These days, I’m always looking for ways to be more efficient, make the whole family happy and save money. That’s a tall order, especially at dinner time with three kids who all want something different.
Not long ago, with no time to run to the grocery store and a hungry brood, I combed through my fridge to see what I had to throw together. Problem was, one half of the family wanted pasta and the other half wanted burgers.
What could I make, with what I had on hand, to satisfy everyone? Let’s see… burger, onion, green pepper, sour cream, parmesan, a little of this and a little of that. Pasta. Buns.
After a little trial and error (and lots of taste testing) I came up with Cheesesteak Stroganoff!!
Equally tasty as a pasta topping (the Stroganoff side) or on a bun (the Cheesesteak side), this dish combines two favorites into one time-saving, money-saving, crowd-pleasing dinner.
Cheesesteak Stroganoff
Ingredients
2 lbs Hamburger
2 tbsp butter
1 medium onion
1 green pepper
8oz sliced mushrooms
1 clove garlic
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 cups beef broth
¼ cup flour
1 cup sour cream
½ cup shredded Provolone
½ cup shredded Parmesan
Salt & Pepper
1 glass of your favorite white wine
Prep Vegetables
Buy sliced mushrooms. It’s just easier.
Slice onion and green pepper into roughly ¼” wide x ½” long slices. Really, you can chop them, dice them, cube them…. whatever. I like to slice them because it makes it a little more Cheesesteak-like.
Mince garlic. Or buy minced garlic. Again, it’s all about the ease here.
Cook Beef
In large skillet, cook beef until just a little pink remains. Salt & pepper to taste. Drain.
TIP: Don’t cook beef all the way through at this point. It will continue to cook when you add the broth later, and you don’t want it to be overcooked at the end. Be sure to leave a little pink.
Sauté Vegetables
In another large skillet, melt butter and add green peppers. Sautee on medium heat 3-5 or until green peppers get a little sear on the edges. Add onions, mushrooms and garlic. Salt & pepper to taste. Sautee until onions are clear.
Tip: You can shave 3-5 minutes off the cooking time and add all the vegetables at the same time. I like my peppers a little softer, and since green peppers take longer to soften and you don’t want the other vegetables overcooked or garlic toasted, I like to cook them a few minutes before adding the other vegetables and garlic. Just a personal preference here.
Wine Break
Pour glass of wine. Drain.
Combine Beef and Vegetables
Using the larger of the two skillets, combine the beef and sautéed vegetables. If adding the vegetables to the beef skillet, try to get as much of the vegetable butter added as well.
Add broth and Worcestershire sauce. Salt & pepper to taste. Bring to boil and simmer 12-14 minutes.
Stir in sour cream and continue simmering for 3-5 minutes. Finally, add cheeses and stir until cheese is melted.
Tip: Worcestershire is an acquired taste for some. In general, a little goes a long way, and the more you add the more flavorful your dish will be. Start with a little and taste test until it suits you and your kids.
Tip 2/Spoiler alert: the broth doesn’t have to be beef (gasp!). I’ve used chicken broth and nobody could tell the difference. If you’re out of beef broth, or there’s a screaming deal on chicken broth at the store, don’t sweat it. Use the chicken broth.
Serve..and serve…and serve again
Here’s where this dish really earns its’ keep. You can serve it at a single dinner over egg noodles for the pasta crowd or put it on slider buns or hoagie rolls for the Cheesesteak lovers in the house. One dish – two meals! Everyone’s a winner!
Even better, this recipe makes enough for leftovers. Serve up egg noddle stroganoff one night, freeze the rest and then have Cheesesteak sliders or hoagies later in the week. One dish – two dinners taken care of!
I love this dish and more importantly so do all my kids. It’s rare that I can make one dinner that satisfies everyone on any given night, and this fits the bill.
Experiment and Let Us Know
Try your hand at personalizing this recipe. For example, I’d like to know how red peppers work replacing, or in addition to, green peppers.
Maybe you want to use mozzarella instead of Provolone and Parmesan. Or all Parmesan. Or make it “wit wiz”.
Substitute chili power or red pepper flakes for salt and pepper for a spicier take.
This is an easy, versatile dish. Go ahead and experiment and let us know how it turns out and leave your thoughts in the comments.