This homemade Salisbury Steak is easy to make in 30 minutes and is the perfect way to dress up a pound of ground beef by forming it into seasoned patties and smothering them in a thick mushroom gravy.
This retro American great recipe may be a throwback to the classic frozen or TV dinners from the 50’s, but this simple, one-skillet hearty dinner is so much better because it is flavor-packed with basic ingredients that you can pronounce (no additives or preservatives here), and is family-friendly comfort food at its finest.
Simple Salisbury Steak With Mushroom Gravy
Salisbury Steak sounds like it should be a cut of beef, but it is basically a fancy version of a bun-less burger simply made with ground beef that’s mixed with pantry staples, making it an affordable family 30-minute meal with the same succulent, mouthwatering meaty flavors of a steak.
This homemade recipe is so easy to make on the stovetop: hamburger patties are formed and seared in a hot skillet until toasty brown, then simmered in a rich and flavorful mushroom gravy. All of the juices and seasonings meld together into one delicious dinner or a no-fuss anytime meal.
It’s hard not to imagine the traditional TV dinner when you think of Salisbury Steak, but trust me when I tell you that my recipe rendition is the best tasting comfort food that will never go out of style! My homemade version is kind of like little mini meatloaves that are covered and smothered in a brown gravy, but with its moist and beefy flavors, this is a quick way to serve family-friendly food! Even my picky eaters love this recipe.
Why We Love This Salisbury Steak Recipe
- Quick and easy to make 30 minute meal.
- Uses simple, real ingredients–nothing artificial or processed like the TV dinners.
- Homemade, hearty supper that can be made in one skillet.
- Delicious perfectly seasoned patties smothered in a thick mushroom gravy.
- Much more economical than actual steak but shaped to resemble the real deal.
- Comfort food that’s family-friendly for any day of the week.
Other Steak Recipes
Ingredients
- Ground beef: You can also make this with ground chicken or ground turkey.
- Seasoned panko bread crumbs: You can substitute regular seasoned bread crumbs in a pinch.
- Yellow onion: Any onion can be used as a substitution.
- Tomato sauce: You can substitute ketchup for a sweeter pattie or tomato paste for one with a stronger tomato flavor.
- Eggs
- Dijon mustard
- Minced garlic: You can substitute fresh garlic or garlic powder if needed. You will need about ¼-½ teaspoons of garlic powder.
- Cooking oil: An oil with a high burn temperature will work better so that you can get a nice sear on the pattie without burning the oil. I recommend using grapeseed oil, avocado oil, or vegetable oil.
- White mushrooms: Feel free to substitute your favorite mushrooms.
- Brown gravy mix
- Beef broth: You can substitute another broth or even water here, but if you use water you will want to add some extra salt.
- Minced parsley (optional garnish)
Substitutions and Additions
- Meat: Traditionally this is an all-beef recipe, but you can use ground chicken or ground turkey if you prefer.
- Make Meatballs: You can use this recipe to make meatballs instead of patties. They freeze well and are great for last minute dinners!
Recommended Tools
- Large skillet
- Aluminum foil
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring tools
- Mixing tools
See Full Recipe Card Below
Jump to RecipeHow to Make the Best Salisbury Steak
This Salisbury Steak recipe is easy to make in 3 simple steps and 30 minutes: shape the beef patties, brown them in a skillet, and simmer in the rich mushrooms and onions gravy. Serve it over mashed potatoes or rice for a satisfying supper that your family will love.
- Mix together the ground beef, breadcrumbs, onion, tomato sauce, beaten eggs, mustard and garlic until all ingredients are completely combined.
Pro-Tip: Use your hands to mix together the ground beef mixture. This may sound gross (and you definitely want to wash your hands well afterwards) but it is by far the easiest way to get well seasoned, equally mixed patties. You will be able to feel any lumps of unmixed ground beef while you are mixing and will be able to see when everything is fully combined.
- Separate meat mixture into 5 or 6 oval patties, 1-inch thick.
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat until it sizzles if you add a drop of water.
- Sear patties in the hot oil until golden browned, about 2-3 minutes, on each side.
Pro Tip: You may need to sear them in two batches, depending on the size of your pan. An overcrowded pan will not allow the ground beef to brown well. - Remove the patties from the skillet and wrap them in aluminum foil until you’ve made the gravy.
Pro Tip: Aluminum foil will keep the patties hot and may continue to cook them slightly. They do not need to be cooked through yet as you will add them back to the pan with the gravy. - Use the same skillet to heat 1 Tablespoon oil over medium heat and add in the mushrooms to saute for 5-7 minutes.
Pro Tip: The mushrooms are done cooking when they are beginning to take on a golden color and soften on the outside. They should still be firm inside and hold their shape. - Add the gravy mix to the mushrooms and then gradually whisk in the beef broth until smooth.
Pro-Tip: Do not be tempted to walk away while the mushrooms and gravy are cooking–you will get a better result if you stay near and stir them every minute or so. The same goes with the gravy. Once the powdered gravy mix is added, start whisking as you gradually pour in the broth. Keep whisking until all the liquid is added and then add in the patties but continue to whisk any areas of gravy that you can to avoid getting lumps in your gravy. - Place the patties back into the skillet with the mushrooms and gravy and heat over medium low heat, whisking the gravy, until it begins to boil.
