Creamy, cosy and totally family-approved, this Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff is one of those set-and-forget dinners that makes the house smell amazing before you even walk in the door. It's rich without being heavy, loaded with melt-in-your-mouth beef and mushrooms, and finished with that classic creamy sauce everyone goes back for seconds of.
If you're a fan of easy slow cooker dinners like my Slow Cooker Chicken and Mushroom Risotto or my ever-popular Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken, this one definitely deserves a spot on your weekly meal plan.
Cooked this tonight and my partner and I both loved it! The beef was so tender, and the sauce was delicious. Will be making stroganoff in the slow cooker instead of stove top from now on.
- Courtney
This Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff is a modern, family-friendly take on the classic dish - made for busy days and real life. Unlike stovetop versions that need babysitting, this slow cooker method lets the beef gently tenderise over hours, building big flavour with zero stress.
Seared beef, savoury Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard and paprika give the sauce serious depth, while sour cream stirred through at the end keeps everything silky and comforting. It's perfect served over pasta, rice or creamy mash - and if you're lucky enough to have leftovers, they're even better the next day.
If you love creamy comfort food, you'll also enjoy my classic Apricot Chicken or tender Lamb Shanks, both 'set & forget' meals made in the slow cooker, and perfect for cooler nights.
Why You're Going To Love This Recipe
- Set-and-forget slow cooker dinner - perfect for busy weeknights
- Ultra-tender beef thanks to low and slow cooking
- Rich, creamy sauce that's comforting without being heavy
- Family-friendly flavours kids actually eat (and budget-friendly too!)
- Freezer-friendly and ideal for meal prep
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Beef Stroganoff Ingredients
Because this recipe is slow-cooked, you can use more affordable cuts of beef such as rump, sirloin or blade - the long, gentle cooking makes them incredibly tender.
Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.
- Rump steak - This cut is ideal for slow cooking as it becomes beautifully tender without falling apart. Sirloin or blade steak also works well.
- Worcestershire sauce - Essential for that savoury, umami flavour that gives stroganoff its signature richness.
- Mushrooms - Button or cup mushrooms are ideal for this recipe, however portobello mushrooms are a delicious alternative, bringing a richer, more earthy flavour.
- Sour cream - Stirred through at the end to prevent curdling and keep the sauce smooth and creamy.
Variations
- Slow Cooker Chicken Stroganoff - Swap the beef for chicken thigh fillets and slightly reduce the cooking time.
- Cream Cheese Version - Replace half of the sour cream with cream cheese for an extra-rich, ultra-creamy sauce.
- Mushroom-Lovers' Stroganoff - Double the mushrooms for a more veggie-packed dinner.
- Gluten-Free - Use gluten-free Worcestershire sauce and beef stock, and serve with rice or mashed potato instead of pasta.
Need To Substitute An Ingredient?
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How To Make Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff
Tender beef in a creamy mushroom sauce makes this slow cooker beef stroganoff a cosy, satisfying family meal that's perfect served over a big bowl of noodles or classic mash.
Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.
- Slice the beef into thin strips, cutting across the grain, and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a hot frying pan and quickly sear the beef in batches until just browned. Transfer to the slow cooker.
- Melt the butter in the same pan, cook the onion until soft, then add it to the crock pot.
- Mix together beef stock, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, thyme and tomato paste. Pour over the beef and stir.
- Cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 5 hours.
- Add the mushrooms during the final hour of cooking.
- Stir through sour cream in the last 30 minutes. Thicken if needed, then serve.
Expert Tips
- Always cut the beef across the grain for maximum tenderness, or use pre-cut beef strips to save time.
- Searing the beef first adds loads of flavour - it's worth the extra step.
- Stir the sour cream through at the end to stop it from curdling.
- Mushrooms release liquid as they cook, so it's normal for the sauce to look thicker earlier on.
- For a thicker sauce, stir through a cornflour slurry (mix 1 tablespoon cornflour with ¼ cup cold water) just before serving.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning at the end - slow cooking can mellow flavours.
- Storage: Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Freezing: Freeze cooled stroganoff (without pasta) for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently.
Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff FAQs
Yes, but quickly searing the beef will keep its juices inside, and gives the dish a much richer flavour and better texture.
Adding it earlier can cause it to curdle. Stirring it through at the end keeps the sauce smooth.
Cooking for much longer than recommended can cause the beef to shred excessively and the sauce to thicken too much.
Egg noodles are classic, but pasta, rice or mash all work beautifully. Serve with fresh parsley and vegetables, too!
Absolutely - it reheats very well and tastes even better the next day.
More Slow Cooker Recipes
With barely any 'hands-on' time, the slow cooker is just 'set and forget', and dinner is ready! Tell me, what's not to love about that?!
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Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff
Ingredients
- 750 g rump steak (see notes)
- salt and pepper to season
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 40 g butter
- 250 ml (1 cup) beef stock liquid
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme optional
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 400 g mushrooms sliced
- 300 ml sour cream
Instructions
- Slice the steak into thin strips and season well with salt and pepper.
- Heat 1 tbs of the olive oil in a frying pan over high heat. Add half of the steak strips, spread out with tongs and allow to cook (without turning) for 30 seconds. Turn the steak and repeat for a further 30 seconds (the meat will still be pink inside). Transfer to a slow cooker and repeat cooking with the remaining olive oil and beef strips.
- Add the butter to the frying pan and allow to melt. Cook the onion for 2-3 minutes or until soft. Add to the slow cooker.
- In a bowl, mix together the beef stock liquid, dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, sweet paprika, dried thyme and tomato paste. Pour into the slow cooker and stir.
- Cook for 8 hours on low or 5 hours on high.
- With 1 hour of cooking time remaining, add the mushrooms.
- With 30 minutes of cooking time remaining, stir through the sour cream.See notes - if you want to thicken the sauce.
- Serve with cooked egg noodles, pasta, rice or mashed potato.
Notes
- Always cut beef across the grain for maximum tenderness, or buy beef strips already cut for time saving convenience.
- Searing the beef first adds extra flavour - don't skip this step.
- Add sour cream at the end to prevent curdling.
- Mushrooms release liquid as they cook - it's normal for the sauce to look thick earlier on.
- For a thicker sauce, stir through a cornflour slurry (mix 1 tbs of cornflour with ¼ cup cold water) just before serving.
- Taste and adjust seasoning at the end - slow cooking can mellow flavours.
- Storage - Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Freezing - Freeze cooled stroganoff (without pasta) for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight and reheat gently.
Gemma says
Hi Lucy,
I've used this recipe before its great but wondering if I could substitute the beef for chicken this time?? Would I just make the cooking time shorter?
Lucy says
Absolutely! And yes - I'd do 6 hours on LOW or 3-4 hours on HIGH for chicken xx
Bev says
This is a truly wonderful recipe. I didn't change a thing. I've made it twice now, first with rump steak and last time with blade. It was great with both but we preferred the blade. Thank you so much for this fabulous recipe!
Lucy says
I'm so thrilled that you liked it!
Courtney says
Cooked this tonight and my partner and I both loved it! The beef was so tender and the sauce was delicious. Will be making stroganoff in the slow cooker instead of stove top from now on.
Lucy says
Yay! That's absolutely fanastic!!
Sonia says
My boys LOVE LOVE LOVED this! Meat so tender & flavoursome. May add a touch more tomato paste to increase the richness. All your slow cooker recipes have worked out perfectly, PLEASE keep them coming.
Lucy says
Oh that is absolutely fantastic!!! Thank you SO much!!!!