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The first recipe of my Valentine’s series, this beef stroganoff with shallots and brandy is the perfect comfort food. Stroganoff has been one of my all-time favorites since childhood. I have the best memories of enjoying this cozy dinner countless times with my family.

A side image of a woman wearing a white flowly long sleeve shirt and beige linen apron holding a black cast iron pan of beef stroganoff with shallots and brandy garnished with parsley. The pan is on a beige linen on a wood table next to vintage utensils, a white bowl of parsley, a white linen, a bottle of wine, and a glass of red wine.

Yay, I’m so excited that it’s finally February! 1. Because I just needed January to end. And 2. Because I can finally announce my Valentine’s recipe series!! Idk that this is really an official thing, but I decided that for the month of February, I will be sharing recipes that represent the people I love!

Going in no particular order, I decided to start with a recipe for my family. Considering I started this blog to document family recipes, it was v hard to pick just one. But, this stroganoff is probably the dinner I associate with my family the most.

Stroganoff itself is a traditional Russian dish, although this recipe is based off of my grandma’s. It’s definitely one of those dinners that doesn’t have a “recipe”, my family just throws it together. Any time my mom asked me what I wanted for dinner, it was almost always stroganoff. To this day, it’s still the recipe that makes me think of my childhood home and all of those dinners around the kitchen table.

As I said, this is my grandma’s recipe, but of course, each of us has our own version. I have evolved mine quite a bit, adding more spices and flavors over time. Finally, I have reached the point where I feel like my version is totally it. It’s now my go-to recipe when I want something comforting, especially on chilly nights! Enjoy it with buttered noodles and a simple green salad or lemony charred broccoli.

Grab a bottle of brandy

An overhead image of a white plate with a cut of steak on a grey table next to white bowls with flour and sour cream, a bunch of parsley, shallots, a measuring cup of beef broth, a glass of brandy, and a jar of Dijon mustard.

For extra richness, my secret is a little splash of brandy. But of course, you can replace it with sherry, dry white wine, or beef broth for a booze-free option. For the rest of the recipe, get some round steak or flank steak, shallots, bay leaves, Dijon mustard, thyme, parsley, sour cream, flour, unsalted butter, garlic, beef broth, salt, pepper, and mushrooms.

Ok, so truth be told, I do not love mushrooms and pretty much only eat them at other peoples’ houses or restaurants. That said, I don’t add mushrooms to my stroganoff, but you can totally add them to yours! It’s included it in the recipe below if you feel so inclined.

Make this cozy dinner

Three overhead images of a black cast iron pan on a grey counter. On the left, the pan is filled with seared steak. In the middle, the pan has steak and gravy. In the photo on the right, there is a dollop of sour cream and a wood spoon in the pan.
Toss the steak with flour, salt, and pepper & sear it in a cast iron skillet. Then, sauté the shallots, mushrooms, & garlic. Deglaze the pan with the brandy. Next, add the beef broth, bay leaf, Dijon mustard, thyme, salt, and pepper. Reduce the heat to low and let simmer for 1-1 1/2 hours until the meat is tender.
Lastly, add the sour cream and stir until smooth. Garnish the stroganoff with parsley.

For tender beef, make sure that you simmer the meat for at least an hour, but preferably an hour and a half. If you’re using a tender cut of beef, you can simmer the stew for closer to 15 minutes.

An overhead image of two white bowls of egg noddles topped with beef stroganoff with shallots and brandy on a wood table. In the upper left corner is a skillet with more stroganoff. Next to the bowls is a couple glasses of wine, a beige linen, a cork, and a white bowl of parsley.

Keep the sauce from curdling

Adding cold sour cream to hot broth can make it curdle. Instead, try tempering the sour cream by whisking a few tablespoons of hot broth to the sour cream before you stir it into the dish. Or, you can simply bring the sour cream up to room temperature for 30 minutes or so.

Storing & reheating

If you have leftovers, just store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. To reheat, I like to either put it in the microwave (lazy) or heat it on the stove. Just add a splash of broth to thin the gravy out a bit. Then, heat it over medium, stirring frequently, until it’s nice and hot.

A close up overhead image of a white bowl of beef stroganoff and pasta with a vintage fork on a wood table. Next to the bowl is a beige linen, glass of wine, wine cork, and white bowl of parsley.

I hope you make this for some loved ones and sit around a table laughing and hugging warm bowls of buttery, gravy-ed noodles. And I hope it makes you feel like you’re in your mom’s kitchen or at your grandma’s house. It certainly does that for me!

If you make this recipe, I would love if you left a star rating and review! I read every single comment and love hearing what you think about my recipes. Thank you for supporting Sunday Table!

A closeup overhead image of a white bowl of stroganoff with pasta and a parsley garnish on a wood bowl next to a beige linen.
4.67 from 3 votes

Beef Stroganoff with Shallots & Brandy

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours
Beef stroganoff has been my favorite meal for as long as I can remember. Based on my grandma's recipe, this version uses shallots and brandy for a cozy, savory meal!
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Ingredients

  • 1 pound round steak, thinly sliced against the grain
  • Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, divided
  • 1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced (optional)
  • 1 large shallot, finely diced
  • 2 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/3 cup brandy (or sherry)
  • 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 8 ounces sour cream
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
  • Egg noodles or rice, for serving

Instructions 

  • Start by drying the beef with paper towels. Place the meat in a medium bowl. Coat the steak with the flour, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
  • In a large pan, heat 1/4 cup of the butter over medium high heat until melted. Sear the beef until browned on all sides. Don't overcrowd the pan, or the meat will steam instead of brown! You can sear in batches if necessary. Once the beef is nice and browned, transfer it to a plate.
  • Melt another pat of butter in the skillet over medium heat, and add the shallots and mushrooms (if using). Saute, stirring frequently, until the veggies are golden brown, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and saute until fragrant. Then, add the beef along with any juices back into the pan.
  • Deglaze the pan with the brandy, and let it reduce until there are only a couple of tablespoons left (it may thicken a little). Add the beef broth, bay leaf, mustard, thyme, salt, and pepper. Let the beef simmer for at least 1 hour, preferably 1 1/2 hours, to tenderize the meat.
  • Meanwhile, cook the egg noodles (or rice) according to package directions. Stir in a pat of butter and couple pinches of salt.
  • When the beef is done simmering, stir in the half of the sour cream. Taste, and add more sour cream, 2 Tablespoons at a time, until it's to your desired consistency. Cook for about 5 more minutes to heat. Garnish with parsley and serve the stroganoff over noodles or rice.

Notes

Cut the meat against the grain to ensure that it tenderizes as it simmers.
If you’re short on time, go for a more tender cut of beef, such as top sirloin, and only use 1 cup of beef broth. Then, reduce the simmer time to 15 minutes. I don’t necessarily love this option, because the long simmer time thickens the broth and makes it so flavorful. But, it’s still a good option if you need a quicker cook time!
Use a cast iron skillet or non-stick pan to make this recipe. You want the brown bits from the beef to add flavor to the dish!
Don’t crowd the pan when you’re searing the beef or mushrooms. Cook in batches if necessary. Crowding the pan will lead to grey, steamed meat and rubbery mushrooms.
Cuisine: American, Russian
Course: Main Course
Author: Sara Lynn Hunt Broka
Serving: 0.25of recipe, Calories: 680kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 40.9g, Fat: 46.6g, Saturated Fat: 26.2g, Cholesterol: 182mg, Sodium: 762mg, Potassium: 904mg, Fiber: 1.1g, Sugar: 1.3g, Calcium: 107mg, Iron: 6mg
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