One-pot Beef Stroganoff

We’re all busy, right?  Work, family, chores, and the goings-on of everyday life often leave us with little desire to spend an hour or more fussing over a delicious, healthy meal at the end of a long day.  It’s all too easy to open up a box of Ground-beef Garçon and call it dinner.  But we know those boxes are packed with preservatives, sodium, artificialities galore, and ultimately, guilt.  Well, I’ve got a simple, one-pot dinner that is loaded with flavor, takes about the same amount of time as that boxed junk, and uses only whole, all-natural ingredients… pretty inexpensive ones, at that.  This simple beef stroganoff has all of the hearty, savory flavor you’re looking for without the effort of stewing beef for hours or compromising your food values with the processed stuff.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 4 T. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 8 oz. baby portobello mushrooms, caps sliced and stems finely minced
• ½ c. onion, quartered and sliced into thin pieces
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 lb. extra-lean ground beef
• 2 t. paprika
• 4 c. low-sodium beef broth
• 8 oz. dry farfalle (bowtie) pasta
• 8 oz.  sour cream
• salt and pepper
• 2-4 scallions, thinly sliced,  for topping (optional)

In a large pot (with a lid), heat half of the olive oil over medium heat and add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt.  Sauté for 5-10 minutes until they’ve lost a lot of their liquid and are nicely browned.  Move them to a small bowl and set aside.

Next, add the remaining oil and the sliced onions.  Cook the onions, also over medium heat, until translucent and starting to caramelize.  Add the onions to the bowl of mushrooms and set aside.

Finally, add the ground beef to the pot and brown completely.  Once the beef is nicely browned, add the garlic and paprika and cook for about a minute before adding the onions and mushrooms back into the pot.  Once the veggies are back in, add the broth, being sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to deglaze any of those yummy brown bits.  Then add the pasta and bring it all to a low boil.  Once you get it boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook for about 15-20 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed and the pasta is tender.

When the pasta is done, remove from the heat and stir in the sour cream.  Serve it up topped with fresh, crisp scallions and enjoy!