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 Will be doing the mushroom sauce and pour it over “meatloaf leftover”, next time i will do the whole receipe. Want to add that your dog “Dozer” is beautifull. Love the jump he made in the air. Hugs to all as far, from the Island of Puerto Rico.
*I will be rating after I make the receipe. But to say the truth it will get a 5, since it looks good just looking at it.
Thank you again, the recipe was delicious, Like I told you had it with the Meatloaf. I could not find the Worcestershire sauce since here in Puerto Rico the Hurricane Maria left us without many food in the markets so I substituted with soy sauce but put just a little and it came out delicious. Husband love it. Have a great weekend.
Hi, Nagi,
This recipe looks good! Could I substitute the beef bouillon cube with a chicken cube instead because I can’t find any? Thanks!
Hi- love all of your recipes, Nagi! Maybe I am missing it, but when does the mustard and Worcester go into the gravy?
Hello Navi! I made chicken chop sure but couldn’t find any bean sprouts and I substituted Asian greens with bok chop since no on in Mayfield Heights Ohio know what they are. The bok chop is similar. I also tried the Salisbury steak recipe tonight and it is delicious! Thanks for the cookbooks!
Thanks for the comfort food recipes Nagi! Need warm tasty meals. It was -21 in Toronto last Saturday and my heat went out… by the time it was up and running it was 8 C in the house.
Now it’s +11 and teeming rain- and another deep freeze tomorrow. I’ll be trying out some recipes.
Ps thanks for the link to Surf Dog! The drying towel is great for Sparky the (currently rain-soaked) Beardie!!!
Thank you, Linde, as I have Better than Broth also!
Nagi, your recipes as always are awesome! I will be trying this tonight. I love Salsbury steak and have various recipes for such! You’res looks scrumptious.
Also, I don’t think you have baby hands! Come on! They’re just cute, like you!
Made this last night. YUM! Only thing I changed, I added a tsp of beef Better Than Boullion instead of the cubed ‘cause that’s what I had on hand. Recipe turned out as good looking as yours! (I LOVE when that happens!). Will make it again. (Miss those cute baby hands in the video!)
Hi Nagi. This looks like another fantastic recipe! I really want to make it this weekend, but I can’t eat gluten. Gluten free breadcrumbs will work for the meat, but would you happen to know how to make the gravy gluten-free? Thanks so much for your help!
Using cornstarch instead of flour would make the gravy gluten free. I think arrowroot or tapioca might work well too.
Have you ever heard of pectin? Onions are full of it. Use the sweetest onion you can find, omit all water, and triple or more the amount of onion. A fine grate will work, but I usually puree for a silky gravy texture.
No gluten, no flour, no starch, no extra ingredients, not much extra prep, and only slightly higher price. Nagi’s other ingredients will keep it from being too tart, et al. Using small amount of concentrated stock, not broth/boullion makes even richer.
No wheat? No worries!
I know I’m not Nagi, but cornstarch, if not allergic to it, or arrowroot. You can also try one of the alternate flours people use instead of white/wheat flower. Aka coconut, almond etc. I’d say probably rice flour as it wouldn’t change the flavor. If you’re not used to cooking with that practice first to work out the differences.
Hi Nagi,
I want to try this but my kids hate mustard, can I skip it or do you have other substitute for this.
Hi Karen! You can honestly not taste it 🙂 But if you really want to, you can skip it!
Hi Nagi … I LOVE your recipes! I recently made Charlie and am so happy to have your proportions for quick noodle dishes with meat and veggies. I call them all chow mein :). My new too tired to start from scratch dinner.
Whenever you mention the man in the park I always think it would be nice if you said just that … “Geoff, my friend who lives in the park.” That is his home for now, and you are definitely his friend.
Aww Karen! I have thought often about how to write about him because it DOES feel weird saying The Homeless Man. 🙂 Thank you for your help! N xx
I love Salisbury Steak and this looks really good!
Thanks Nicole! N x
Was wondering if I did not have beef bouillon cube in pantry what would be a nice substitute? Unsure what salt & pepper amounts to use.
I made this last night. We were out of Better than Bouillon, which would have been my go-to choice. And I did a triple recipe for a large crowd. So I added a teaspoon of soy sauce to the tripled ingredients and also some dried thyme. And with that large amount, I simply pureed an onion in a food processor and then a second one for the gravy.
