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!
Insanely delicious!!! Partnered it with brown butter mashed potato. Recipe / instruction is perfect.
Thank you for sharing, Nagi! God bless.
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed it Gie, thank you for letting me know! N xx
Thank you for the recipe, Nagi! Made it today, great idea for our dinner, husband loves the gravy. I served it with fried rice (I am one of those people who will not feel full until I have had rice with my meal) 😀 Again, thank you very much.
So glad you enjoyed it Sherly, thanks so much for letting me know! N xx
I do not know who that Wendy woman was but she obviously cannot read a recipe. I made the Salisbury steak this afternoon and it was perfect. Thanks again for a wonderful dish it was yummy
I’m so happy to hear you loved it Val! Thank you so much for letting me know – N xx
Really good!!! I followed the recipe exactly. The gravy is delish!
Thanks so much for the wonderful feedback Jacki! So glad you enjoyed it – N x
Sorry Wendy that this happened to you but to be honest English is my second language and I just followed the cooking intsructions (which is very specific and very easy to do) and it went well.
Nagi thanks so much. Dont mind Wendy I thnk she’s just a hater. lol.
Thanks for the kind words Ian, I’m sure Wendy didn’t mean to come across so harshly 🙂 Your written English is perfect, great admirer of anyone who can speak more than one language. N xx
Sorry Wendy, you did something wrong. I thought these were the best!!! Unbelievably good!!!!! Try it again and this time, follow the directions!
Insanely good. Although, everything I have tried of yours is. I tell all my friends about your recipes. Thank you so much for sharing. Can’t wait to try everything. Salisbury steak this week. Your magnificent nachos last week!!! I’m going to get fat!
Wow what a compliment Dianne! I’m so glad you’re enjoying my recipes, thank you for letting me know! PS Life is meant to be enjoyed and depriving oneself of DELICIOUS food is just torture! I’m trying to be on a health kick right now (NY resolution – as usual) and I’ve decided to do the 50/50 rule – eat anything I want, as usual, but only have half a serving!
I haven’t even cook this yet and I know it’s going to be the bomb!!!I could eat this with my eyes really!!PLEASE do not stop sharing your gift with everyone.Im getting ready to prepare everything for this dish now. I will be back!!!
I don’t intend to, that’s for sure!!! Hope you try and LOVE it Janise! N xx
Delicious! Thank you for sharing. First time I ever made it. Very simple yet very very good.
Awesome! So glad to hear that April, thanks for letting me know! N x
sorry to be a dunce, but what is “ground beef / mince, – in particular the mince part”?” Is this the regular ground beef I buy at the supermarket?
Don’t apologise!!! Ground beef is called beef mince here in Australia which is why I use both words! Yes this is the regular ground beef 🙂 N x
Wendy, First time cook. these directions are KISS, Keep It Simple Smiley. Shouldn’t have posed a problem. The only problem I can even come up with is your pan/skillet wasn’t “Stinking Hot”/High Heat. It should be hot enough that Canola/Veggie oil will start to smoke when put in pan. Then season liberally, this is so tidbits of meat and seasoning are left in pan for the gravy, sear/char/crust on each side for a minute or slightly longer, don’t leave pan unwatched. Remove patties turn heat down to the med/low heat and continue with instructions from there. I repeat to make sure it is clear, Sear meat in a skillet on High Heat for 1 min or slightly longer, once meat is seared turn skillet to Medium Low, and make gravy per instructions. Don’t worry cooking isn’t rocket science and don’t worry about adding your own touch when comfortable. This is a killer recipe and it is easy you just need to practice, and then it gets easier and you will get good, just like every other thing in life worth doing. Hope this helps. BTW, Nagi Thanks for this recipe closet to one I remember from childhood. Peace Out!
Hi Robert, Thanks for helping Wendy out! I’m so glad you like this, and thank you so much for taking the time to leave this message! N xx
Delicious! I’ve never made salisbury steak before and this recipe was spot on! I served it with a side of mashed potatoes and green beans…DH and kids ate it all up! I will be saving this on my Pinterest Board and making again in the future. I must say that I did change the recipe slightly by using a little bit of red wine instead of water.
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this Jeniva! Thanks so much for letting me know! N x
Hi Nagi, I have a whole rump steak, could I slice it and do the same?
Always love your recipes, have shared this site with my cooking friend and she loves it also. We send each other pics of what we have created from your fabulous recipes. Thank you so much.
As an aside, I made your delicious salad with the honey lemon dressing for Christmas Day. Everyone loved it.
Cheers
Hi Valerie! I think this would be lovely with steak! Never tried it, but the flavours will be fab. I’d slice or cube the steak and sear it in stinking hot skillet to get nice colour (lots of salt and pepper), then remove while still rare inside. Then make the gravy per recipe, then right at the end add the steak back in. YUM! And thank you for the lovey compliment, I’m flattered! N xx
I haven’t a clue if I have already posted to say thanks for this recipe, but if not: thanks!!! This is the best thing ever in the Netherlands right now as it is so damn cold and the recipe was spot on!
Ps- I love this site so much. It is my absolute go-to now when I need inspiration or a better way of doing something I already do. I love that you often explain why you do things, not just that you *do* them. For me as someone who always must know why, this is awesome!
Hope you had a swell christmas and new year break!
Sarahanne X X
What a compliment, thanks Sarahanne! I’m glad you enjoyed this, I LOVE Salisbury Steaks. Thanks for letting me know! 🙂 N x
I loved it! I will save this recipe for the future! Thank you!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Linda! Thanks for letting me know! 🙂 N x
Hi Nagi, I wanted to thank you for posting this “MEAL”. It is amazing! And the directions were flawless.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Chuck! Thanks for letting me know! 🙂 N x
I’m sorry this didn’t work out for you Wendy. If you followed the recipe then the should not fall apart when cooking, and I think if you read the comments below yours you can see that there are many many people for whom this recipe worked just fine. – Nagi
Wendy, I would normally not reply to something like this but your comment is unwarranted and unkind. I’m sorry your dish did not turn out as you expected but clearly other people made this dish just fine. I am honestly not trying to offend you but I’ve re-read the instructions and I am sure your poor results are due to user error.
Nagi, I’m looking forward to making this someday. Great story, I didn’t know you share your creations with others in this way, it was encouraging to read!
Thanks for your lovely message Sylvie! Still do, almost every day, he’s become one of my official taste testers! N xx
Made this for my very picky family last night. Great reception and was told I could fix this anytime.
Hi Rod, I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for taking the time to let me know – N x
Made this three times now and absolutely love it!! Only thing I do usually have to add a little more flour it seems and simmer longer, about 30 minutes but other than that fabulous recipe. I love using dijon whenever possible as it never disappoints. Thanks you for the recipe, one of my favorites to make and eat.
Hi Maggie! I’m so glad you enjoyed this, and thank you for taking the time to let me know! N x