Salisbury Steak with Onion Gravy is an easy old-fashioned comfort food. Homemade from scratch with tender beef patties and rich brown onion gravy in only 40 minutes.

Jump To:
Old-fashioned Salisbury steak is a classic American comfort food with tender seasoned hamburger steaks and served with rich brown mushroom or onion gravy (or mushroom gravy) over mashed potatoes or noodles.
Unlike the TV dinners, this is a Salisbury steak recipe like grandma would make in the 50s. A supreme comfort food that will bring back memories and become a family favorite.
You may also like these other comfort food recipes with gravy, like Pot Roast with Gravy, Oven Fried Chicken with Gravy, Beef Tips with Gravy, and Fried Pork Chops with Gravy. Or ground beef recipes like Old Fashioned Meatloaf or Meatloaf Burgers.
This recipe is another request by my wife—we both had the same vision and used Pioneer Woman as an inspiration recipe and filled in with our memories. We give it an A++.
🥣Ingredients
- Ground beef—80/20 or leaner. But ground turkey or chicken will work.
- Pantry ingredients—garlic powder, onion powder, Panko breadcrumbs, ketchup, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce
- For the gravy—flour, beef broth, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, salt, black pepper, plus onion or mushrooms if using
👨🍳How to Make Salisbury Steak
- Start by preparing and browning onions or mushrooms, then move to a bowl.
- Combine ground beef with breadcrumbs, ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and onion powder, then make into patties.
- Fry the steak patties in a large pan with oil over medium-high heat until an internal temperature of 165°, then tent with aluminum foil on a plate.
- Make a slurry by whisking flour with beef broth—set aside.
- Bring some beef broth to a light boil over medium heat. Slowly stir in the flour slurry and add ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, and salt to taste.
- Whisk until nicely thickened, 3-4 minutes. If using the browned onions or mushrooms, add them to the gravy and mix well.
- Add the patties back into the mixture, and simmer for a few minutes until everything is hot.
✔️Tips to get it right every time
- Ground beef is most commonly used. The standard 80/20 ground meat is most commonly used, but you can also use lean ground beef, ground turkey, or ground chicken.
- Do not use high heat to cook the steak patties. The outside will be done before the center is safe to eat.
- Do not make your patties over ⅓ pound. They will be too thick to cook well on the stovetop.
- When browning the onions and mushrooms, cook to a darker brown for more caramelization flavor.
- Do not add raw onion or mushrooms to the gravy—they should be cooked first.
⬇️How to make Salisbury Steak for two
This is an easy recipe to cut in half. The full recipe makes about 4 servings so a half recipe is two servings.
- Use the recipe card and adjust the number of servings from 4 to 2
- Use the amount of ingredients in the ingredient list, not the instructions—those do not adjust.
- Cook for the same amount of time.
🍴How to serve Salisbury steak?
Salisbury steak with gravy is usually served over or next to a starch. Mashed potatoes are the most common, but pasta, like egg noodles, is also an excellent combination. Rice, like oven-baked rice, is a third option.
I like to combine this with a vegetable that compliments this old-fashioned dish—Asparagus, broccoli, green beans, or corn are my choices.
❄️How to store leftover Salisbury steak
Salisbury steak with gravy is best stored in the refrigerator sealed in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
To freeze, seal the leftovers airtight in your freezer for 3-4 months.
This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.
Have you tried this recipe, or have a question? Join the community discussion in the comments.
Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
Note that while the pictures are for five servings, the discussion and the recipe are set for four—I had a bit more burger that day.
If you want caramelized onions or mushrooms in your gravy, start by thin-slicing a small onion or about 5 oz of mushrooms. Cook with 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high heat until nicely brown onions or cooked mushrooms. About 7-8 minutes for the onion, or saute the mushrooms until cooked. Set aside in a bowl.
In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 pound of ground beef with ⅓ cup Panko breadcrumbs, 2 teaspoons ketchup, 1 teaspoon mustard and Worcestershire sauce, and ½ teaspoon garlic powder. If not doing the onions, then add ½ teaspoon onion powder.
Divide the hamburger mixture into 3-4 equal portions. A quarter-size indent in the middle of one side prevents puffing up of the patties and makes cooking evener.
Place steak patties in a large frying pan with a teaspoon of oil over medium-high heat. Flip about every 5-6 minutes until an internal temperature of 165°. It takes about 15-20 minutes, depending on the thickness, the pan, and the burners.
