Today’s Salisbury steak recipe from Healthy Recipes 101 presents you with a smart way to create comfort food. By that, we really mean a wholesome and flavor-packed dish that can be treasured on every occasion.
Neither fully beef steak nor burgers, you can consider this recipe a mix of the two.
Salisbury steak is time-saving, nourishing, and never goes out of fashion. It’s economical, kid-friendly, and takes beginner skills to make.
Let’s bring outrageously delicious beef patties to your table in the simplest way with this tender and flavorful Salisbury steak!
What Is Salisbury Steak?
Salisbury steak is a classic American staple invented by the American physician James H. Salisbury. Since 1897, it’s popularity has spread throughout America.
Seasoned ground beef is formed into patties that bear the shape of steaks. These patties are then smothered in a signature rich brown gravy, creating a Salisbury steak.
Now, it has evolved into inspired classics like this one and our Instant Pot Salisbury Steak Recipe.
Is Salisbury Steak Healthy?
This Salisbury steak recipe calls for lean ground beef as the major ingredient. In the meantime, a whole lot of vegetables also work in the background to support the flavor.
Consequently, we believe Salisbury steak meets the basic health requirements.
Nonetheless, the undeniable role of breadcrumbs and flour in this dish make it impossible to omit these two ingredients completely. Therefore, this recipe might not be a good choice for people who are following Keto or low-carb diets.
Instead, you could try a straight-forward pepper steak recipe to meet Keto requirements more precisely.
Or you can opt for other substitutions for breadcrumbs and flour available at the store. For more ideas, check below in this article where we talk about making the Salisbury steak gravy for more details.
How Many Calories are in Salisbury Steak?
This Salisbury steak recipe delivers 467 calories for one serving. However, people rarely enjoy it as it is.
For such a protein-rich dish, a side dish that’s high in carbs and dietary fiber would be a great companion. Therefore, Salisbury steak is usually served over mashed potatoes, noodles, or roasted veggies.
Differences between Salisbury Steak and Hamburger Steak
To many people, Salisbury steak, meatloaf, and burger patties are, most of the time, interchangeable. However, these three do have their differences.
Hamburger steak usually refers to dishes with meat patties and two halves of a bun. Salisbury steak comes with a rich gravy and additional fillers such as egg, peppers, and breadcrumbs.
Moreover, Salisbury steak patties are often cooked and served with mushrooms and onions.
Salisbury Steak Ingredients
The making of Salisbury steak is pretty similar to meatballs. Of course, breadcrumbs, onion, and flour will join in the ingredient list.
More specifically explained, onions are added for a nice crunch. Flour is to thicken the gravy so when simmering with the patties, it’ll create a lovely coating with deep flavors.
There are countless variations of the Salisbury steak recipe out there, many of them adapted to different customs and regions.
However, the two indispensable binders that every Salisbury steak needs are breadcrumbs and egg. Because without breadcrumbs and eggs, beef patties won’t be able to hold together and stay in shape.
Of course the main ingredient is the meat— 90% lean ground beef, to be specific. It’s lean, nutrition-dense, and won’t get too greasy after being pan-seared.
By all means, it’s completely ok to use ground turkey instead. We’re also flexible with beef stock and replace it with chicken stock to make this recipe more convenient and budget-friendly.
Honest confession, we do really favor cremini mushrooms. Many of our recipes call for this variety and this recipe is no exception.
However, other types of mushroom like white button mushrooms or brown mushrooms will also do a good job.
How to Make Salisbury Steak
Step 1: Stir-fry onions
Stir-fry 4 ounces of onion for 5 minutes in 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter. Set aside.
Step 2: Make the meat mixture
In a large bowl, whisk together ground beef, ground black pepper, 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, garlic powder, oregano, bread crumbs, thyme, and egg.
Step 3: Combine brown gravy mix
Whisk together 1 tablespoon of brown gravy mix and 2 tablespoons of water in a separate bowl. Combine it with the meat mixture in step 2. Whisk until well combined.
Step 4: Create beef patties
Divide the meat mixture into 8 equal parts. Use your hands to form them into balls first, then push against their surface to form 8 patties.
Step 5: Sear the patties
Pan-sear beef patties in heated olive oil, spend 2 minutes for each side. Remove the patties from the heat and set aside.
Step 6: Stir-fry mushrooms
On the same pan, stir-fry the cremini mushrooms over medium-low heat for 5 minutes.
Step 7: Make the gravy
Continue to add to the pan 4 ounces of onion, 1 tablespoon of butter, garlic, flour, mustard, 2 tablespoons of ketchup, 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon of brown gravy mix (whisked with 1 cup of water).
Step 8: Cook the patties in the gravy
Add the beef patties back into the pan and reduce the heat to medium-low.
Step 9: Add stir-fried mushrooms
Add the stir-fried cremini mushrooms back to the pan, and sprinkle parsley on top. Let it simmer for a minute, remove from heat, and serve immediately.
Sauce for Salisbury Steak
Traditionally, the Salisbury steak gravy is flavored by the remaining pan drippings after you brown the beef patties. Of course, the gravy wouldn’t be complete without the remarkable flavor of mushrooms.
Salisbury Steak Gravy
Salisbury steak gravy is made by whisking brown gravy mix with water, onion, flour, mustard, and ketchup on the heat. It’s so mouth-watering, you might find yourself salivating just imagining it.
