When a gray, rainy Tuesday hits, this is the kind of meal that turns the day around. The smell alone—rich beef, garlic, mushrooms—hugs you like a soft blanket. I tossed it in the slow cooker before tackling emails, and by dinner, we had a bubbling pot of Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff Stew that tasted like it had been simmering for hours… because it had.
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Why You’ll Love This Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff Stew
This Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff Stew is rich, cozy, and full of flavor. The beef gets fall-apart tender after slow cooking all day, soaking up the tangy Dijon and beefy broth. Meanwhile, the garlic butter mushrooms add earthy depth and a little silkiness.
Serve it over buttery mashed potatoes, wide egg noodles, or even fluffy rice. It’s hearty enough for Sunday dinner, but easy enough for a midweek win. You can even swap in cauliflower mash for a lower-carb twist.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This recipe leans into bold, comforting flavors. You’ll need a good amount of beef chuck, full-fat sour cream, garlic, onions, and Dijon mustard. The mushrooms are sautéed separately in garlic butter to build that craveable umami flavor.
Beef Cuts
For a stew this tender, choose cuts that benefit from long, slow cooking. Chuck is your best bet—it has enough marbling to stay juicy and flavorful. You can also use beef cheeks, boneless ribs, or gravy beef.
Stay away from pre-cut stewing beef if you can. It often overcooks and dries out before the sauce has time to develop its deep, velvety texture.
Garlic Butter Mushrooms
Don’t skip this step. Sautéing the mushrooms separately in garlic butter lets them get golden and a bit crisp around the edges. It adds a layer of flavor that’s just not the same if you throw them in raw. They get stirred in at the end so they keep their texture and don’t get mushy.
How to Make Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff Stew
This dish comes together in layers. First, we brown the beef. Then, we build a flavorful base using garlic, onion, flour, and mustard. Finally, everything simmers low and slow until rich and tender.
Browning the Beef & Building the Base
Start by patting your beef dry—this helps it sear instead of steam. Season it well, then brown in hot oil until the edges are deeply golden. This step takes a bit of time, but it’s worth it.
Sauté the onion and garlic next. Add flour and stir until it clumps into a gluey mix. This will thicken your stew later. Stir in the Dijon for a little tang, then whisk in the beef stock gradually to avoid lumps. Simmer, then transfer to your chosen cooking method.
Cooking Methods
- Slow Cooker: Add the beef and sauce to your cooker. Set on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 5. This is my go-to for busy weekdays—hands-off and flavorful.
- Stovetop: Combine beef and sauce, then simmer gently with a lid for 2 hours. Stir occasionally and check liquid levels.
- Instant Pot: Skip the flour and instead use a cornstarch slurry at the end. Cook on HIGH pressure for 40 minutes, then release and finish the sauce.
Finishing the Stew
Once the beef is tender, mix about 1.5 cups of hot cooking liquid with sour cream in a bowl. This warms it up and helps prevent curdling. Then stir it back into the pot gently.
Finally, add in your sautéed mushrooms and stir just enough to mix. Don’t overdo it or you might break up the tender beef.
Spoon the stew over egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or rice. Garnish with chives for a pop of color and freshness.
Tips & Variations
- Going gluten-free? Skip the flour and use a cornstarch slurry at the end to thicken the sauce.
- Too thick or too thin? Add a splash of water if the sauce gets too thick. If it’s too thin, let it simmer uncovered for a bit or add more slurry.
- Storing: This stew keeps for 4–5 days in the fridge. It freezes well for up to 3 months. Honestly, the flavors get better by day two.
- Leftovers idea: Spoon it into a pie shell and top with puff pastry, or layer it into a baking dish and cover with mashed potatoes for an easy cottage pie.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this recipe ahead of time?
Absolutely. In fact, it’s even better the next day. Just reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave. The flavors deepen overnight.
How do I keep the sour cream from curdling?
