Healthy Beef Stroganoff With Cauliflower

My mom is French and my dad is Irish, but one of our family favorite recipes growing up was a Russian one… beef stroganoff. To me, you can’t beat this combo of savory beef, mushrooms, onions, and a touch of sour cream. Here we’ve made it even a little healthier by swapping nutritious (and lower carb) cauliflower for the traditional noodles.

Beef Stroganoff Over Cauliflower

To me, this is classic comfort food. My mom made a slow-cooked version served over egg noodles that was absolutely delicious. My brother and I probably would have chosen her beef stroganoff over candy!

Unfortunately, thanks to genetic testing and much research, I found that I couldn’t tolerate many grains. I also had to avoid dairy for a while (my parents found similar results from their testing), making this family favorite off-limits.

Over the years, I’ve slowly revamped recipes I enjoy in order to make them more nutrient dense and to accommodate food allergies. It’s challenging, but I try my best to do it without losing the flavor of the original (often with many dismal failures along the way).

I found a way to sub cabbage for noodles in spaghetti, and sweet potatoes for noodles in lasagna. A few months ago, it finally dawned on me that there was an even more obvious substitution for egg noodles in beef stroganoff: cauliflower.

Cauliflower has a mild taste when steamed and is also a great texture as a base for a more hearty dish like this. If you have a little more time, this stroganoff is ideal over cauliflower mashed potatoes.

Tips for Phenomenal Beef Stroganoff:

• I’ve included cooking times for the most simple and quick version of beef stroganoff. I make it in about 30 minutes on a busy night. For a more tender stroganoff, simmer the meat covered in the pan for an additional 30 minutes on medium/low heat. This step is more important for tougher cuts of meat (flank or round steak) and less important for naturally tender cuts (filet or sirloin).
• The spice recommendations are a starting point. Feel free to experiment and add more of them to suit your taste.
• Sour cream is completely optional. If you eat dairy-free, you can omit it without a problem. If you use it, make sure to stir it in at the very end after removing from the heat.
• When slicing the meat into thin strips, it can be easier to slice when it is still partially frozen. If it is defrosted, I’ve found that kitchen shears are also really helpful for cutting it into thin strips.
• For a super budget-friendly version, use ground beef in place of the sliced steak. The texture will be a little different but the flavor will still be amazing.

Cauliflower Beef Stroganoff Recipe

A more nutrient-dense take on a comfort food classic. Hearty beef stroganoff over steamed cauliflower instead of noodles. Gluten free with dairy free option.

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Calories 452kcal

Author Katie Wells

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Servings

4 people

1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 1 lb steak (sirloin or round)
• 4 TBSP butter (or coconut oil)
• 1 medium onion
• 8 oz fresh mushrooms
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp tarragon
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 head cauliflower
• 1 cup sour cream (optional)

Instructions

• Slice the steak into as thin of slices as possible.
• Melt the butter in a large skillet and add the slices of meat.
• Thinly slice the onion and add to the pan.
• Cook for 5-7 minutes until the meat has started to brown and the onions are translucent. 
• Thinly slice the mushrooms and add them to the pan with the meat.
• Season with garlic powder, salt, pepper and tarragon.
• Add the beef broth and bring to a simmer over medium low heat.
• Simmer for about 25 minutes until the meat is tender and the mushrooms have softened. 
• While the meat is cooking, cut the cauliflower into florets and steam until tender.
• Remove the meat from the heat and stir in sour cream, if using, stirring until well incorporated.
• Serve atop the steamed cauliflower and enjoy!

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Cauliflower Beef Stroganoff Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 452 Calories from Fat 288

% Daily Value*

Fat 32g49%

Saturated Fat 17g106%

Cholesterol 131mg44%

Sodium 1074mg47%

Potassium 1094mg31%

Carbohydrates 13g4%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 31g62%

Vitamin A 715IU14%

Vitamin C 73mg88%

Calcium 115mg12%

Iron 3.1mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Notes

For a more tender stroganoff, simmer in the pan, covered, for an additional 30 minutes on medium/low heat before adding the sour cream.

Alternatively, make cauliflower mashed potatoes to serve your stroganoff over. 

Ever tried beef stroganoff? What was a favorite family recipe growing up?