This healthy ground beef Stroganoff recipe is cozy comfort in a bowl with a creamy, savory sauce and tender mushrooms. It’s a lightened-up classic you’ll love making again and again!
Jump to: ℹ️ Overview | 🛒 Ingredients | 📷 How To Make | 📹 Watch The Video | 👩🍳 Recipe Tips | 🍚 Serving Suggestions | 📝 Full Recipe Card | 🍽 More Ground Beef Recipes
This healthy ground beef stroganoff is a lighter spin on a beloved classic. With lean ground beef, mushrooms, and a creamy yet light sauce, this dish offers rich, savory flavors with fewer calories than traditional recipes.
Baby spinach adds an extra boost of nutrients, and using light sour cream keeps the sauce creamy without all the extra calories. Plus, you get a satisfying serving of protein — about 30 grams per serving with roughly 350 calories, plus whatever you serve it over.
This is the comfort food we all crave, but it’s friendlier on the waistline and packed with hearty, delicious flavors!
👩🍳 For more satisfying yet healthy dinner meals check out my chicken paprikash, beef and mushroom stew, meatball stew, curry meatballs, or vegetarian lentil mushroom Stroganoff.
What You’ll Need
Here is what you’ll need for this ground beef stroganoff recipe. Find the full measurements in the recipe card below.
- Aromatics: Onion and garlic bring depth and aroma to the base.
- Lean protein: Ground beef, 93-95% lean, keeps this dish flavorful without excess calories. Ground chicken or turkey would also work in this recipe.
- Veggies: Mushrooms and baby spinach add texture, earthiness, and extra nutrients.
- Flavor boosters: Dijon mustard, Worcestershire, and soy sauce for umami-packed flavor.
- Creamy elements: Light sour cream for creaminess without the heaviness; a touch of flour helps thicken the sauce.
- Optional add-In: Tomato paste for a richer sauce and extra acidity —optional, but highly recommended! I almost always use it but forgot to add it to the photos and video.
How To Make Ground Beef Stroganoff
Find the full recipe and nutritional information below. Here are some handy step-by-step photos.
- Cook aromatics: Sauté onions in olive oil for a couple of minutes until softened.
- Add beef: Brown the ground beef, breaking it up as it cooks until it’s no longer pink.
- Add flavor & mushrooms: Stir in mushrooms, garlic, salt, pepper, Dijon, Worcestershire, soy sauce, and chicken stock. Add optional tomato paste for extra richness.
- Simmer: Cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add spinach: Stir in spinach until wilted, then sprinkle in flour and stir to thicken.
- Finish: Add light sour cream, adjust seasoning, and serve over pasta, rice, or quinoa.
Watch The Video
Recipe Tips
- Thickening tip: Sift flour in slowly to avoid clumps, stirring well.
- Make it dairy-free: Swap sour cream for a dairy-free alternative, like cashew or coconut cream.
- Add more greens: For extra veggies, throw in chopped kale or zucchini.
- Boost the protein: For a heartier meal, serve over lentil or chickpea pasta. Using ground chicken or turkey will give you loads of protein with fewer calories.
- Extra umami: A dash of soy sauce or fish sauce can add even more savory depth.
Serving Suggestions
Serve your ground beef Stroganoff over egg noodles or any other pasta for a classic feel, or go lighter with steamed rice or fluffy quinoa. You could also try zucchini noodles or cauliflower rice for a low-carb option. A sprinkle of fresh parsley or grated Parmesan on top adds an extra layer of flavor!
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Ingredients
- 1.5 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion finely diced
- 1 lb ground beef 93-95% lean or 5-7% fat content, about 450-500 grams
- 7 oz mushrooms sliced or diced, about 200 grams
- 2 teaspoon minced garlic or 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste optional but recommended
- 3 cups baby spinach
- 1 tablespoon flour regular or gluten-free
- 1 cup light sour cream
- To Serve: Pasta rice, or quinoa
Instructions
- In a deep skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté onions for 2 minutes until softened.
- Add ground beef, cooking for 3-4 minutes until browned, breaking it up with a spatula.
- Stir in mushrooms, garlic, salt, pepper, Dijon, Worcestershire, soy sauce, and chicken stock. Add tomato paste if using.
- Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add spinach and cook until wilted. Sprinkle in flour, stirring to avoid clumps, until sauce thickens.
- Stir in sour cream, adjust seasoning, and serve over your choice of pasta, rice, or quinoa.
Will make it again, thanks! We all love it and it’s not heavy and am very happy to make it again.
This meal is delicious and so easy to make. The mushrooms really absorbed the flavours… yum!