This Beef Stroganoff for Two Recipe Uses Leftover Steak Beautifully (2024)

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Janet A. Zimmerman

An award-winning food writer, cooking instructor, and author of five cookbooks. She focuses on dinners for two and date night cuisine.

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Updated on 03/5/24

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Diana Rattray

This Beef Stroganoff for Two Recipe Uses Leftover Steak Beautifully (1)

Tested byDiana Rattray

Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.

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Beef stroganoff's origins may be Russian, but it's turned into a classic American comfort food dish over the years. It's also the perfect recipe when you have a few ounces of leftover cooked steak. It's a relatively easy recipe to make, even if you don't have cooked beef in the fridge; you can simply start from scratch with raw sirloin tips, for example.

The recipe begins with cooking the mushrooms in butter and water, letting the mixture boil until the water evaporates, resulting in tender, flavorful mushrooms that brown beautifully. Once the sauce is made, it's time to add the cooked steak. Incorporating the steak at the end will help to keep the meat tender and prevent it from overcooking and getting tough.

This dish is traditionally served over egg noodles. Garnish with fresh dill or parsley for a nice finishing touch.

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What You'll Need to Make This Beef Stroganoff Recipe

"The stroganoff had excellent flavor and was an easy preparation. The portions for two were sufficient, even somewhat generous. I served it with wide noodles and a cucumber salad. It was an enjoyable meal, and I am sure I'll make it again." —Diana Rattray

This Beef Stroganoff for Two Recipe Uses Leftover Steak Beautifully (6)

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 6 to 8 ounces cooked steak or raw sirloin tips, trimmed and sliced 1/8 inch thick

  • 8 ounces cremini or white button mushrooms, cleaned and quartered

  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced shallot or onion

  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 1/4 cup cognac or brandy

  • 1 cup low-sodium beef stock or broth

  • 3 tablespoons sour cream

  • 2 cups cooked egg noodles, for serving

  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh dill or parsley, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

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  2. Remove the leftover cooked steak from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature.

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  3. Pile the mushrooms into a small sauté pan; they should be crowded. Sprinkle with the kosher salt and add the butter.

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  4. Add enough water to cover the contents (the mushrooms will float, but that's OK). Set the pan over high heat and bring to a boil. When the butter melts, stir to combine. Reduce the heat to a low boil and cook until the water evaporates completely. Continue to cook, stirring, until the mushrooms begin to brown.

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  5. Add the shallot to the pan with the mushrooms and cook, occasionally stirring, until the shallot softens and starts to brown, about 3 minutes.

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  6. Sprinkle the shallot and mushrooms with the flour and cook, stirring, for a few minutes until the flour is browned.

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  7. Remove the pan from the heat and add the cognac.

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  8. Return to medium heat and scrape the bottom of the pan to dissolve the fond (the brown bits).

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  9. When the cognac is mostly evaporated, add the stock and bring to a boil. Cook until thickened to the desired texture.

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  10. Reduce the heat to very low—the liquid should almost stop simmering before the next step. Stir in the sour cream, then the beef. Heat for a few minutes, just until the sour cream is mixed in and the beef is warm.

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  11. Serve over egg noodles.

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  12. Just before serving, sprinkle with the dill or parsley, if using.

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  13. Enjoy.

How to Make the Stroganoff With Raw Steak

If using raw beef, sprinkle the slices with salt and toss. Let rest for 15 minutes to help it come to room temperature. Heat a couple of tablespoons of butter in a small sauté pan until the foaming subsides. Sear the beef slices on both sides just until done. If necessary, work in batches so you don't crowd the pan. Remove the meat and set aside. Add enough water to the pan to dissolve the browned bits on the bottom of the pan (this is called deglazing), scraping to get as much dissolved as possible. Add the cleaned mushrooms to the pan and continue with the recipe, adding the meat back into the pan toward the end.

How to Store

  • Beef stroganoff will keep in the refrigerator for three to four days if stored in a tightly sealed container.
  • Reheat the stroganoff gently to avoid curdling the sour cream sauce.

Tips

  • When adding the flour, it's important to stir and cook for about 2 minutes to cook away any raw flour taste.
  • If using raw steak, it's easier to slice when partially frozen.

