Beef Tips and Noodles in Mushroom Cream Sauce

Introduction

You cook the mushrooms and onion first, then simmer prepared beef tips with cream of mushroom soup, milk, paprika, and sour cream for a thick sauce that stays smooth if you keep it below a boil. Served over wide egg noodles and finished with fresh parsley, this fits a weeknight dinner schedule and uses mostly pantry and refrigerator staples.

Recipe Details

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 8 oz wide egg noodles (figures are for yolk-free noodles)
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 package (8 oz) sliced mushrooms
• 1 large (1 cup/150 g) coarsely-chopped onion
• 1 package (17 oz) prepared beef tips with gravy
• ¼ cup (60 ml) skim milk
• 1 can (10.75 oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup (figures are for fat-free)
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
• ¼ teaspoon (or more to taste) mild or hot paprika
• ½ cup (250 ml) sour cream (figures are for reduced-fat)
• ¼ cup (125 g) finely-chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

1. Prepare noodles according to package directions and drain.
2. As the noodles are boiling, warm oil in very deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat.
3. Add mushrooms and onions and cook until onion is soft, about 3 minutes.
4. Add beef tips, milk, and mushroom soup.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste and stir well.
6. Reduce heat to simmer and stir in garlic, paprika, and sour cream.
7. Simmer lightly, without letting it boil (that will curdle it).
8. When noodles are finished and drained, serve with noodles on serving plate or individual plates, with sauce over it.
9. Garnish with parsley.

Variations

• Use hot paprika instead of mild paprika if you want a sharper finish and a little more heat in the cream sauce.
• Swap the skim milk for whole milk to make the sauce slightly richer and smoother.
• Replace the wide egg noodles with fettuccine or rotini if that is what you have; the sauce will cling more tightly to rotini and sit more loosely on long noodles.
• Use baby bella mushrooms in place of standard sliced mushrooms for a deeper, more savory mushroom flavor.
• Replace the fresh parsley with chives if you want a milder herbal finish that stays more in the background.

Tips for Success

• Salt the noodle water well so the noodles are seasoned before the sauce goes on.
• Cook the mushrooms and onions just until the onion turns soft; if you rush this step, the sauce tastes flatter.
• Stir in the sour cream only after reducing the heat to a simmer so the sauce stays smooth.
• Keep the sauce below a boil once the sour cream is added; small bubbles at the edges are fine, but a full boil can make it split.
• If the sauce thickens too much while it sits, loosen it with a small splash of milk before serving.

Storage and Reheating

This is not the best freezer recipe because the sour cream sauce can separate and the noodles soften too much after thawing.

Reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at 50% power, stirring partway through. Add a spoonful or two of milk if the sauce looks too thick.

FAQ

Can you use regular egg noodles instead of yolk-free noodles?

Yes. The dish will cook the same way, and the texture stays very similar.

Why can’t you boil the sauce after adding sour cream?

Boiling can cause the sour cream to curdle and turn grainy. Keep the heat low and let it simmer gently instead.

Can you use fresh garlic instead of bottled minced garlic?

Yes. One small clove, finely minced, gives a similar garlic level with a slightly fresher flavor.

Can you make this ahead?

Yes, but it is better made up to a day ahead and reheated gently. For the best texture, keep the noodles separate until serving.