Easy Ground Beef Stroganoff recipe made dairy-free and gluten-free. This simple recipe comes together in just over 30 minutes, is big on flavor and so incredibly filling!
As a kid, I was absolutely obsessed with beef stroganoff. It was one of the few meals I would request on repeat and would always eat seconds or thirds.
Inspired by classic beef stroganoff, I just had to make a gluten-free, dairy-free version!
With lots of positive reviews, this recipe has become a household staple for so many families!
Beef stroganoff, in case you haven’t heard of it, is sliced steak engulfed in the creamiest dreamiest rich mushroom sour cream sauce and served with egg noodles.
In fact, I posted a Paleo Beef Stroganoff using steak a few years ago, and it has been a very well-visited recipe ever since!
Traditionally, Beef Stroganoff is made with sour cream for an ultra sultry, creamy, tangy sauce.
I mentioned this in my Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Baked Ziti post, but neither my husband nor I do well with large amounts of dairy.
For that reason, I made this beef stroganoff dairy-free by replacing the sour cream with full-fat canned coconut milk plus lemon juice and mustard. The creamy sauce has rich, tangy flavor and tastes remarkably similar to the classic beef stroganoff recipe.
The combination of these three ingredients yields that rich, creamy, tangy sauce! Miracle of miracles!
I like to eat the ground beef version with gluten-free spiral noodles, but it goes well with steamed white or brown rice as well.
If you’re low-carb or keto, serve it up with cauliflower rice instead of noodles.
This easy dinner recipe will surely please the whole family for a quick weeknight meal. It’s a family favorite for us!
Let’s dive right into the super simple ingredients!
Ingredients for Ground Beef Stroganoff:
Avocado Oil: Used for sautéing in this recipe, avocado oil has a high smoke point and a neutral flavor, which makes it ideal for any application involving cooking at high heat! You can also use coconut oil or olive oil.
Onion, Garlic, Fresh Mushrooms: Flavor makers! The combination of onion, garlic and fresh mushrooms provides that big, bold rich flavor that rounds out a meal and a touch of earthiness.
Ground Beef: Rather than using sliced steak for this stroganoff, we’re going with one pound of ground beef! Not only does this cut down on some prep (now we don’t need to slice the steak), but it makes the cooking process so straight-forward and simple.
You don’t need to worry about overcooking the meat, and in fact, the longer the sauce cooks, the better it tastes!
I always use grass-fed ground beef that is 80% lean. Feel free to use lean ground beef (90/10 or leaner) for less fat. Ground turkey and ground chicken work too although the dish will have less richness.
Full Fat Canned Coconut Milk: A ground-breaking ingredient for replacing heavy cream, half & half, or sour cream in any recipe for a dairy-free option. Full-fat canned coconut milk provides such a rich and inviting sauce here!
Can you taste the coconut? No! The coconut flavor in coconut milk is fairly subtle to begin with and it’s easy to mask with just the addition of onions and garlic.
Plus, the ground beef, lemon juice and mustard are big on flavor as well. It’s the combination of coconut milk, lemon juice and mustard that replaces the sour cream in traditional beef stroganoff.
You’ve me replace cream with coconut milk in many recipes, including my 30-Minute Creamy Mushroom Chicken, Crispy Skillet Salmon with Lemon Dill Caper Sauce, my 30-Minute Creamy Lemon Garlic Chicken, and more!
If you aren’t dairy-free, you can replace the coconut milk with half & half.
Lemon Juice & Dijon Mustard: These two ingredients when combined with the coconut milk help provide that iconic tanginess you get in beef stroganoff. We’re replacing the rich tanginess of the sour cream here.
Stone ground mustard works too! Any brown (not yellow) mustard will taste great in this. Some people have reported back that they would reduce the amount of mustard the next time they make the recipe. If you aren’t huge on mustard, replace 1 of the tablespoons with 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce.
Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour: Used for thickening the sauce, we just need a couple of tablespoons of flour. If you prefer, you can use tapioca flour or arrowroot flour. If you aren’t gluten-free, feel free to use regular all-purpose flour.
Noodles or Rice for Serving: I use Tinkyada Brown Rice Spiral Noodles, but you can go with your favorite brand of noodle or steamed brown or white rice. I do recommend a carb source for soaking up all that delicious sauce, be it pasta, mashed potatoes, or rice.
Now that we’ve covered the fresh ingredients for this easy ground beef stroganoff recipe, let’s make it.
How to Make Ground Beef Stroganoff:
Heat the avocado oil to medium-high heat in a large skillet and add the onion. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to caramelize, about 5 to 8 minutes.
Add the mushrooms, garlic, and sea salt and stir well. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms soften up, about 3 minutes. Decrease the heat to medium heat at any time if the vegetables begin to cook too quickly.
