Homemade Beef Stroganoff with Egg Noodles

Homemade beef stroganoff is a flavorful one-dish comfort food consisting of lean beef sautéed in butter and served over noodles in a sour cream sauce.

It is believed that beef stroganoff was invented in the 19th century by a French chef working for a Russian aristocrat with the last name of Stroganov. This dish combined elements of both Russian and French cooking, with a creamy sauce (a French tradition) made of sour cream rather than creme fraiche (a Russian tradition.)

Beef stroganoff started to gain traction in the United States when the recipe was published in the 1943 edition of The Joy of Cooking, by Irma Rombauer. It enjoyed huge popularity with both home cooks and in restaurants from the 1950's through the 1970's. Today, it enjoys a reputation as a mid century comfort food.

There have been many variations of the beef stroganoff recipe over the years. Some versions call for ground beef rather than beef strips, some for serving over rice or potatoes rather than egg noodles. I found this vintage handwritten recipe tucked inside of an old cookbook I bought. It calls for beef bouillon rather than a can of broth, and rice rather than pasta. To make it faster and easier, I just opted for canned broth and a bit of wine for added flavor. Also, I chose the more traditional route of serving it over egg noodles. But whatever starch you choose, the dish will be delicious!

You Can Make It Gluten Free

It's easy to convert this to a gluten free recipe:

• Thicken the sauce with cornstarch rather than flour. I have done this, and it does not negatively impact the flavor. Cornstarch has greater thickening power, so you should substitute with half of the amount of flour called for. In this recipe, instead of using 3 tablespoons of flour, use 1-½ tablespoons of cornstarch.
• Serve over gluten free noodles. My favorite are Manischewitz gluten free wide egg noodles, but there are several on the market to choose from.

Tips for Making Homemade Beef Stroganoff

• There are many cuts of beef you can use to make this dish, but the higher quality you buy, the more tender and delicious it will be. If this is a rare splurge, opt for beef tenderloin if you can. The most common recommended cut for this dish is top sirloin, which tenderizes nicely and has excellent flavor. If you opt for a tougher cut of beef, you may need to let it cook a little longer to make sure it is tender.
• This recipe calls for a red or white cooking wine which adds a nice flavor to the gravy. If you're opening a bottle to enjoy with dinner, you can also use a dry red or white table wine. But if you prefer not to use wine at all, just substitute it with additional beef broth.
• If you want to substitute the thicker and richer (and French preferred) creme fraiche for sour cream, you can do so in an equal amount. Creme fraiche can be found in the dairy section of most grocery stores.

Because this is a one-dish meal that comes together quickly, there is little else you need to do except heat up some rolls to serve on the side and enjoy!

If you have a vintage recipe you'd like share with us for possible publication, please scan it and email it to [email protected]. We'd love to hear from you!

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