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!
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!
What is the preferred ground beef lean/fat to use? 85/15?
Hi Eric, I usually use 85/15 fat – lean beef dries out too much here. N x
It was so easy and absolutely delicious! All my kids loved it, even my picky eater. I followed your recipe exactly and doubled it, so hubby could take leftovers for lunch tomorrow. Thank you so much for another amazing dinner recipe.
Just wanted say this is an excellent recipe. I make it often because my husband always asks for it!
It’s so delicious I follow the recipe spot on
Taking a shortcut, as per a different recipe, I added a whole French Onion soup can to the ground beef making the patties sloppy.
I used this recipe to make the the gravy. I ended up with a very tasty meat gravy.
Absolutely loved sauce. But help my salisbury steaks fell apart not sure what I did wrong help
Hi Nagi and Dozer made Salisbury steak today it was wonderful thank you so much .I made double gravy so will have it tomorrow with a roast chicken .
I’m so glad you loved it Tanzanite, great idea with the left over gravy! N x
Absolutely delicious!!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Kimberly! N x
This was soooo delicious! I used lean ground beef and GF bread crumbs. The patties kept the shape (didn’t use the egg). I used cornstarch slurry to thicken. Served with mashed potatoes & roasted broccoli – yum! Thanks again Nagi!
Right, very good with mashed potatoes with a side of fresh steamed green beans.
Perfect Kavita!! N x
absolutely delicious. pretty much made exactly the way the recipe was written except i used all beef broth and no water. i did put my patties back in the refrigerator to firm them back up and hoped they wouldn’t break up like what has happened to a few other cooks. they did not except for a few at the edges. served with buttered noodles.
Made these tonight for dinner. Served them up with mashed potatoes, sautéed green beans and homemade biscuits. Total hit with my husband and all 4 of our kiddos. Absolutely delicious!
The steaks were delicious. I might add a little more Panko bread crumbs to hold the patties together better.
I hope Mr. Homeless man is doing alright during the pandemic. Thanks for sharing this recipe!!
He’s just fine Maria – thanks for checking in ❤️ N x
Hi Nagi. I’ve made this with rave reviews from my husband but wondering if I can make the patties & freeze them to save time then defrost before frying. 🙏
Can you use chopped sirloin?
Hi Kellie, minced meat is better for this recipe. N x
Thank you so much for this recipe – my husband loves this meal. Flavours are amazing and so easy to do. Keep up the good recipes, and big hugs to Dozer
Hi re the gravy when do you add the Dijon mustard? Thanks
Hi Nina, in step 5 where you are adding the remaining gravy ingredients. N x
This recipe for Salisbury Steak is a keeper. Absolutely delicious! I made it although it’s a boiling hot 32 degrees Celsius today in Montreal in the northern hemisphere. I will serve it again in winter with mashed potatoes and veggies and enjoy it even more…if that’s possible! All your recipes are amazing. Your site is my go to site for the best recipes..
OMG just made this. I have made Salisbury Steak several times, but this was by far the best recipe. It will definitely make it into the rotation!
That’s great to hear Rebekah! N x
Made this about 3 times and yes my patties fall apart too. But its okay, everything just melds together with the yummy gravy and we all love it even if its in pieces. lol
Could it be because the ground beef is the cheaper, higher fat choice?
My patties remained intact. They were lean.
Oh no, sorry you had issues here, if the mince is quite wet you may need more panko to help bind it. N x
Thanks Nagi! Will do next time. 👍