Meat Ball Stroganoff

Classic stroganoff flavors in meatball form. Sixteen seasoned ground beef meatballs browned in a skillet, then simmered low and slow in a creamy sauce of mushroom soup, sour cream, and water. Served over a bed of egg noodles, this is comfort food that practically cooks itself.

The meatball mixture is straightforward: beef, fine breadcrumbs, chopped onion, egg, salt, and pepper. Shape them evenly for uniform cooking. Sixteen balls from a pound of beef gives you roughly golf-ball-sized meatballs, big enough to stay juicy through the 20-minute simmer.

Brown the meatballs first, then pour off the fat before adding the sauce. This step removes excess grease that would make the sauce oily. The browned bits left in the pan (fond) dissolve into the cream of mushroom soup and add savory depth.

The sour cream goes in with the soup, not at the end. Twenty minutes of gentle simmering lets it meld with the mushroom soup into a unified, creamy sauce rather than sitting on top as a separate tang. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

Kitchen Tips

• Use fine dry breadcrumbs, not fresh. Fresh crumbs make the meatballs too soft and they fall apart during browning.
• Keep the heat low during the simmer. High heat curdles the sour cream and makes the sauce grainy.
• Cook the egg noodles while the meatballs simmer so everything finishes at the same time.
• Spoon extra sauce over the noodles. Every strand should be coated.

Variations

• Mushroom lover’s: Add ½ pound sliced fresh mushrooms to the pan after browning the meatballs for more mushroom flavor.
• Swedish meatball style: Add ¼ teaspoon allspice and a pinch of nutmeg to the meat mixture.
• Turkey meatballs: Use ground turkey instead of beef for a lighter version. Add an extra tablespoon of breadcrumbs for binding.