This recipe for Salisbury Steak is the absolute best! Juicy seasoned ground beef patties are seared then simmered in a savory, rich gravy!
When you’re craving comfort food, it’s hard to not think about dishes smothered in a rich, savory gravy. For me, that almost always means hamburger steaks, salisbury steaks, or something like my Slow Cooker Beef and Noodles.
Maybe you remember this comfort classic from those Banquet frozen TV dinners, but these simple ground beef patties are hearty, juicy, and there’s that delicious GRAVY!
Growing up, I always assumed that hamburger steaks and salisbury steaks were the same, but they’re actually a little different.
In hindsight, I guess I’d always just been making hamburger steaks until I ran across a recipe from Pioneer Woman for Salisbury Steaks that was a bit different. One taste and a new appreciation for salisbury steak was unlocked.
I’ve been making this recipe for more than 10 years now. During that time, I’ve tweaked and changed the recipe a bit – adding a few ingredients, swapping some others – to create a dish my family just adores.
What’s the difference between Hamburger Steaks and Salisbury Steaks?
For me, a hamburger steak is a simply seasoned all-beef patty topped with a savory brown gravy. Salisbury steak takes the basic hamburger steak to the next level by adding a lot more flavor.
Hamburger steaks are usually a simple, down-home dish made from ground beef seasoned with some salt and pepper. They’re shaped into patties, cooked in a skillet, and often served with some good ol’ gravy on top. Now, that’s a comfort food classic right there.
Salisbury steaks, on the other hand, are a tad fancier. They’re made from ground beef, too, but they often include breadcrumbs, other seasonings, and sometimes even an egg to hold it all together – sort of like meatballs. These patties are then simmered in a savory gravy (sometimes with mushrooms), giving ’em a more complex flavor profile.
So, in a nutshell, the main difference is in the ingredients and the gravy. Hamburger steaks are simpler and usually served with a basic pan gravy, while Salisbury steaks are a bit more dressed up with added ingredients and that delightful gravy.
What to serve with Salisbury Steak
In my house, anything with brown gravy comes served with mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or white rice, with the first being my starch of choice. My Mom’s Secret Ingredient Mashed Potatoes make for the perfect cradle for all that rich brown gravy.
Serve this easy salisbury steak recipe alongside a green veggie like my Roasted Green Beans or Roasted Broccoli and you’ve got a hearty meal that’s sure to please!
Ingredient FAQ
Most of the ingredients in this recipe are pretty self-explanatory, but there are a few that are worth mentioning.
- Ground Sirloin – When it comes to the ground beef in this recipe, I prefer a lean ground beef, like ground sirloin, but nearly any ground beef will work. Just keep in mind that the fattier meats may require you to drain some of the fat away after searing the patties.
- Seasoned Bread Crumbs – Standard, run-of-the-mill seasoned bread crumbs work here. You don’t need panko breadcrumbs or anything fancy.
- Seasoned Salt – This all-purpose seasoning works great to add a lot of flavor to this homemade salisbury steak recipe. I’m sure any brand will work. I used Lawry’s.
- Beef Bouillon Cube – These little cubes of umami deliciousness work great to pack tons of flavor into this dish. For the meat mixture, you’ll need to crush the cube. I often do this between two spoons. You could also use powdered beef bouillon or a beef base paste. For the gravy, you can use either of the above-mentioned swaps, or you can trade the water and bouillon cubes for beef broth.
- Browning and Seasoning Sauce – This is an ingredient you don’t often see from me, but I think it really amps this dish up. Sold under the brand names Gravy Master or Kitchen Bouquet, these seasoning sauces are a great way to add tons of savory flavor to gravies, soup, and stews. I think you’ll find a lot of other delicious ways to use this stuff.
Recipe Card
Best Salisbury Steak
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground sirloin
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cube beef bouillon (crushed)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
For the gravy:
- 1/2 large onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cubes beef bouillon
- 2 cups hot water
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 teaspoon browning and seasoning sauce like Kitchen Bouquet or Gravy Master
- salt
- pepper
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef with the egg, bread crumbs, seasoned salt, dijon mustard, ketchup, Worcestershire, and the crushed beef bouillon cube. Work the mixture with your hands to get everything well combined. Portion the meat out into 5 or 6 equal portions and shape the portions into oval patties that are roughly 1 inch in thickness.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add the patties. Cook for about 4 minutes on each side until they get a nice golden brown crust. Reduce the heat if necessary to keep them from burning. Remove the patties from the pan to a plate and cover.
- Pour away all but about 1 tablespoon of the grease from the pan. Place the skillet over medium heat and add the onions. Cook, stirring frequently, until brown and tender – about 6 minutes. Add the water and bouillon cubes to the skillet, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Smash the bouillon cubes with the back of a spoon if they've not dissolved. Add the Worcestershire, ketchup, and browning sauce. Whisk to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with about 2 tablespoons of cool water. Add the cornstarch slurry to the gravy and whisk to combine. Cooking, stirring frequently, until the gravy thickens. Return the steaks and the drippings in the plate to the skillet. Cover and simmer until the steaks are warm and cooked through. Add additional water if the gravy gets too thick. Serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Please note:
If nutritional values are provided, they are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands used. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, I recommend grabbing your favorite brands and plugging those ingredients into an online nutritional calculator.
This is hands down the best Salisbury steak I have ever had. Didn’t change a thing and opted to use Gravy Master. Delicious! When I tried to pin it, it brought up key lime pie though. Any suggestions to pin it?
Thanks so much, Debra! Where on the page did you click to try to pin it? I can’t find that issue, but want to make sure we get it fixed! Thanks!
I have made this recipe twice. The second time I added mushrooms. Yum and Double-Yum! Everyone loved it!
Glad to hear you enjoyed it, Erica!
I would leave out the kitchen bouquet. I don’t know why it’s in there in the first place. My gravy tasted bitter. Needless to say my dish was ruined… it’s easy to make your own brown gravy. It’s called Mccormack or Hinze..
Well, it’s in there for flavor and color. It honestly sounds like maybe you added a bit too much. I’ve been guilty of not measuring it in the past and added too much and noticed a slight bitter flavor, so that’s my guess. And while the brown gravy mixes are super handy, making this one from scratch is a bit different.
Your recipe is just perfect!
The only thing I need to ask: do you think this would freeze well in individual portions?
Love this website. I hope that you will be on Food Network TV again soon
Thanks, Virginia! I’ve not tried it, but I think this should freeze just fine.
My Mom often feed me and my ravenous brothers with hamburger steaks and a big pot of white rice. I’ve loved it for 6 decades.
There’s nothing more comforting in my book!