When you want a one-bowl meal that’s comforting and delicious, you might reach for beef stroganoff. This dish features ingredients like seared steak, savory mushrooms, and a rich cream sauce. If you’re a big fan of beef stroganoff but want to mix things up for dinner, you’re in luck. Learn how to make the best beef stroganoff soup and discover three other ways to put a twist on this classic recipe.
Make It a Soup
Beef stroganoff soup is one of our favorite ways to reinvent this beloved dish, and it’s easy to make too. All you need is a Dutch oven, 10 minutes to prep the ingredients, and a half hour to simmer it to perfection.
Start by sauteing chunks of beef steak in butter until brown, then set this aside. Add mushrooms, onion, and garlic to the pan, and cook for about three minutes. Next, add Campbell’s 30% less sodium beef broth with red wine as you deglaze the pan, then bring it to a boil. Add egg noodles and cook until tender, then whisk in sour cream until the mixture’s smooth. Finally, add the beef back to the soup and cook it until it’s just heated through. Garnish with a sprinkle of parsley before serving.
Try Other Cuts of Meat
Most expert chefs recommend boneless rib-eye for this irresistible Russian dish, but that’s not a hard and fast rule. You can choose just about any cut of meat, such as New York strip, rump steak, and round steak. You can even make this meal with chicken.
The trick is to avoid biting into dry chunks of meat. To ensure your twist on beef stroganoff comes out perfectly, freeze the meat for 15 minutes to make slicing it much easier. Then, sear it in a heavy-based pan, and avoid using a nonstick surface. Don’t crowd the meat either — you’ll end up steaming the beef in all that moisture.
Add Some Spice
Another tasty way to revamp your beef stroganoff recipe is to take advantage of your spice cabinet. This dish’s thick and rich gravy pairs well with all kinds of bold flavors, including thyme, paprika, crushed pepper, and nutmeg. Of course, you want the staples on hand, like salt, pepper, garlic, and onion powder.
Give It a Healthy Twist
Classic beef stroganoff is rich, thanks to high-calorie ingredients like butter and sour cream. However, if you’re watching your waistline, you can still indulge your taste buds with fewer calories. You’ll enjoy this crowd pleaser without the guilt in under 20 minutes too.
Opt for top sirloin, which is a leaner cut of beef than other popular choices. While it does lack the distinctive marbling of rib-eye, when cooked right, you’ll find it’s just as tender. Make sure it’s up to room temperature before you cook it, and use a meat mallet to break down fibers. Campbell’s low-fat cream of mushroom soup is the ideal alternative for sour cream, and you can try whole wheat noodles for more fiber.
Next time you’re craving beef stroganoff, consider making it into a soup. If that idea doesn’t satisfy your craving, try these three alternative ways to put a twist on this classic recipe and ditch the boring traditional ingredients for something magical.