Use your slow cooker to turn an inexpensive cut of beef into a rich, comforting beef stroganoff. The meat slowly braises with plenty of mushrooms, stock, garlic and mustard, then is finished with sour cream just before serving. Ideal for feeding a crowd or making ahead, this dish reheats beautifully.
“My husband said this was one of the best Stroganoffs he’s ever eaten. I’m by no means an accomplished cook but I found this easy to follow. Thank you for the lovely meal!”
– Maggie
Nicky’s Notes
Traditional stroganoff is often quick to make but usually requires a more expensive cut of beef. This slow cooker version uses a cheaper braising cut and relies on long, gentle cooking to break down connective tissue so the meat becomes tender and flavourful.
Instead of cooking purely in cream (which can split in a slow cooker), the beef braises in stock with bold seasonings — Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce and lots of garlic — to build depth. Only after the beef is fully cooked do we fold in the double (heavy) cream and sour cream to create a silky, rich sauce.
Table of Contents
- Nicky’s Notes
- 📋 Ingredients for Crockpot beef stroganoff
- 🥩 What is the best cut of beef to use?
- Abbreviated Recipe
- Recipe Tips
- 🍽️ What to serve it with
- Make ahead and Leftovers Guide
- 📺 Watch how to make it
- Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff Recipe
- 🍲 More fantastic Slow Cooked recipes
📋 Ingredients for Crockpot beef stroganoff
Full recipe with quantities is in the recipe card below.
- Beef – braising or casserole beef, cut into bite-sized pieces; a little fat on the meat helps flavour.
- Mushrooms – chestnut, cremini or baby portobello, thickly sliced. Mushrooms shrink as they cook, so use plenty if you like them.
- Cream – a mix of double (heavy) cream and sour cream added at the end for the classic stroganoff tang. Use full-fat dairy to reduce risk of splitting.
🥩 What is the best cut of beef to use?
- Chuck (braising) steak – tough but very flavorful with connective tissue that becomes tender after long, slow cooking.
- Silverside (bottom round) – lean and economical. Works well for slow cooking but needs enough liquid to prevent drying out; use good-quality stock for flavor.
Abbreviated Recipe
Coat the beef in seasoned flour and brown in oil, transferring the batches to the slow cooker. Sauté onion and garlic, then add Dijon, Worcestershire, stock and mushrooms. Bring to a simmer, pour into the slow cooker and cook until the beef is tender. Stir in double cream and sour cream just before serving.
Recipe Tips
- Mix the sour cream with the double cream before adding to the hot slow cooker. The higher fat in double cream helps stabilise the sour cream and reduces splitting.
- If your slow cooker has a searing function, use it to brown the beef. If not, brown the meat in a pan then transfer to the slow cooker.
🍽️ What to serve it with
- Pasta shapes or tagliatelle.
- Creamy mashed potatoes or crispy sautéed potatoes.
- Green vegetables such as roasted broccoli or parmesan green beans.
Make ahead and Leftovers Guide
- Make ahead: You can make this dish in advance, including adding the cream. Cool, cover and refrigerate. Reheat gently in a pan over low heat, stirring often until piping hot.
- Freeze: This recipe freezes well. Freeze in portions and defrost overnight in the fridge. Some separation can occur on thawing—reheat slowly, stirring to recombine the sauce.
📺 Watch how to make it
Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff Recipe
Equipment
-
Slow cooker (one with a searing function is convenient but not essential)
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1.5 kg (3.3 lbs) braising beef, cut into bite-sized chunks
- 4 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 600 ml (2 ½ cups) beef stock (or 2–3 stock cubes plus water)
- 300 g (10.5 oz) chestnut mushrooms, thickly sliced
- 1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch) mixed with 3 tbsp cold water (optional, to thicken)
- 120 ml (½ cup) double (heavy) cream
- 240 ml (1 cup) sour cream
To Serve:
- Small bunch fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- 1. Toss the chopped beef with the flour, salt and pepper until evenly coated.
- 2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan or use your slow cooker’s searing function. Brown half the beef for 6–8 minutes, then transfer to the slow cooker. Repeat with the remaining beef.
- 3. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onion to the pan and cook 3–4 minutes until starting to soften. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute.
- 4. Add Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, beef stock and mushrooms. Stir, bring to the boil, then transfer everything to the slow cooker.
- 5. Cook on high for 5–6 hours or low for 7–8 hours, until the beef is tender and falling apart.
- 6. If you’d like a thicker sauce, stir in the cornflour slurry and cook for a few minutes to thicken.
- 7. Mix the double cream and sour cream together, then fold gently into the stroganoff. Be careful with the beef as it will be delicate.
- 8. Serve topped with chopped parsley and a grind of black pepper.
Notes
Oven method: Cook in a covered ovenproof dish at 160°C for about 3 hours. Add an extra 240 ml (1 cup) of stock and check during the last hour, topping up with stock if it looks dry.
Make ahead: This freezes and reheats well. Cool before freezing in portions; defrost overnight in the fridge. Reheat gently in a pan over low heat, stirring often.
Ingredient swaps:
- Swap the beef for cubed pork shoulder.
- Use whole baby mushrooms, portobello or cremini instead of chestnut mushrooms.
- Add extra vegetables such as sliced bell pepper or peas, adding them in the last 30 minutes of cooking.
Scaling: You can halve the recipe for fewer servings; keep ingredient ratios and ensure the beef is just covered with stock.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is approximate and should be used as a guide.
This slow cooker beef stroganoff was first posted in Feb 2022 and has been updated for clarity and formatting.
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Some links in this post may be affiliate links which help support the site at no extra cost to you. Nutritional information is approximate.
