Nothing says classic comfort food quite like Salisbury steak! Juicy, well-seasoned beef patties simmered in a rich, savory mushroom onion gravy—what’s not to love? This easy homemade Salisbury steak recipe comes together quickly with a food processor and budget-friendly ingredients, making it a perfect go-to meal for busy weeknights.
Whether you serve it over creamy mashed potatoes or buttered egg noodles, this dish will quickly become a family favorite.
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The TV Dinner Connection
If you grew up during the era of TV dinners, you probably remember Salisbury steak as a regular feature in those iconic compartmentalized trays. I certainly do! As a kid, Salisbury steak was one of my favorite TV dinners—there was just something so satisfying about cutting into that juicy beef patty covered in rich gravy with a side of mashed potatoes and peas.
TV dinners gained popularity in the 1950s and beyond, offering a convenient way for families to enjoy a hot meal in front of the television. Salisbury steak became a classic choice because it was hearty, flavorful, and reheated well.
While today’s homemade version is far superior to the frozen meals of the past, the nostalgia of that TV dinner experience still makes this dish extra special. Now, instead of peeling back the foil on a frozen tray, you can make it from scratch with fresh ingredients—and trust me, it’s even better than you remember!
Ingredients for Salisbury Steak - Here's What You'll Need
My ingredients for the Salisbury steak are pretty standard, with two exceptions.
First, to help ensure tender meat, I added ½ teaspoon of baking soda mixed with two teaspoons of water. According to America's Test Kitchen, adding baking soda to ground meat alters its protein structure, making it more tender, helps the meat retain moisture, and promotes browning.
Second, I added Better Than Beef Bouillon Roast Beef Base to enhance the overall flavor.
Forming the Salisbury Steak Patties - Step by Step
- First, I added all of the Salisbury steak ingredients to my food processor, which was fitted with a steel blade.
- Then, I pulsed the ingredients ten times to combine everything.
- Next, being the foodie nerd I am, I weighed the mixture—it weighed approximately 24 ounces. I asked the Master Taste Tester whether he wanted six patties, each weighing four ounces, or four patties, each weighing six ounces. He opted for the four-ounce patties. Therefore, using wet hands, I formed the mixture into six four-ounce oval-shaped patties.
- One of the beauties of this recipe is its make-ahead convenience. Specifically, once the patties were formed, I covered them and put them in the refrigerator. An added benefit of this was that it allowed the flavors to blend together before the patties were cooked.
Making the Mushroom and Onion Gravy
Before cooking the Salisbury steak patties, I made the rich, savory gravy using the following ingredients.
- First, I cooked the onions and mushroom in melted butter over medium-high heat for about five minutes. This allowed the moisture to evaporate and the mushrooms and onions to start to brown. This took six to seven minutes.
- Then, I reduced the heat to medium and stirred in the flour, salt, and pepper. I let the flour cook for about three minutes to eliminate the raw flour taste.
- After that, I added the beef broth, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce. I stirred the mixture until the gravy thickened.
- Then, I let the gravy cook for about ten more minutes to allow it to thicken more. I transferred the gravy to a 4-cup measuring cup. I wanted to brown the beef patties before adding the gravy!
Cooking the Salisbury Steak with Mushroom and Onion Gravy
At this point, I had formed the beef patties and made the gravy. Now, it was time to cook the Salisbury steak.
- I started by melting butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once the butter had melted, I added the oval patties and cooked them for around three minutes until they were golden brown on one side.
- Then, I flipped the patties and cooked them on the other side until they were golden brown. This took another three minutes.
- At this point, the beef patties were browned but were not yet done in the middle. No problem! I poured the gravy over the beef patties.
- I reduced the heat to medium-low and cooked the mixture for around 10 minutes to ensure the patties were fully cooked (at least 160°F on an instant-read thermometer).
I served the Salisbury steak, smothered in the savory gravy, with mashed potatoes and green peas - just like the TV dinners from my distant past.
However, this homemade version of the timeless classic with the tender, juicy beef, and rich mushroom and onion gravy was amazing and a true comfort dish.
Whether you’re making it for a cozy family dinner or meal prepping for the week, this homemade Salisbury steak recipe is sure to be a hit. Give it a try, and don’t forget to let me know how it turns out in the comments! Yum!
Frequently Asked Questions
This dish is named after Dr. James H. Salisbury, an American physician in the 19th century. Dr. Salisbury believed that minced beef patties, broiled or fried, provided essential nutrients for health. Over time, the dish evolved to include a delicious brown gravy, onions, and seasonings.
No. Salisbury steak typically contains fillers like breadcrumbs, eggs, and seasonings, giving it a more meatloaf-like texture. Hamburger steak is generally just seasoned ground beef, shaped into a patty, and served with gravy.
Feel free to form the patties into either round or oval shapes. It's a matter of preference.
