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Instant Pot French Onion Beef Stroganoff

French Onion Beef Stroganoff is ready in a little over an hour by making use of your Instant Pot, and is full of caramelized onions, mushrooms, and the most flavorful, deep sauce.

French Onion Beef Stroganoff

This Instant Pot version of French Onion Beef Stroganoff takes the comforting flavors of caramelized onions and tender beef, then pulls in classic stroganoff elements like mushrooms and sour cream for a one-pot dinner with major flavor. Using chuck roast keeps things hearty and satisfying, while pressure cooking speeds everything up without sacrificing taste.

Cooking the onions low and slow in butter builds a sweet-savory foundation, while the mushrooms deepen the flavor. Wine and beef stock create a rich braising liquid that reduces into a gravy-like sauce. The sour cream ties it all together and gives that signature stroganoff finish.

You can make tweaks based on what you have: skip the wine, change the cut of beef, leave out the mushrooms, or serve it over mashed potatoes instead of noodles. It’s forgiving, but still gives you that wow factor with very little effort.

I LOVE fresh Chanterelles, and this is the perfect match for them. By the end of the cooking period they are so full of beefy, delicious flavor. YUM. I am having them again for lunch today, in fact.

If you have access to Chanterelles where you are, you’ll definitely want to pick up a bunch. Make this french onion beef stroganoff, and also my Cream of Chanterelle soup. You will not regret it.

If Chanterelles aren’t in season, crimini or button mushrooms also work really well.

I use a sturdy “homestyle” egg noodle for this dish, but you can use any kind you’d like. Traditional egg noodles are also good, as would be a big pile of garlic mashed potatoes.

Want to make your own egg noodles? I have a fantastic recipe here. My Great Grandma’s Homemade Soup Noodles has been tested and retested and never fail. Fair warning though – I made those my first year of blogging and haven’t re-shot the photos yet, so if you found my blog later in its life you can see just where I started from.

Why You’ll Love This Dish

  • It’s packed with deep, savory flavor – Caramelized onions and mushrooms bring tons of richness without needing a lot of extra ingredients.
  • The beef comes out fall-apart tender – Chuck roast works perfectly here and shreds beautifully after pressure cooking.
  • It comes together in one pot – Less cleanup, more flavor. Everything builds right in the Instant Pot.
  • It works for both weeknights and weekends – Fast enough for a Tuesday, but special enough for company.
  • It reheats really well – Perfect for leftovers or meal prep. The flavors deepen overnight.
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French Onion Beef Stroganoff Shopping List

Wondering if you have to hit the store? Here’s the list of items you’ll need to make this recipe. For specific amounts, please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

  • Chuck Roast – A well-marbled cut that becomes incredibly tender under pressure and adds richness to the final dish.
  • Sweet Onions – These caramelize into a soft, flavorful base that drives the French onion profile.
  • Mushrooms – Adds an earthy element that balances the sweetness of the onions and richness of the beef.
  • Butter – Used for cooking the onions low and slow, creating a sweet, savory foundation.
  • Cornstarch – Mixed into a slurry to thicken the sauce at the end without needing to simmer forever.
  • Water + Au Jus or Beef Stock – Forms the flavorful cooking liquid that concentrates into the sauce.
  • Red Wine – Brings brightness and acidity to balance the richness of the dish.
  • Garlic Salt, Seasoning Salt, Salt, and Pepper – Simple seasonings that boost the natural flavor of the ingredients.
  • Sour Cream – Adds the signature creamy tang to finish the stroganoff sauce.

How To Make French Onion Beef Stroganoff

This is just the overview so you can see what you’re actually getting into here. When you are cooking, you’ll want to use the full recipe at the bottom of the page.

Instant Pot French Onion Beef Stroganoff
  1. Caramelize the Onions
    Set your Instant Pot to Sauté and melt the butter. Add the diced sweet onions, baking soda, salt, and pepper. Stir regularly and cook for about 10–15 minutes, or until the onions are soft and starting to brown. The baking soda helps speed up caramelization without needing a full hour on the stovetop. This step lays the flavor foundation, so take your time here and let the onions really develop color.
Instant Pot French Onion Beef Stroganoff
  1. Build the Flavor Base
    Stir in the sliced mushrooms and cook them down for a few minutes until they release their moisture and start to brown. Once the mushrooms have cooked, season your roast with garlic salt and seasoning salt, then place it directly on top of the onion-mushroom mixture. Add the red wine and the water mixed with au jus seasoning (or beef broth if you’re skipping the mix). Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Those bits are packed with flavor and will enrich your sauce.
Instant Pot French Onion Beef Stroganoff
  1. Pressure Cook the Roast
    Seal the lid and set the Instant Pot to Meat/Stew mode or Manual/High Pressure for 55 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for about 15–20 minutes. This gives the roast time to finish cooking gently and helps lock in moisture. Once the pressure has released, carefully open the lid and remove the roast. Set it aside on a large plate or cutting board to cool slightly before shredding.
  2. Strain and Thicken the Sauce
    Remove the onions and mushrooms if you want a smoother sauce (optional). If there’s excess fat on top, skim it off with a spoon. Set the Instant Pot back to Sauté and bring the cooking liquid to a simmer. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and water to make a slurry, then slowly whisk it into the sauce. Keep stirring until the sauce thickens to your liking. If it gets too thick, thin it with a bit of water or broth.
  3. Finish and Serve
    Shred the beef using two forks and discard any large bits of fat or connective tissue. Stir the shredded beef back into the thickened sauce. Just before serving, stir in the sour cream for a creamy, tangy finish. Serve hot over buttered egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or rice. Garnish with fresh parsley if you want a little color on top.
Instant Pot French Onion Beef Stroganoff

French Onion Stroganoff FAQ

How Should I Store Leftovers, And How Long Will They Last?

