Ground Beef
$2.37per plate
Prep
10 min
Ground Beef · Hamburger Steak
Hamburger Steak
Hamburger steak is the plain, budget-friendly cousin of Salisbury steak: just seasoned ground beef patties, no breadcrumbs or filler, seared and then smothered in a rich brown onion gravy made in the same pan. There are no mushrooms and nothing fancy, which keeps it honest at about $1.77 a plate for four. Serve it over mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles to catch the gravy, and dinner is done in about 30 minutes.
$1.77per plate
Estimated recipe total
$7.10 · serves 4
Cook
20 min
Total
30 min
Serves
4
1 How to make it
1
Season and shape the patties
Mix the ground beef with the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and 1 tablespoon of the Worcestershire, then shape into 4 oval patties about 3/4 inch thick. Keep it simple: no breadcrumbs or egg, just seasoned beef, which is what makes it a hamburger steak rather than a Salisbury steak.
2
Sear the patties
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high and sear the patties 3 to 4 minutes per side until well browned. They finish cooking in the gravy, so do not worry about the centers yet. Move them to a plate.
3
Make the onion gravy
Add the sliced onion to the same pan and cook 5 to 6 minutes until soft and golden, scraping up the browned bits. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir for a minute, then slowly pour in the beef broth and the remaining Worcestershire, stirring until smooth and thickened.
4
Simmer together
Return the patties and their juices to the pan, spooning gravy over the top. Simmer 8 to 10 minutes until the patties are cooked through and the gravy is thick and glossy. Taste and adjust the salt, then serve over mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles.
2 Cheaper ingredient swaps
- Ground turkey for beef. Turkey works well and can be cheaper some weeks. Add an extra splash of oil since it is leaner and browns drier than 80/20 beef.
- Add mushrooms to the gravy. Stir a handful of sliced mushrooms in with the onions and you have edged it toward a Salisbury steak. Adds about two dollars a batch if you want the upgrade.
- A spoon of ketchup or tomato paste. A tablespoon stirred into the gravy deepens the color and adds a little tang, using what is already in the fridge or pantry.
- Cream of mushroom or onion soup. A can thinned with a little broth stands in for the flour-and-broth gravy if you keep it on hand. Faster, though saltier, so skip the added salt.
3 Budget tips
- Skipping the breadcrumbs and egg keeps this cheaper and faster than Salisbury steak, and lets the beef flavor carry the patty on its own.
- Serve the patties over mashed potatoes from a cheap bag of spuds rather than noodles, and the plate stretches further for pennies while still catching all the gravy.
- Double the gravy. It costs almost nothing extra and turns leftover patties, potatoes, or a slice of toast into a second cheap meal the next day.
4 Storage, freezing & reheating
Fridge
Refrigerate the patties and gravy together in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The gravy keeps the meat moist, so leftovers reheat better than most beef dishes.
Freezer
Freeze the patties in their gravy for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently on the stove, adding a splash of broth since the gravy thickens in the freezer.
Reheating
Reheat on the stove over medium-low, spooning the gravy over the patties until heated through, or microwave in 1 minute bursts. Add a little broth or water if the gravy has thickened.
5 Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
300
Protein
22g
Fat
21g
Carbs
6g
Estimates per serving of one patty with gravy, without a side, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not a substitute for medical advice.
6 Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between hamburger steak and Salisbury steak?
Hamburger steak is just a seasoned beef patty in onion gravy, with no filler. Salisbury steak mixes breadcrumbs and egg into the meat and is usually served in a mushroom gravy. Hamburger steak is the plainer, cheaper of the two, and this recipe keeps it that way on purpose.
What should I serve with hamburger steak?
Anything that soaks up the onion gravy. Mashed potatoes are the classic pairing, but rice, egg noodles, or a slice of bread all work. A cheap starchy side is what turns the patty and gravy into a full plate.
Why do my hamburger steak patties fall apart?
Usually too much handling or flipping too soon. Shape the patties gently, let them sear undisturbed for a few minutes so a crust forms before you flip, and they will hold together through the gravy simmer.
How is the price per plate figured?
About $7.10 for the whole skillet, split across four servings, which is roughly $1.77 each before any side. The pound of beef is nearly the entire cost, so a sale on ground beef moves the number the most.
Helpful Tools for This Recipe
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- 12-inch nonstick skillet. A wide nonstick skillet browns ground meat, fries rice, and builds a one-pan sauce with less oil and easier cleanup. Best for everyday stovetop dinners like skillet meals, fried rice, pasta sauces, and patties.
- Cast iron skillet. Cast iron holds heat for a deep sear and moves from stovetop to oven, and it lasts for decades with basic care. Best for searing chops and chicken, and recipes that start on the stove and finish in the oven.
- Chef's knife. One sharp chef's knife handles almost all the chopping, from onions to chicken, and replaces a drawer of gadgets. Best for all-purpose prep in essentially every recipe on the site.
- Cutting board. A large, stable cutting board makes prep faster and safer, which matters when you cook most nights. Best for everyday chopping of onion, garlic, and vegetables across nearly every recipe.
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