If you’re afraid of piling the sodium and calories too high, there are always substitutes available for these ingredients.
Bean flour, amaranth flour, almond flour, or barley flour can be alternatives for all-purpose flour. These substitutions are not only high in protein and fiber but also excellent thickeners for the gravy texture.
What Goes Well with Salisbury Steak?
People usually add more carbs to Salisbury steak by serving it together with rice, noodles, or mashed potatoes. As it’s already packed with protein, of course, you’re free to add more veggies to the dish.
1. Mushroom Gravy
Mushroom gravy is a quick and simple addition for Salisbury steak. You can cook up this red sauce in minutes or simply purchase a packaged one.
The delicate nutmeg flavor of mushroom gravy make it a great enhancer for our beef patties.
2. Broccoli
Broccoli seems to be the easiest and most down-to-earth addition to any heavy meal. Sneaking steamed broccoli in with Salisbury steak is also a nice way to trick your toddlers into eating more veggies.
3. Asparagus
You need not throw a salad party to balance all the protein you get from Salisbury steak. Instead, a few stems of roasted asparagus with their distinctly earthy flavor add more nutrients and interest.
What to Serve with Salisbury Steak
For this recipe, we serve this recipe on a nice bed of pasta. We pair it with a hearty bowl of beetroot and feta cheese salad and classic orange juice.
1. Mashed Potatoes
Of course, you can serve the beef patties in gravy over steamy rice or even egg noodles. Nevertheless, the most classic side dish for Salisbury steak is mashed potatoes— they have always been a match of heaven.
2. French Onion Soup
French onion soup or mushroom soup is a smart way to create a simple tasty complete meal with Salisbury steak. It lends a lovely homey and hearty flavor to the savory beef patties.
3. Beetroot and Feta Cheese Salad
In brief, this dish combines beetroot, orange, arugula, walnuts, and feta cheese, with a simple olive oil dressing drizzled over. Beetroot and feta cheese salad has contrasting textures with vibrant colors and appealing taste.
For all those reasons, this salad promises to boost the deliciousness of the whole meal. An unusual yet delectable experience awaits!
4. Simply Orange Juice
Simply orange juice is a delightful drink that’s easily made with only two simple ingredients. Honey is added for the aroma, to celebrate the original taste of freshly squeezed orange juice.
This is a meal you won’t regret! If you try it out, feel free to give us your thoughts on how it was.
Similarly Tasty Beef Recipes
If you’re interested in salisbury steak, these four healthy and delicious beef recipes may also tickle your fancy:
Healthy Salisbury Steak Recipe
This healthy Salisbury Steak Recipe is exactly like a glorious version of meatloaf. By glorious, I do mean the glorious brown gravy with tender mushrooms and onions. Being this satisfying and comforting, it even comes together in a flash!
- cook TIME 35 mins
- prep TIME 5 mins
- total TIME 40 mins
- COURSE Main Course
- CUISINE American
- SERVINGS servings
- CALORIES 464 kcal
INGREDIENTS
- 12 oz90% lean ground beef
- 8 ozonion (chopped, divided into 2 equal parts)
- 1 tspground black pepper
- 4 tspWorcestershire sauce (divided into 2 equal parts)
- 1 tspgarlic powder
- 0.5 tsporegano
- 1.5 ozbaguette bread (crumbled)
- 1 tspfresh thyme
- 1 egg (medium, beaten)
- 2 tbspbrown gravy mix (divided into 2 equal parts)
- 1.1 cupwater
- 2 tbspHeinz ketchup (divided)
- 2 tbspolive oil
- 8 ozcremini mushroom
- 2 tbspunsalted butter
- 0.5 tspgarlic (minced)
- 1 tbspflour
- 1 tsptraditional Dijon mustard
- 1 tbspparsley (chopped, divided)
- 8 ozspaghetti (cooked)
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter on a pan over medium heat. Add 4 ounces of onion in, stir for 5 minutes until they turn translucent. Transfer onion to a big bowl, set aside.
Make the beef patties: Add successively in the onion bowl: ground beef, ground black pepper, 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, oregano, bread crumbs, thyme, and egg. Whisk together.
In another small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon of brown gravy mix and 2 tablespoons of water. Pour the brown gravy mixture into the big bowl of beef mixture, add 1 tablespoon of ketchup, then whisk together until well combined.
Divide the beef mixture into 8 equal parts. Use your hands to form them into balls first, then push against their surface to form 8 patties.
Sear the patties: On the same pan as used for the onion at step 1, heat olive oil over high heat for a minute, then reduce it to medium heat and add the beef patties in. Spend 2 minutes to sear the first side, and 2 minutes for the second side. Remove the patties from heat, set aside.
On the same pan, turn it on high heat (without adding extra oil), add the cremini mushroom in, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir fry for 5 minutes.
Add in the following ingredients successively: 4 ounces of onion, 1 tablespoon of butter, garlic, flour, mustard, 2 tablespoons of ketchup, 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon of brown gravy mix (whisked with 1 cup of water). Whisk together.
Add the beef patties back in the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low.
Add the stir-fried cremini mushroom back to the pan, sprinkle parsley on top.
Let it simmer for a minute, then remove from heat.
Serve immediately with pasta (or any veggie of your choice).
NUTRITION
Tuyet Pham
Chef, Culinary Consultant
Luna Regina
Writer, Author
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN, LD
Nutrition Reviewer