Whisk 4 tablespoons flour with 1 cup beef broth. Remove the Salisbury steak to a plate and lightly tent. Pour out most of the liquid, leaving about 3-4 tablespoons. Allow the pan to cool some. Add 1 cup beef broth and bring to a light boil over medium heat.
Slowly add the flour-broth mixture while continuing to whisk. Add 1 teaspoon ketchup and ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Whisk until nicely thickened, a few minutes. If using the caramelized onions or mushrooms, add them to the gravy and mix well.
Add the steak back into the mixture and simmer for a few minutes until everything is hot.
Serve mashed potatoes or as you wish.
📖 Recipe
Salisbury Steak with Onion Gravy
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- ⅓ cup Panko bread crumbs
- 2 teaspoons ketchup
- 1 teaspoon mustard - regular yellow or dijon
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder - optional, use if not doing onion in gravy
Gravy
- 1 onion - optional if not using mushrooms
- ½ cup sliced mushrooms - optional if not using onion
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 2 cups beef broth
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon ketchup
- ½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- If you want caramelized onions or mushrooms in your gravy, start by thin-slicing a small onion or about 5 oz of mushrooms. Cook with 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high heat until nicely brown onions or cooked mushrooms. About 7-8 minutes for the onion, or saute the mushrooms until cooked. Set aside in a bowl.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 pound of ground beef with ⅓ cup Panko breadcrumbs, 2 teaspoons ketchup, 1 teaspoon mustard and Worcestershire sauce, and ½ teaspoon garlic powder. If not doing the onions, then add ½ teaspoon onion powder.
- Divide the hamburger mixture into 3-4 equal portions. A quarter-size indent in the middle of one side prevents puffing up of the patties and makes cooking evener.
- Place steak patties in a large frying pan with a teaspoon of oil over medium-high heat. Flip about every 5-6 minutes until an internal temperature of 165°. It takes about 15-20 minutes, depending on the thickness, the pan, and the burners.
- Place steak patties in a large frying pan with a teaspoon of oil over medium-high heat. Flip about every 5-6 minutes until an internal temperature of 165°. It takes about 15-20 minutes, depending on the thickness, the pan, and the burners.
- Slowly add the flour-broth mixture while continuing to whisk. Add 1 teaspoon ketchup and ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Whisk until nicely thickened, a few minutes. If using the caramelized onions or mushrooms, add them to the gravy and mix well.
- Whisk until nicely thickened, a few minutes. If using the caramelized onions or mushrooms, add them to the gravy and mix well.
Your Own Private Notes
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- Use the ground meat you like. Make the patties ¼ to ⅓ pound. ½ pound will not cook well on the stovetop.
- Don't chop the onion. Cut into rings and maybe cut the larger ones in half.
- You can easily use mushrooms in place of or in addition to the onions in the gravy. They will cook faster than the onion. Do not add either to the gravy raw.
- Use the depression in the center of the patties. It will help prevent them from puffing up during cooking, and they will cook more evenly.
- Be sure to cook the patties to 165° minimum.
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
© 101 Cooking for Two, LLC. All content and photographs are copyright protected by us or our vendors. While we appreciate your sharing our recipes, please realize copying, pasting, or duplicating full recipes to any social media, website, or electronic/printed media is strictly prohibited and a violation of our copyrights.
❓FAQs
Yes, but please don't. It is easy to use, but gravy made with cornstarch can turn jello-like when refrigerated.
The recipe uses a straightforward slurry method to make gravy at home. Flour is whisked into a liquid and dissolved completely, which is then slowly added to a boiling fluid, usually a broth with meat drippings while mixing continuously. After a few minutes, it will thicken into gravy.
Please see How to Easily Make Gravy from Scratch for more details on doing the gravy with the slurry method.
No. Swiss steak is made with real steak, but usually a tougher cut like round or sirloin, then braised in liquid to tenderize.
Salisbury steak is made with ground meat similar to meatloaf, but is fried and served with gravy. Some Salisbury steak contains eggs but not all.
The term hamburger steak is sometimes used for Salisbury steak but incorrectly. It will not have starch as bread crumbs added. Hamburger steak is usually just a big hamburger with a basic seasoning of salt and pepper.
Editor's Note: Originally published September 25, 2016. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Carol
I just made this and it's wonderful...the gravy consistency was amazing. Only thing i changed was i added some more ketchup and then a little mustard to the gravy because It was too bland and I can't add salt, which is exactly what it needed as your recipe suggests lol So the extra ketchup and mustard made it taste yummy without the salt added. Thank you so much for sharing this! I'm saving it on my computer and I'll definitely make it again.
