Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy is a comfort food favourite that’s easy to make. Juicy seasoned beef patties made with ground beef (mince) smothered in an outrageously delicious mushroom gravy, this Salisbury Steak recipe has been tried and loved by readers from all over the world. And now it’s your turn to experience it!
And next time – try Salisbury Steak Meatballs!
Salisbury steak
There’s a man who lives in his car at our local dog park. He’s a valuable member of our community – he knows all the locals, looks after the park like it’s his own backyard, has gun-barrel views over Sydney’s beautiful Pittwater waterways and he tells the worst jokes. 😂
Anyway, the story of this Salisbury Steak recipe is that I regularly take hot meals down to him, sometimes even fancy-sounding things like duck confit. As we approached Christmas one year, I asked him what, of all the meals I took to him that year, his favourite meals were.
And he said “Oh, those burgers with the mushroom gravy were spectacular!” So I made them again for him, then I published the recipe on my site the next day. 🙂
This was back in 2015, and that’s how this Salisbury Steak recipe came to be on my website!
How to make Salisbury Steak
Salisbury steak involves making seasoned beef patties using mince / ground beef, then making a mushroom gravy. In my recipe, there’s just two little things I do differently to the usual Salisbury Steak recipe that I think makes them even tastier:
Grate onion and soak the breadcrumbs in the juices – guaranteed to make the steaks softer and tastier, a tried, proven and much loved method that I use for my classic Italian Meatballs (plenty of reviews substantiating this!). Plus it’s much more efficient than cooking chopped onions (raw onion bits in steak is not nice), and you avoid the risk of the steaks falling apart if the onions aren’t chopped finely enough ; and
Sear beef patties briefly then finishing cooking IN the gravy: I like to sear them in a stinking hot skillet to brown the steaks so they are still raw on the inside, then finish cooking them in the gravy so the juices that seep while they are cooking flavours the gravy. Never waste free flavour! That’s my motto! Plus, the gravy infuses moisture in to the steaks. Double bonus!
What is the difference between a Salisbury Steak and Hamburger patties?
Great Hamburger patties are made with nothing more than good quality ground beef, salt and pepper. Whereas the ingredients in Salisbury Steak patties are more like meatballs – including breadcrumbs, onion and flavourings such as Worcestershire sauce.
Salisbury Steak is pretty much me on a plate. Wholesome, homely, down to earth good food that’s economical, packs a flavour punch but is not fiddly or time consuming to make. Hope you love it as much as I do! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
Sometimes it helps to have a visual – so watch me make this Salisbury Steak!
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Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy
Ingredients
Salisbury Steak
- 1/2 onion (white, brown or yellow)
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs (or 1/3 cup ordinary breadcrumbs)
- 1 lb/500g ground beef (mince)
- 1 garlic clove , minced
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 1 beef bouillon cube , crumbled
- 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tsp dijon mustard OR 2 tsp dry mustard powder
Gravy
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1/2 onion , finely chopped
- 5 oz/150g mushrooms , sliced
- 30g / 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp flour (all purpose / plain)
- 2 cups beef broth / stock , low sodium
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
Salisbury Steaks
- Onion grating – Place breadcrumbs in a bowl. Use a box grater and grate the onion over the breadcrumbs. Mix with fingers, leave to soak for a few minutes.
- Mix – Add remaining Salisbury Steak ingredients into the large bowl. Use your hands to mix until just combined. Mix well for a couple of minutes until the mixture becomes a bit "pasty" which will ensure your patties hold together well.
- Form patties – Divide into 5 and pat very firmly into oval patties around 3/4" / 1 2/3 cm thick.
Cooking and Gravy
- Brown patties – Heat oil in a skillet over high heat. Add the steaks and cook the first side for 1 minute or until browned, then gently flip and brown the other side (they will still be raw inside). Remove onto plate.
- Cook aromatics – If skillet is looking dry, add a touch more oil. Add chopped onion and garlic and cook for 2 minute until onions are a bit translucent.
- Cook mushrooms – Add the mushrooms into the skillet and cook for 2 – 3 minutes until golden.
- Make gravy roux – Turn heat down to medium. Add butter. Once melted, add flour and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Gravy – Gradually add in beef broth, stirring as you go. Once mostly lump free, whisk in remaining Gravy ingredients.
- Finish cooking steaks – Add steaks along with the juices on the plate. Cook for 5 – 7 minutes, or until gravy is thickened, stirring occasionally around the steaks. If the gravy thickens too quickly, add more water.
- Season gravy – Remove steaks onto a plate. Taste gravy and adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve salisbury steaks topped with the mushroom gravy – over mashed potato is ideal! Sprinkle with a bit of parsley if desired.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
Every morning over the summer break. PS He’s leaping to catch sand. No interest in the usual toys!
