Classic Salisbury Steak is smothered in a mushroom and onion gravy and is ready in just 30 minutes!
One of those comfort food favorites that never goes out of style. It’s quick to make, inexpensive, and is popular with kids and adults alike! This homemade version is WAY better than the kind you’ll typically find in the freezer section of your grocery store.
The first step to making Salisbury steak is to form your meat patties. I like to use a 90% lean ground beef, because it has a lot of flavor but it’s not overly greasy. The meat is mixed with breadcrumbs and seasonings, then formed into oval shaped “steaks”.
The patties are cooked to golden brown, and then a simple gravy is made with onions, mushrooms, beef broth and a little cornstarch which is used as a thickener. I typically use white button mushrooms, but other mushroom varieties like cremini mushrooms would also be a great choice. I make it easy on myself by purchasing the pre-sliced mushrooms to save on some prep time.
INGREDIENTS
For the Steaks:
1/3 cup breadcrumbs
1 egg
1 small yellow onion grated
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 lb. lean ground beef such as 90/10
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
For the Mushroom Gravy:
2 tablespoons butter 8 oz. sliced mushrooms I used baby portobellas (cremini) 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 cups beef broth kosher salt to taste black pepper to taste
Instructions
In a large bowl, mix together the grated onion (and its juices), the breadcrumbs (1/3 cup), the egg, the kosher salt (1 teaspoon), and the black pepper (1/2 teaspoon) until well combined.
Add the ground beef to the bowl and mix to combine with the breadcrumb and onion mixture. I recommend using your hands for this. Divide the beef mixture evenly into four.
The easiest way to do this is to press the beef mixture into the bottom of the bowl and use your finger to “draw” lines dividing it into four quadrants. Form 4 oval shaped patties with your hands about 3/4ths of an inch thick. Heat a large skillet over high heat.
Only after it’s searing hot (after about 2 minutes), add the olive oil (1 tablespoon) to the pan and swirl to coat. Add the patties to the hot pan and cook for 2 minutes on each side- they should a have nice brown color.
To get the best color, don’t move them until the two minutes are up. Remove the patties to a plate. Add the butter (2 tablespoons) to the skillet, then add the sliced mushrooms after it’s melted. Cook the mushrooms for 2 minutes, until golden. Then, sprinkle the flour (2 tablespoons) over the mushrooms. Stir the mushrooms, coating each of them in the flour, and continue to cook for 1 more minute.
Add the beef broth (2 cups), stirring constantly to incorporate the flour, and bring it to a simmer.
Add the steak patties back into the gravy mixture and simmer, uncovered, for 5 more minutes, or until they’re fully cooked and the gravy has thickened.Notes Time saving tip: Form the patties ahead of time and store in your refrigerator for up to two days.
Money saving tip: Look for ground beef on sale or buy it in bulk to store in your freezer. Take it out of the freezer 24 hours before making this recipe. You can also make your own breadcrumbs easily by toasting two slices of bread and using your food processor to crumble them. For a dairy-free version: use more olive oil instead of butter to make the gravy.