Prep your ingredients. Slice the mushrooms, dice the onion, and mince the garlic. Bring the cream cheese to room temperature so it blends more easily.

Brown the beef. Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add the oil, then the ground beef. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking it up, until well browned with some crispy bits, about 6–8 minutes. Transfer beef to a plate and leave 1–2 tablespoons of fat in the skillet.

Sauté the mushrooms. Add butter to the skillet. When it foams, add mushrooms in an even layer. Don’t stir for 2–3 minutes so they sear and release moisture. Stir and cook until browned and most of the liquid evaporates, about 5–6 minutes.

Cook onion and garlic. Add the diced onion to the mushrooms with a pinch of salt. Cook until translucent, 3–4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

Build the flavor base. Sprinkle in paprika and stir for 30 seconds. Add Worcestershire and Dijon. Pour in the beef broth, scraping up browned bits from the pan—those bits carry big flavor.

Reduce. Let the mixture simmer briskly for 3–5 minutes to reduce slightly. You’re aiming for the liquid to thicken a bit without fully evaporating.

Make it creamy. Lower the heat to medium-low. Whisk in the cream cheese until smooth and melted. Add the heavy cream if using. Keep heat gentle to prevent curdling.

Finish with sour cream. Stir the browned beef back into the pan. Remove from direct heat for a moment, then fold in the sour cream until the sauce is silky. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. If it’s too thick, add a splash of broth; if too thin, simmer gently for a minute.

Garnish and serve. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve hot over cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles, or sautéed cabbage. Add a grind of pepper on top for a finishing touch.