Beef Stroganoff

Michael Eisenwasser

Print Recipe

A weeknight stroganoff with seared sirloin, a creamy Dijon-paprika sauce, and gluten-free egg noodles — no onion, no raw garlic, no mushrooms.

Prep 15 min

Cook 30 min

Serves 4

Gluten-free

Ingredients

Beef and Sauce

• 1 1/4 pounds (570 g) beef sirloin or tenderloin, trimmed and sliced against the grain into 1/4-inch strips
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 3 tablespoons garlic-infused olive oil, divided
• 1/2 cup scallion greens, thinly sliced (green tops only)
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 3/4 cups low-FODMAP chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (check the label — no garlic or onion)
• 2 cups (480 ml) lactose-free sour cream (1/2 cup per serve)
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

To Serve

• 10 oz (285 g) gluten-free egg noodles or gluten-free fettuccine
• Extra parsley and a dusting of paprika, to finish

Instructions

Sear the Beef

1. Pat the beef strips dry with paper towels. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, the pepper, and the paprika. Toss to coat.
2. Warm 2 tablespoons of the garlic-infused oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
3. Working in two batches so the pan isn't crowded, sear the beef for about 1 minute per side, just until browned. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil. Don't cook it all the way through — it finishes in the sauce.

Build the Sauce

1. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of garlic-infused oil and the scallion greens. Cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes until softened and fragrant.
2. Whisk the cornstarch into 1/4 cup of the chicken broth in a small bowl until smooth. Set aside.
3. Pour the remaining 1 1/2 cups of broth into the skillet and scrape up any browned bits. Stir in the Dijon mustard and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
4. Bring to a gentle simmer, then whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, whisking, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Finish with Sour Cream

1. Pull the pan off the heat. Whisk in the lactose-free sour cream a few spoonfuls at a time so it doesn't curdle.
2. Return the pan to low heat. Add the seared beef and any resting juices. Warm through for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring gently. Do not let the sauce boil once the sour cream is in — it will split.
3. Stir in the parsley. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.

Cook the Noodles

1. While the sauce finishes, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the gluten-free egg noodles according to the package directions, usually 1 minute less than the box says. Drain.

Serve

1. Divide the noodles among 4 shallow bowls. Spoon the stroganoff over the top and finish with more parsley and a dusting of paprika.

Tips & Substitutions

• Slice the beef thin and against the grain. Thin strips sear quickly and stay tender. Firm the beef in the freezer for 20 minutes before slicing if it's slipping under the knife.
• Lactose-free sour cream is the low-FODMAP move. Regular sour cream at 1/2 cup per serve carries more lactose than most elimination-phase guts tolerate. Green Valley Creamery lactose-free sour cream is the easiest find in the US. If you can't get it, whisk 1 cup heavy cream with 2 teaspoons lemon juice and use that — heavy cream is low-FODMAP at 1/2 cup per serve and the lemon adds the tang.
• Skip the mushrooms. White button and portobello mushrooms are high-FODMAP from mannitol and belong out of the base recipe. Canned oyster mushrooms are Monash-tested low at 75 g per serve — if you're reintroducing mannitol or tolerate it, you can add a small handful of drained canned oysters with the scallion greens.
• Check the Dijon label. Grey Poupon Classic Dijon and Maille Original Dijon are plain mustard seed, vinegar, water, salt, and spices — no garlic or onion. Flavored or "country" Dijons often add garlic. Skip those.
• Egg noodles or fettuccine both work. Jovial gluten-free egg tagliatelle is the closest texture to a classic egg noodle. Any rice- or corn-based gluten-free fettuccine at about 1 cup cooked per serve stays low-FODMAP during elimination.
• Don't boil the sauce after the sour cream goes in. Gentle warming only. High heat breaks the dairy and you'll end up with a grainy pan.
• Sirloin is leaner; tenderloin is silkier. Both sear well in under a minute. Skirt steak works too if you slice it very thin against the grain.

Why This Works

Infused oil and scallion greens replace the onion and garlic. A classic stroganoff starts with diced onion and garlic in butter. Garlic-infused olive oil carries the garlic flavor without the fructans, and scallion greens stand in for the onion. The green tops of scallions are low-FODMAP; the white bulbs are not.

Lactose-free sour cream keeps the creamy finish. Sour cream is the signature of a stroganoff, and regular sour cream climbs in lactose at 1/2 cup per serve. Lactose-free versions ferment the same way but with the lactose pre-broken, so the texture and tang match without the FODMAP load.

Homemade broth keeps the base clean. Most boxed beef and chicken broths list onion, garlic, or "natural flavors." The linked low-FODMAP chicken broth avoids all three. Beef broth works interchangeably if you've made a low-FODMAP version.

Gluten-free noodles at about 1 cup cooked. Standard wheat egg noodles are high-FODMAP at normal serves from fructans. Rice- and corn-based gluten-free noodles hold sauce well and stay low at about 1 cup cooked per serving.

Plain beef is naturally low-FODMAP. Unseasoned sirloin and tenderloin are low-FODMAP in typical serves. Pre-marinated or pre-seasoned cuts often carry onion or garlic powder — start from plain and season the pan yourself.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently over low heat with a splash of broth or water; stovetop beats microwave here because the sour cream breaks at high heat. The sauce doesn't freeze well — the dairy separates on thaw. Cook the noodles fresh each time; leftover gluten-free noodles turn gummy on the reheat.

Not sure about an ingredient? FODMAP Tracker includes a database of 1,000+ foods with FODMAP ratings to help you cook with confidence.