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Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff Stew

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff Stew with tender beef, mushrooms, and a creamy sour-cream sauce that thickens with a cornstarch slurry. Cook low for 7–8 hours for fall-apart beef, then finish on High to thicken and melt in cream cheese and sour cream.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 610
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Beef and vegetables
  • 2 lb beef chuck Cut into 1-inch cubes and season with salt and pepper.
  • 16 oz cremini mushrooms Slice before adding.
  • 1 onion Dice.
  • 4 garlic Minced.
Liquid and seasonings
  • 2 cup beef broth
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 0.5 salt To taste.
  • 0.5 pepper To taste.
Thickener and creamy finish
  • 3 tbsp cornstarch
  • 3 tbsp water Mix with cornstarch to make a slurry.
  • 1 cup sour cream Added at end, warmed in.
  • 8 oz cream cheese Cubed, added at end.
Serving
  • 8 oz egg noodles For serving (use your preferred type).
  • 1 fresh parsley Chopped, for topping.
  • 0.2 paprika Optional garnish, for color (smoked paprika already in stew).

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Build the slow cooker base
  1. Season the beef chuck cubes with salt and pepper, then place them in the slow cooker with mushrooms, onion, and garlic. Add beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, and dried thyme, and stir to combine.
Slow cook until tender
  1. Cover and cook on Low for 7 to 8 hours, or on High for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef is very tender. Keep the lid on during cooking so the stew stays hot and steams through.
Thicken the stew
  1. Whisk the cornstarch with water to form a smooth slurry, then stir it into the slow cooker. Switch to High and cook for 20 minutes, stirring once, until the sauce thickens.
Finish with creamy sauce
  1. Stir in the sour cream and cream cheese until melted and smooth. Season again with salt and pepper, then turn off the heat once the sauce is fully incorporated.
Serve
  1. Serve the stew over egg noodles and top with fresh parsley and a light dusting of paprika if desired. Let it rest for 2 minutes after finishing so the sauce clings to the noodles.

Notes

For the creamiest texture, add sour cream and cream cheese only after thickening, and stir just until melted—avoid boiling once dairy goes in. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave, stirring to loosen if needed. Freezing is not ideal because sour cream can break during thawing, but you can freeze the stew base (without dairy) for up to 2 months and stir in sour cream/cream cheese after reheating. Dietary swap: use low-fat or lactose-free sour cream and cream cheese to reduce dairy richness while keeping the same stroganoff feel.