This easy Salisbury Steak Recipe is ready in just 30 minutes! It has juicy and tender beef patties smothered in the most delicious homemade mushroom gravy. It’s so incredible over Creamy Mashed Potatoes that even picky eaters will approve of this one-pan dish.
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What is Salisbury Steak?
Salisbury steak originated in the United States and is a popular dish made with seasoned ground beef patties smothered in gravy with mushrooms (often accompanied by caramelized onions). It got its name from an American physician, Dr. J. H. Salisbury. He encouraged a meat-centered diet and so this dish was named in his honor.
We love ground beef recipes like our popular Meatloaf or this easy Stovetop Beef Chili. If you have some ground beef and don’t know what to do with it, this Salisbury Steak is a must-try, because homemade Salisbury Steak is perfect for busy weeknights. It comes together quickly, it’s inexpensive, uses pantry staples, and is flavor-packed!
How to Make Salisbury Steak
- Beef Patties: In a large bowl, combine beef patty ingredients and then shape into 4 oval or round patties flattening the center for even thickness. Saute in a skillet until golden brown on both sides, remove from the skillet and set aside. (NOTE: You will want to use lean beef, and 90% works best.)
- Mushrooms: Sauté ½ the onion in the same skillet just until tender, then stir in garlic and butter. Add the sliced mushrooms and sauté until browned, mixing frequently. Lightly season with salt and pepper.
- Gravy: In a bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients for the gravy and add to the skillet with the mushrooms. Cook over medium heat until gravy thickens. Return the patties to the pan, cover with mushroom gravy, and cook just until patties are heated through.
Tips for the Best Salisbury Steak
This easy Salisbury Steak recipe is simple to make and a family favorite, so here are some tips to ensure you have the juiciest patties and savory gravy.
- Avoid Overmixing – Work the beef just until its well combined. Too much mixing can make the patties tough.
- Form Equal-sized Patties – keep them an even thickness for even cooking
- Create a Rich Gravy – make the sauce in the same skillet to utilize the tasty pan drippings from cooking the patties
- Searing the Patties – Allow the skillet to get hot before placing the patties inside to give them a great sear and seal in the juices.
Can I Substitute Ground Beef?
Salisbury Steak is classically made with ground beef, but this recipe is versatile. You can substitute ground meats that you have on hand. Try ground turkey for a Turkey Salisbury Steak or even a combination of meats such as ground beef and ground chicken.
What to Serve with Salisbury Steak
Though you can serve the beef patties in gravy over steamy rice or even egg noodles, the most classic side dish is mashed potatoes (our Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes make dinner faster). You can add a vegetable to the side and any of these will work great:
- Green Bean Almondine
- Baked Asparagus
- Easy Roasted Vegetables
- Roasted Carrots
- Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
- Caesar Salad
- Marinated Tomatoes
Make-Ahead
This Salisbury Steak recipe is a great mid-week meal because it cooks quickly. If you make the patties ahead of time, it’s even faster to serve to a crowd. Leftovers also keep really well; just cool them to room temperature and store them.
- Prep the Patties Ahead: You can form the patties and store them covered in the refrigerator up to a day ahead.
- Refrigerate Leftovers: Once cooled, store in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Freezing: Transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag, remove excess air, and freeze for up to 3 months.
- To Reheat: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, and then transfer to an oven-safe pan or dish, cover with foil, and bake in a preheated oven at 350° for 20-30 minutes (depending on thickness) or until heated through.
With this traditional Salisbury Steak recipe, you are in for a treat. If you have picky eaters who don’t like mushrooms, just serve their patties without them. To the children, it’s like enjoying a juicy hamburger in gravy, and they love it!
Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy
Ingredients
For the Salisbury Steak:
- 1 lb ground beef, 90% lean
- 1/2 onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp mayonnaise
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 ½ tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 Tbsp ketchup
- 1 ½ tsp milk, (whole milk or any kind)
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp olive oil, to sautee
For the Mushroom Gravy:
- 1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 8 oz brown mushrooms, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cup beef broth, + 1/2 cup water
- ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp ketchup
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- ⅛ tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a bowl combine all of the ingredients for the beef patties (except the oil). Mix until well incorporated and shape into 4 oval or round patties flattening the center for even thickness throughout.
- Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a non-stick pan, once hot, add patties to the skillet and cook until patties are golden brown on both sides and fully cooked. Remove the patties from the skillet and cover to keep warm.
- Sauté ½ onion (you can also slice onion into thin slices, whatever your personal preference is) in the same skillet. Once the onion starts to become tender, add the garlic and butter and mix.
