Beef Stroganoff (Slow Cooker Recipe)
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Oct 11, 2024 
Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff Recipe: This easy Beef Stroganoff is made in a crockpot! Its bold flavor a silky texture make it so comforting!
Beef Stroganoff – Two Ways!
Certain dishes set a benchmark for comfort. Beef stroganoff is at the top of my list.
It’s not the most glamorous meal, but the perfect blend of succulent slow-cooked beef, earthy mushrooms, pasta, sour cream, and boozy essence makes it a show-stopper on any cold night!
Today’s recipe, The Best Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff, is my second stroganoff recipe here on A Spicy Perspective. The first Beef Stroganoff I posted years ago is a quickie-version made with grilled steak and a relatively fast pan sauce.
It’s a fantastic mid-week meal you can make in a hurry… Or when you want to dress up your stroganoff with New York Strips or Ribeye!
Beef Stroganoff Slow Cooker Recipe
However, The Best Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff Recipe is our most beloved mouthwatering crockpot version. You can set it and forget it, and then come home later to a house that smells like pure heaven!
If you buy the right ingredients, and sauté your onions and beef before slow cooking, you too, will experience the best Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff you’ve ever made!
List of Ingredients You Will Need:
- Beef Chuck Roast
- Shallots – peeled and chopped
- Garlic Cloves – peeled and minced
- Butter
- All-Purpose Flour
- White Button Mushrooms – quartered
- Sour Cream
- Cognac
- Beef Base – (5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon beef concentrate)
- Dijon Mustard
- Dried Thyme
- Water
- Extra Wide Egg Noodles
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Tips on the Main Ingredients:
Beef
When slow-cooking stroganoff, it’s important to use a cut of beef that stays moist and succulent over time.
Here I used thin strips of chuck roast. You can also cut the beef into bite-size chunks if you prefer. The marbled fat in the chuck roast gently breaks down over time, keeping the beef tender.
Short ribs are also a good choice, but a bit more expensive.
Onions
Another key element in making this Easy Beef Stroganoff Recipe, is to sauté the onions and brown the beef first, before adding it to the crockpot.
This sweetens the flavor of the onions and improves their overall texture. It also seals in the juices of the beef. Don’t skip this step!
If you happen to have a large Instant Pot or Multi-Cooker, you can sauté the onions and beef right in the crock, then turn it down to “slow cook” without dirtying a skillet.
Beef Base
Two more highly important ingredients for creating the perfect beef stroganoff are liquor and beef base.
Beef base is essentially concentrated beef broth, and provides a deep rich beefy flavor.
When making Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff, the crockpot lid holds in all the moisture, so regular beef stock would not be able to cook down, and concentrate over time. Using beef base (or beef concentrate) with water, creates an intensified punchy beef quality that truly elevates the sauce.
Liquor
I like to use Cognac in stroganoff because it leaves a gentle, lingering, slightly sweet boozy essence. If you love robust flavors, add as much as a cup of Cognac to the recipe. However, if your palette is a bit delicate, use a little less. You can also use brandy or whiskey if you prefer.
Do not skip the booze! It’s an essential component, and the flavor cannot be replaced. The alcohol does cook out over time, so don’t be afraid of serving this to your whole family.
How to Make the Best Beef Stroganoff Recipe in the Crockpot
- Set a large 6-quart crockpot to low heat. Cut the beef roast into small bite-size chunks, or cut against the grain into thin strips.
- Place the butter in a large skillet and set it on the stovetop over medium heat. Once melted, add the onions and garlic. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, then add the beef pieces. Brown the beef on all sides, about 5 minutes. Then sprinkle the flour over the beef and stir to coat. Cook another 3 minutes. Pour the mixture in the bottom of the slow cooker. *If using an Instant Pot or Multi-Cooker, do this in the crock on the Sauté setting, then lower the heat to Slow Cook.
3. Add the chopped mushrooms to the crockpot. In a bowl, whisk the sour cream, cognac, beef base, Dijon mustard, and thyme together. Pour the mixture over the mushrooms, then add in 3 cups water.
*If using less than 1 cup Cognac, add extra water to equal 1 cup.
4. Cover the crockpot and slow cook for 5-6 hours on high, or 7-9 hours on low, until the beef is fork tender. Stir in the egg noodles. Cover again and slow cook another 20-30 minutes, until the pasta is cooked to al dente. Taste, then salt and pepper as needed.
See The Recipe Card Below For How To Make Beef Stroganoff in the Crock Pot + VIDEO. Enjoy!
More Crockpot Recipes to Try!
- 2-Ingredient Crockpot Taco Meat Recipe
- Crockpot Ravioli Lasagna Casserole
- Crock Pot Chicken Pot Pie (With Biscuits)
- Slow Cooker Beef Brisket with Potatoes and Onions
- Crockpot Chicken Chili (with Roasted Red Peppers)
- Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Beef Tenderloin Recipe
- Crock Pot Pork Loin with Vegetables
- Swedish Meatballs (Crockpot)
- Best Slow Cooker Carnitas
- Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Soup
Check the printable recipe card below for the nutrition information including calories, carbohydrates, protein, cholesterol, potassium, fiber, vitamin, and calcium percentages.
Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 pound beef chuck roast
- 6 shallots, peeled and chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 pounds button mushrooms, quartered
- 1 1/2 cups sour cream
- 1/2 – 1 cup cognac
- 2 tablespoons beef base, + 2 teaspoons (or 5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon beef concentrate)
- 2 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 3 cups water
- 12 ounces extra wide egg noodles
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Set a large 6-quart slow cooker to low heat. Cut the beef roast into small bite-size chunks, or cut against the grain into thin strips.
- Place the butter in a large skillet and set on the stovetop over medium heat. Once melted, add the onions and garlic. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, then add the beef pieces. Brown the beef on all sides, about 5 minutes. Then sprinkle the flour over the beef and stir to coat. Cook another 3 minutes. Pour the mixture in the bottom of the slow cooker. *If using an Instant Pot or Multi-Cooker, do this in the crock on the Sauté setting, then lower the heat to Slow Cook.
- Add the chopped mushrooms to the crock. In a bowl, whisk the sour cream, cognac, beef base, Dijon mustard, and thyme together. Pour the mixture over the mushrooms, then add in 3 cups water. *If using less than 1 cup cognac, add extra water to equal 1 cup.
- Cover the crock and slow cook for 5-6 hours on high, or 7-9 hours on low, until the beef is fork-tender. Stir in the egg noodles. Cover again and slow cook another 20-30 minutes, until the pasta is cooked to al dente. Taste, then salt and pepper as needed.
This is now a staple recipe in my house, we love it so much! If I were to make this without putting the pasta in the crockpot, how much would you reduce the liquid by? Thanks!
Where it says to use 3 cups water can you use 3 cups of beef broth?
Hi Charlene,
Sure, you can! :)
I followed the recipe exactly. I used short ribs. When o got home, there was a 1/2 layer of oil on top. I tried spooning it out but it seemed to make it worse. I’m waiting to put the noodles in, but I’m wondering, should I add a little more flour to the crock pot before I do that. Also, it smells PHENOMENAL in my house!!!!
Hi Kelly,
Yes, short ribs are delicious, but much fattier, so that makes sense that you had extra oil on top. Extra flour could help, or you could use a baster to suck the oil off the top. How did it turn out?
Have you ever tried this with zucchini noodles or something else instead of egg noodles? If so, how would you cook them?
Hi Anne,
Zucchini noodles would add quite a bit more moisture if you just added them in raw. Then the sauce would be thinner. I believe I would sauté the zucchini noodles on the stovetop, then add them in at the end. I would also reduce the water by half. Hope this helps!
This recipe was easy to follow and extremely delicious. I followed all recommendations, but did add 4 additional ounces of sour cream.
My family really enjoyed this recipe. It was simple to make and the house smelled great while it was cooking. The noodles came out a little on the mushy side so we all decided that we would make the noodles on the side next time. Thanks for sharing this nice recipe.
can you make the night before and reheat it?
Hi Anne,
Sure you can! The noodles might be a bit soft the next day, so if you are worried about that you can leave them out and add them in as you are reheating in the slow cooker.
Awesome recipe. Way to much thyme. Maybe half what you call for. I thought it would be creamer than it was. But besideds that. Add some more sour cream and mozzarella cheese when serving and it tasted awesome.
Could this be made with another type of pasta like rotini? I cannot use egg noodles. Thanks!
Hi Jess,
Sure it can! Most pastas need about 20-30 minutes in the slow cooker to cook properly.
Jess – my son has a severe egg allergy. Walmart sells an eggless “egg” noodle (house brand – Great Value Egg-Free Wide Pasta Ribbons). When they have it in stock locally, I buy a ton! It works really well in soups and other typical recipes (like this awesome one) that call for a traditional egg noodle. Just thought I’d share!
This is an outstanding, simple recipe to make. I upped the quantities to serve 12 people and everyone raved at the flavor of the mushrooms and sauce and the tenderness of the beef. I am making this again for our Thanksgiving dinner. It was that good!
Could you use brandy instead of cognac?
Hi Gaye,
Sure you can. Good choice! :)
I made this recipe for the first time tonight and it was delicious! I will definitely be making this dish again. A few comments/observations:
– the listed 20 minutes of prep time was wildly off. It took me 75 minutes from start to finish to do all of the required chopping, dicing, sautéing, measuring, whisking etc. so by the time I got everything into the crock pot I knew dinner was going to be significantly later than planned. I may not be the fastest cook but I don’t think 20 minutes is a realistic estimate when there’s at least 11 minutes of just sauté time in there for the shallots/garlic/meat and 4 separate things to slice and dice.
-1.5 pounds of mushrooms seemed excessive once they were all laid out in front of me waiting to be chopped. I probably used only about a pound in the end and put the rest away. They cooked down enough that I might have been able to fit the rest, but I don’t think they were needed
-I chopped the meat into bite sized pieces but they shrank enough with the cooking that I probably could have benefitted either from the alternative slicing method or chopping larger pieces. I also salted and peppered the meat while I was sautéing it in lieu of adding salt/pepper after cooking (and no further seasoning was necessary)
-I was able to make up some time by cooking on high and putting the noodles in at the 4.5 hour mark and then serving the whole thing at the 5 hour mark. The meat was perfectly tender at that point and definitely didn’t need another 1-1.5 hours as the recipe suggests.
-I went with the one cup of cognac and the sauce was delicious – very rich and full. The alcohol cooked off nicely.