Iron Kettle Beef and Mushroom Stroganoff with Egg Noodles

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 6 servings
• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Quick Ingredients

• 12 oz (340 g) wide egg noodles
• Kosher salt for pasta water
• 2 lb (900 g) beef sirloin, ribeye, or chuck, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
• 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1½ lb (680 g) mixed mushrooms, sliced (cremini, button, shiitake)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (240 ml) dry white wine or beef broth
• 2½ cups (600 ml) low-sodium beef broth
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 cup (240 ml) sour cream, room temperature
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)

Do This

• 1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the egg noodles.
• 2. In a heavy cast-iron Dutch oven or kettle, sear salted and peppered beef strips in hot oil until browned; set aside.
• 3. In the same pot, melt butter and cook onions and mushrooms with a pinch of salt until deeply browned and reduced.
• 4. Stir in garlic, tomato paste, and smoked paprika; cook briefly, then sprinkle in flour and cook 1 minute.
• 5. Deglaze with wine or broth, then add remaining beef broth, Worcestershire, and Dijon; simmer 10–15 minutes.
• 6. Lower heat and whisk in sour cream until smooth; return beef and any juices and gently heat through.
• 7. Cook egg noodles until just tender, drain, and toss with some sauce; serve topped with more sauce, beef, mushrooms, and parsley.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Classic comfort food with a rustic twist, cooked in a heavy iron kettle or cast-iron Dutch oven for deep, developed flavor.
• Extra-rich, smoky mushroom cream sauce clings beautifully to wide egg noodles and tender strips of seared beef.
• Flexible recipe: use your favorite mushrooms, swap wine for broth, and easily adjust the smokiness and richness.
• Perfect for cozy weekends, yet simple enough for a satisfying weeknight dinner with leftovers that taste even better.

Grocery List

• Produce: 1 large yellow onion, 1½ lb mixed mushrooms, 3 cloves garlic, fresh parsley, optional lemon
• Dairy: Unsalted butter, sour cream, optional heavy cream
• Pantry: Wide egg noodles, vegetable oil, tomato paste, smoked paprika, all-purpose flour, beef broth, dry white wine (or extra broth), Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, bay leaf, dried thyme, kosher salt, black pepper
• Meat: 2 lb beef sirloin, ribeye, or chuck (for stroganoff-style strips)

Full Ingredients

For the Egg Noodles

• 12 oz (340 g) wide egg noodles
• 1½ tbsp kosher salt (for the pasta water)

For the Beef

• 2 lb (900 g) beef sirloin, ribeye, or well-marbled chuck, sliced into thin strips (about ½ in / 1.25 cm wide) against the grain
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil (or other neutral oil)
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter

For the Mushrooms & Aromatics

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 1½ lb (680 g) mixed mushrooms, cleaned and sliced (such as cremini, button, and shiitake)
• ½ tsp kosher salt (for seasoning the mushrooms and onions)
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, minced

For the Smoky Mushroom Cream Sauce

• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tsp smoked paprika (sweet or hot, to taste)
• ½ tsp dried thyme (or 1½ tsp fresh thyme leaves)
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (240 ml) dry white wine or beef broth (for deglazing)
• 2½ cups (600 ml) low-sodium beef broth
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper (plus more to taste)
• 1 cup (240 ml) sour cream, at room temperature
• ¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream (optional, for extra richness)
• 1–2 tsp fresh lemon juice (optional, to brighten)

To Finish & Serve

• 2–3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• Additional smoked paprika and black pepper, for sprinkling (optional)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep the Beef, Mushrooms, and Aromatics

Place the beef on a cutting board and trim away any large pockets of fat or gristle. Slice into thin strips about ½ inch (1.25 cm) wide, cutting against the grain so the meat stays tender. Pat the strips dry with paper towels, then season evenly with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Set aside at room temperature while you prep everything else.

Clean the mushrooms by wiping them with a damp cloth or paper towel; avoid soaking them in water. Slice them into thick pieces so they keep some texture during cooking. Halve and thinly slice the onion. Mince the garlic. Chop the parsley and set it aside for serving.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the noodles. Once boiling, add the 1½ tablespoons of kosher salt, but wait to cook the noodles until closer to serving time so they stay firm.

Step 2: Sear the Beef in Your Iron Kettle

Set a heavy cast-iron Dutch oven, deep cast-iron skillet, or iron kettle over medium-high heat. When the pot is hot, add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Swirl until the butter is melted and foamy.

Add about half of the beef strips in a single layer, making sure not to crowd the pot. Sear for 1–2 minutes per side, just until nicely browned but not fully cooked through. Transfer the browned beef to a plate, leaving any drippings in the pot. Repeat with the remaining beef, adding a touch more oil if needed. Set all the seared beef aside; you will finish cooking it in the sauce later so it stays tender.

Step 3: Brown the Mushrooms and Onions

Reduce the heat to medium. In the same pot, add 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. When melted, add the sliced onions and mushrooms along with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Stir to coat everything in the fat, then spread the mixture out in an even layer.