- Add the mushrooms and sauté until browned, mixing frequently. Lightly season with salt and pepper.
- In a bowl, whisk together all of the remaining gravy ingredients: 2 Tbsp flour, 1 1/2 cups broth, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 tsp Worcestershire, 1/2 tsp dijon, 2 tsp ketchup, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper. Pour into the mushrooms and cook until the gravy thickens.
- Add the patties back to the pan and completely cover with the gravy and mushrooms and cook just until patties are heated through.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
More Easy Dinner Recipes
Once you try this Salisbury Steak recipe, try these other quick and easy dinner recipes your family will enjoy any night of the week.
- Beef and Broccoli
- Philly Cheesesteak
- Baked Salmon
- Monterey Chicken
- Shrimp Fried Rice
- Baked Chicken Fajita
- Lemon Garlic Chicken and Mushrooms
Hi! I’m Natasha Kravchuk, a New York Times bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, food photographer, and writer. Here you’ll find delicious, reliable recipes made with simple ingredients, plus easy step-by-step photos and videos to help you cook confidently at home. 
Very easy and yummy.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Hello. Im your fan from Malaysia. is it possible if i substitute the patties with filet mignon?
Refer to your filet mignon mushroom recipe.. can i?
Hi Nurul, I haven’t tested that but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
I made this and it made 4 patties using the one lb. of hamburger. I soon realized I was out of panko, but used everything else. The patties didn’t break up and although I didn’t eat the leftovers (just 2 of us), my sister took the leftovers to her son’s house. She said it was great the next day. The additions of mayo, mustard and every other thing makes this dish. It will be my go to from now on. VERY tasty!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Janis!
Could this be made ahead?
Absolutely delicious! I had this dish for lunch the next day and it tasted even better. I doubled the recipe to have left overs.
Sounds like you found a favorite, Yelana! Thank you for that awesome review!
This was so good! Definitely one of the best meals I’ve made. My 12 yr old son came back for seconds and my husband cleared his plate. Made mash potatoes and sautéed up some corn. Amazing!
That is the best when kids love what we moms make. That’s so great, Natalie!
Very good recipe. Comes together quickly and tastes great. I really like the “one-pan” method of cooking.
Isn’t it the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Do you fry the onions on a dry pan first?
Hi Vera, that is correct, we have photos in the recipe blog post showing each step. I hope that helps.
I made this last night. It was better than the recipe that I used last time. I used 85% beef because that’s what I had but I did get rid of the extra fat. I also used more mushrooms because I wanted to use them up. Served over egg noodles.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Katie!
How do I post it on Facebook?
Hi Katie, you can share it on your personal page and #natashaskitchen or join our Natashas Kitchen VIP group here and post in the thread.
thank you for share yummy recipe
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Daisy!
Fantastic flavor profile and so savory. My whole family enjoyed it. Only mistake was not making a double batch. I made homemade mashed potatoes and green beans as sides.
Thank you Desiree, I’m so glad your whole family loved the recipe.
Just made these are they are falling apart in the pan as I’m frying them, followed the directions correctly and had all the ingredients… not sure what went wrong. First time making and trying salisbury steak and now it looks like a pile of mush.
Hi Jessica, I’m sorry to hear that! My best tip for sauteeing any kind of ground meat patties or meatballs is to use a non-stick pan or using ample amounts of oil (say if you are using a stainless steel pan and making sure to preheat it before adding the patties helps with sticking). Also, be sure to use the same proportions of ingredients without substitutions as some of them act as binders (egg and bread crumbs) in the recipe. I hope that helps for next time!
I LOVE everything about this recipe!! The perfect weeknight meal!! YUM!!
Thank you for that awesome review, Katerina!
I am making this on Sunday for my family! Looks like a great recipe!
Hi Lauren, that’s so awesome! I hope you enjoy this recipe.
Definitely not the Salsbury steak I grew up with! This looks incredible!
I hope you give it a try soon, Tanya! Thank you for the great review!
I love how juicy the steak is. This is true comfort food. Love this!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
Oh wow Natasha, this was sooooo good! I made it with your creamy mashed potatoes … another very delicious hit. Thank you!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Sandra!
This recipe had such amazing flavor! Thank you!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Pam!
Fantastic, the flavor brought back memories of family dinners. Thanks for sharing . Jo.
Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Joanne!
Can you use round steak thats double cubed.
Hi LaVerne, I haven’t tested that but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
Do you mean finely diced? That could work but it will have a little harder time holding together if it isn’t ground beef.
Yes. That was the way I first learned to make this recipe! I like the ground beef better though.