Warm it up first. Stir about 1.5 cups of hot liquid from the stew into the sour cream, then add it back to the pot slowly. This brings it up to temp and keeps it smooth.
What’s the best way to freeze and reheat leftovers?
Let it cool completely, then portion into airtight containers. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat gently on the stove or microwave until hot. Add a splash of broth if it seems too thick.
Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff Stew Recipe Card
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Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff Stew | Ultimate Comfort Food
- Total Time: 8 hours 25 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
Description
Fall-apart tender stewing beef slow cooked in a creamy Stroganoff sauce with buttery garlic mushrooms. Rich, hearty, and perfect served over noodles, mashed potato, or rice.
Ingredients
1.75 kg / 3.5 lb beef chuck, cut into 4cm cubes
1.5 tsp salt
1.5 tsp pepper
2 tbsp oil
20g / 1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 large onion, halved and sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
7 tbsp plain flour
4 tbsp Dijon mustard
1L / 1 quart beef stock (reduced salt)
1.5 cups full-fat sour cream
Garlic Butter Mushrooms:
3 tbsp unsalted butter
700g / 1.2 lb mushrooms, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
0.5 tsp salt
0.5 tsp pepper
To Serve:
Egg noodles, mashed potatoes, rice, or low-carb base
Chives (for garnish)
Instructions
1. Pat beef dry and season with salt and pepper.
2. Brown beef in batches over high heat in oil until well browned. Remove.
3. Sauté onion and garlic in butter until softened (about 3 mins).
4. Add flour and stir well. Stir in Dijon mustard (mixture will be thick).
5. Slowly whisk in half the stock until smooth. Then whisk in remaining stock.
6. Bring to a simmer. Transfer to slow cooker or continue with other method.
7. Add beef to sauce and cook:
8.
9. – Slow Cooker: 8 hrs LOW / 5 hrs HIGH
10. – Stove: Simmer gently, covered, for 2 hrs
11. – Instant Pot: Skip flour, use cornstarch at end. 40 mins HIGH pressure
12.
13. Sauté mushrooms in butter and garlic in two batches until golden (~3 mins per batch).
14. Mix 1.5 cups hot cooking liquid with sour cream. Stir into stew gently.
15. Add mushrooms and stir to combine.
16. Serve hot over noodles, mashed potatoes, or rice. Garnish with chives.
Notes
To thicken without flour (gluten-free): use cornstarch slurry at the end.
Don’t skip browning the beef—it adds deep flavor.
Sour cream is added at the end to avoid curdling.
Store leftovers in fridge up to 4–5 days or freeze for 3 months.
Great for next-day meals or turning into a pie with pastry or mash.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Category: Slow Cooker Recipes
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 666
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 1474mg
- Fat: 44g
- Saturated Fat: 19g
- Unsaturated Fat: 22g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 59g
- Cholesterol: 204mg
More Such Recipes
If you’re into bold, slow-simmered comfort food, you’ll also love:
- This classic French-style beef stew with deep red wine flavor
- The ultra-tender Mississippi pot roast in the crock pot
- Our creamy ranch chicken and potatoes made in the slow cooker
- Or the fall-apart BBQ beef ribs cooked low and slow
Nutrition Information (Per Serving)
- Calories: 666 kcal
- Protein: 59g
- Fat: 44g
- Saturated Fat: 19g
- Carbs: 12g
- Sugar: 3g
- Fiber: 2g
- Cholesterol: 204mg
- Sodium: 1474mg
- Potassium: 1626mg
- Vitamin A: 281 IU
- Vitamin C: 5mg
- Calcium: 64mg
- Iron: 7mg
Final Thoughts
This Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff Stew is the kind of meal that makes you sigh with the first bite. It’s family-friendly, weeknight-possible, and always hits the spot.
Try swapping in different base pairings or experiment with leftover pie ideas. And if you enjoy this kind of cozy dish, be sure to follow along on Pinterest or Facebook for more comforting favorites.
