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Need a ground beef recipe? Try our simple Salisbury steak! It's delicious and budget friendly. Our recipe is perfect for making everyday ground beef more elevated.
Ground beef makes dinnertime easy! We think you'll love adding our Hamburger Barley Soup and Stuffed Pepper Soup to your meal rotation.
Jump to:
- Why This Recipe Works
- Ingredients
- Variations
- How to Make Salisbury Steak
- Recipe FAQs
- Serve
- Expert Tips
- More Beef Recipes You'll Love
- Recipe
- Comments
Why This Recipe Works
We think our simple Salisbury steak recipe is successful for these reasons.
- Flavorful Patties: We use 85% lean ground beef seasoned with onion powder, thyme, Worcestershire, liquid smoke, salt and pepper.
- Tender Beef Patties: We use the right ratio of meat to egg to liquid, and allow the mixture to rest for 30 minutes to help build flavors and to help the protein relax. The patties are seared, then cooked in an onion gravy to soak up all the flavor and moisture.
- Thick, Delicious Gravy: This recipe makes four cups of homemade onion gravy, which means there is more gravy per steak than most other recipes. The onions are caramelized to provide another layer of flavor, and then are cooked in a brown gravy.
Ingredients
This simple Salisbury steak recipe takes basic pantry staples that are economical and easy to find at your grocery store. Let's talk about some of the key ingredients.
- Meat: We used ground beef with 85% meat and 15% fat for the best flavor.
- Binder: We used breadcrumbs and an egg to hold the Salisbury steak patties together in this recipe.
- Spices: We used thyme, onion powder, salt, and black pepper.
- Liquids: We used Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, and beef broth.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
- Want a different gravy? Try mushroom gravy with your Salisbury steak.
- Want to sneak in more vegetables? Add grated onion and finely diced green pepper to the patties.
- Want a different meat? Try ground turkey or a combination of ground pork and ground beef.
How to Make Salisbury Steak
Gather all the ingredients for our simple Salisbury steak recipe.
- Put the ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, and spices in a bowl, then mix gently with your hands.Avoid overmixing, or patties will get tough. Rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. (Image 1)
- With the help of a kitchen scale, divide the meat mixture into 12 balls of equal size.They should weigh roughly 3.25 ounces each. (Image 2)
- Place the large meatballs on a baking tray. Shape into round patties that are similar in thickness, then make a dimple in the center with your thumb to reduce shrinkage later. (Image 3)
- Melt the butter a cast iron skillet over medium high heat.Add 6 patties, then reduce the heat to medium and cook for 4 minutes.Flip the patties over and cook for 4 minutes, then place in a 9x9-inch baking pan. (Image 4)
- Drain the beef fat, then melt 4 tablespoons of butter in the pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are lightly caramelized (about 15 minutes). Add the white wine and scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze. (Image 5)
- Make a well in the center and melt 4 tablespoons of butter over medium high heat. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the onions, then add ½ cup of flour.Cook for two minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. (Image 6)
- Gradually add the stock to the onion mixture, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce for flavor and color. (Image 7)
- Lower the heat and simmer until thickened.Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired. Remove the onion gravy from the heat and pour over the patties. (Image 8)
- Cover the pan with foil and bake for 20 minutes at 350°F. During this step, the patties will finish cooking. The foil and the gravy will help the patties stay moist. (Image 9)
- Serve Salisbury steak warm with gravy over each patty.Garnish with a sprinkle of freshly chopped parsley and serve with our sour cream mashed potatoes and a side of buttered peas. Yummy! (Image 10)
Recipe FAQs
What is the difference between Salisbury steak and hamburger steak?
Salisbury steak is made like a meatball, with lots of spices, and with egg and breadcrumbs as binding agents. The patties are seared in a skillet, and can be covered in an onion or mushroom gravy before being baked in the oven.The individual patties are served with a flavorful gravy.
Hamburger steak is usually made with high quality meat that is seasoned with salt and pepper. The patties are usually thinner than Salisbury steak patties, and they can be grilled or pan fried. They are not served with gravy.
How do you keep Salisbury steak from falling apart?
The ground beef needs binding ingredients to keep it from crumbling. In our recipe, we use breadcrumbs and one egg mixed into the ground beef to keep the patties intact.
Why is Salisbury steak so tough?
Salisbury steak may turn out on the tough side if you mix the ground beef together for too long. Mix just enough to combine all the ingredients together. Also, using ground beef that is too lean may also make it tougher.
Can you make Salisbury steak ahead of time?
Yes, you can! Cover with foil and refrigerate before baking. When ready to eat, bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes.
Serve
This hearty, simple Salisbury steak recipe works well with many easy side dishes, but some of our favorites include are sour cream mashed potatoes, copycat Panda Express super greens, easy garlic toast, copycat Chick-fil-A side salad, and green peas.
If you want to try some other recipes with ground hamburger (minced beef), try these recipes for Scottish mince and tatties, skillet chili cornbread, and Forfar bridies.
Expert Tips
- Only flip the steaks once to get the best sear.
- Make uniform patties: same size, weight, and thickness.
- Rest patties for 30 minutes at room temperature to meld flavors and help the protein relax.
- Want to make this recipe ahead? Cover with foil and refrigerate before baking. When ready to eat, just bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes.
- Want to serve with traditional sides? Serve this main course dish with mashed potatoes and peas.