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze for up to 3 months. Keep noodles and meat sauce separate if possible to maintain the best texture.

What’s The Best Way To Reheat This?

Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat. Add a splash of broth or water if the sauce thickens too much. Stir often until heated through.

Can I Prep Any Parts Ahead Of Time?

Yes. You can caramelize the onions and cook the mushrooms ahead of time, or fully cook and shred the beef the day before. Just store everything separately and bring it together when ready to serve.

What Variations Can I Make?

You can skip the wine and use more broth instead. Swap the chuck roast for a different cut like bottom round or brisket. Use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. Omit the mushrooms if you’re not a fan, or use a mix of mushrooms for more complexity.

Serve This With…

Yield: 8 people

Instant Pot French Onion Beef Stroganoff

Instant Pot French Onion Beef Stroganoff

A delicious change-up to the classic beef stroganoff, this French Onion Beef Stroganoff is delicious!

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Natural Pressure Release 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 teaspoon Johnny's Seasoning Salt
  • 1/3 cup salted butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 4 cups Chanterelle mushrooms, whole
  • 1 large 3-4 pound beef chuck roast
  • 6 cups diced sweet onions, about 1 large Walla Walla or Vidalia
  • 1 teaspoon garlic salt
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons Johnny's French Dip Au Jus Mix
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 5 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup water
  • sour cream

Instructions

  1. Place Instant Pot on Saute mode, and put the butter, onions, baking soda, salt, and pepper into the pot. Saute for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
  2. Put the lid on the pot and changes to manual mode. Set the timer for 10 minutes.
  3. Once the timer goes off, do a quick release and remove the lid when safe to do so.
  4. Add your mushrooms into the pot. Season the roast with the seasoning salt and garlic salt. Place on top of the mushrooms. (For more flavor, brown your roast quickly on both sides in a hot pan before pressure cooking. Mine was frozen, so I wasn't able to do it this time and it still turned out AMAZING. So this is optional. But when I work with thawed meat 99% of the time I put some color on that before slow or pressure cooking.)
  5. Mix together 2 cups water and au jus mix. Add to the pot along with the red wine.
  6. Put the pot back on saute mode to get the liquid mixture heated up to a simmer. Once it is simmering, press cancel, put the lid on the pot, and seal the lid. Set on Meat/Stew mode, and increase the time to 55 minutes.
  7. Allow to cook for the full cycle, and do a quick release of the lid. Remove the roast, remove the excess fat from the roast, and set aside.
  8. Turn the pot back to saute, allow the liquid to come to a simmer, and then mix together the cornstarch and the water. YOU MAY NOT NEED ALL OF THE SLURRY. Add about 1/2 to 3/4 of the slurry mixture, and whisk into the sauce. Stirring continuously, allow the mixture to thicken. If necessary, add the rest of the slurry depending on your specific likes/thickness preferences.
  9. Shred the roast, removing any excess fat. Mix back into the sauce.
  10. Serve over buttered egg noodles, and mix in a dollop of sour cream when serving.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 476Total Fat: 29gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 141mgSodium: 545mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 39g

Nutrition data provided here is only an estimate. If you are tracking these things for medical purposes please consult an outside, trusted source. Thanks!

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Jessica

Saturday 22nd of October 2022

Any thoughts on how to make this without the Johnny's products? There is a LOT there that I can't have (autoimmune food intolerances) but oh my gosh this looks so good and I have a THING for caramelized onions LOL

I'm thinking the au jus concentrate, since it gets added to water, I could probably just simmer down some beef broth. But the seasoning salt is a problem too - I can't have the wheat, soy, or paprika.

Nicole Johnson

Saturday 22nd of October 2022

Hey Jessica! You can omit the seasoning salt and use a combo of salt and seasonings you can tolerate. As far as the Au Jus powder, concentrated beef broth could work. I'd do 4 cups of beef broth and then simmer that down until you get it down to 2 cups, and then omit the 2 cups of water from the recipe.

Tracy

Friday 2nd of August 2019

Has the recipe disappeared from the blog? I see all of the photos and comments, but no recipe. I've made this before and it was delightful -- would love to make it again, but need the instructions. Can you please check on this? Thank you!

Tracy

Sunday 4th of August 2019

Thank you so much, Nicole! I've printed it now, as it's my husband and son's favorite stroganoff recipe. I appreciate your quick response -- making it tonight! :)

Nicole Johnson

Friday 2nd of August 2019

It did! Sorry about that, and thanks for pointing it out. I've added it back in, and I'm going to email you as well!

Daniel Shields

Monday 29th of July 2019

This looks so delicious and I bet it tastes amazing! My family will love this. I can not wait to try this at home. This is a great way of introducing healthy foods into our menu. Thank you. This is a must-try!

Hilary

Tuesday 12th of March 2019

Hi, this looks fantastic and I’m about to make this for dinner tonight! Question, is it 6 cups of onions or 1 large onion? I used 1 large onion but it was only about 2 cups, so I used 2 1/2 onions=6 cups... is that right? Or was it typo?

Nicole Johnson

Wednesday 13th of March 2019

It was 6 cups of onions. It takes a lot but the dish really relies on it. Hope you enjoyed!

Jeannette

Sunday 12th of August 2018

Anxious to try this! 1 pound large 3-4 beef chuck roast... What does the 3-4 mean? Is it 3-4 1 pound chunks?

Nicole Johnson

Sunday 12th of August 2018

Whoops! That should be 3-4 pounds. Looks like that didn't transfer over correctly to the new recipe card! I'll update now. Thanks for pointing that out!

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