Cook, stirring every few minutes, for 10–12 minutes. Let the mushrooms and onions sit undisturbed for stretches so they can deeply brown and caramelize. They will first release a lot of moisture, then the liquid will evaporate and the vegetables will start to take on rich golden-brown color. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot as you go.

When the mushrooms are nicely browned and the onions are soft and golden, stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30–60 seconds, just until fragrant.

Step 4: Build the Smoky Base and Thicken

Add the tomato paste, smoked paprika, and thyme to the mushroom mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1–2 minutes. The tomato paste should darken slightly in color and smell sweet and toasty; this step deepens the flavor and helps build the smoky backbone of the sauce.

Sprinkle the flour evenly over the mushrooms and onions. Stir well to coat everything in the flour and cook for about 1 minute. This cooks out the raw flour taste and will help thicken the sauce later.

Slowly pour in the white wine (or 1 cup beef broth), stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot to release any flavorful browned bits. Allow this to simmer for 2–3 minutes, until the liquid reduces slightly and turns glossy.

Step 5: Simmer the Mushroom Sauce

Stir in the 2½ cups beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, bay leaf, and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Bring the mixture up to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to a steady simmer.

Let the sauce simmer uncovered for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and the flavors have melded. The sauce should lightly coat the back of a spoon. If it becomes too thick, add a splash more broth or water; if too thin, simmer a bit longer.

While the sauce simmers, cook the egg noodles in the boiling salted water according to package directions until just al dente (usually 7–9 minutes). Drain well, then toss with a knob of butter if desired to keep them from sticking. Keep warm.

Step 6: Finish with Sour Cream and Return the Beef

Reduce the heat under the sauce to low and remove the bay leaf. In a small bowl, whisk the room-temperature sour cream (and heavy cream, if using) with a ladleful (about ¼ cup / 60 ml) of the hot sauce to gently warm it. This helps prevent curdling.

Slowly stir the warmed sour cream mixture into the pot, whisking or stirring constantly until the sauce is smooth, velvety, and lightly creamy. Do not let it come to a hard boil; keep the heat low and just below a simmer.

Return the seared beef and any accumulated juices to the pot, stirring to coat the meat in the sauce. Cook gently for 3–5 minutes, just until the beef is heated through and cooked to your liking. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, more smoked paprika for extra smokiness, or a teaspoon or two of lemon juice if you want a slight tangy lift.

Step 7: Serve Over Noodles and Garnish

Place a generous bed of hot egg noodles in warm shallow bowls or on plates. Spoon the smoky beef and mushroom stroganoff over the noodles, making sure each serving gets a good mix of beef strips, mushrooms, and plenty of sauce.

Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and, if you like, a tiny pinch of smoked paprika and a grind or two of black pepper for color and aroma. Serve immediately, straight from the iron kettle at the table for a rustic presentation, with extra sauce on the side for ladling.

Pro Tips

• Slice the beef correctly: Cutting against the grain into thin strips is key to tenderness, especially if using a tougher cut like chuck.
• Do not crowd the pot: Sear the beef in batches so it actually browns instead of steaming. Browned bits on the bottom of your iron kettle are pure flavor.
• Take time with the mushrooms: Let them cook until they release their liquid and then caramelize; this is where the deep, earthy flavor comes from.
• Keep the sour cream gentle: Temper it with a bit of hot sauce and never let the sauce boil after adding it to avoid curdling.
• Adjust the sauce texture: If the sauce feels too thick, thin with a splash of broth or pasta water. Too thin? Simmer a few more minutes uncovered.

Variations

• Extra-smoky campfire style: Add 2–3 slices of chopped smoky bacon at the beginning, rendering them before searing the beef, and use an extra ½ teaspoon smoked paprika. A drop or two of liquid smoke can also be added very cautiously.
• Weeknight ground beef stroganoff: Swap the beef strips for 1½–2 lb ground beef. Brown thoroughly in Step 2, drain excess fat if needed, then proceed with the recipe as written.
• No-wine version: Replace the 1 cup wine entirely with beef broth and add a splash of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice at the end to mimic the brightness wine brings.

Storage & Make-Ahead

For best texture, store the noodles and stroganoff sauce separately. Cool leftovers completely, then transfer the beef and mushroom sauce to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3–4 days. The noodles can be refrigerated in a separate container for 2–3 days. Reheat the sauce gently in a saucepan over low to medium-low heat, adding a splash of broth or water if it has thickened too much. Avoid boiling so the sour cream does not curdle. You can also freeze the sauce (without noodles) for up to 2–3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Cook fresh noodles just before serving for the best result.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate values for 1 of 6 servings (including noodles): about 780 calories; 45 g protein; 65 g carbohydrates; 36 g fat; 17 g saturated fat; 4 g fiber; 6 g sugar; 1,250 mg sodium. Actual values will vary depending on exact ingredients, brands, and portion sizes.