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Treat your family to this fantastic Salisbury Steak recipe on the table in 30 minutes. Weeknights never tasted so good!
Salisbury Steak is a nostalgic favorite. When I was a kid, my mom would make trays of the frozen family packs on the nights she didn’t have time to cook. She served it with egg noodles, and I just loved it. These days I have a more sophisticated palate, so frozen meals aren’t my thing, but homemade is an easy and delicious upgrade that gives this childhood front-runner a position back on my table.
I still love it served with egg noodles, but my family prefers it alongside mashed potatoes and roasted broccoli. Either way, it’s a fantastic, easy meal everyone enjoys.
Why This Recipe Works
- Moistened breadcrumbs keep the meat moist and tender.
- Finishing the patties off in the mushroom gravy keeps them moist and adds flavor.
- Adding vinegar to the mushroom gravy adds brightness and a bit of acidity to enhance the flavors.
What Is Salisbury Steak?
This tasty version of that classic comfort food takes less than thirty minutes to prepare! Easy to do just one pan, this hearty dinner recipe will please the entire family, and it’s much better than anything you can get from the shop!
How To Make Salisbury Steak
- Soak the breadcrumbs in milk.
- Combine the ground beef, breadcrumb mixture, egg, onion and salt and pepper.
- Shape into patties.
- Fry patties for 5 minutes each side. Set aside.
- Make the mushroom gravy.
- Finish the patties off in the gravy.
- Serve and enjoy!
Ingredient Notes
- Ground Beef: Beef with higher fat content instead of lean meat. The extra fat keeps the patties nice and juicy. I recommend using Ground Beef that’s 80% lean.
- Breadcrumbs: I use plain panko bread crumbs, but regular or seasoned will work.
- Eggs: Use large or jumbo-sized eggs.
- Flour: All-purpose or plain flour
- Shallots: I use minced shallots in the meat mixture instead of onions because they are smaller and will cook with the meat. You can use onions, but if you do, I recommend sauteing them first and then allowing them to cool before adding them to the mixture.
- Mushrooms: I like to use cremini mushrooms, but any brown mushroom works well.
- Onions: I use yellow onions for the sauce, but you can use white or, for a sweeter element, use red onions.
- Soy Sauce – I use soy sauce for a bit of umami flavor. Use low sodium soy sauce. If you only have regular, cut the salt to a quarter teaspoon.
The All Important Taste Test
After making your meat mixture for the Salisbury Steak, it’s worth taking extra time to cook a sample and taste it before forming your patties. Do this by making a tiny hamburger patty and pan-frying it in a bit of oil until fully cooked. Then do a taste test. It should taste delicious! It probably needs salt or a little extra soy sauce if it doesn’t. Season the raw mixture and repeat the test until it meets your expectations.
Step By Step Instructions
Combine the breadcrumbs in a small bowl, add the milk and stir together while adding more milk, one tablespoon to moisten them thoroughly. Let rest while you prep the rest of the ingredients (or leave for at least 5 minutes).
Add the ground beef, bread crumb mixture, salt, pepper, chopped onion, and egg in a large mixing bowl.
Mix until evenly combined. This can be done by hand or if you have a heavy-duty stand mixer, mix it on a low setting until combined.
Shape the beef mixture into 4 oval-shaped patties, about an inch thick. The patties need to be a similar size so they cook evenly and at the same time.
Coat your pan with two tablespoons of canola or vegetable oil (as they have a higher smoke point). You only want a thin layer of oil, so swirl it around to coat the pan’s bottom evenly.
Heat the oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Preheat your pan well -This is important as a higher temperature is necessary to achieve a deep-colored sear on the surface of the patties.
Pan-fry the patties until crisp and browned (about 5 minutes on each side). Remove from the pan and set aside.
Using the same pan, add more oil if needed. Add the onion and saute until translucent.
Add the sliced mushrooms, saute until cooked through and any liquid has evaporated, and mushrooms are browned (about 7 to 9 minutes). Season with salt and pepper and mix to combine.
Stir in flour so it coats the onions and mushrooms and cooks it for another minute.
