Ground Beef
$1.71per plate
Prep
15 min
Ground Beef · Salisbury Steak
Salisbury Steak
Salisbury steak is what happens when a hamburger grows up: seasoned ground beef patties, seared until browned, then simmered in a rich mushroom and onion gravy made right in the same pan. It tastes like a diner plate but costs about $2.37 a serving to put four on the table, and the whole thing comes together in one skillet in about 35 minutes. Serve it over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or rice to soak up every drop of the gravy.
$2.37per plate
Estimated recipe total
$9.48 · serves 4
Cook
20 min
Total
35 min
Serves
4
1 How to make it
1
Mix and shape the patties
Combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, half of the diced onion, 1 tablespoon of the Worcestershire, and the salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a bowl. Mix just until it holds together and shape into 4 oval patties about 3/4 inch thick. Overmixing makes them tough, so stop as soon as it comes together.
2
Sear the patties
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the patties and sear 3 to 4 minutes per side until browned. They do not need to cook through yet, since they finish in the gravy. Move them to a plate.
3
Build the gravy
In the same pan with the drippings, add the remaining onion and the sliced mushrooms and cook 4 to 5 minutes until softened and browned. Sprinkle the flour over the top and stir for a minute to cook off the raw taste, then slowly pour in the beef broth and the remaining Worcestershire, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom.
4
Simmer everything together
Return the patties and any juices to the pan, nestling them into the gravy. Simmer 8 to 10 minutes, spooning gravy over the top, until the patties are cooked through and the gravy has thickened. Taste and adjust the salt, then serve over mashed potatoes, noodles, or rice.
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.
- Skip the mushrooms. Not a mushroom fan? Leave them out and make a plain onion gravy instead. It drops the cost by about two dollars a batch and is still classic diner Salisbury steak.
- Cream of mushroom soup for the gravy. A can of cream of mushroom thinned with a little broth stands in for the flour-and-broth gravy if you already have one in the pantry. Faster, though a bit saltier.
- A splash of milk or cream in the gravy. Stirring a couple tablespoons of milk into the finished gravy makes it richer and closer to a country-style version, using what is already in the fridge.
3 Budget tips
- Mushrooms are the second-biggest cost here after the beef, so buy them when a store has the 8 oz package on sale, or skip them for a plain onion gravy that costs about two dollars less.
- Serve the patties over mashed potatoes made from a cheap bag of potatoes rather than egg noodles, and the plate stretches further for pennies.
- Double the gravy. It costs almost nothing extra and turns leftover patties, potatoes, or 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
340
Protein
24g
Fat
23g
Carbs
11g
Estimates per serving of two patties 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 Salisbury steak and a hamburger?
Both start with ground beef, but Salisbury steak mixes in a binder of breadcrumbs and egg with seasonings, shapes it into oval patties, and simmers them in gravy rather than serving them on a bun. The gravy is what makes it a dinner-plate meal instead of a sandwich.
What should I serve with Salisbury steak?
Anything that soaks up the gravy. Mashed potatoes are the classic, but egg noodles, rice, or even a slice of toast all work. A cheap starchy side is what turns the patties and gravy into a full, filling plate.
Can I make Salisbury steak without mushrooms?
Yes. Leave them out and make a plain onion gravy instead. It is still classic Salisbury steak, and skipping the mushrooms drops the cost by about two dollars a batch.
How is the price per plate figured?
About $9.48 for the whole skillet, split across four servings, which is roughly $2.37 each before any side. The pound of beef and the mushrooms are the two biggest costs, so a sale on either brings the number down 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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