Homemade Hamburger Helper Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients (~6 servings)

• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 12 oz baby bella mushrooms, quartered
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/4 lbs lean ground beef
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 1/2 cups beef broth
• 2 1/2 cups 2% milk
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 14 oz wide egg noodles
• 1 1/4 cups sour cream
• Red pepper flakes (optional)

Clean and Prep the Mushrooms

Use a damp paper towel to wipe down the 12 oz of mushrooms.

Don’t run them under water – they’ll absorb it and won’t brown properly.

Slice off the stem ends and quarter them depending on size.

Brown the Mushrooms First

Add 2 Tbsp butter to a large pot over medium-high heat.

Once melted, add the prepped mushrooms and stir frequently until they’re deeply browned – this takes ~8-10 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper, then transfer to a plate and set aside.

Cook the Ground Beef

Add 1 Tbsp olive oil to the same pot over medium-high heat.

Add 1 1/4 lbs ground beef and break it up as it cooks; cook until no pink remains.

If there’s excess grease, drain it off – though lean beef shouldn’t have much.

Add Aromatics and Seasonings

Reduce heat to medium and add 4 cloves minced garlic, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp dried thyme, and salt and pepper to taste.

Stir constantly for ~1 minute until fragrant.

The garlic should be aromatic but not browned.

Add Liquids and Bring to a Simmer

Pour in 2 1/2 cups beef broth, 2 1/2 cups milk, 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard, and 1 1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce.

Stir to combine and bring to a boil, then reduce to a rolling simmer.

Cook the Egg Noodles in the Sauce

Add 14 oz wide egg noodles directly to the simmering liquid.

Stir occasionally and nestle the noodles down into the liquid as they soften.

Cook for ~7-8 minutes until al dente.

The noodles will absorb some of the liquid as they cook.

Stir in Sour Cream

Reduce heat to low and add 1 1/4 cups sour cream.

Stir well until the beef and noodles are coated in the creamy sauce.

The sour cream will thicken things up considerably.

Add Mushrooms Back and Let It Sit

Stir the browned mushrooms back into the pot.

If you like a little heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes here.

Let the pot sit off heat for ~10 minutes – the sauce will thicken as it cools slightly and the flavors come together.

Serve

Serve with an extra dollop of sour cream on top if you want.

This reheats well the next day; just add a splash of milk when reheating if it’s too thick.