Add the beef stock gradually, continuously stirring and scrape the bottom of the pan to get all the brown bits that may have stuck to the pan (this adds a wealth of flavor). Add the vinegar, raise the heat, bring to a boil, mix in the herbs, and return the beef patties to the pan.
Finishing the patties in the mushroom gravy adds flavor and moisture to the beef.
Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for another 5-10 minutes or until the patties are no longer pink in the center. Taste the sauce for seasoning, and season with salt as needed before serving.
Serve and enjoy.
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Recipe
Salisbury Steak
Ingredients
For the beef patties:
- ½ cup bread crumbs
- ¼ cup milk (or water – plus more if needed)
- 1 pound ground beef (80/20 lean)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated black pepper
- 1 shallot (minced)
- 1 egg (beaten)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons parsley or thyme (chopped)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
For the gravy:
- 1 large onion (thinly sliced)
- salt & pepper (to taste)
- 1 lb crimini mushrooms (sliced )
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups beef stock
- 1 teaspoon white or red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon parsley (chopped)
Instructions
Make the Beef Patties:
- In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs with ½ cup milk or water. Stir until the crumbs are evenly moistened (texture should feel like damp sand, not soupy). Let sit for at least 5 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the ground beef, soaked breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, minced shallot, beaten egg, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, and parsley. Mix gently until everything is just combined — don’t overmix or the patties can get tough.
- Shape the mixture into 4 oval-shaped patties, about 1 inch thick.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pan-fry the patties for about 3 minutes per side, until browned and crisp on the outside but not fully cooked inside. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Make the Mushroom Gravy:
- In the same skillet, add a little more oil if needed. Sauté the sliced onion over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, until soft and translucent.
- Add the mushrooms and cook for 7–9 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and any liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and stir well. Sauté the mixture until you can no longer see any raw flour.
- Slowly pour in the beef stock while stirring constantly, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Stir in the vinegar, raise the heat to bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to low. Add the parsley and return the beef patties to the pan.
- Cover and simmer gently for about 10 minutes, or until the patties are cooked through (internal temperature should reach 160°F).
- Taste the gravy and adjust seasoning with extra salt or pepper if needed.
Serve:
- Spoon the rich mushroom gravy over the patties and serve warm with mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or rice.
Tips
Erren’s Top Tips
- Breadcrumb Magic: Don’t skip soaking the breadcrumbs in milk — this step keeps the patties tender and juicy instead of dense or dry.
- Be sure to mince your shallots instead of chopping them. The finer cut will allow them to cook along with the meat.
- Gentle Hands: When mixing the beef, use your hands and don’t overwork it. Overmixing can make the patties tough.
- Preheat your pan well. This is important as a higher temperature is necessary to achieve a deep-colored sear on the surface of the patties.
- Brown the patties until crisp, but don’t cook them all the way through. You want them to finish cooking in the sauce to allow their meaty flavor to seep into the gravy.
- The Golden Brown Rule: Make sure the patties get a good sear before removing them from the pan — that crust adds major flavor to both the steak and the gravy.
- Gravy Watch: Add the beef stock slowly while whisking to avoid lumps and get a silky-smooth sauce.
- Check Doneness: Use a meat thermometer if you’re unsure. The patties are ready when the center reaches 160°F.
Variations & Add-Ins
- Cheesy Twist: Add a slice of provolone or Swiss cheese on top of each patty right before serving for melty, extra richness.
- Veggie Boost: Stir a handful of frozen peas or carrots into the gravy at the end for a complete one-pan meal.
- Herb Swap: Try fresh thyme instead of parsley for an earthier flavor.
- Lean Option: Use ground turkey or chicken — just note the flavor will be lighter and you’ll want to bump up the seasoning.
Storage & Freezing Instructions
- Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The gravy may thicken, so stir in a splash of beef stock or water when reheating.
- Freezer: Cooked patties and gravy freeze beautifully! Cool completely, then freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently on the stovetop with a little extra stock to bring the gravy back to life.
- Make-Ahead: Brown the patties and make the gravy a day in advance. Store them separately in the fridge, then reheat together to finish cooking the meat. Add extra stock if the gravy thickens.
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