John says
I really enjoyed this recipe, and the gravy was perfect! My only issue was raw onion and garlic flavor inside the patty. How can I avoid this next time? Maybe the patties weren’t thin enough? Should I precook the onion/garlic before adding to the beef mixture? I think next time I will use French’s fried onions and garlic powder for the patties until I can troubleshoot more.
Maria Salvo says
Hi Nagi, Have to say all your recipes are delicious – every single one of them. Thank you. My family are being well fed😄. My next one is going to be the No Bake Mango Cheesecake.😋
Kimberly says
I just made this. Easy and good flavor. I suggest omitting the onions in the gravy part. Thanks!
Julia Hoffman says
I made this with impossible meat, absolutely delicious. I will definitely make this often
Judith Collison says
Hi Nagi ,I made the Salisbury steak , it was really tasty ,unfortunately the rissoles fell to pieces . I am O.C.P about following recipes to the dot .What am I doing wrong and how can I fix it.I really would like to cook this recipe again Thank you .
Nagi says
HI Judith – be sure you worked the mixture until it was pasty so that it really sticks and be very gentle when turning them in the pan. N x
Judith Collison says
Hi Nagi Thank you for responding to my query. I do feel that I worked it well . Do you think that another egg or maybe extra breadcrumbs might help .
Juli says
I have this recipe and use it every time I made Salisbury. And every time the darn things fall apart. I too am very particular and consider myself a good cook.
Judith Collison says
This is a very tasty dish. I will keep making it and just be very gentle when turning them . As Nagi said. The mushroom gravy would be great with lpts of other dishes too .
Pat fox says
I would love to try this because I’m tired of the same stuff, but how can it be done without the mushrooms? No one in my family likes them.
Nagi says
Hi Pat – you can just leave them out if you like. The gravy will still be tasty. N x
Richael Lawrence says
I’ve made your recipe a few times now. I came across it when I needed ground beef recipes because my husband had to grind up a whole cow, so we had an abundance of ground beef (about 250lbs!!). I quite enjoy it! I just need to find a really good frying pan now because all mine have sucked!!
Donna Donald says
I bought this large frying pan at superstore in Canada. It’s top notch, very heavy bottom. Cleans up well, you have to let it soak tho. It’s presidents choice brand. I love it
Donna Donald says
Can’t figure out how to post picture. It’s stainless steel all over and has a handle on opposite side to hold
Rob irons says
You have the best recipes!! I’ve made this about 4or 5 times. Usually I don’t like my own cooking but I do love this
Juli says
I have this recipe and use it every time I made Salisbury. And every time the darn things fall apart. I too am very particular and consider myself a good cook.
Lori says
Love them but somehow in the video and in your directions for the gravy there’s nothing about adding the Worcestershire sauce and mustard
Nagi says
Hi Lori – Step 5 in the recipe for the gravy says “whisk in the remaining gravy ingredients!” N x
Shelley says
I made this recipe for my family, mostly my oldest son. Ashamed to admit it, but, he likes the salisbury steak t.v. dinner. I decided to make it from scratch and give him a real treat. So glad that when I Googled recipes I found this one. One of the tastiest things we’ve ever had! The recipe is so easy to follow.
Nagi says
It is on regular rotation here too Shelley! Quick and easy! N x
Anastasia says
Fantastic recipe , thanks.
Deanna says
So good and so simple. I skipped the addition of the water to the gravy because it was already a perfect consistency, but otherwise this was great!
Lilli says
Sounds so good! Will definitely try them for my meat-eating self 😀 and will try invent a meat-free (definitely crumbled and marinated tofu and maybe lentils?) for my vege partner. Nagi your recipes always impress me and I just want to say thank you for sharing your wonderful cooking and friendship with the guy in your neighbourhood.
Cathy says
Can these be frozen after cooked?
Neva says
Another stellar recipe! I made this today for lunch, exactly as written and it was utterly amazing! I worked the meat mixture WELL before forming the patties (per your instruction), and had no issues with them falling apart, beautiful Salisbury steaks! I served with garlic mashed potatoes and peas/carrots, it was a wonderful lunch on this chilly day. As with your meatloaf, this is another keeper recipe!! Many thanks, again, to you from Virginia USA! ❤️🤗
Keith F. says
Ridiculously delicious. Made it three times already and it gets better each time. That trick with soaking the onion up with the bread crumbs is 100% money. Thank you!
Donna says
Excellent recipe
Deb Olson says
Want new book Hot off presses
Tanya says
This is sooo delicious, but I always get a runny gravy. It works out okay because I put the meat and gravy mix over mashed potatoes. I might have to play around to get the right consistency.
Deb Olson says
How do I sign up for cookbook??
Victoria says
The recipe was a hit!
Delicious and savory!