Do you remember having Salisbury Steaks with mashed potatoes on school nights? I do! Wouldn’t you just love to recreate that familiar childhood recipe? Keep reading!
For most of my sisters’ and my childhood, our mother stayed home with us. She did mountains of laundry, kept a neat and organized house, and cooked three full meals a day. With a family of five, that was a lot of work.
Around the time my youngest sister started school, Mama opened her own floral business in our enclosed garage, just steps from the back door. So now, along with all the cooking, cleaning, and laundry, she was running a full-time business.
Every once in a while, on the busiest days, Mama needed a little help with meals. There were no fast food places in our tiny town, but we could order hamburgers from a little drive-in or go to one of the two sit-down restaurants. And occasionally, she’d let us have “TV dinners.” We thought that was the ultimate treat. This was the 1960s, when TV dinners felt like the height of space-age convenience, a complete meal in a little aluminum tray. Pop the whole thing in the oven for about 30 minutes, and out came dinner.
Mama let us choose our favorite, and mine was always Salisbury steak. That little ground beef patty in gravy with mashed potatoes, peas, and carrots. Yum. Or at least we thought so back then.
A while back, I started to wonder whether I could create an updated Salisbury steak. One that fits today’s tastes a little better, and I think this does just that. If you remember those old frozen dinners, I believe you’ll enjoy this recipe. And if you have a soft spot for familiar, old-fashioned meals, you’ll also want to try my Sloppy Joes, Macaroni and Tomatoes, or Chicken and Rice.
Recipe Snapshot: Salisbury Steaks
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 2
Cuisine: American
Cooking Method: Stovetop
Primary Ingredients: Ground beef, onion, flour, beef broth, mushrooms
Skill Level: Easy
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What Makes This Recipe Special
This recipe is nostalgia personified! It’s a simple seasoned beef patty in mushroom gravy served with mashed potatoes on the side.
The patties are mixed lightly to keep them tender, then browned to build flavor before finishing in a mushroom and onion gravy. The gravy is developed right in the skillet, picking up all the flavor from the patty. It’s a simple, but flavorful update of the old frozen version.
Ingredient Notes
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- Ground Beef — I prefer an 80/20 ground beef blend. The slightly higher fat content adds lots of flavor. Handle it lightly when mixing to keep the patties tender.
- Mushrooms — I think the mushrooms add a lot of flavor to the gravy. Either white or cremini mushrooms work well.
- Beef Broth — The flavor base of the gravy. A low-sodium option gives you better control over seasoning.
The complete ingredient list with detailed measurements is included in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Salisbury Steaks
STEP 1. Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and place it over medium heat.
STEP 2. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix lightly until well combined. Divide in half and form two patties.
STEP 3. Add the patties to the heated skillet.
STEP 4. Cook until nicely browned on both sides. Remove patties from the skillet and set aside.
STEP 5. Remove any excess fat from the skillet, leaving only about 2-3 tablespoons.
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STEP 6. Add the sliced mushrooms, chopped onion, and thyme. Cook until the mushrooms are browned and the onions are translucent.
STEP 7. Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and onions in the pan. Stir and cook for two or three minutes.
STEP 8. Add the beef broth. Cook, stirring, until the mixture begins to thicken.
STEP 9. Return the steaks to the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook until the gravy is thick and the steaks are cooked through.
STEP 10. Serve the steaks with a mound of potatoes drizzled with pan gravy.
Recipe Tips and Troubleshooting
- Handle the beef gently. When mixing the ground beef, use a light hand and stop as soon as everything is combined. Overmixing compresses the meat and leads to dense, tough patties instead of tender ones.
- Brown the patties properly. Give the patties time to develop a good brown crust. The browning builds flavor not only in the meat but also in the skillet, which becomes the base for the gravy.
- Give the flour time to cook. After adding the flour to the pan, cook it for a couple of minutes while stirring. This step prevents a raw flour taste and helps the gravy thicken smoothly.
- Add broth gradually and stir well. Pour in the broth while stirring or whisking to avoid lumps. If the gravy does get lumpy, keep stirring, and it will usually smooth out as it cooks.
How to Serve
Serve the Salisbury steaks over a generous portion of my Easy Mashed Potatoes with plenty of gravy spooned over the top. It goes well with simple vegetable sides like green beans, steamed broccoli, or braised cabbage.
How to Store
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a little broth if the gravy thickens too much.
Leftovers can be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight and rewarm in a low oven or in the microwave.
Questions About Salisbury Steaks
Yes. It reheats well, especially when stored with the gravy.
Salisbury steak includes different seasonings and is served with gravy, while hamburger steak is typically more simply prepared.
Yes. You can leave them out and still have a flavorful onion gravy.
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Recipe
Salisbury Steaks
Ingredients
For the steaks:
- Cooking spray
- 1 pound ground beef
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 8 ounces mushrooms sliced
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 cup beef broth
Instructions
For the steaks:
- Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and place over medium heat.Cooking spray
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix lightly until well combined. Divide in half and form two patties.1 pound ground beef, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Add the patties to the heated skillet and cook until nicely browned on both sides.
- Remove patties to the skillet and set aside.
