Lightened Up Ground Beef Stroganoff

Beef stroganoff is a meal I forgot existed.  I recall eating it on occasion throughout my formative years and remember that I liked it, yet I've never thought to make it during my adult life until now.

A traditional stroganoff is prepared with a heavy sour cream sauce.  To lighten things up a bit, I used 93/7 lean ground beef instead of the traditional sirloin or beef tenderloin strips.  I replaced the sour cream with Greek yogurt and did some adjusting to the liquid ratios and to the seasoning.  We swap Greek yogurt for other high fat/high calorie dairy products on a regular basis (we also use it as a substitute for mayo) so we are familiar with the slight flavor and texture differences that it adds to dishes.

In the U.S., stroganoff is most often served over a bed of wide egg noodles.  You can purchase yolk-free egg noodles if you want to cut the fat content even further.  Alternatively, you can serve this dish over white or brown rice, regular or whole wheat pasta in the shape of your choice.

The three of us thoroughly enjoyed the flavors in this dish on the first night, but eating the leftovers on the second night was even better.  The flavors fully developed overnight in the refrigerator and the flavor of the Greek yogurt mellowed out.  In fact, if you didn't tell me how the sauce was prepared while eating it the next day, I wouldn't have known that it had been lightened up.  So this is a fantastic make-ahead meal that you can save for the next day - just wait to prepare your rice or pasta until just before you serve.

Lightened Up Beef Stroganoff

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• Author: Erin Browne
• Total Time: 50 mins
• Yield: 6-8 servings 1x

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Ingredients

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• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 TBS Smart Balance Light or Olive Oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 8oz sliced mushrooms, rinsed and dried.
• 1 cup beef stock
• 2 TBS brandy
• 2 TBS Worcestershire
• 1 tsp Paprika
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1-2 TBS flour
• Chopped parsley, optional for serving
• Cooked egg noodles (use yolk-free noodles to lower fat content)

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Instructions

1. Place the Greek yogurt into a bowl and whisk in 1 TBS of flour. Set aside.
2. In a large cast iron or nonstick skillet, heat the spread or olive oil on medium heat. Add the lean ground beef and cook until mostly brown (you want to leave a little pink), breaking into pieces as you go. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Remove the ground beef from the pan and set aside in a bowl. Drain all of the fat except for a couple of teaspoons. Add the onion to the pan and cook until soft and fragrant. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook 5-7 minutes or until starting to brown and soften.
4. Add the beef stock, brandy, Worcestershire, paprika, mustard, and more salt and pepper. Return the ground beef to the pan and stir to combine. Allow to simmer on low heat for 15-20 minutes.
5. Using a small ladle or measuring cup, scoop out about ⅔ cup of the sauce into a small bowl and whisk in 1 TBS of flour to form a slurry. Return this mixture to the sauce and stir to combine. Allow to simmer an additional 5-10 minutes to thicken, and then remove from heat and allow to stand for 2-3 minutes.
6. To prevent the Greek yogurt from separating when added to the hot sauce, temper the yogurt by drizzling in a few spoonfuls of the sauce while stirring constantly. This will help to raise the temperature slowly. Stir the yogurt into the sauce and, if needed, re-heat on low. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
7. Cook pasta according to package directions. Spoon stroganoff over the pasta and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
8. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The flavors will develop even more overnight and this dish is incredible the next day - you won't even be able to tell that it is made with Greek yogurt!

• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins

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