Salisbury steak is a longstanding comfort food that’s quite common in a supermarket’s frozen meals department, but it’s worthy of so much more. Our time-saving, easy Salisbury steak recipe is so much better than its cafeteria and TV dinner counterparts, and it takes only 30 minutes to prepare.
To make things even easier, the tasty gravy in this dish uses a kitchen classic—condensed cream of mushroom soup—as its base, along with fresh sliced mushrooms. You may never want to buy a frozen dinner again.
Easy Salisbury Steak Ingredients
- Eggs: Eggs in this easy Salisbury steak recipe serve as a binder to keep the patties together.
- Dry bread crumbs: Bread crumbs combine with the eggs to keep the patties from falling apart.
- Condensed cream of mushroom soup: This soup makes it easy to whip up a tasty mushroom gravy. It’s also a flavor ingredient within the Salisbury steak patties, so every bite is delicious.
- Onion: Small bits of onion add flavor and texture to the Salisbury steak patties. If you’re not a fan of onions, feel free to omit them.
- Lean ground beef: Lean ground beef is the key ingredient in the “steak” part of Salisbury steak. Lean meat is the best choice here, as there’s less fat to drain out of the pan after browning the patties.
- Milk: Milk joins forces with the condensed mushroom soup to form a delicious gravy. Using fat-free milk keeps the fat calories down.
- Browning sauce (optional): Browning sauce gives a bit of a smoky, sweet, molasses-like flavor and brown hue to the mushroom sauce. Some brands include seasonings to further flavor the dish.
- Sliced fresh mushrooms: Fresh mushrooms add texture and taste to the Salisbury steak gravy for that homemade touch.
Directions
Step 1: Make the Salisbury steak patties
Thoroughly combine the eggs, bread crumbs, 1/4 cup undiluted soup and onion in a large bowl. Crumble the ground beef into the bowl and mix well to combine all the ingredients. Shape the mixture into six patties.
Step 2: Brown the patties
In a large nonstick skillet, brown the patties on both sides. Drain as much fat as possible into a disposable container.
Editor’s Tip: If it’s difficult to drain the fat while holding the patties in place with a spatula, temporarily set the patties on a plate, drain the liquid out of the pan, then return the patties to the pan.
Step 3: Make the gravy
In a small bowl, combine the milk, browning sauce (optional), salt and the rest of the soup. Stir in the sliced mushrooms.
Step 4: Finish cooking the Salisbury steak
Pour the gravy atop the Salisbury steak patties in the pan. Reduce heat, cover, then simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until the meat is no longer pink inside. If using a meat thermometer, the patties are ready when their internal temperature reaches 160°F.
Easy Salisbury Steak Variations
- Substitute ground turkey: If you prefer turkey to beef, replace the ground beef in this easy Salisbury steak recipe with ground turkey. Ground beef has slightly more saturated fat than ground turkey of comparable leanness.
- Make meatballs instead of patties: Shape the ground meat mixture into meatballs instead of patties for a fun alternative. Serve the meatballs and gravy atop wide noodles, or make delicious Salisbury meatball sandwiches by scooping the meatballs and gravy onto Italian sandwich rolls, with optional toppings such as sauteed onions or green peppers.
- Caramelize onions for added flavor: Caramelize your favorite variety of sliced onions in the pan, adding the Salisbury steak patties after a few minutes. The onions impart extra flavor to the entire dish once the gravy is added and everything simmers together.
How to Store This Easy Salisbury Steak
Meat dishes must be refrigerated for storage. Salisbury steak, including its gravy, keeps for three to four days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat, transfer the patties and gravy to a pan and warm them up on the stovetop, adding a small amount of water or beef broth as needed to prevent burning.
How to Freeze Salisbury Steak
Transfer cooled Salisbury steak to a freezer bag or freezer-worthy storage container to keep the dish for up to three months. Thaw the food in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight, then reheat the patties and gravy in a pan, along with a splash of water or broth, as needed.
Can you make this easy Salisbury steak recipe ahead of time?
Yes, you can prepare the Salisbury steak ahead of time by making the patties and leaving them, raw, in the refrigerator on a parchment-paper-covered cookie sheet to use them in a few hours. Brown them and make the gravy when you’re ready to finish preparing the meal.
To prepare Salisbury steak patties for a later date, cover a cookie sheet in parchment paper and set the raw patties atop the paper. Place the cookie sheet in the freezer for a couple hours, then transfer the patties to a freezer bag for storage once they’re frozen. When you’re planning to cook the patties, thaw them in the refrigerator, then brown them and prepare the gravy.
Easy Salisbury Steak Recipe Tips
What’s the difference between Swiss steak and Salisbury steak?
While both Swiss and Salisbury steaks use inexpensive meats, Swiss steak is usually made from a cut of beef, such as beef chuck or bottom round, tenderized and dredged in flour. It’s not ground meat, as is Salisbury steak. Swiss steak’s sauce is entirely different as well, featuring ingredients such as onions, celery, tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce.
What’s the difference between hamburger steak and Salisbury steak?
Hamburger steak and Salisbury steak both begin as ground beef, but the preparation methods are a bit different. Hamburger steaks are made into patties and seasoned with salt and pepper, whereas Salisbury steak patties have egg and bread crumbs as binding agents. Hamburger steaks, which are essentially hamburgers without the bun, are often served with a gravy made of beef stock and onions.
How do I keep Salisbury steak patties from falling apart in the pan?
The key to keeping Salisbury steaks together is all in the patty-formation process. Thoroughly combine the egg and bread crumbs with the ground beef so the mixture is consistent throughout, otherwise crumbling may ensue. Pack the meat mix tightly when making each patty, as this helps it stay together when you flip the patty and again when it’s cooking in the gravy. Loosely formed patties are more likely to fall apart as you cook them.