Love hearing that David! Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed it! N xx
Rather than worry about stirring the flour into the mushroom mix with butter, I mixed the butter and flour into a beurre manie and then added it to the mushroom and onion mixture.
Almost forgot. I did a triple recipe. Rather than worry about stirring the flour into the mushroom mix with butter, I mixed the butter and flour into a beurre manie and then added it to the mushroom and onion mixture.
Hi Joanne! Add about 3/4 tsp salt if you are missing bouillon 🙂 And a good amount of pepper – about 1/2 tsp!
Hello, Nagi, from fire and rain ravaged Ventura, California. I love your recipes. But lately I’m confused on measurements. Did I miss an explanation somewhere? How much is 0.6 onion, or 3.6 tsp mustard, or 1.2 egg ?? Thanks for your reply!
Hi Chris, I’m so sorry to hear you were affected by the fires 🙁 Regarding the measurements, sounds like the recipe scaler was moved accidentally! Try refreshing the page 🙂 N x
Hi Nagi!
I have been receiving your emails and checking out your site for a while now. I just wanted to say that my husband and I tried your Salisbury Steak recipe about a month ago. And, it was really good! The dish had such a nice, deep, flavor. Just wanted you to know how much we enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing!
I love hearing that Wendy!! Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed it! N x
Mmmmmmm….gravy! Southerners love their gravy. This is very much like what my Mother made, except she didn’t put in mushrooms. We just called it hamburgers in gravy and we all loved it. My Mama made the BEST gravy! I sure do miss it and her, but at least my gravy turns out pretty good since many years ago she showed me how to make gravy. This looks so yummy and it is comfort food for sure! Thanks so much for this recipe.
I BET you Mama’s gravy ROCKED IT!!!! N xx
Our minds are just too much alike Nagi. You posted your smoked salmon pate the other week, I’d just made my version – BTW 1/2 tsp 3ml of tomato ketchup and brandy really make a difference. Angus 85%^ ground/minced beef was on sale and I was going to make Salisbury steaks but in rich onion gravy – little bit of red wine and some sour cream. Costco used to sell 6 oz (180g) sirloin beef burgers that made fabulous Salisbury steaks and 3 burgers was about a pound of meat to use for meat sauce, meatballs etc. But we’re sitting under 12 inches of snow and more due in New Hampshire. For gluten free I use crushed corn chex, cook onions in some spicy oil, add crushed chex and broth which rehydrates chex. I rarely add eggs, since so many people avoid them for variety of reasons.
STAY WARM OONAGH!!! Love hearing we are in sync! N x
Hi Nagi,
I love your recipes and the easiness of the preparation. When preparing them, they always come out perfect and taste so great. I’m not a Salisbury gal, but knowing your culinary skills for making recipes ya my, I can’t wait for o try this one. You Italian Meatballs are on our menu very often. You are da Bomb. You have become a hous hold regular at our home. Thank you. Update my o follow when I make your Salisbury Steaks. Lucky homeless man. 😉
I’m so flattered Linda!!! Thank you for your lovely message! N xx
All I can say is that your homeless man has a fine palate. I think your dishes have probably made it more sophisticated!! We love our mushrooms so this recipe will be a win-win. BTW, I watched the video and your hands have changed 😉 I ‘ve never had a professional manicure. I just can’t grow my nails to save my soul. Why accentuate what is definitely NOT a good feature. 😢 How does Dozer chase sand? I’m trying to picture that.
Ha! You know full well they are not my hands!!! N xx
Hi there Nagi such a delicious surprise your Salisbury steaks were delicious and the homeless man story brought a happy smile to my face..I shall be telling my aunt in england that your Salisbury steak is THE REAL DWAL👍.
LUCKY DOZER jumping for sand. .poor luca has bleak snow to look at daily..oh well WISHING FOR SPRING🐕
CHEERS FROM TORONTO AND TKS FOR YUMMYSALISBURY STEAKS
So glad you like these Gillian!!! Dozer says WOOF to Luca! N x
I found your recipe for Salisbury Steak when I searching for a better one that I had been using. Well, what I also did was use a scaling factor of 7 so that I could serve this at the local senior center for lunch. What I can tell you is that I had 28 extremely happy seniors who very much enjoyed this recipe and I received quite a few remarks on the great lunch that they had!! Thanks so much for a great recipe that I will be sure to use from now on when making Salisbury Steaks for the senior.
WOW! I LOVE HEARING THAT!!! N xx