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This salisbury steak is old-school comfort food at its best, tender seasoned beef patties smothered in a rich onion and mushroom gravy. I make it on cold weeknights when the family wants something hearty, and serving it over a pile of our creamy mashed potatoes turns a simple dinner into the kind of meal everyone remembers.
It all comes together in one skillet in about 45 minutes, and that homemade gravy tastes like it simmered all day.
Salisbury Steak Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 30 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 45 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 8 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 351kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Savory and hearty with tender beef and a rich, mushroom-studded brown gravy
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, on par with our classic meatloaf
Quick Answer
Mix ground beef with egg, breadcrumbs, ketchup, dijon, Worcestershire, and seasonings, then shape into oval patties. Brown them in a skillet and bake until cooked through. In the same pan, cook onions and mushrooms in butter, stir in flour, then whisk in beef stock to make a rich gravy. Return the steaks to the gravy and simmer. This salisbury steak is ready in about 45 minutes.
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Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- The patties are packed with flavor. Ketchup, dijon, Worcestershire, and a crushed bouillon cube season the beef from the inside, so the steaks taste rich even before the gravy.
- One skillet does it all. Browning the steaks first leaves behind flavorful fond that becomes the backbone of the gravy, and everything finishes in the same pan.
- Real mushroom gravy makes it. A proper roux with butter, flour, and beef stock plus sauteed onions and mushrooms gives you a thick, savory gravy that beats any packet.
- Baking keeps the steaks tender. Finishing the browned patties in the oven cooks them through gently so they stay juicy instead of toughening on the stovetop.
- It feeds a crowd. This recipe makes 8 hearty steaks, which is perfect for a family dinner with leftovers everyone will fight over.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It is hearty, old-school comfort food, tender beef patties smothered in a rich mushroom and onion gravy.
- Everything comes together in one skillet in about 45 minutes, and the homemade gravy tastes like it simmered all day.
- It makes 8 hearty steaks, perfect over a pile of our creamy mashed potatoes for a true Sunday-supper dinner.
Key Ingredients
Simple, hearty ingredients build both the tender steaks and the rich gravy.
- Ground Beef: Lean ground beef forms the patties. The egg and panko keep them tender and help them hold their shape.
- Ketchup, Dijon, and Worcestershire: The trio that seasons the beef and adds tang and depth. A crushed bouillon cube boosts the beefy flavor even more.
- Mushrooms and Onion: Sliced and sauteed in butter, they give the gravy its savory, earthy backbone.
- Butter, Flour, and Beef Stock: The base of the gravy. Butter and flour make a roux that thickens the stock into a silky brown gravy.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
Salisbury steak is easy to adapt to your taste and pantry.
- Make it gluten-free: Use gluten-free breadcrumbs and a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour for the gravy.
- Add more veggies: Stir in extra mushrooms, or add a splash of red wine to the gravy for deeper flavor.
- Use ground turkey: Swap in ground turkey or a beef-and-pork blend for a lighter or richer version.
- Slow cooker style: Brown the patties, then finish them in a slow cooker with the gravy on low for a few hours.
- More comfort food: Love a saucy beef dinner? Try our easy meatballs and gravy next.
How to Make Salisbury Steak
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, egg, panko, ketchup, dijon, Worcestershire, pepper, salt, and crushed bouillon. Mix gently by hand, do not overmix.
- Divide the mixture into 8 even portions and shape each into a flat oval patty.
- Brown the patties in a hot oven-safe skillet, 2 to 3 minutes per side, then bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until cooked through. Remove and cover with foil.
- Wipe out the pan, melt the butter, and cook the sliced onion and mushrooms until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic until fragrant.
- Stir in the flour to coat, then slowly whisk in the beef stock, Worcestershire, dijon, and pepper. Simmer until thickened into a rich gravy.
- Return the steaks to the gravy and simmer 5 minutes, until heated through. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Do not overmix the beef. Handle it gently and just until combined so the steaks stay tender, not dense.
- Use an oven-safe skillet, like cast iron, so you can brown and bake in the same pan and build maximum flavor.
- Brown for color, bake for doneness. A good sear adds flavor, and finishing in the oven keeps the patties juicy.
- Whisk the stock in slowly so the gravy stays smooth and lump-free as it thickens.
- Taste the gravy before returning the steaks and adjust the salt. Beef stock varies, so it may need a little more.
- Let it simmer together at the end so the steaks soak up the gravy and everything melds.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Salisbury steak is made to be spooned over something that catches all that gravy. Our creamy mashed potatoes are the classic pairing, and buttered egg noodles or rice work beautifully too.