Make room for the ground beef in the center of the skillet then place it on the hot surface. Brown for 2 to 3 minutes before flipping and browning for another 2 to 3 minutes.
Use a spatula to chop up the meat into smaller pieces and mix it in. If you’re using a fattier beef (80/20) and want to drain excess grease, feel free to do so.
Just note that the fat content is partially responsible for the flavor of this great recipe.
In a bowl or measuring cup, combine the coconut milk, lemon juice, mustard and flour and whisk well until combined.
Pour the sauce mixture into the skillet and stir well.
Bring mixture to a full boil and stir occasionally until the sauce is thick, about 8 minutes.
While the sauce is cooking, cook the noodles according to package instructions (or prepare the rice ahead of time). I typically cook noodles for 1-2 minutes less than the package directions for al dente noodles.
Once cooked, drain the noodles then transfer the cooked pasta to the skillet with the creamy mushroom sauce. Stir well until the noodles are well-coated in sauce.
Taste the pasta for flavor and add sea salt and black pepper to taste. You can also add more lemon juice or a splash or Worcestershire sauce.
Sprinkle with dried or fresh parsley and enjoy!
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
This pasta becomes even more flavorful the next day and the 2-3 days following prep. The noodles soak up the sauce with such precision that the whole thing becomes even better over time.
For this reason, I see this as an amazing make-ahead meal prep recipe if you have the time! If not, it is still great same day!
If you enjoy this recipe, also try my Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Hamburger Helper or my Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Chicken Stroganoff recipe.
If you love meals that use ground beef, also be sure to check out my 18 Healthy Ground Beef Recipes!
These creamy dreamy beefy noodles are just what you need when you’re looking for classic comfort food.
Even picky eaters have reported back that this easy recipe is a family staple for busy weeknights!
Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Ground Beef Stroganoff
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil
- ½ yellow onion sliced
- 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 tsp sea salt to taste
- ⅓ cup beef broth or water for deglazing the skillet
- 1 (15-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 to 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce optional
- 2 Tbsp gluten-free all-purpose flour*
For Serving:
- 8 ounces gluten-free spiral noodles**
- Dried or fresh parsley
Instructions
- Heat the avocado oil to medium-high in a large skillet and add the onion. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to caramelize, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add the mushrooms, garlic, and sea salt and stir well. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms soften up, about 3 minutes.
- Make room for the ground beef in the center of the skillet then place it on the hot surface. Brown for 2 to 3 minutes before flipping and browning for another 2 to 3 minutes. Use a spatula to chop up the meat into smaller pieces and mix it in.
- In a bowl or measuring cup, combine the coconut milk, beef broth, lemon juice, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and flour and whisk well until combined.
- Pour the sauce mixture into the skillet and stir well. Bring mixture to a full boil and stir occasionally until the sauce is thick, about 8 minutes.
- While the sauce is cooking, cook the noodles according to package instructions (or prepare the rice ahead of time).
- Once cooked, drain the noodles then transfer them to the skillet with the sauce. Stir well until the noodles are well-coated in sauce.
- Taste the pasta for flavor and add sea salt and/or more Dijon mustard or Worcestershire sauce to taste.
- Sprinkle with dried or fresh parsley and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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So tasty! Weird combo of ingredients but it is so good. Will be going on our regular menu. Thanks for sharing.
My pleasure, Chris! I’m happy you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
Wow! This is absolutely incredible! I just started my dairy free diet for health reasons and I have to say this is pretty great! I did notice the tanginess that some others commented about so I added more water and a little bit of brown sugar to neutralize it. I think I just put too much lemon juice. I wanted a little more creaminess and I had some dairy free cream cheese and added a dollop on my portion and *chefs kiss* thank you for this recipe!
Ooh, I love the idea of adding dairy-free cream cheese! I’m happy to hear you’ve found a recipe you can enjoy while sticking to a dairy-free diet – I know making dietary changes like that can be overwhelming in the beginning! Thanks so much for swinging back around to share your experience! xo
This is our favorite meal. This has the best flavor and I’ve come to like gluten free noodles better! It also tastes better the next day too!! A+++++
Yaaaaay, I’m happy you like it, Matt! Thanks so much for sharing your experience 🙂 xo
Add boiled yucca. Chopped up into chunks and over boiled and add with sauce. Delicious. Tastes like potatoes without the nightshade :). Very good recipe.
Ooh, I love the idea of adding yucca! How fun! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
Tried this for the first time tonight, diced some of the mushrooms really fine to hide them from my kids, and used corn starch instead of flour. Came out great! I so appreciate the dairy free option for this easy dish. We served over rice and sprinkled with fresh chives!
So happy to hear you and your family enjoy the recipe! Thanks so much for following up to share your experience 🙂 Love the idea of eating it over rice!