- Remove excess fat from the skillet, leaving only about 2-3 tablespoons.
- Add the sliced mushrooms, chopped onion, and thyme. Cook until the mushrooms are browned and the onions are translucent.8 ounces mushrooms, 1 small onion, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and onions in the pan. Stir and cook for two or three minutes.1 tablespoon flour
- Add the beef broth. Cook, stirring, until the mixture begins to thicken.1 cup beef broth
- Return the steaks to the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook until the gravy is thick and the steaks are cooked through.
- Serve the steaks with a mound of mashed potatoes drizzled with the gravy.
Notes
- Use 80/20 ground beef for the best flavor.
- Mix the beef lightly and don’t overwork it to keep the patties tender.
- Brown the patties well before removing them from the skillet to build flavor for the gravy.
- Cook the flour briefly before adding broth to avoid a raw taste.
- Simmer the patties gently in the gravy.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator and reheat with a splash of broth if needed.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
Funny story, when my brother and sister (and myself) were little in the 90’s my mom would sometimes buy Salisbury Steak from the grocery story (the Banquet kind) and we would DIE for it! We loved it to much, one time my mom asked my brother what he wanted for dinner and he was like “I want steak, we had it a little bit ago” and she was sitting there thinking “steak? when did we have steak?” And he told her the kind in the package with the gravy and she found out it was salisbury steak! It was such a cute moment because she thought he really wanted an actual steak!
I must make this recipe soon!
Thanks for the beautiful story, and the great recipe… I’m just about to serve it… looks terrific…
Wow…your mom sounds like super woman!! I love salisbury steak…and for me (sadly) tv dinners were more the norm in my pre-teen and teen years in the 80’s. Of course by then the microwave was all the rage so the aluminum foil was replaced with plastic wrap. ;)
So funny, I was thinking of treating hubs to Salisbury Steak and mushrooms when he gets back from traveling. We never had TV dinners growing up, but my mama did make Salisbury steak :)
so fun to read and oh yes do I remember those metal TV trays, we were not too big on TV dinners but we sure like to eat in front of the TV, still do from time to time…
nice sals steak, I enjoy a hamburger steak every so often, with mushroom gravy and ya know, guess it never connected as being Salisbury…
How ironic. Your meal, was our meal last night, but I made hassleback potoatoes instead of mashed. In hindsight, mashed or even rice, would have been a better choice, as hasslebacks are not the greatest for soaking up the gravy. : – (
I honestly think next time I might *gasp* break down & buy regular ground beef for our salisbury steak. I find the lean ground beef makes the salisbury steak a wee bit tough even though it’s just barely cooked past the pink stage.
Oh gosh, I remember eating TV dinners off metal trays watching the Ed Sullivan show, or I love Lucy, or Whats my line, or whatever, as well! I know my Mother really enjoyed the ease of TV dinners once in while, as she worked full time even back then. My sibbling & I were the classic Latch key kids, as were many of our school mates who had working parents. I wonder if theres even such a thing allowed nowadays?
It’s funny. The old saying, what goes around, comes around, is so very true.
Now being in our senior years, & for years scorning foods such as TV dinners, as unhealthy food for our now, adult children, my DH & I started buying TV dinners again, a few months ago. I’d noticed them in a grocery store flyer, 6 dinners for 10 dollars, and thought, what the heck, lets give them a try & see how they’ve changed.
Now we enjoy a TV dinner as a quick supper every two weeks, most always, on a saturday or sunday, as the weekends have us out and about so much. We eat them the same as we did when we were youngsters. In front of the TV, off a tray, but the trays are no longer metal, they’re made of sturdy wood.
Our favorites are salisbury steak, & turkey dinner. Really, how easy can that be when you arrive home, tired & hungry? Meat, potatoes, vegetables & a mini dessert, hot and ready to eat in no time!! : – )
Wow, your Mom sounds amazing! I remember those TV dinners – I think my mother only let me have them once – I didn’t like them so that was that (yeah, I know, spoiled child!!)
I’ve had Salisbury Steak on the brain too but haven’t gotten around to making it but I am now inspired to!!
She is amazing, Nancy. She has spent her whole life working and taking care of people. First me and my sisters, then my Daddy through years of fighting lung cancer, and now she cares for her 96 year old mother. In between all that she ran a successful floral business, then she was head of the local chamber of commerce. After she retired she ran for and was elected chairperson of the county commission.
Oh yes, we thought that it was the coolest thing in the world to have TV dinners. Remember that there were some where you peeled back a part of the foil, and left on the other part? That was like “super science.”
I never really liked the meats, but always thought that the mashed potatoes were pretty good. Loads of sodium and starch have always appealed to me. Potatoes, and the apple cobbler if we were lucky enough to get one with a dessert.
Thanks for reminding me.
Miss P
Yes, I remember those. You peeled back the part over the dessert so it would brown up a little in the oven. And, yeah, the whole thing could have been starch as far as I was concerned. I was a little carb cruncher even back then :-)
Lana!! I thank you so much for this recipe, I love salisbury steak, but believe it or not, I have never prepare it. I like and appreciate your recipe very much! Thanks
You’re welcome, Mari! I really hope you enjoy it.