Add a simple green vegetable like steamed green beans or roasted broccoli to round out the plate. It is hearty, old-fashioned comfort food that feels like a Sunday dinner any night of the week.
Leftovers are even better the next day as the steaks soak up more gravy. Reheat gently on the stove, and serve with our southern smothered potatoes or a slice of crusty bread to mop up the sauce.
Salisbury Steak FAQs
Salisbury steak is made from ground beef mixed with egg, breadcrumbs, and seasonings like ketchup, dijon, and Worcestershire, then formed into oval patties. It is browned and served smothered in a rich brown gravy with sauteed onions and mushrooms. Despite the name, it is a beef patty, not a steak cut.
The two are very similar, but salisbury steak typically includes more binders and seasonings like breadcrumbs, egg, and Worcestershire, and is always served with a brown mushroom or onion gravy. Hamburger steak is usually a simpler seasoned beef patty served with or without gravy.
Yes. You can form the patties and make the gravy a day ahead, storing them separately in the fridge. Reheat the gravy and warm the steaks in it on the stove, or assemble everything and reheat gently in the oven. It also freezes well for up to 3 months.
The egg and breadcrumbs are key binders, so do not skip them. Mix the beef gently and avoid overworking it, shape firm even patties, and let them brown undisturbed before flipping. A good sear helps them hold together when they go into the gravy.
Creamy mashed potatoes are the classic choice for soaking up the gravy. Egg noodles, rice, or roasted potatoes all work well too. Add a green vegetable like green beans, peas, or a simple salad to balance the rich, savory steaks and gravy.
Absolutely. Simply leave the mushrooms out and make the gravy with just the sauteed onions, butter, flour, and beef stock. You will still get a rich, savory onion gravy. You can also add a splash of cream for an extra silky finish.
Craving more cozy beef dinners? Try our easy chili mac and cheese next.
For a hearty beef dinner, our short rib ragu simmers into fork-tender meat that clings to every noodle.
Craving more cozy comfort food? Try our slow cooker corned beef and cabbage next.
Add this cozy cottage pie to your comfort food rotation right next to our salisbury steak.
Love savory comfort food? Our French onion meatballs are an easy slow cooker twist.
Craving cozy beef comfort food? Our shepherd’s pie bakes braised beef under golden mashed potatoes.
Spoon the gravy right over our creamy garlic mashed potatoes.
Round out your comfort-food menu with our beef barley soup.
Salisbury Steak
Ingredients
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 crushed beef bouillon cube
For the gravy:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 small onion thinly sliced
- 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups beef stock
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- kosher salt to taste
- fresh chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl add together the ground beef, egg, breadcrumbs, ketchup, dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, salt, and crushed beef bouillon.2 pounds lean ground beef, 1 large egg, 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs, 3 tablespoons ketchup, 1 tablespoon dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 3/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 crushed beef bouillon cube
- I like to mix by hand, do not over mix.
- Divide the mixture into 8 even portions and form the portions into flat oval shapes.
- Heat an oven-safe 12-inch skillet (I like to use cast iron) with deep sides over medium heat. Add the steaks directly into the pan, no need to add any extra oil. Brown on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side, then place the pan into the oven for 10-15 minutes until an internal temperature reaches 165°F. Take the steaks out of the pan and place them on a plate and cover them with foil, set aside.
- Wipe out any excess grease from the pan. Over medium heat, add the butter and let it melt. Add the onion and mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes until the onions are softened.1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1 small onion, 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms
- Add the garlic and stir it in until fragrant, 30 seconds.2 cloves garlic
- Add the flour and stir it in, coating the veggies, cook stirring constantly for 2 minutes.1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- Slowly whisk in the beef stock, making sure there are no lumps. Add the Worcestershire sauce, dijon mustard, and black pepper, whisk it in. Taste and add additional seasoning if needed. Let the gravy simmer for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.4 cups beef stock, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, kosher salt to taste
- Add the steaks back to the pan and cover in the sauce, let simmer for 5 more minutes or until the steaks are heated through. Garnish with optional parsley and serve.fresh chopped parsley for garnish
Notes
- If you are not a huge fan of mushrooms, you can leave them out of the gravy, but the mushrooms and onions really make this a traditional recipe.
- You can serve this over whatever you like, we like to serve over mashed potatoes or egg noodles.
- You can skip the step of finishing off the steaks in the oven and cook on the stovetop, but the steaks tend to get too brown.
- The beef bouillon cube gives an extra depth of flavor to the steaks. I place the cube in a plastic baggie then crush it with a rolling pin.
- These can be frozen, see my tips above.
- We like to use panko breadcrumbs, but regular will work as well.
Nutrition
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It was delicious! Will definitely be made again.