Meat & Pork

Serving

Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy

Name: Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Meat & Pork
Ingredients: 1 1/2 lb ground beef; 1/2 cup breadcrumbs; 1 large egg; 1/4 cup finely minced onion; 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce; 1 tbsp ketchup; 1 tsp Dijon mustard; 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 2 tbsp butter; 8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced; 1 small onion, thinly sliced; 2 tbsp all-purpose flour; 2 cups beef broth; 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Seasoned beef patties seared until browned and smothered in a savory onion-mushroom gravy — retro comfort food done right.

40 minutes

Serves 4

Dinner

14 min prep

22 min cook

Contains common allergens

Egg Fish Dairy mustard Seafood Wheat

In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.

Instructions

5 steps

1
In a large bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, minced onion, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Mix gently and shape into 4 oval patties.
2
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the patties until browned on both sides and cooked through, about 4-5 minutes per side; remove and set aside.
3
Melt butter in the same skillet and cook the sliced onion and mushrooms until golden, about 7 minutes.
4
Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir to coat; cook 1 minute. Whisk in beef broth and remaining Worcestershire sauce, scraping up browned bits, and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes.
5
Return the patties to the skillet, spoon gravy over top, and simmer 5 minutes to heat through before serving.

Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy — plated and served — Serving moment. How Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy looks plated and ready to eat — a representative photo, not a step in the recipe.

Listahan Family Score™

53/100

Works for many families

Allergen-friendly 40

Kid-friendly 55

Weeknight-easy 53

Budget-friendly 76

Great leftovers 65

Pantry-friendly 35

Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.

Nutrition

per serving

615

Calories

52 g

Protein

22 g

Carbs

34 g

Fat

Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.

Listahan cooking guide

Chef notes & practical guide

Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.

Cultural context

Salisbury steak sits between hamburger steak and meatloaf: ground beef shaped into oval patties, browned like a steak, then finished in gravy. It carries the name of James H. Salisbury, a 19th-century American physician, but the version many North American cooks recognize comes through diners, cafeterias, and TV dinners where onion-mushroom gravy turned inexpensive ground beef into a full plate supper.

Listahan note

This version keeps the patties simple and puts the work into browning them well, softening the mushrooms and onions, and building the gravy in the same pan. The goal is a tender patty that tastes beefy, not bready, with enough gravy to spoon over potatoes or noodles.

Technique cues

Mix the beef mixture gently and stop as soon as it holds together. Overworking ground beef makes the patties springy instead of tender.
Let the mushrooms and sliced onion cook until their moisture has mostly evaporated before adding flour. That gives the gravy a deeper flavor and keeps it from tasting flat.
Whisk the broth in gradually after the flour coats the vegetables. A slow pour helps the roux dissolve smoothly instead of forming small lumps.

Kitchen flow

Parallel prep: Shape the patties first, then slice the onion and mushrooms while the skillet heats.
Make-ahead: Form the patties and refrigerate them covered earlier in the day; cook the gravy fresh for the best texture.
Leftover move: Slice leftover patties and warm them in gravy for an open-faced sandwich or a quick bowl over egg noodles.
Cleanup rhythm: Use one large skillet from sear to gravy, and scrape the browned bits while adding broth so the pan cleans more easily later.

Ingredient brief

Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.

Ground beef

Main patty base

Purpose: It gives the dish its steak-like heft while staying quick enough for a skillet dinner.

Handling: Use a light hand when mixing and shape the patties into even ovals so they brown and simmer at the same pace.

Adaptation: Ground turkey can be shaped the same way, but the patties will be leaner and benefit from gentler browning.

Breadcrumbs

Tender binder

Purpose: Breadcrumbs hold moisture in the patties and keep them from turning dense as they cook.

Handling: Scatter them evenly over the beef before mixing so they do not clump in one spot.

Adaptation: Crushed crackers can work in a similar amount and give a slightly saltier, softer texture.

Large egg

Structure binder

Purpose: The egg helps the patties hold together through searing and simmering in the gravy.

Handling: Beat it lightly before adding if you want the mixture to come together with less handling.

Adaptation: A spoonful of extra ketchup and a little more breadcrumb can help bind the mixture, though the patties will be more delicate.

Worcestershire sauce

Savory seasoning

Purpose: It gives both the patties and gravy a darker, steakhouse-style flavor without needing a long simmer.

Handling: Measure the patty portion separately from the gravy portion so the seasoning lands in both places.

Adaptation: Soy sauce can stand in for a saltier, simpler savory note; use less and taste the gravy before adding more salt.

Cremini mushrooms, sliced

Gravy backbone

Purpose: Cremini mushrooms add browned, earthy flavor that makes the pan gravy feel substantial.

Handling: Slice them evenly and give them room in the skillet so they brown instead of steaming.

Adaptation: White button mushrooms work with a milder flavor; baby bella mushrooms are another name often used for cremini.

All-purpose flour

Gravy thickener

Purpose: Flour turns the butter, pan drippings, broth, and vegetable juices into a spoonable gravy.

Handling: Cook it for about a minute after sprinkling so the finished gravy does not taste dusty.

Adaptation: Cornstarch slurry can thicken the broth near the end, but it will make a glossier, less roux-like gravy.

Technique notes

Press a shallow dimple into the center of each patty before searing. It helps the patties stay flatter instead of puffing in the middle.
Do not move the patties too early. A browned crust releases more cleanly and gives the gravy better pan drippings.
If the gravy gets too thick after the patties return to the pan, loosen it with a splash of broth and spoon it over the tops before serving.

Ingredient swaps

Breadcrumb alternative: Use crushed saltines or plain panko in place of breadcrumbs; panko gives a looser texture, while saltines make the patties softer and a bit more seasoned.
Dairy-light path: Use a neutral cooking oil instead of butter for the mushrooms and onions; the gravy will be less rich but still picks up flavor from the browned beef.
Weeknight shortcut: Use pre-sliced mushrooms and shape the patties slightly thinner so the browning and final simmer move faster.
Gravy boost: Replace half a cup of the beef broth with strong unsalted coffee or extra broth reduced in the pan for a darker, diner-style gravy.

Serve alongside

Buttermilk mashed potatoes
Buttered egg noodles
Roasted green beans with garlic
Iceberg wedge salad
Iced black tea
Amber ale
Sparkling apple cider

Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate the patties with the gravy in a sealed container so the meat stays moist.
Reheat gently in a covered skillet with a splash of broth or water, spooning the gravy over the patties as it loosens.
Freeze the patties and gravy together in a flat container, thaw overnight, then warm slowly so the gravy comes back together.

Equipment

Large heavy skillet
Mixing bowl
Whisk
Wide spatula

Make this household-aware

Listahan Pro checks this recipe against your household's allergens, finds pantry-aware swaps, builds the shopping list, and helps you plan the week around it.

Get the app