Easy Beef Stroganoff with Cognac Cream Sauce
This Easy Beef Stroganoff with Cognac Cream Sauce won over my persnickety spouse. I tortured him with a shoe leather version when we were newlyweds and have been redeemed!
Instead of my no-recipe version with ground beef and sour cream, I kicked this stroganoff up a few notches with beef tenderloin, cream and cognac!
Easy Beef Stroganoff with Cognac Cream Sauce
My mom used to make a super easy beef stroganoff with just ground beef, onions, mushrooms and sour cream. My dad, sisters and I all loved it. Skillet dinners are still what I gravitate towards for a quick, easy meal!
When Bill and I were first married, I thought I’d make a fancier version using slices of beef instead of hamburger. The tough cut of beef I purchased ended up tasting like shoe leather. It was the one and only time Bill told me that I didn’t need to make a dish again (oh, yeah, and the time I made pork chops with fennel)!
This time, I selected some beef tenderloin and made certain it wasn’t overcooked. This easy beef stroganoff was outstanding doused in a luxurious cognac cream sauce.
Tips for Making Perfect Beef Stroganoff
Bill was thrilled with this easy beef stroganoff. Whew. But, this time, I was the one with doubts.
Ever fearful of over-salting, since it’s impossible to unsalt a too salty dish, I held back on this initial attempt. When I took my first taste, I was unimpressed. Phooey.
- But the reason for the bland results finally dawned on me and a sprinkle of salt came to the rescue. All the other flavors were brought to the forefront with just a bit more seasoning. Now I was tasting what Bill tasted, a dreamy cognac cream sauce and tender slices of beef.
- Besides adding the proper amount of salt (just taste along the way after each seasoning), make sure not to overcook your beef. You don’t want it to be reminiscent of that shoe leather I served to Bill those many years ago!
- Choose the right cut of beef for your stroganoff. Chuck roast is tough if not slow cooked so the connective tissue can break down. It’s delicious for pot roast, but awful for stroganoff. A tender fillet or ribeye steak work well. Always ask your butcher for advice if you’re unsure!
- Serving over buttered noodles is a classic pairing, but any starch will do. Rice, mashed potatoes or even cauliflower mash would be wonderful. Anything that will soak up the cognac sauce is perfect!
More Easy Skillet Recipes You’ll Love:
- Southwest Chicken Skillet Dinner from Family Food on the Table
- Creamy Chicken Marsala with Herbed Mushrooms from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- White Chicken Enchilada Skillet from Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
- Fudgy Skillet Brownies from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Cast Iron Skillet Seared Salmon from Foodness Gracious
- Chicken Fried Steak from Mom on Timeout
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Easy Beef Stroganoff with Cognac Cream Sauce
An easy, yet elegant beef stroganoff recipe!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4
- Category: Entree, Beef
- Method: Saute
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds beef tenderloin, cut into strips
- Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter (plus more to butter noodles)
- 1/4 cup minced shallots or onions
- 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 tablespoon Cognac, optional
- 1 tablespoon flour (I use Wondra so it doesn’t lump)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- Cooked, butter noodles, to serve
Instructions
- Pat the meat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over high heat until very hot. Working in batches, add the meat in single layer and cook just until browned on outside, about 1 minute or less per side. Transfer the meat to a platter.
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter in same skillet over medium heat. Add chopped shallots or onions and sauté until tender. Add sliced mushrooms. Lightly season with salt and cook until liquid evaporates.
- Add beef broth, then Cognac. Whisk in the flour and cook until the mixture thickens.
- Stir in cream, mustard and paprika. Add meat and any juices on the platter, to rewarm. Taste and season with more salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve over buttered noodles.
Notes
Adapted from Bon Appetit.
Nutrition
- Calories: 671kcal
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 803mg
- Fat: 54g
- Saturated Fat: 24g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 201mg
You made it seem so easy! That creamy cognac sauce sounds just wonderful.
Yum, sounds amazing. My mom’s claim to fame was her stroganoff also! It was wonderful and your’s looks very similar to hers. She had a very spoiled little dog though who also loved the stroganoff and every now and then he’d get a little plateful. He would lick that plate clean except for every single mushroom, which would remain on the plate, licked clean also. Little rascal!
that sauce is outstanding wow!
Hahaha – you crack me up! The cognac sounds dreamy and the dish looks wonderful.
Beef Stroganoff is such a great, classic dish. Haven’t made it in ages and ages, and yours looks perfect. You’ve inspired me! 🙂 Thanks so much.
What a coincidence, I made that same shoe-leather recipe so many years ago! Beef stroganoff is a dish that I found the recipe for in the library (well before the Google world) and although the family loved the sauciness, the beef was tough. I love the idea of using tenderloin, a quick sear is all it takes. And the cognac cream sauce sounds so lux, my mouth is watering as I type this.
Aww you always remember those early fails in the beginning of marriage haha – I’ve certainly made a few dishes that Etienne would choose not to eat again!! Hooray for redemption! Beef stroganoff is a classic – looks delicious!!
I love savoury dishes like these, dear! xoxo
It is hard for me to believe that you EVER made anything that tasted remotely like shoe leather, Liz. Ha. Love this easy recipe, I think even some of my boys (who think they hate mushrooms) might be convinced otherwise with a delicious dish like this. I even have cognac in the liquor cabinet! XO
The cognac cream sauce sounds so good! Love how quickly this comes together too.
I haven’t had Beef Stroganoff in years but always loved it. It was perfect comfort food for me. This looks so tasty I know my family would enjoy it.
I literally just had something verrryyy similar to this yesterday night. Your version looks way better!
Yummy! This is one hell of a sauce recipe! A truly finger-licking recipe! What kind of onions do you usually use?
I usually use white or yellow onions, but I used shallots for this batch. Have a great weekend, Agness!
Where is the recipe? I don’t see it.
Hi, Michelle,
I just checked and the recipe is still there—at the bottom of the post. Hope you give it a try!
Someone else just reported that they can’t see the recipe so I’ll move it up. Must be a glitch. Sorry about that!
Liz, this looks outstanding and so much easier than what I do. Thank You~!~!!
Fancy enough for company and easy enough for every day. Our oldest son used to request Beef Stroganoff for his birthday when he was in high school, go figure. I haven’t made it in years and I’m sure the Cognac Sauce is going to seal the deal on this one.