Recipe Variations

  • Replace the sour cream with Greek yogurt.
  • Add an extra pop of flavor with a dash of Worcestershire sauce.
  • Instead of steak, make the stroganoff with leftover pork roast.
  • If you don't have cognac or brandy, use white wine.
  • If you prefer not to cook with alcohol, add an extra 1/4 cup of beef stock.
  • Instead of noodles, serve the stroganoff with hot mashed potatoes or rice.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
816Calories
40g Fat
58g Carbs
44g Protein

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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories816
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 40g52%
Saturated Fat 18g91%
Cholesterol 199mg66%
Sodium 475mg21%
Total Carbohydrate 58g21%
Dietary Fiber 5g19%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 44g
Vitamin C 7mg33%
Calcium 88mg7%
Iron 7mg40%
Potassium 1150mg24%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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This Beef Stroganoff for Two Recipe Uses Leftover Steak Beautifully (2024)

FAQs

How do you cut a steak for Stroganoff? ›

Cooking: Stack beef Sirloin Tip Steaks; cut lengthwise in half, then crosswise into 1-inch wide strips. Toss with garlic.

How do you use leftover overcooked steak? ›

Overcooked steak can be repurposed and transformed into something delicious.
  1. Slice it for cheesesteak. ...
  2. Make a stir-fry. ...
  3. Get a sharp knife for thin slices:
  4. Chop it for a terrine. ...
  5. Thin slice for a cold sandwich. ...
  6. Chip steak for gravy and biscuits. ...
  7. Make dumplings, empanadas, pasties, or pierogies. ...
  8. Board Sauce.
Aug 1, 2023

What cut of beef is most tender? ›

The most tender of all cuts of beef, tenderloin steaks are lean and known for their delicate, butter-like texture and thick cut. These mouthwatering steaks are so tender they can be “cut with a butter knife.” Tenderloin steaks are commonly known as filets or filet mignon.

What cut of beef has most flavor? ›

The Ribeye is generally considered to be the most flavourful steak. These steaks are cut from the ribs and contain a lot of marbling throughout. The muscle from where the Ribeye is cut, isn't used often so the meat is very tender.

How do restaurants make their steaks so tender? ›

Most fine restaurants age their beef to intensify the flavor and improve the tenderness of the cut. Aging is done by letting the meat sit (in very controlled conditions) for several days or weeks.

What does Texas Roadhouse do to make their steaks so tender? ›

How does Texas Roadhouse tenderise their steaks? Season each side of the steak well with the seasoning and set aside to rest for about 40 minutes. This causes the salt to infiltrate the surface (through osmosis) and actually aids in the breakdown of muscle fibres, resulting in more tender meat.

How to add more flavor to beef stroganoff? ›

My secret ingredient in beef stroganoff is just a touch of nutmeg. This aromatic spice works so well with the rich, creamy sauce and is a nod to the dish's origins. You don't need much, just a little more than half a teaspoon.

Why is my beef stroganoff tough? ›

Insert an instant-read thermometer into a few random cubes at the end of the cooking time to make sure that they are at least 145 degrees F, which is medium-rare. Do not cook them over 180 degrees or they will become tough.

What is the sauce in beef stroganoff made of? ›

Sauce Ingredients: Butter, onion, garlic, white wine, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, flour and plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream) are the ingredients used to make classic beef stroganoff sauce. If you prefer not to cook with wine, feel free to just add in a little extra beef stock instead.

How do you make leftover steak taste fresh? ›

A great way to maintain a juicy steak is reheat it slowly in the oven first and then finish on the stovetop. Preheat your oven to 275° and place a wire cooling rack over a large baking sheet. Cooking your steak on a cooling rack allows the hot air to circulate around the steak, giving you more evenly heated meat.

How do you make leftover steak juicy? ›

Method 1: How to Reheat Steak in the Microwave

First, put the steak in a deep, microwavable dish. Next—and here's the clever part—pour gravy or meat juices over the top. Doing so will keep the steak moist and help it taste even better.

What is an overcooked steak called? ›

A well-done steak is an overcooked steak, so it will probably be dry and tough. Some very thin steaks are difficult to cook anything other than well-done.

How to improve beef stroganoff? ›

Solution: Choose beef tenderloin for superior texture. Sauté button mushrooms, then brown the beef in the same pan and deglaze the pan with beef broth. For more complexity, prepare a sauce with onion, tomato paste, brown sugar, chicken broth, and wine.

What is beef stroganoff made of? ›

This beef stroganoff is made with beef chuck roast, beef broth, white wine, and sour cream. It is the best I've ever had and well worth the effort. I have been making this recipe for over 20 years! Serve over rice or noodles.

How do you cook beef so it's tender? ›

To cook it until it's so tender it falls apart, you'll need to choose a joint like chuck and blade or beef brisket and either braise, slow roast or slow cook it for at least a couple of hours.

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