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If you grew up on the boxed version, you will love these tender Salisbury steak patties seared, then finished right in a rich, from-scratch mushroom gravy. No canned soup, required. The sauce is made in the same skillet with tomato paste, onion, and stock for that classic diner flavor, and the patties soak it up as they simmer to juicy perfection. It’s weeknight-easy, kid-approved, and freezer-friendly, with variations for no-mushroom gravy, oven, or slow cooker.
Table of Contents
- Recipe At-a-Glance
- Why This Recipe Works
- Simple Ingredients You’ll Need
- How to Make Salisbury Steak
- Make-Ahead, Storage & Freezing
- What Meat To Use
- Kellie’s Salisbury Steak Variations
- Hamburger Steak vs. Salisbury steak
- Kellie’s Tips and Troubleshooting
- Best Sides for Salisbury Steak
- More Ground Beef Recipes
- Salisbury Steak Recipe
Recipe At-a-Glance
Time: 30–40 minutes • Yield: 4 servings • Difficulty: Easy weeknight
What you’ll love: One pan, kid-approved, classic diner flavor without condensed soup
Best for: Cozy dinners, meal prep, freezer meals
Serve with: Creamy mashed potatoes, buttered green beans, roasted carrots
Classic comfort food and we’re taking it retro here with easy Salisbury steaks! We used to buy this frozen at the supermarket but it’s so easy to make at home in just about the same time. One of the best ground beef recipes around, besides my best meatloaf recipe, this easy Salisbury steak is made with a rich, savory mushroom gravy that cooks up with the pan drippings.
My mom used to make it all the time when I was little. The frozen Salisbury Steaks from the tv dinners were the bomb and I remember wanting that whole tray for myself. I mean, what’s better than a thin little hamburger steak smothered in onion gravy, am I right?
The flavor of my homemade salisbury steak recipe is completely amazing, better than a burger and I threw in a little concentrated tomato paste to boost the yum factor even more. Even the picky eaters agree this is the Best Salisbury Steak recipe.
Why This Recipe Works
- Big savory payoff, no soup can. Tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce builds real rich, savory flavor for that nostalgic comfort.
- Juicy, tender patties. A light panko bread crumb binder and quick sear keep the beef moist and tender, then the patties finish in the gravy so they soak it all up.
- Rich mushroom-onion gravy. A simple pan roux gives you glossy, spoon-coating sauce (no packets needed).
- Weeknight-friendly. 30-40 minutes, 1 skillet, minimal prep.
- Make-ahead superstar. Stores perfectly for meal prep and freezes like a dream.
Simple Ingredients You’ll Need
- Ground Beef – I like to use a lean ground beef, 80/20 ground beef or 90/10 ground beef, to make the meat mixture but you can use whatever you have on hand. For a leaner option, substitute with ground turkey or ground chicken.
- Panko Bread Crumbs – Panko Breadcrumbs are lighter than traditional bread crumbs making your patties less dense. If you don’t have panko on hand, you can use half the amount of regular bread crumbs as a substitution. For a gluten-free recipe, substitute with gluten-free breadcrumbs or rolled oats.
- Tomato Paste – I love to add tomato paste for added depth of flavor and a bit of tang.
- Worcestershire Sauce – The umami bomb in this recipe, if you don’t have Worcestershire sauce you ca n substitute with fish sauce or soy sauce.
- Ground Mustard – If you don’t have ground mustard traditional yellow or dijon mustard will work.
- Black Pepper and Kosher Salt
- Onion – I like to use a Vidalia or other sweet onion for the sauce. Grate the onion directly into the meat mixture or finely dice the onion and add to the sauce.
- Mushrooms – White mushrooms or cremini mushrooms work best. You can skip the mushrooms for a no mushroom gravy option.
- Thyme – Fresh thyme is my favorite but if you have dry thyme substitute only half what is called for in the recipe.
- Beef Stock – I love using Homemade Beef Stock but your favorite store bought beef stock or beef broth will work just as well.
- Butter – Salted butter is key to adding richness and depth to the rich brown gravy. Don’t skip it.
For the full ingredient list and instructions, see the recipe card below.
How to Make Salisbury Steak
This easy Salisbury steak recipe is made with simple ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen.
- In a large bowl, blend together the beef, bread crumbs, tomato paste, worcestershire sauce, ground mustard, onion powder, pepper and salt until well combined.
- Divide the beef mixture into four equal size portions and form into oval patties about 1/2 inch thick.
- Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. I like to use cast iron as it retains the heat more evenly.
- Add the salisbury steak patties to the pan and cook until browned. Turn the patties over and cook for 3-4 minutes longer or until browned. Transfer to a platter and keep warm.
- Lower the stovetop to medium heat. Add the sliced onions to the pan and cook until translucent. Add the mushrooms and cook until softened. Stir in the thyme, garlic powder and all purpose flour. Add the beef stock scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen the brown bits.
- Stir in the worcestershire sauce and bring the mixture to a boil. When the gravy begins to thicken, reduce the heat to medium and stir in the butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Return the beef patties to the pan turning to coat with the rich mushroom gravy and cook for 4-5 minutes or until they are no longer pink in the middle.
- Sprinkle with parsley or chives, if desired. Serve immediately.
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Make-Ahead, Storage & Freezing
- Stovetop: Simmer the leftover salisbury steak gently 8-10 minutes, adding stock if the gravy tightened in the refrigerator.
- Make-Ahead: Form patties up to 24 hours in advance, cover and refrigerate in an airtight container.
- Refrigerator: Leftover Salisbury Steak keeps for 3-4 days in an airtight container.
- Freeze: Cool the burger patties completely in gravy. Freeze in meal-size portions for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container.
- Reheat (best): Thaw frozen salisbury steak overnight. Warm, covered, in a 325˚F oven 20-25 minutes with a few tablespoons of beef stock.
What Meat To Use
I like to use a high quality ground beef and stick to around an 80/20 mix. Since the ground meat is blended together with other seasonings and ingredients you don’t need a higher fat beef to retain the flavor.
This Homemade Salisbury steak recipe is fairly lean and a total hit with the whole family.
Kellie’s Salisbury Steak Variations
No-Mushroom Gravy – Skip the mushrooms. Add 1 teaspoon soy sauce and ½ teaspoon Dijon to the onions for a richer flavor, then proceed with the rest of the recipe.
Oven-Finished – After searing both sides of the burger patties (still underdone in the center), nestle patties in the gravy and transfer to a 375˚F oven for 18–22 minutes until the gravy is bubbling and patties read 160˚F on an instant read thermometer
Slow Cooker Salisbury Steaks – Sear the patties and sauté onions with the mushrooms on the stovetop. Transfer to slow cooker with the stock and seasonings (do not add the flour). Cook 6-7 hours on LOW or 3-4 hours on HIGH. Thicken at the end by whisking 1 Tablespoon cornstarch per 1 cup of cooking liquid, stir in, cover and cook 10–15 minutes on HIGH.
Turkey Salisbury Steak – Use 93% ground turkey, add 1 extra tablespoon breadcrumbs (turkey has more moisture), and don’t skip the sear. Finish gently in gravy until a temperature of 165˚F is reach when tested internally with a thermometer.
Extra-Pepper Diner Style – Add ½ teaspoon to 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper to the gravy and a tablespoon of ketchup for that retro tang.
Hamburger Steak vs. Salisbury steak
The difference between Hamburger Steak and Salisbury steak is fairly minimal but it’s all in the ingredients. Hamburger Steak is seasoned with just salt and pepper while Salisbury steak will have other ingredients mixed in like onion, pepper and seasonings.
This simple Salisbury steak recipe is topped with a quick, superbly epic mushroom gravy that cooks in the same pan you just browned your steaks in. Then you toss the steaks back into the pan so they can soak up all that wonderfulness you just created with your few simple ingredients.
The whole deal is ready in under 30 minutes and if you have some leftover potatoes from Sunday supper and some easy green vegetables, your family will be eating dinner in no time flat.
Kellie’s Tips and Troubleshooting
- Patties falling apart? Blend the meat mixture gently, overworked meat gets crumbly. Make sure you have enough binder (aim for ¼ cup crumbs and 1 egg per pound). Chill formed patties 10-15 minutes before searing.
- Gravy too thin? Simmer 2-3 minutes longer until the gravy is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, or whisk 1 Tablespoon cornstarch and 1 Tablespoon of cold water per cup of liquid, whisk into the gravy and simmer 1-2 minutes.
- Gravy too thick? Whisk in warm beef stock (1-2 Tablespoons at a time) until it coats the back of a spoon and a finger swipe leaves a clean line.
- Too salty? Add unsalted beef stock, a tablespoon of unsalted butter, or 1-2 teaspoons heavy cream to tone down the saltiness.
- Greasy gravy? Skim the fat off with a spoon or lay a paper towel on the surface for 2-3 seconds to soak up the fat, then discard.