Britt
I have enjoyed your recipes for several years, rate most of them A or A+, and have recommended your site to many friends. I must have “goofed” on this one as it was rather disappointing.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Britt,
Welcome to the blog.
Do you mind elaborating on what was wrong? Taste, texture, instructions? Did you change or substitute anything.
dan
Britt
Did everything as written. Used ground chuck. Did not add mushrooms. I plan to try it again as ALL of your items have been great.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Britt,
That is exactly how I usually make this recipe. My only thought is some ground chuck varies—it seems drier. If it was falling apart, add an egg to the mix.
Keep me informed.
Dan
Ralph
Looks and sounds delicious. However as with a lot of your recipes we will not be able to partake of it as per your directions as my wife is celiac.
We are going to give it a try using King Arthur's Measure for Measure Gluten Free Flour.
Celesti
Made your Homemade Salisbury Steak for supper tonight. Your recipe was delicious and it's a winner with my family. The photos and detailed explanations were easy to follow and the end result was spot on. I followed the advice from one of your reviewers regarding adding the extra Worcestershire sauce in the raw meat mixture and on using 3 tbsp of flour in the gravy. Also, I added the onions into my gravy mixture. Thanks for sharing your recipes..
Tonya Eaton
Made this for dinner my family loved it. I used more beef broth than the recipe called for and added mushrooms and onions. I will be making this again.
Sharon
Do I use ground mustard or prepared mustard?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Sharon,
Prepared yellow mustard.
Dan
Anne
This was an easily prepared and economical dish. The meat patties were certainly moist and fluffy in texture. I did saute some onions and mushrooms for use in the gravy. Unfortunately, the gravy was a little pasty tasting and lacked significant flavor or essence. I did double the Worcestershire and ketchup, plus adding onion and garlic powder with a little Emeril's Essence (in hopes of adding some zip). When I make this again, I probably will use beef Bouillion, consomme, or French onion soup for the liquid and triple the Worcestershire and ketchup. Thank you for another great recipe to add to my collection.
My husband and I do enjoy the pictures of your "furry family".
Terri
This was fantastic! Great recipe! I’ve saved it and will make it again. Thanks.
Dea
Made this as directed tonight for dinner. Served it over mashed potatoes with a side of green beans! It was delicious!!! Hubby was glad he was actually home on time for dinner!! Your recipes never fail to please!! Thanks again!!
Andrina
Thanks for sharing this recipe!
I made both the patties and gravy just as listed and everything turned out PERFECT!
Samantha Stone
I used the progresso Italian bread crumbs and found it very delicious.
Samantha Stone
So I just made this for dinner. I followed the recipe exactly. I couldn't be happier with it. My husband and 2 year old liked it so much that I am adding it to our rotation of dinners :)
For sides we did homemade garlic mashed potatoes, sautéed onions, and corn with Mccormick brown gravy. Amazing dinner thank you!
Livia
I don’t have a comment, but a question. I have a lot of seasoned breadcrumbs. Can they be used? And if so, what other adjustments might need to be made? I’m concerned about textured and saltiness. Thank you.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Livia,
Welcome to the blog.
Generally the seasoning in the bread crumbs won't matter much. You could cut back the garlic powder a bit if they are heavy in taste. There is so much other taste going on here that the little flavor they add won't be noticeable I think.
Dan
tgobbi
The instructions are incomplete!
Under "gravy" the ingredients list "1 onion - small chopped" but nowhere is the cook told what to do with it.
Also, calling this a recipe for 2 is misleading. First, a pound of beef is excessive for 2 people. Second, if it's a recipe for 2 why call for making THREE patties? It doesn't make any sense.
Better testing and editing would help a lot.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Sorry to disappoint. I will give you that the word chopped should not have been there (removed). What to do with the onion is the first instruction. The size of the patties is discussed in the recipe card tip area. See https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/recipes-not-two-servings/ for more discussion.
Dan
Margie
Are you serious? How about seconds or leftovers? Save some money on buying lunch and enjoy it twice. Crazy...
aimeeeebeeee
I just made this last week for our senior center bi-weekly dinner. Everyone loved it! My boss and I loved it so much, she made it for dinner last night and I am making it tonight. I really like that everything is from scratch, no pre-packaged items to worry about! I am super happy I found it! Thank you so much!