When your life has more day than you have energy you need a recipe that the whole family will love!
This is quick and easy enough that you can get in some time to take a deep breath, sip some wine, and maybe watch an episode of you favorite show.
Table of Contents
You'll also like this easy southern chicken spaghetti.
🗝️ Key takeaways
- Hearty, family-friendly comfort food that takes just 30 minutes ( it really only takes about 15!)
- This is such a fantastic recipe when you want something that resembles an old-fashioned, sit-down, family dinner but you haven't much time.
- One pot option!
Quick meatball stroganoff in a creamy rich sauce is one of my favorite recipes because it's easy, inexpensive, and filling. No one leaves the table hungry!
You really only need to add a salad to have a delicious, complete meal.
You might also like this easy slow cooker chicken stroganoff!
🧾 Ingredients
📖 Variations
It's easy to change this up with a few substitutions!
- Use cooked leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken in place of the meatballs. Substitute the beef stock with chicken stock.
- Use cooked, sliced flank steak in place of the meatballs.
- Cream of celery is a nice change from the cream of mushroom.
- Serve over rice instead of egg noodles.
- Add about half a cup of frozen sliced bell peppers and onions.
- Top with some grated Swiss cheese.
🔪 Instructions
Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the green recipe card below.
Step one
- Heat butter in a large skillet with high sides or all in one pan over medium-high heat.
- Add the sliced mushrooms and green onions and saute until they begin to soften.
Step two
- Add the frozen meatballs, beef stock, and Worcestershire sauce.
- Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir every couple of minutes to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- While the meatballs simmer bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil and cook the egg noodles until done. Drain and set aside.
Step three
- Combine soup and with a little bit more of the beef stock.
- Stir to blend and add the noodles.
- Simmer for 5 minutes or so, just to heat through and let the noodles soak up some of the sauce.
Step four
- Stir in the sour cream and heat through.
- Garnish meatball stroganoff with sliced green onion tops and serve immediately.
See the instructions in the recipe card to make this a crock pot meal.
🥫 How to store leftover meatball stroganoff
Meatball stroganoff can be tightly covered with plastic wrap, or placed in an airtight container, and stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
I don't recommend freezing - the texture suffers. If you're looking for a great freezer recipe try these taco stuffed shells.
💭 Things to know
Expert Tip: You may need to add more liquid while the meatballs simmer. Beef broth, water, or a little milk works fine. Don't let them go dry and stick to the bottom.
- No need to thaw frozen meatballs - just dump them right in.
- Any type of meatballs will work - frozen or homemade. Try turkey meatballs and low-fat soup for a diet-friendly option.
- You can use cooked ground beef or sliced round roast for a more classic stroganoff if you prefer. If you don't have meatballs ground beef stroganoff is quick and easy!
- Use a can of French onion soup instead of the beef broth for more oniony flavor.
- Add garlic powder to taste.
- I like plenty of black pepper in this - add it to taste.
- For an even easier, one-pot meal add the egg noodles to the beef stock when you place meatballs in the pan. You'll want to add an extra cup of beef stock and keep an eye on it so the pan doesn't go dry. I just like the noodles better when they are cooked separately.
👩🍳 FAQs
Here are the questions I am most frequently asked about this recipe.
You can blend the same amount of cottage cheese in a blender and stir that in or you can use plain Greek yogurt. Cream cheese or mayonnaise can also be used. In a pinch you can just leave it out but the finished dish won't be as good.
Traditionally it's served with egg noodles but you could serve it over rice, mashed potatoes, or even toast! For healthy eating use the low fat version in the tips section and serve over cauliflower rice.
Don't let the sauce boil after the sour cream is added. Just a quick stir to blend it in and warm it through then remove from heat and serve.
📚 Related recipes
Meatball recipes are so easy - especially when they start with frozen meatballs!
Honey garlic meatballs are sweet and tangy plus they only take a few minutes to make.
Classic Italian meatballs go into the slow cooker raw and a few hours later you have the best Slow cooker meatballs of your life.
🍽️ Serve with...
If you have time serve with maple roasted carrots and a batch of these homemade breadsticks.
Mashed redskin potatoes are a great option if you're not in the mood for traditional egg noodles or rice.
Fried cabbage and bacon is another easy, cozy side dish possibility.
🫶 Restless Chipotle recommends
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I love this all in one pot with cover because there's so many ways to use it. It's a wok, a deep fryer, and perfect for one pot meals like this one and my taco spaghetti.
📞 The last word
There are times when I like to spend time lovingly preparing a meal for my family; making a sauce from scratch, browning the meat, chopping the vegetables...
But my life is increasingly busy and, like you, I find that, while I can still lovingly prepare a meal for my family, I often need to cut corners to save time.
But I still want that comfort food flavor!
I used to feel guilty and like I was short-changing my kids. I had visions of my inner 1950s "Mrs Cleaver" clutching her pearls and tsking me while shaking her head in disapproval.
I'm getting over it -- and if you have that same inner dialogue I hope you'll give yourself some grace and get over it, too.
Try this easy meatball stroganoff recipe. You get all the flavor and the tender meatballs in a creamy sauce but without all the extra time.
...and it's so good your inner Mrs. Cleaver will hush right up!
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Meatball Stroganoff
Print Pin Recipe Save RecipeIngredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ½ cup mushrooms, sliced
- 3 green onions, sliced - reserve the sliced tops for garnish.
- 1 pound meatballs
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup beef stock
- 21 ounces cream of mushroom soup
- 16 ounces egg noodles
- 1 cup sour cream
Instructions
For top of the stove method
- Melt the butter in the high sided pan.
- Add sliced mushrooms and green onion bottoms and saute until they begin to soften.
- Add the meatballs, beef stock, and worcestershire sauce.
- Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
- While the meatballs simmer cook the egg noodles in salted water until done. Drain.
- Add the cream of mushroom soup and a bit more beef stock if the pan seems too dry.
- Stir to blend and add the noodles.
- Simmer for 5 minutes or so.
- Stir in the sour cream and heat through.
- Garnish with sliced green onion tops and serve.
For slow cooker method
- Add everything except noodles and sour cream to a slow cooker.
- Cook on low for 4 hours.
- Stir in the sour cream.
- Cook 30 more minutes.
- Cook the noodles, stir into the slow cooker and serve.
For one pot method
- Follow the instructions above but increase the beef stock to two cups and add the noodles in with the meatballs.
- Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until noodles are done.
- Stir in the cream of mushroom soup and the sour cream
- Garnish and serve.
Notes
- You may need to add more liquid while the meatballs simmer. Beef broth, water, or a little milk works fine. Don't let them go dry and stick to the bottom
- No need to thaw frozen meatballs - just dump them right in frozen.
- You can use cooked ground beef or sliced round roast if you prefer.
- Use a can of French onion soup instead of the beef broth for more oniony flavor.
- Make this a one pot meal: add the egg noodles to the beef stock when you place meatballs in the pan. You'll want to add an extra cup of beef stock and keep an eye on it so the pan doesn't go dry. I just like the noodles better when they are cooked separately.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
First published June 10, 2021. Last updated October 26, 2023 to give clearer instructions and more tips.
Fran
So, so, so delicious, and extremely easy, we absolutely loved it!
PJ
Amazing!!! I used leftover steak and you are right - the black pepper makes it so great. You are always perfect with your suggestions and I love your sense of flavor. Thanks so much Marye for ANOTHER great dish!
Liliana
It came out awesome!!! Defined recommend.. super easy tasty and quick! Will add to monthly rotation. Thanks