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This classic Salisbury steak is a one-pan, weeknight-friendly comfort food made with tender seasoned ground beef patties, caramelized onions, browned mushrooms, and a rich, savory gravy.
One-Pan Classic Comfort Food
Lately, I've been really enjoying making cozy, classic comfort food beef recipes like my beef bourguignon and braised short ribs, and this Salisbury steak fits right in. It's a rich, savory skillet dinner made with juicy ground beef patties, deeply caramelized onions, mushrooms, and a glossy brown gravy.
You'll love it because it's simple, budget-friendly, one-pan, and incredibly satisfying. It reheats beautifully, making it perfect for making ahead, meal prep, and leftovers! It belongs in your regular dinner rotation just like my pan-seared flank steak with mashed sweet potatoes or this marinated ribeye steak.
You can serve Salisbury steak over simple, everyday side dishes like mashed potatoes, rice, yellow polenta, reader-favorite green beans, or even buttered noodles.
What Is Salisbury Steak? (Brief History)
Salisbury steak is named after Dr. James Henry Salisbury, a 19th-century American physician who advocated for a diet centered on lean minced beef. What started as a simple beef patty evolved into a classic American comfort dish - seasoned ground beef formed into oval "steaks" and served with brown gravy, often with onions and mushrooms. By the 1960s and 70s, it had become synonymous with frozen TV dinners, home cooking, and diner menus.
My recipe follows that tradition closely: the patties are seasoned with the classic combination of mustard, Worcestershire, and ketchup, and the gravy uses the same pan drippings and a standard roux-based technique.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Ground beef: I used 80/20 ground beef, which is the standard choice here - it has enough fat to keep the patties juicy and hold together during searing. Leaner blends will produce a drier result. A mix of ground beef and pork or turkey will work too!
- Breadcrumbs: I used ½ cup of Panko. You can also use other breadcrumbs of your choice, crushed crackers, and even ground-up oatmeal. If you're gluten-free, use GF breadcrumbs.
- Worcestershire sauce: It's the classic component in both the ground beef patties and the gravy. You can substitute with soy sauce or tamari.
- Ketchup (in the patties and the gravy): It's another traditional ingredient for Salisbury steaks. Feel free to use a tiny squeeze of tomato paste + a pinch of sugar to replace the ketchup.
- Butter (for the gravy): I use unsalted butter to control the saltiness of the gravy. You can use olive oil or any other neutral cooking fat. Ghee is a great alternative!
- Mushrooms: I recommend Cremini mushrooms - they have more flavor than standard white button mushrooms. You can also use shiitake or portobello for a more "meaty" flavor.
- Onion: I add diced onion to both the beef mixture and the gravy. Shallots would work well, too!
- Other supporting ingredients: You will also need an egg, Dijon mustard, and garlic powder for the ground beef patties. For the gravy, you will also use flour to make the roux and thicken it, along with beef broth.
How to Make Salisbury Steaks (Step-by-Step Photos)
- Make steaks (patties): Mix the ground beef, diced onion, egg, breadcrumbs, Dijon, ketchup, Worcestershire, garlic powder, salt, and pepper just until combined. Form into 4 tightly packed oval patties.
- Cook steaks: Sear in oil over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes per side until browned but not fully cooked; set aside.
- Cook the sliced onion and mushrooms in the same skillet with butter until softened and lightly browned.
- Make gravy: Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the beef broth, Worcestershire, and ketchup, scraping up the browned bits, and simmer until slightly thickened. Season to taste.
- Combine: Return the patties to the skillet, spoon the gravy over the top, cover, and simmer until cooked to your preferred doneness.
Classic Side Dishes for Salisbury Steak
- Creamy mashed potatoes are the most traditional base. I also recommend my roasted garlic mashed potatoes or easy scalloped potatoes.
- Buttered egg noodles or wide pappardelle - the noodles soak up the gravy beautifully, similar to my braised pork ragu pappardelle.
- White rice or brown rice - an easy weeknight option.
- Creamy yellow polenta - a Southern-style alternative that pairs especially well with the mushroom gravy. You can find my go-to polenta recipe in my braised short ribs post.
