Roast Beef a la Stroganoff

Leftover roast beef sliced thin and stirred into a rich mushroom and sour cream stroganoff sauce. This is the best kind of second-day cooking: it turns yesterday’s roast into a completely different dinner in 40 minutes.

The sauce builds on a base of celery, onion, and sliced mushrooms sautéed in butter until tender. Flour and soy sauce get stirred in to create a roux, then beef bouillon goes in and thickens into a glossy gravy. The sour cream folds in last, off the boil, turning the sauce creamy and tangy.

Using pre-cooked roast beef means this stroganoff comes together fast. The sliced beef just needs to heat through in the finished sauce, not cook from raw. Two minutes in the hot gravy is enough.

The soy sauce is a subtle umami booster. You won’t taste soy specifically, but it deepens the beefy, savory flavor of the bouillon base.

Chef Tips

• Slice the leftover roast beef as thin as possible. Thick chunks don’t absorb the sauce well.
• Stir the sour cream in off the heat or over very low heat. Boiling sour cream causes it to curdle and separate.
• Serve over egg noodles for the most traditional stroganoff pairing, or over steamed rice for an equally satisfying base.
• This is a great way to use up leftover prime rib, pot roast, or deli roast beef.

Variations

• With paprika: Add 1 teaspoon sweet paprika to the roux for a Hungarian-influenced version.
• Chicken stroganoff: Use sliced leftover roast chicken instead of beef with chicken broth.
• Lighter version: Replace sour cream with Greek yogurt for a tangier, lower-fat sauce.