stroganoff. It’s SO easy, I’ve made it several times myself.

If you’re looking for an easy crock pot recipe that will please your family, try this recipe.

Other Slow Cooker Dinners We Keep Coming Back To

• Simple Crock Pot Beef and Noodles
• Beef Stew Recipe
• Philly Cheese Steak Crock Pot Recipe

Dinner Servings 6

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• 1 can Campbell’s Golden Mushroom soup
• 1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
• 1/2 packet dry onion soup mix
• 1 beef bouillon cube
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 pound stew meat*
• 1/2 cup chopped onion (optional)
• 1 can mushrooms, drained (optional)
• 4 oz cream cheese
• sour cream
• 1 1/2 packages egg noodles
• Combine all ingredients except noodles, sour cream, and cream cheese in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3-4 hours**.
• Add cream cheese and stir until melted and sauce is thickened***. Top with sour cream. Serve over boiled egg noodles****. Enjoy!
• *I like to use chuck roast. You can buy stew meat but you can also purchase a chuck roast and slice into 1/2 inch by 1/2 inch pieces yourself (often less expensive). I’ve seen suggestions of sirloin or round but I’ve been told that after 6 hours the leaner cuts of meat turn out more dry and chewy. Chuck has some marbling and seems to stay tender.
• **This recipe calls for cooking on low but if you’re in a bind and need to cook on high, it will turn out OK but the beef won’t be as good.
• ***If after adding the cream cheese, your sauce is still runny, mix together 1 T corn starch and 2 T cold water and add to cooker. Remove lid, turn cooker to high, cook an additional 10 minutes to thicken sauce.
• ****Do not add noodles uncooked to beef mixture, as it will absorb the liquid and result in mushy noodles. Cook per package directions then serve beef stroganoff over noodles or dump into cooker to look like it’s all cooked in one pot.
• Kate’s tip: I also add onion and canned mushrooms, which are YUM.

Beef Stroganoff Tips

Beef Stroganoff is an old standby in my house. Over the years I’ve picked up a few tricks that make it easier or tastier, which I’ve incorporated into this Beef Stroganoff recipe.

Wide vs. Extra-Wide Egg Noodles

Extra-wide noodles are my favorite to serve with Beef Stroganoff because they don’t all clump together on the spoon and the sauce clings to them better. Regular wide noodles are ok, but tend to slide around a bit and allow the sauce to pool more.

If you find them, though, thick-cut “homestyle” egg noodles are my absolute favorite. They are thick and chewy and remind me of dumplings under the gravy.

What to grab at the meat counter

You can absolutely use pre-cut beef stew meat if you prefer the convenience. However, those packages of stew meat are pretty pricey compared to a chuck roast if you check the cost per pound, and the meat is all different cuts and shapes.

The small pieces will be perfectly tender but some of the bigger, oddly-shaped pieces may not. If you take ten minutes to slice up a chuck roast into more-or-less uniform chunks you’ll save some money and be rewarded with evenly-tender meat after six hours on low.

What to serve it with

Beef Stroganoff is such a monotone dish that it begs for a bright green to go along side. Nothing says Beef Stroganoff quite like a side of buttered peas.

Green beans are good too, cucumber salad (nothing fancy). You could serve another cream-based item alongside it but I find Beef Stroganoff to be creamy enough that another creamy side just seems like overkill to me.

Can you make it in advance?

You can cook the noodles and stroganoff and keep them in separate containers until it’s time to serve. I’ve done this and brought them to a gathering.

Once we got there I emptied everything into our slow cooker on warm. If you dump the noodles and gravy into one container to take to church basement heaven knows what state they’ll emerge from.

The noodles will soak up all the sauce and emerge as a giant, compacted blob of sadness.

Freezing: The One Place This Recipe Lets You Down

Any sauce containing sour cream or cream cheese turns grainy once thawed. There’s nothing you can do about this.

However, you CAN freeze the beef in its gravy. Then, once it’s thawed, stir in the sour cream/cream cheese mixture as directed and make a batch of noodles.

It won’t taste quite as good as made-fresh but it’ll do in a pinch.

Leftover Stroganoff Over a Baked Potato

The next time you are running low on noodles but still have some sauce, fix yourself a baked potato and pour the stroganoff over top. Dinner’s fixed and it counts as a vegetable, sort of.

PS, Thickly sliced toasted bread works just as well. In fact, Hubby swears the toast version is better than the original.

Not gonna take that personally though.