One of the best pieces of advice I ever received came to me years ago through Molly Weisenberg’s blog Orangette, and it was “Crepes I like to eat” list. Here’s a list of all the recipes that always look good no matter what, no matter what. And nights when I’m not motivated to make that new recipe I’ve planned and/or I don’t have time to get groceries and/or my partner or I are hungry, but But when I don’t agree on what to eat, I go for it. List
I’ll also add that, in my opinion, the recipes on this list should feel easy because I’ve made them a million times already, and they should also use ingredients that I usually have on hand. I can avoid trips to the store. . For me and my husband, Alice, the founder of Simply Recipes Hamburger Stroganoff is at the top of our list.
It never fails to provide food. Besides being ready in about 30 minutes and using mostly pantry ingredients, it’s an easy weeknight win that hits all the right notes: the sauce is creamy and rich, the pistachio beef pasta chewy. And satisfying, the steamed mushrooms and onions make it. Extra delicious. Friends, this is comfort food at its best.
How I Make Hamburger Stroganoff
I have made this dish so many times that I don’t even need to look at the recipe anymore. The basic ingredients are what I almost always have in my fridge or pantry: one pound of ground beef (bare, I buy when it’s on sale. and keep frozen), onions, mushrooms, sour cream, and noodles.
I deviate slightly from Elise’s instructions for meal preparation. I use a 12-inch non-stick skillet and cook the ground beef all at once instead of in batches. Once browned, I scoop the beef into a bowl and then sauté the onion in the beef fat, followed by the mushrooms.
Instead of sherry or white wine, which I usually don’t have, I often add a few ladles of starchy water or some chicken broth to cooking pasta if I have a pot open. I let it cook on low heat until the pasta is done, then I finish the sauce with sour cream, add the cooked pasta to the pan, and stir everything together.
A few variations I’ve made over the years.
As you can probably imagine after making this recipe more times than I can count, I’ve made a few tweaks over the years:
- Instead of parsley, I usually add several large handfuls of baby spinach and cook until wilted. I love the added color and added nutrition, plus I don’t always have fresh parsley on hand.
- I usually double the amount of mushrooms.
- If I’m running out of sour cream, I’ll dilute some cream cheese with milk or starchy pasta water and use it instead.
- It’s unconventional, but I’ve started adding a tablespoon or so of Dijon mustard to the sauce at the end. I first tried it when I was out of lemons and wanted something to brighten up a dish, and now it’s a standard.
- Egg noodles are great, but I usually have plain dry pasta in my cupboard. I love any shaped pasta with nooks and crannies that act as a vehicle for the sauce, like fusilli or cavatappi.
I will also add that I usually don’t measure anything anymore. I just eyeballed the quantity and taste as I went. No matter what I do—even when I’m completely brain-dead after a long day at work—this meal always gets five gold stars.