Easy Crockpot Beef Stroganoff – Slow Cooked in Creamy Sauce

Imagine sinking your spoon into a bowl of creamy, savory comfort food heaven—Crock Pot Beef Stroganoff. The slow-cooked beef absorbs every ounce of flavor, making each bite a deep, comforting indulgence.

Tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef slowly simmers in a rich, velvety sauce made with a delicate blend of seasonings, all brought together with tangy sour cream and cream cheese. Perfectly paired with egg noodles or mashed potatoes, this dish offers the ultimate cozy meal that practically cooks itself.

I find it so interesting that so many countries have a stroganoff recipe. It originated in Russia, but in case you missed it, there are versions I’ve had in America, Italy and Cade says it’s a huge deal in Brazil, though their version is much more tomato based with cream. I want to try that way now.

Ingredients for Crock Pot Beef Stroganoff

Beef stroganoff is loaded with flavor and each ingredient adds a layer of flavor needed to make the best stroganoff. Here is a list of everything you’ll need:

• Beef Stew Meat: look for a package labeled as stew meat or grab some chopped sirloin
• Seasonings: Italian Seasoning, Garlic Powder, Kosher Salt and Black Pepper
• Baby Bella Mushrooms: the best part of a stroganoff in my opinion
• Beef Broth: becomes the base of the creamy sauce
• Dijon Mustard: adds flavor and helps tenderize the beef
• Worcestershire Sauce: adds rich umami flavor
• EZ Gel by Cornaby’s: used to thicken the sauce, cornstarch can also be used
• Cream Cheese: adds richness and creaminess to the sauce
• Sour Cream: adds creaminess and a little tang to the sauce
• Egg Noodles: any type of pasta can be used or mashed potatoes
• Fresh Thyme and Parsley: adds a pop of freshness

The measurements and details for all the ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.

How to Make Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

This crock pot beef stroganoff recipe is one of the easiest stroganoff recipes you’ll ever make and the meat turns out tender and juicy every time. Serve with fresh or store bought egg noodles for the ultimate family dinner. Here are steps for making this simple crockpot recipe:

1. Prep: Lightly grease a slow cooker with nonstick spray.
2. Season the Meat: Add stew meat to the crock pot and sprinkle with all the seasonings and then toss to combine.
3. Cook: Add the mushrooms, beef broth, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 7-8 hours.
4. Thicken the Sauce: Thirty minutes before serving, remove 1/2 cup of the broth and whisk in the EZ Gel or cornstarch. Slowly pour the mixture into the slow cooker. Then add the cream cheese and sour cream to the slow cooker and stir to combine. Turn the slow cooker to high and cook for another 30 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
   • PRO TIP: Adding the sour cream and cream cheese at the end of the cooking time will add the creaminess you want in a beef stroganoff sauce without the sour cream curdling or separating.
5. Cook the Pasta: While the stroganoff finishes cooking, cook the noodles according to package instructions. Stir the noodles into the slow cooker or serve separately into bowls and ladle the stroganoff over the top.
6. Garnish: Top with fresh thyme and parsley.

The complete instructions for making this recipe can also be found in the recipe card down below.

What to Serve with Beef Stroganoff

With beef stroganoff as the star of dinner, I like to serve a lighter vegetable side dish or salad along with it. Here are a few ideas:

Tips for the Best Beef Stroganoff

We have a few versions on the blog (easy ground beef stroganoff, creamy chicken stroganoff, and Instant Pot beef stroganoff ), but we were lacking a simple slow cooker stroganoff recipe so I set out to find one I love. I will say, testing led me to many insights.

Avoid heavy cream cheese additions. I have found that some really love it extra creamy so I tested exhaustingly, but found that anything over 2 ounces of cream cheese made it heavy and gummy. In fact, I prefer to skip it entirely but have included it in this recipe for you to choose.

Herbs are an additional touch, but should not over power the dish. We went back and forth on many different herb options, and finally settled on Italian seasoning. Too much thyme really brought out an earthiness that was unpleasant while Italian Seasoning brought out a complexity to the broth that really warmed the entire dish.

If you want to add more, flavor sauté half an onion, chopped with the mushrooms and 3 tablespoons of butter in a skillet on the stovetop and then add into the stroganoff. You could also sear the pieces of beef first on the stove top before adding it to the crockpot. I usually skip that part because the whole point of a crockpot is to keep it quick and simple, but searing the meat will amp up the taste.

Pro Tip…

Buy the best possible pasta and toss it with the sauce once it’s done versus layering everything on top. I love that this method keeps the pasta all warm and allows the sauce to flavor the pasta further.

Which Beef is Best for Beef Stroganoff?

Growing up, my mom made homemade beef stroganoff with ground beef. It’s quick and budget-friendly, but I’m a big fan of making this beef stroganoff with other types of beef. If I’m going all out, then Wagyu beef it is, but stew meat is more reasonable and easy to find. The better quality the meat is, the better the flavor of the stroganoff will be. Other cuts of beef will also work like sirloin, chuck roast, rump roast and round roast.

Storing and Reheating

Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to 4-5 days. The beef stroganoff itself freezes quite well, but it should be frozen without the noodles. Let it cool completely and then place in a freezer safe container. It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To reheat, let it thaw in the fridge overnight and then warm up on the stove top in a large saucepan. Make the pasta fresh and serve!

Add all the ingredients for this comforting crock pot beef stroganoff to your slow cooker and let it do all the work for you! The flavors are rich and indulgent and the recipe is so easy to make! Everyone loves a warm bowl of beef stroganoff.

More Easy Crockpot Recipes:

Watch This Recipe Be Made…