Is stewing meat okay here?

Stewing meat works in place of chuck roast. Cut a roast into bite-size cubes if that's what you have, then let the cooker run until the beef is tender. The finished pieces should yield easily when pressed with a fork.

Canned mushrooms instead?

Two cans of drained sliced mushrooms work when you're short on time. Drain them before adding them to the cooker. They replace the fresh mushrooms, with no slicing at the start.

What about ground beef instead?

I'd use 1 1/2 pounds of lean ground beef for this change. Brown it first, drain the fat, and add it to the slow cooker before continuing with the recipe, which keeps the fat out of the cooker. It skips the chunks of slow-cooked roast but keeps the same sauce and mushroom base. Use the stated amount instead of the two pounds called for with chuck roast.

Should I add bouillon to low sodium broth?

Add a bouillon cube with the broth if you're using low sodium broth and want more depth in the sauce.

Thyme is the herb I'd add if you want something beyond the listed seasonings, and I keep the seasonings simple here, so there isn't a fixed amount to measure. Add only as much as you want in the finished sauce.

What slow cooker size do I need?

Use a 6 QT slow cooker for this full batch, with room for the beef and sauce.

Crock Pot Beef Stroganoff: Make-Ahead Slow Cooker Dinner

By Ruby ChenOct 12, 2026

Prep

20 min

Cook

240 min

Total

260 min

Servings

Level

Easy

Jump to recipe

Crock pot beef stroganoff makes eight servings and works with a prep routine, followed by a long hands-off cook once the skillet work is done. Tender beef cooks in a creamy mushroom sauce, and I stir in the sour cream right at the end before spooning it over noodles.

I sear the beef in small batches in a skillet, then deglaze with red wine and scrape every browned bit into the cooker, because those bits dissolve into the broth and deepen the sauce. A crowded pan leaves the meat pale. I use the skillet even on busy days, and the wine loosens the fond instead of leaving it stuck behind.

Use the low setting when you've got 7 to 8 hours, or cook on high for 4 to 5 hours, stopping when the beef is tender enough to break apart with a fork. Mix the remaining broth with cornstarch, stir it in, and cover the cooker for an additional 15 minutes until the sauce thickens.

I most often spoon crock pot beef stroganoff over egg noodles, since the sauce settles into them nicely. Mashed potatoes work too, and any pasta will do. A tossed salad with garlic bread turns the eight-serving pot into a meal that stretches further when several people are eating.

Why you'll love this recipe

Brown the beef the night before, then put it in the crockpot in the morning.
The 6 QT slow cooker holds the full batch, so dinner stays in one pot after the skillet browning.
Chuck roast turns tender over the long cook, and its beef flavor goes into the sauce.
Choose 4 to 5 hours on high or 7 to 8 hours on low, depending on your day.
Beef broth is the sauce base, with a bouillon cube for low sodium broth.
Eight servings make a full-pot dinner with extra bowls on the table.

Instructions

Cut the beef into 1-inch cubes and trim away any fat.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Season the beef with salt and pepper, then brown it in small batches.

Deglaze the skillet with the red wine, then pour it into the slow cooker.

Add the beef, garlic powder, onion, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, mushrooms, and 1 1/2 cups of the beef broth to a 6 QT slow cooker.

Cook on high for 4 to 5 hours or on low for 7 to 8 hours, until the beef is tender.

Combine the remaining broth with the cornstarch and stir it into the slow cooker. Cover and cook for an additional 15 minutes, or until thickened.

Stir in the sour cream and serve over the cooked egg noodles.

FAQ

Replace the sour cream with Greek yogurt. Stir it in at the end, just as you'd with sour cream.

Crock Pot Beef Stroganoff: Make-Ahead Slow Cooker Dinner

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Dinner Beef American Slow Cooker Meal Prep

Crock Pot Beef Stroganoff: Make-Ahead Slow Cooker Dinner

Name: Crock Pot Beef Stroganoff: Make-Ahead Slow Cooker Dinner
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 240 min
Total time: 260 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil (more if needed); 2 pounds beef chuck roast or stewing beef (trimmed); 1/2 teaspoon salt (more to taste); black pepper (to taste); 1/2 cup red wine; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 medium yellow onion (diced); 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard; 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce; 12 ounces mushrooms (sliced, white or cremini); 2 cups beef broth (divided); 8 ounces sour cream; 3 tablespoons cornstarch; 12 ounces egg noodles (cooked)

By Ruby ChenOct 12, 2026

Prep

20 min

Cook

240 min

Total

260 min

Servings

Level

Easy

Jump to recipe

Why you'll love this recipe

Brown the beef the night before, then put it in the crockpot in the morning.
The 6 QT slow cooker holds the full batch, so dinner stays in one pot after the skillet browning.
Chuck roast turns tender over the long cook, and its beef flavor goes into the sauce.
Choose 4 to 5 hours on high or 7 to 8 hours on low, depending on your day.
Beef broth is the sauce base, with a bouillon cube for low sodium broth.
Eight servings make a full-pot dinner with extra bowls on the table.

Ingredients

Servings8

•1 tablespoon olive oil (more if needed)
•2 pounds beef chuck roast or stewing beef (trimmed)
•½ teaspoon salt (more to taste)
•black pepper (to taste)
•½ cup red wine
•1 teaspoon garlic powder
•1 medium yellow onion (diced)
•1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
•1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
•12 ounces mushrooms (sliced, white or cremini)
•2 cups beef broth (divided)
•8 ounces sour cream
•3 tablespoons cornstarch
•12 ounces egg noodles (cooked)

Instructions

1
Cut the beef into 1-inch cubes and trim away any fat.
2
Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Season the beef with salt and pepper, then brown it in small batches.
3
Deglaze the skillet with the red wine, then pour it into the slow cooker.
4
Add the beef, garlic powder, onion, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, mushrooms, and 1 1/2 cups of the beef broth to a 6 QT slow cooker.
5
Cook on high for 4 to 5 hours or on low for 7 to 8 hours, until the beef is tender.
6
Combine the remaining broth with the cornstarch and stir it into the slow cooker. Cover and cook for an additional 15 minutes, or until thickened.
7
Stir in the sour cream and serve over the cooked egg noodles.