- For bread, I like garlic butter dinner rolls, my homemade bread machine loaf, or garlic bread to soak up the gravy.
Veggie Side Dishes
Steamed or sautéed green beans, broccoli, or asparagus are the classic pairing here. Here are few other ideas:
- My easy Parmesan Garlic Lemon Green Beans are a reader favorite that pairs perfectly with Salisbury Steak!
- Baked Asparagus with Bacon and Cheese is one of the most popular side dishes on my site!
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Broccoli
- Mashed sweet potatoes - you can find the recipe in my steak with spinach sauce post.
- Serve over mashed cauliflower for a lower-carb option.
Salisbury Steak with Mushroom-Onion Gravy
Ingredients
For the Steaks:
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ medium onion finely diced, about ¾ cup
- 1 medium egg
- ½ cup Panko or breadcrumbs of your choice
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
For the Gravy:
- ½ medium onion finely sliced, about 1 - 1 ½ cups
- 8 ounces whole mushrooms sliced thick
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 2 ½ cups beef broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- Salt and pepper to taste
Garnish:
- Fresh parsley roughly chopped
Instructions
Prepare Salisbury Steak Patties:
- In a medium bowl, combine ground beef, ½ diced onion, egg, breadcrumbs, Dijon mustard, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Mix gently until just combined and then shape into 4 very tightly packed oval patties. Press the meat firmly into your hands, making sure to squeeze very tight to form a ball, then shape into 1 inch thick ovals. Make sure the patties are very uniform looking and don't have cracks or open areas.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear the patties 3-4 minutes per side, undisturbed on each side, until golden brown and slightly undercooked. Flip them gently. If your patties are burning, turn the heat down. Work in batches to not crowd the pan. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
Make the Gravy:
- In the same skillet, add butter. Once melted, sauté the sliced onion and mushrooms until softened and lightly browned, about 6-8 minutes.
- Sprinkle the flour over the onions and mushrooms and stir for about 1 minute to cook the flour.
- Pour in beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and ketchup, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Simmer for around 3 minutes or until the gravy just starts to thicken. Season with salt and pepper.
Assemble:
- Return the steaks to the skillet, spoon plenty of gravy over them, cover, and simmer until you reach your desired internal temperature. We recommend medium which is just a tad pink, 145 degrees, but you are more than welcome to cook them until an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
- Plate the Salisbury steaks and generously ladle the onion-mushroom gravy over the top. Serve with creamy polenta, mashed potatoes, rice, or buttered noodles. Pair with green beans, broccoli, or asparagus!
Notes
- Don't overmix the steaks! It can make the patties a little tough, so mix until JUST combined.
- When forming the patties, make sure they are tight by compressing them in your palms, then shape them into ovals. This helps prevent them from breaking apart in the pan when cooked.
- Sear and brown! Don't be afraid of high-heat cooking. Getting that browned crust on the steaks is optimal for texture and flavor!
- Simmer: Don't boil, but simmer the steaks in the sauce, or your sauce can burn, and your steaks can become overcooked. Make sure to cook them low and slow with the cover on to keep the steaks juicy.
- Gravy thickness: Is your gravy too watery? Add 1 tablespoon of flour or cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water into a small bowl, then pour into the gravy. Mix until well combined and continue simmering until the gravy has thickened.
- Make-ahead: You can form the patties ahead of time if needed, then refrigerate! When ready, let them sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before cooking them off.
Variations
- Cheesy: Sprinkle some shredded cheddar, Swiss, or your favorite cheese on top of the steaks in the last few minutes of simmering.
- Smoky: Add a teaspoon of smoked paprika to the gravy!
- Creamy: Stir in at least ¼ cup (or more if desired) of heavy cream for a richer, creamier sauce.
Storage Tips
- Fridge: Store the cooked, cooled Salisbury steaks and gravy in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezer: Store the cooked and cooled steaks and gravy separately in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Thaw both in the fridge prior to reheating.
- Reheat: Gently reheat everything in a skillet over medium-low heat or in the microwave with a splash of water or broth, as the gravy will have thickened.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.
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