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!
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
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!
Wendy says
First (sorry) I LOVE Naji and this website. I use to spend hours searching various sites for recipes – despite many recipes having 5 star reviews and looking good many were dismal failures. NO MORE! I only use recipetineats now and all her recipes are delicious and so easy to follow. I have made so many. This one too (Salisbury steak) was delicious – the sauce/gravy was amazing. Like another person commented my patties did fall apart though and I followed the recipe “to the letter” and measured everything carefully. I think more breadcrumbs are required (maybe 1 cup of panko rather than a half). It doesn’t matter though as I rescued the fallen apart patties and tossed them through pasta with the sauce/gravy. I made “Salisbury steak pasta”! Thank you so much Nagi – what you have done for the “on line” recipe industry (if that is the right terminology) is amazing. You should be congratulated. I just don’t know how you find the time especially with Dozer to walk and look after. I think you should go on Masterchef – I’ll mind Dozer for you if you have no one else. You would win for sure and inspire so many more people from only a website.
Nagi says
Hi Wendy! Thank you for your feedback on the patties, I have added an extra direction to reiterate how long the mixture should be hand mixed for to ensure the patties do not fall apart when cooking! 🙂 If you mix well for 2 minutes then the mixture becomes almost “taste like” and will definitely not fall apart. In fact, in Asian cooking, they don’t use egg for meatballs and patties – it holds together because the mince is mixed for long enough. 🙂 – N x PS Dozer sends virtually (furry!) hugs!
Wendy says
Hi Nagi Thanks for your quick reply. I did hand mix for quite a while but I will try again and will definitely use more breadcrumbs next time. Its a delicious recipe. Also, you have not replied re: Masterchef. You would win for sure! Love and many thanks again for all you do. Wendy (in Perth)
Graham says
If you like hamburger mushroom gravy, this ones for you. I’ve made this twice & there is no cohesion to the patties. They just fall apart. Tastes OK but not Salisbury steak
Nagi says
Hi Graham, sorry you had issues here, sounds like your mince is extra wet. To combat this and ensure your patties stay together, add 1/4 cup more breadcrumbs & mix well for at least 2 minutes so the mixture becomes almost paste like 🙂 N x
Renee says
Very good thank you for the recipe. Used ground bison and dusted with flour before frying. I also had to add more flour to thinken
Linda Meade says
Looks goid
Linda says
Hi, i really love this , and madde it twice now! But my gravy never thickens (even after 15 min with mid high heat) do u know what I’m doing wrong?
Yvonne says
Are u sure you’re using tablespoons and not teaspoons because that should definitely thicken?
Nagi says
Hi Linda, and you’re definitely adding flour as well to it? N x
Linda says
Yeah i do, should i add more Maybe?
Jennifer says
In the nutrients section, you mention that one patty has 286 kcal. Are you sure that’s correct? That means one patty has 286,000 calories. It’s not possible for a single person to consume so many calories in one sitting.
Nagi says
Hi Jennifer! It’s just 286 calories. There’s something wrong with the display – the “k” most definitely should not be there!!! I will get it fixed 🙂 N x
Tuula says
Cooked this Salisbury Steak recipe, for the second time now as it is a quick but delicious dinner to have over mash. Also made your baked zuccini to enjoy with the meal. Thanks Nagi for your delicious recipes
Jan says
Delicious but patties fell apart. Should have read the comments first! Next time will add more breadcrumbs.
Nagi says
Oh no!!! Sorry you had issues here Jan! N x
Shirley says
That was so easy to make and so delicious. The patties were perfect even on their own so no more buying store made hamburger patties for me. I found that there was a lot of sauce in proportion to the patties but that is just my personal opinion. The best part is I had most of the ingredients in my pantry. Thank you so much Nagi. I cannot wait to try out some of your other recipes.
Shu says
Like this recipe. But more than that, love your generosity! <3 thank you for feeding people.
Donna Shields says
Absolutely delicious. Made this
Tonight for dinner. Very easy. I used ground turkey.
Sue says
I liked this recipe but my patty was way too soft /mush so it fell apart at the end. Any idea i can prevent this with next time?
Nagi says
Hi Sue, if your mince is slightly too wet, just add a little more breadcrumbs to help bind it. N x
Kim Focas says
Hi Nagi, I love all your recipes even put my mum on to you.
Just wondering if I could use tomato paste instead of ketchup, don’t like to use extra preservatives or additives???
Chinwe says
The recipe was delicious. I enjoyed it. My steak wasn’t as put together as yours. Next time, I will follow the exact measurements.
Chinwe says
The recipe was delicious. I
Annie says
Hello, I was wondering if you are able to make this recipe with rump steak also??
Renee says
too smokey here in California to grill outside, so I’m making this for dinner tonight!
Wayne S says
Great recipe. Really like the use of basic ingredients to minimize sodium. My wife is a picky eater and she cleaned her plate. Served with Mashed spuds and sauteed carrot.
Lisa Reed says
I made your Salisbury Steak with mushroom gravy today. Wow! 5 stars! Absolutely amazing flavor. Soaking the crumbs in the onion juice is definitely key. I only had enough Worcestershire sauce for the steaks, so I substituted red wine for that in the gravy and it was phenomenal! Red wine really brought out the flavor in the mushrooms. My family and I enjoyed this so much. Definitely on our favorites list!
Eric says
What is the preferred ground beef lean/fat to use? 85/15?
Nagi says
Hi Eric, I usually use 85/15 fat – lean beef dries out too much here. N x