More Beef Recipes You'll Love
- Scottish Steak Pie
- Spanish Stuffed Eggplant (Berenjenas Rellenas)
- Copycat Chipotle Steak Recipe
- Panda Express Broccoli Beef Copycat
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Recipe
Simple Salisbury Steak Recipe
This easy recipe for simple Salisbury steak is low carb and perfect for family dinners! It’s a classic comfort food made with flavorful hamburger meat patties bathed in a rich onion gravy. The beef is browned in a skillet and baked in a casserole dish for maximum juiciness.
5 from 3 votes
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Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes
Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes
Servings: 12 patties with gravy
Calories: 426kcal
Author:
Ingredients
For the Beef Patties
- 2.25 pounds ground beef, 85% meat, 15% fat
- 1 cup white breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ teaspoon liquid smoke
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
For the Onion Gravy
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 4 large yellow onions, sliced in rings
- ½ cup white wine
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 cups beef stock
- 4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Equipment
Instructions
Making the Beef Patties
Mix the ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, and spices with your hands. Let the meat mixture rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
Divide the meat into 12 balls of equal size, roughly 3.25 ounces (92g) each. Shape patties to be similar in thickness.
Place two cast iron skillets over medium high heat and melt 1 tablespoon of butter in each one. Place 6 patties in each skillet, then cook for 2 minutes on medium heat then 2 minutes on medium low. Flip them over and cook the other side for 4 minutes.
Transfer the 12 cooked beef patties to a 9x9-inch baking pan. Place them close together, but in one layer.Discard the hamburger fat and preheat the oven to 350°F.
Making the Onion Gravy
Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in one of the skillets over medium high heat, then add the onions. Turn the heat down to medium and cook the onions until lightly caramelized, about 15 minutes. Be sure to stir frequently.
Deglaze the pan by pouring in the white wine and scraping the bottom of the pan until the brown fond is removed, about 2 minutes.
Make a well in the center of the onions and melt 4 tablespoons of butter in it. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then add the flour and cook for two minutes, stirring constantly.
Gradually add the the stock, constantly stirring as you do so, then add two teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce for additional color and flavor.
Let the gravy simmer until its the desired thickness.Add more salt and pepper to taste. You should have about 4 cups of gravy.
Baking the Salisbury Steak
Spread the onion gravy over the patties in the pan, then cover with foil and bake at 350°F for 20 minutes. This finishes cooking the pattiest and helps them stay moist.
Serve the Salisbury steak warm with the gravy and a garnish of chopped parsley. Enjoy the extra gravy on mashed potatoes as a side dish.
Video
Notes
- Only flip the steaks once to get the best sear.
- Make uniform patties: same size, weight and thickness.
- Rest patties for 30 minutes at room temperature to meld flavors and help the protein relax.
- Want to make this recipe ahead? Cover with foil and refrigerate before baking. When ready to eat, just bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes.
- Want to serve as a traditional recipe? Serve this main course dish with mashed potatoes and peas.
Nutrition
Serving: 1patty with gravyCalories: 426kcal (21%)Carbohydrates: 17g (6%)Protein: 21g (42%)Fat: 29g (45%)Saturated Fat: 13g (81%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 161mg (54%)Sodium: 729mg (32%)Potassium: 543mg (16%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 4g (4%)Vitamin A: 411IU (8%)Vitamin C: 4mg (5%)Calcium: 71mg (7%)Iron: 3mg (17%)
Serving sizes and nutritional information are only an estimate and may vary from your results.
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Reader Interactions
Comments
Emma
We're sorry to hear that! If we can help you troubleshoot some ideas for adding more flavor, let us know!
Reply
Evelyn
Looks delicious. Will try it soon. Just wanted to know if there was a typo with the sizing of the baking dish. It says to use a 9x9- inch and to place the patties in a single layer. Sounds like that dish would be way too small to fit 2.5 pounds of hamburger patties. Other than that, it sounds great. Thanks.
Reply
Emma
Thank you, Evelyn! The pan size is correct. Since we used 80% lean, 20% fat ground beef for this recipe, the patties shrunk during the skillet cooking and fit into the 9x9-inch pan. If you use a lower-fat ground beef, the patties may not shrink as much and you might need to use a larger pan. Happy cooking!
Reply
Betty
We had the Salisbury steak today. What a success! The sauce was delicious. The use of the air frier simplified the procedure and avoided the oven to keep the kitchen at a good temperature. Another plus was in saving electricity for the A/C. I served it with mashed potatoes and peas as in picture. Thank you Emma. I already had a request for preparing it again next week. I forgot to add that we had today’s cold leftovers on sandwiches. It was still delicious. Easy dinner preparation today.Reply
Emma
Thank you so much, Betty! We're so glad that it was a success! Our family loves Salisbury steak, too. 🙂
Reply
Betty
I have the ground beef for tomorrow's hamburgers but after looking at these great pictures changed my mind and Salisbury's steaks it will be. Wish me luck , haven’t done these steaks for a long time. I will try first in the skillet and finish them in the air fryer.
Reply
Emma
Thank you, Betty! Please let us know how it goes in the air fryer--we've never tried it that way before. Please leave a review once you make the Salisbury steak! 🙂
Reply
Alex
The steak is delicious. The onion sauce compliments the steak. I had the Salisbury steak with mashed potatoes, peas, and tomatoes. I would give it 100 stars if I could!!Reply
Emma
Thank you, Alex! I agree that Salisbury steak deserves 100 stars!
Reply
Beth
This is one of my favorite dishes, as the caramelized onions add a juicy flavor to the beef. Definitely deserves a five star review!Reply
Emma
I'm so glad that you like Salisbury steak! It's one of my favorite recipes with ground beef, too.
Reply