- Allow gravy to boil for 1-2 minutes longer or until it has thickened and the patties reach 160 degrees Fahrenheit in the middle.
- Turn off the heat, cover the pan with a lid, and let it sit for 5 minutes to thicken the gravy.
- Garnished with minced parsley, optional. Serve and enjoy!
Tips from Recipe Developer
- Brown your patties in batches to make sure they each get a beautiful, brown sear. Unless you have a really large pan, it is likely that the patties will be pressed together if you put them all in at the same time. This will make it harder for them to get that beautiful brown color you want. Also, since they will be resting while you work on the mushrooms anyways, it is perfectly fine to brown them in batches. Just be sure to wrap the ones that are already seared in aluminum foil to keep them warm.
Storage Tips
- To Store: Salisbury Steak should be cooled to room temperature before storing. You can store it in an airtight in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
- To Freeze: To freeze your Salisbury Steak, make sure it is cooled to room temperature and placed in a freezer-safe container. It can be frozen for 2-3 months.
- To Reheat: Frozen Salisbury Steak can be thawed in the refrigerator or microwaved directly from a frozen state.
Other Easy Ground Beef Recipes
- Mexican Casserole
- Ground Beef Bulgogi (Korean Beef Bowl)
- Easy Taco Bake Casserole
- Homemade Meatballs
- Ground Beef Stroganoff
- Creamy Beef and Shells
- Meatloaf
- Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs
Salisbury Steak
Serves — 6
Salisbury Steaks are perfectly flavored pan-fried patties simmered and smothered in a thick mushroom gravy. A fancy version of a bun-free burger, it's a delicious comfort food classic.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Ingredients
For the Steaks:
- 1 pound ground beef
- ¾ cup seasoned panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup yellow onion finely diced
- ¼ cup tomato sauce
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
For the Gravy:
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
- 16 ounce package white mushrooms sliced
- 1.74 ounce (2 0.87-ounce packets) brown gravy mix
- 2 cups beef broth
- Minced parsley optional garnish
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the ground beef, breadcrumbs, onion, tomato sauce, beaten eggs, mustard and garlic until the ingredients are evenly dispersed throughout the ground beef.
- Separate the mixture into 5-6, 1-inch thick patties.
- Add the cooking oil to a large skillet and heat over medium heat until it sizzles if you splash in a drop of water.
- Place the patties in the hot oil and sear them until browned, about 2-3 minutes, on each side. You may need to sear them in two batches, depending on the size of your pan. An overcrowded pan will not allow the ground beef to brown well.
- Remove the patties from the skillet and place on aluminum foil and wrap up to wait until you’ve made the gravy. This will keep the patties hot and may continue to cook them slightly. They do not need to be cooked through yet as you will add them back to the pan with the gravy.
- In the same skillet, heat 1 Tablespoon oil over medium heat and then add in the sliced mushrooms.
- Saute the mushrooms for 5-7 minutes or until they are beginning to take on a golden color and soften on the outside. They should still be firm inside and hold their shape.
- Add in the gravy mix to the mushrooms and gradually whisk in the beef broth until smooth.
- Add the patties back into the skillet with the mushrooms and gravy and continue heating over medium low heat, whisking the gravy as much as you can, until it begins to boil.
- Continue to boil for 1-2 minutes or until the gravy has thickened and the patties reach 160 degrees Fahrenheit in the middle.
- Turn off the heat, cover the pan with a lid and allow it to sit for 5 minutes for the gravy to finish thickening and cooking.
- Serve garnished with minced parsley, optional.
Jenn’s Notes
Storage :
- To Store: Salisbury Steak should be cooled to room temperature before storing. You can store it in an airtight in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
- To Freeze: To freeze your Salisbury Steak, make sure it is cooled to room temperature and placed in a freezer-safe container. It can be frozen for 2-3 months.
- To Reheat: Frozen Salisbury Steak can be thawed in the refrigerator or microwaved directly from a frozen state.
- Use your hands to mix together the ground beef mixture. This may sound gross (and you definitely want to wash your hands well afterwards) but it is by far the easiest way to get well seasoned, equally mixed patties. You will be able to feel any lumps of unmixed ground beef while you are mixing and will be able to see when everything is fully combined.
- Brown your patties in batches to make sure they each get a beautiful, brown sear. Unless you have a really large pan, it is likely that the patties will be pressed together if you put them all in at the same time. This will make it harder for them to get that beautiful brown color you want. Also, since they will be resting while you work on the mushrooms anyways, it is perfectly fine to brown them in batches. Just be sure to wrap the ones that are already seared in aluminum foil to keep them warm.
- Do not be tempted to walk away while the mushrooms and gravy are cooking–you will get a better result if you stay near and stir them every minute or so. The same goes with the gravy. Once the powdered gravy mix is added, start whisking as you gradually pour in the broth. Keep whisking until all the liquid is added and then add in the patties but continue to whisk any areas of gravy that you can to avoid getting lumps in your gravy.
Nutrition Info
Calories: 231kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 101mg | Sodium: 555mg | Potassium: 639mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 125IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 3mg
