This Salisbury steak with mushroom gravy is pure comfort food! Juicy, flavour-packed beef patties smothered in a rich, savoury gravy. Perfect with mashed potatoes!
The key is getting a nice crust on the patties before letting them gently bubble away in the gravy. This simple technique results in tender and juicy patties, with a deeply flavoursome sauce that only requires a handful of ingredients.
Ingredient Notes
The full list and quantities are down in the recipe card, but I just want to touch on some of the key ingredients:
For the Salisbury Steak Patties
- Ground/Minced Beef – I recommend 15% fat (85/15 in the US) for the best balance of flavour and tenderness. 20% will also work. I don’t recommend lean beef; the patties dry out more easily and won’t have as much flavour.
- Panko Breadcrumbs and Egg – The egg helps bind everything together, while the panko absorbs moisture to help keep the patties tender and juicy.
- Worcestershire Sauce and Dijon Mustard – Both add a lovely savoury depth to the patties without being too overpowering.
- Onion and Garlic – For an extra layer of flavour. Both go in raw – no need to pre-cook.
For the Mushroom Gravy
- Mushrooms – I use baby chestnut mushrooms (cremini/baby bella in the US), but you can really use any variety you fancy.
- Tomato Paste – Just a tablespoon adds a subtle acidity to balance the richness of the gravy, alongside an extra layer of savoury flavour.
- Flour, Butter and Beef Stock – Butter and flour to make a roux and thicken the beef stock.
How to make Salisbury Steak Patties
Prepping the patties is an important stage, as it helps determine the juiciness and tenderness. And for tender patties, I’ve got just the trick for you:
- Grate the onion and soak the Panko – A key step is soaking the breadcrumbs in grated onion and Worcestershire sauce. The breadcrumbs absorb the moisture from both, helping keep the patties juicy and tender as they cook.
After that, you can go in with the remaining ingredients. Making sure everything is well-mixed and evenly distributed is important, but don’t overwork the meat and squeeze it into oblivion. This can cause the proteins to bind too tightly, resulting in dense, rubbery patties rather than lovely tender ones.
Process shots: add Panko, Worcestershire sauce and grated onion to a large mixing bowl (photo 1), mash with a fork (photo 2), add the remaining ingredients (photo 3), use your hands to mix until well-combined (photo 4).
When you form the patties, you want them in an oval shape, more to mimic a steak than a burger patty. Frying the patties is mainly important to build a crust and develop some flavour on the outside. They will mostly cook through in the pan, but will finish off simmering in the sauce.
Process shots: divide the mixture into 4 pieces (photo 5), form oval-shaped patties (photo 6), add to pan (photo 7), fry both sides then remove (photo 8).
How to prevent the patties from cracking
Make sure the mixture is well combined (without overworking the meat). When shaping the patties, use your fingers to smooth over any cracks, especially around the edges. Also, be sure to let a crust form before carefully flipping in the pan.
Making the Mushroom Gravy
The gravy starts right where the patties leave off! Cooking the mushrooms in a little leftover beef fat adds extra flavour, while the moisture they release helps loosen all those lovely browned bits stuck to the pan. This helps give the gravy an even deeper, more savoury flavour.
The gravy itself is really simple, and that’s because the patties do some of the heavy lifting. As the patties rest, a pool of juices will form around them. You can add this straight to the gravy for a boost of flavour. Also, as they gently simmer, a nice amount of flavour will seep into the gravy.
Process shots: add mushrooms to pan (photo 1), fry then remove (photo 2), fry garlic in butter then add tomato paste (photo 3), fry then stir in flour (photo 4), whisk in stock, Worcestershire sauce and patty resting juices (photo 5), simmer patties until thickened (photo 6).
Prep ahead
You can prep the patties ahead of time and keep them tightly covered in the fridge overnight. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months, then thaw them completely in the fridge before cooking. I recommend making the gravy fresh, because it gets so much of its flavour from frying the patties beforehand.
Serving Suggestions
For me, Salisbury steak and mashed potatoes are a match made in heaven. There’s nothing better for soaking up all that gorgeous mushroom gravy! Here are some of my favourite sides to serve with it:
- Extra Creamy Mashed Potatoes – My number one choice for soaking up every last drop of gravy.
- Sour Cream and Chive Mashed Potatoes – A delicious alternative with a subtle tang to balance the richness.
- Garlic Green Beans – Perfect for adding some freshness.
- Honey Balsamic Roasted Carrots – The sweetness works beautifully alongside the savoury beef and gravy.
You could also serve with rice or even crusty bread for a super easy dinner!
Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this salisbury steak shall we?!
Full Recipe and Video
Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy
Equipment
- Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Box Grater (for onion)
- Large Pan & Spatula/Turner
- Whisk or Wooden Spoon (for sauce)
Ingredients
Salisbury Steak
- 1/2 cup / 30g Panko Breadcrumbs
- 1/2 medium White Onion, grated on a box grater
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1lb / 500g Ground/Minced Beef (15% fat – see notes)
- 2 tsp Dijon Mustard
- 2 cloves of Garlic, finely minced
- 1 Egg
- 3/4 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- Olive Oil, as needed
Mushroom Gravy
- 8oz / 225g Baby Chestnut Mushrooms (Cremini/Baby Bella), sliced
- 2 tbsp / 30g Unsalted Butter
- 1 clove of Garlic, finely diced
- 1 tbsp Tomato Paste
- 2 tbsp All Purpose/Plain Flour
- 2 cups / 480ml good quality Beef Stock
- 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce (see notes)
Instructions
- Add the Panko, grated onion and Worcestershire sauce to a large mixing bowl, then use a fork to mash everything together until the breadcrumbs soak in all the moisture.
- Add the remaining ingredients (besides the olive oil) and use your hands to mix everything together. Whilst it's important to ensure everything is evenly distributed and mixed well, try not to squeeze the meat into oblivion, otherwise it can come out tough and dry.
- Divide the mixture into 4 equal-sized portions. One by one, roll them into balls, then flatten them into oval-shaped patties (3.5" x 5" is perfect). Use your fingers to smooth over the surfaces and edges, pinching together any little cracks or gaps to help prevent them from splitting as they cook.
- Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the patties and fry for around 3 minutes on each side until nicely browned. The aim is to develop a lovely crust and build flavour, rather than cook them all the way through (they'll finish cooking in the gravy). Remove the patties and place on a plate to one side. You may need to work in two batches depending on the size of your pan.
- Remove and discard all but around 1/2 tbsp of fat (just eyeball it), then place the pan back over medium-high heat again. Add the mushrooms and fry until they build up a golden crust, seasoning with a pinch of salt and pepper towards the end. Remove the mushrooms and place to one side, then lower the heat to medium.
- Melt the butter, then fry the garlic for 30 seconds or so (be careful it doesn't burn). Stir in the tomato paste and fry for a minute or so, then stir in the flour. Gradually add the stock, whisking as you go to ensure no lumps form. Add 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, then stir in the mushrooms and any resting juices from the patties.
- Nestle in the patties, then gently simmer for 8-10 minutes until the gravy thickens and the patties are cooked through. It will thicken, just keep gently simmering away, spooning over the patties as you go.
- Serve up and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Your Private Notes:
Nutrition
Looking for more?
You’ll find plenty more delicious comfort food like this in my Debut Cookbook ‘Comfy’