- Dry/tough patties? Don’t overmix; cook to 160˚F and finish in the gravy so they re-hydrate.
Best Sides for Salisbury Steak
- Country Mashed Potatoes….because they go together like Mac and cheese.
- Speaking of Mac and cheese…this Mac and cheese is on the table in just 10 minutes.
- Roasted potatoes are always a hit.
- Need something green? These Green Beans are always a winner.
- I can never say no to a Twice Baked Potato!
More Ground Beef Recipes
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Salisbury Steak
Equipment
- 1 skillet
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- pinch of salt
For the Gravy
- 1 large vidalia onion, diced
- 4 ounces sliced white mushrooms
- 1 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 1/2 tablespoons flour or cornstarch
- 3 cups beef stock
- 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon butter
- kosher salt and pepper, to taste
- Chopped fresh parsley or chives
Instructions
- In a large bowl, use your hands to blend together the beef, bread crumbs, tomato paste, worcestershire sauce, ground mustard, onion powder, pepper and salt until well combined. Divide the beef mixture into four equal size portions and form into oval patties about 1/2 inch thick.
- Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil over medium heat in a large cast iron or heavy bottomed skillet. Add the patties to the pan and cook until browned, approximately 2-3 minutes. Turn the patties over and cook for 3-4 minutes longer or until browned. Transfer to a platter and keep warm.
- Pour off the fat in the pan and return to the heat. Add the onions to the pan and cook until translucent. Add the mushrooms and cook until softened. Stir in the thyme, garlic powder and flour. Cook for 1 minute.
- Slowly add the beef stock scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen the brown bits. Stir in the worcestershire sauce and bring the mixture to a boil. When the gravy begins to thicken, turn the heat down and stir in the butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Return the beef patties to the pan and cook for 5-7 minutes or until they are no longer pink in the middle.
- Sprinkle with parsley or chives, if desired. Serve immediately
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is BY FAR the best recipe I’ve ever tried for Salisbury steak. It’s just delicious. I’ve made this quite a few times as it’s such a favorite. The only thing I add, is a generous splash of either Cabernet or Merlot to the beef stock, and allow it to reduce a little. Truly a great recipe for this ‘old school’ meal. Thanks, Kellie!
The wine is a great addition! Thank you so much for sharing and I appreciate your comment! have a wonderful day, Deborah!
I live alone. I’m trying to lose some weight. But I’m a picky eater. All onions in recipes have to be very finely chopped. I like the flavor, but I don’t like to bite down on an onion. I don’t like tomatoes, but I like tomato sauce and tomato paste. I also definitely do not like peppers. I like the flavor in the recipe, but I don’t like actual chunks of peppers. I know I’m a very picky eater. With some minor adjustments, I think this recipe would be great.
It will definitely work with your modification, I hope you like it!
I was excited about making this but unfortunately we weren’t big fans. I followed the recipe exactly. I think the sweetness from the Vidalia onion gave the gravy a weird sweet taste. We didn’t care for the thyme in the gravy either. I guess it’s just our personal tastes.
Your quesadilla was sooo good tonight I am making this again. Salisbury steak! It’s soooo good Gravy yes please
Peas and mashed potatoes
YUM!!
Haven’t tried it yet but will soon. Since it’s just me, I wish for your recipes you would let us know if or how to freeze for future use. I do this with many recipes so I only need to cook once and voila! Have a quick meal.
Thanks for all your recipes.
Hi Suzanne! I just transferred the steaks and gravy to a freezer bag or freezer safe container and freeze. It’s super simple.
I can’t tell you how many times I have made this recipe! My family loves it and requests it frequently.
Thank you so much! I’m so glad they love it.
This is delicious.
I make it for my
college age
grandson.
He asks for it all the
time. Great recipe!
G’MA DIANE
Thank you for your kind comment, G’MA Diane! I’m so happy he loves it.
Wow! I have tried two other online Salisbury Steak recipes and was disappointed with them both. This is by far the best, bar none, Salisbury Steaks my family has ever had! The gravy is tasty. And you don’t have to spend a long time preparing it.
that makes me so happy! Thank you so much for your comment, I’m thrilled you loved it!
I had a yen for Salisbury Steak and saw your recipe. I made it exactly the same as your recipe, and it was just delicious. Thank you for your expertise in satisfying our taste buds. Love your recipes. I am going to try some more of them.
Thank you so much for your comment! I appreciate it so much.