Beef Stroganoff Without Canned Soup
Can we just agree first off that Beef Stroganoff isn’t the most photogenic dish??? I did my best.
This recipe is one of the regulars around our house. My husband requests it EVERY time I am making my meal plan. Our kids will eat it too. This was also one of the first dishes I ever made after we got married. I remember almost 9 years ago making this in our little apartment and being so frustrated that it didn’t turn out the way I wanted it to. Back then I used canned cream of mushroom soup and canned beef broth both of which are loaded with sodium and msg and many other ingredients.
Have you ever really looked at the label? I went on Campbell’s website and could not find the list of ingredients, only the “nutritional information”. So I took my own picture of the label but it’s a little tough to
see the ingredients…here they are:
Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup Ingredients:
Water, mushrooms, vegetable oil (corn, cottonseed, canola, and/or soybean), modified food starch, wheat flour, contains less than 2% of: salt, cream (milk), whey (dehydrated), monosodium glutamate, soy protein concentrate, yeast extract, flavoring, garlic (dehydrated).
The list isn’t huge but there are some weird things lurking in there. I realize a canned condensed soup is very convenient but really all you need is butter, flour, and beef or chicken stock and you have your own then add a little salt and pepper or onion and mushroom and your’re good to go.
In this homemade stroganoff recipe I use shallot or (onion) and crimini mushrooms and beef broth to get a rich flavor. Right now I’m using Kitchen Basics brand. It’s a pretty decent brand and they claim to use no msg, although I don’t love that there is beef “flavoring”. Just find a boxed stock that has the most basic ingredients list you can find. The less the better and if you can pronounce and know what everything is that’s a plus. My next venture is making homemade beef stock but until then I’ll cheat a little bit.
Once the sauce thickens a bit you just stir in a half cup of sour cream, I use Daisy brand because there is only 1 ingredient: Grade A cultured cream. It’s surprising just how many ingredients other brands have. Mix in your ground meat of choice, serve over rice, a baked potato or egg noodles with a veggie side and you have a great weeknight meal that’s really fast.
Lately we’ve been using ground venison which works great. We were given not 1 but 2 deer this fall…that’s what happens when you live in a rural town where everyone hunts! We’ve used elk and beef too. It doesn’t even have to be ground.
TIPS- Crimini mushrooms which are baby portabello mushrooms are key. They have such a rich yummy flavor. I also really like to use shallots, they have a great flavor and are usually located near garlic in the store. If you don’t have shallots, just use a regular small onion.
GLUTEN FREE OPTION- If you would like to make this gluten free you can sub sweet rice flour found on the Asian aisle in grocery stores for the 3 tablespoons of wheat flour.
Easy Beef Stroganoff without Canned Soup
Ingredients:
1 lb. ground meat
2 T. butter
10 oz. crimini mushrooms sliced
2 shallots or 1 small onion chopped
3 T. flour (or gluten free option)
2 c. beef stock in a box or homemade
1/2 c. sour cream (Daisy Brand is a good one)
1 t. salt ( I use this kind)
Pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Brown meat in a large skillet and then set aside.
2. In same skillet melt butter and add mushrooms and shallots, and brown.
3. Stir in flour, cook 1 minute.
4. Stir in broth and salt and pepper. Let thicken just a bit.
5. Add meat, stir, turn off heat, add sour cream, stir.
6. Serve over rice, potato or noodles with a veggie side.
*This post was shared on:
http://mindbodyandsoleonline.com/herbal-information/80th-wildcrafting-wednesday/
GNOWFGLINS
Hannah, I’m so impressed with your blog and your cooking skills! I want to eat at your house!;) I have been feeling soooo yucky lately and I know that if I were eating more fruits and veggies I’d feel better. You have inspired me to finally try green smoothies!!
Hi Katie,
You’re so nice. I feel food does make a huge difference in how you feel, that’s why I’ve been trying more and more to get rid of junk and replace it with good wholesome foods. Definitely try green smoothies, you’ll be surprised at how yummy they are!
I make a lot of bean dishes…and those are definitely not the most photogenic of foods 🙂 This sounds delicious though! I used to use canned soup a lot, but then realized that I can make my own from scratch and it tastes better. Good for you looking at what the ingredients are…some of the things you find listed on “food” are quite scary! Thank you for sharing this at what i am eating!
I think I will add this to my meal plan! Thanks for sharing on Wildcrafting Wednesdays!
I hope you like it! It is really fast too which is great.
Hannah!
I love your blog! Reading it is enjoyable! Looks like we are on this journey too! It’s hard to get the hubby on board 🙂 Anyway, I have been successful – but less times than not successful, so the trust is not completely there. I just love experimenting too much 🙂 Anyway, just wanted to mention that I dehydrate mushrooms that are on sale and crush them up in my spice grinder (really a coffee grinder) and use the mushroom powder in recipes like this. I can even hide it in my sloppy joe recipe and spaghetti sauce. I can also eat the dried mushrooms as a crunchy healthy snack…But they don’t stay crunchy as the air gets to them and they gradually lose their crunch – anyway, I will be back often to read more! Thanks again for the wealth of experience you have to offer!
Love ya!
Thanks Tiff! That’s a great idea with the mushrooms I’ll have to try that. My kids are pretty bad when it comes to eating veggies, right now the only way I do it is by hiding some in smoothies, but I like your idea and will try it out! It’s definitely a process, the road to healthier eating and living, I too usually fall short when it comes to trying new recipes but as time goes by you build up a nice little supply. Part of the fun is the process, although my family (mainly hubby) sometimes cringes when I say I’m trying something new…although he should be used to it by now! Have you played around with soaking grains? That is something I’m getting into. Check out http://www.passionatehomemaking.com look at her recipes I’ve been happy with each one. She currently is not blogging but has soooooo much information it is so fun to read. I’ve been inspired by her!
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I am so glad I found this. MSG does not like me. I have been looking for a recipe without the sodium laden canned soup. Can’t wait to try! Pinned!
I’m so glad you found this recipe. It is a staple around here. Just be sure to use good quality (homemade if possible) beef broth. Enjoy!
Thank you so much for this awesome recipe. It was exactly what I needed!! My husband has been sick with almost no appetite, but tonight he had seconds!!! I am so grateful that you shared this with all of us!!!
Oh I’m so glad you enjoyed it! It’s one of our favorite recipes:)
O my gosh!! I followed this recipe exactly!! Only i used rotisserie chicken, chicken broth. I was sooooooooooo impressed!!!! THE BEST EVEEERRRR!!! GREAT JOB!!!
YAYYYY! I’m so glad you enjoyed it and it turned out good. Great idea to use chicken instead, I’ll have to try it!