Yes! While traditional Salisbury steak is made with ground beef, you can also use ground turkey or ground chicken for a leaner option.
Yes! While mushrooms add depth to the gravy, you can omit them or replace them with caramelized onions for a different but equally delicious flavor.
Recipe Tips
- Use wet hands: Wet your hands before forming the patties. That way, the meat mixture won't stick!
- Oval shape works best: I used a 12-inch nonstick skillet and wanted to easily fit all of the beef patties in it. Shaping them in an oval made this possible. They would not have all fit in the pan if I had shaped them into rounds!
- Don’t skip the browning step: Searing the patties before simmering in the gravy enhances the flavor and texture.
- Make-ahead convenience: Salisbury steak reheats beautifully, making it a great meal prep option. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. It an also be frozen for up to three months.
- Enhance the gravy: The Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce add depth to the gravy’s flavor. For an even more luxurious gravy, add about ¼ cup of cream.
Other Budget-Friendly Recipes
Budget-friendly recipes are becoming even more important in this period of rising prices. However, they don't have to sacrifice flavor. Here are some of my favorites:
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Classic Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Onion Gravy
Equipment
- Food Processor with Steel Blade
- 12-inch nonstick skillet
Ingredients
Salisbury Steak
- ½ teaspoon baking soda (See Tip 1)
- 2 teaspoons (0.36 ounces) water
- 1 pound (16 ounces) ground beef (See Tip 2)
- ¾ cup onion, finely chopped (1 small onion)
- ½ cup (2 ounces) plain breadcrumbs (See Tip 3)
- 1 large egg
- 2 Tablespoons (1 ounce) ketchup
- 1 ½ teaspoons Better Than Bouillon
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons (1 ounce) unsalted butter (for browning the Salisbury steaks)
Mushroom and Onion Gravy
- 2 Tablespoons (1 ounce) unsalted butter
- 1 cup diced onions (1 medium onion)
- 8 ounces Cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced (See Tip 4)
- ¼ cup (1.25 ounces) all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 cups (24 ounces) low-sodium beef broth
- 2 Tablespoons (1 ounce) ketchup
- 1 Tablespoon (0.5 ounces) Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon (0.18 ounces) low-sodium soy sauce
Instructions
Making the Beef Patties
- Add the baking soda to 2 teaspoons of water; stir to combine.
- Add the ground beef, baking soda mixture, onions, breadcrumbs, egg, ketchup, Better than Bouillon, garlic, dry mustard, salt, and pepper to the food process with a steel blade. Pulse ten times to combine. (See Tip 5)
- This makes approximately 24 ounces of the mixture. Form into six 4-ounce patties or four 6-ounce patties. (See Tips 6 and 7)
- The patties may be made several hours in advance, covered, and refrigerated.
Mushroom and Onion Gravy
- Melt butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally until the moisture has evaporated and the vegetables begin to brown, about 7 to 8 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the flour, salt, and pepper; stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally for around 3 minutes to get rid of the raw flour taste.
- Add the beef broth, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce. Cook, stirring constantly, until the gravy thickens. Continue cooking for an additional ten minutes to allow the gravy to continue to thicken. (See Tip 8)
- Transfer the gravy to a 4-cup measuring cup and set aside.
- Clean the pan for use in finishing the Salisbury steak.
Finishing the Salisbury Steak
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat in the cleaned pan that was used to make the gravy. Add the beef patties. Cook until golden brown, about three minutes. Turn over and cook an additional three minutes or until golden brown. (See Tip 9)
- Reduce the heat to medium-low; add the mushroom and onion gravy. Simmer the Salisbury steak for around 10 minutes or until thoroughly cooked. (They should register at least 160°F with an instant-read thermometer.)
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings. (See Tip 10)
Video
Tips/Notes
- Adding a small amount of baking soda mixed with water tenderizes the ground beef, helps it retain moisture, and enhances the browning.
- I used 90% ground beef. You could also use 85% ground beef. If desired, you could substitute ground turkey or ground chicken for the ground beef.
- Feel free to substitute Panko breadcrumbs for the plain dry breadcrumbs.
- I could have also used white button mushrooms in place of the Cremini mushrooms.
- You could also combine the Salisbury steak mixture in a bowl with a fork or your hands.
- I prefer to form the beef patties in an oval shape because the oval shape fits better in the skillet. However, you could also form the patties in a round shape. It's a matter of preference.
- I like to make the beef patties several hours before cooking them to allow the baking soda to do its magic and the flavors to blend together. When made in advance, I cover the beef patties and refrigerate them. However, you could skip this resting step and go ahead and cook the Salisbury steak.
- If the gravy needs additional thickening, add a slurry of 1 teaspoon of cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of water.
- The beef patties will not be fully cooked after browning them. They will continue to cook until done once the gravy has been added.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days or in the freezer for up to three months. I generally reheat the leftovers in the microwave for several minutes.
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