Salisbury Steak

For as long as I can remember, my birthday meal has been Salisbury Steak. I can still see the recipe in my mom’s Betty Crocker Big Red Cookbook. She made it for me every year without fail. It was the only time each year that we ate it, even though I know that we all loved the classic comfort food circa 1980. 

When I went away to college, it was one of the first recipes I wrote down on a notecard to have handy in our first apartment. It has definitely seen it’s better days, but I still love it!

Now, the Mr and I keep up with the tradition, although we have modified the original recipe just a bit. Again and again, I eat that first bite with my eyes closed and a huge, satisfied grin on my face, wondering why we only make it once a year. I made the promise last week that we will be making Salisbury Steak more often. It’s such a comfort and brings the whole family such joy. I love to serve them with mashed potatoes (the only time I really crave mashed potatoes) and peas, but you do you! 

Want to share a piece of my birthday joy with me? Let’s get cooking! 

Your Ingredients for Salisbury Steak 

  • 2 pounds of ground beef
  • ⅔ cup dry bread crumbs
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • 2 eggs
  • 4 small onions (2 large), sliced
  • 1 package baby bella mushrooms
  • Olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • ¾ cup of milk 
  • 1 ¼ cup water
  • 3-4 teaspoons beef broth base (I love love love Orrington Farms)

Your Steps to Salisbury Steak 

In a large bowl, combine beef, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, minced garlic, onion powder, and eggs. Form into 8-10 equal relatively flat patties. Heat a griddle to medium heat and cook patties until just cooked through, approximately seven minutes per side. Remove from the griddle and keep warm (I stick them on a plate and then in the microwave. Covering them with foil and placing in the oven is a great idea too!)

Meanwhile, finely slice the mushrooms and onions. Heat a bit of olive oil over medium heat and add the onions. Cook for 4-5 minutes, until they start to soften. Then add the mushrooms. Feel free to season with a bit of salt and pepper and cook down until completely soft, about another 7 minutes. Remove from the pan. 

In the same pan, melt butter. Stir in the flour and whisk until a light brown roux is formed. Gradually add the milk, whisking the entire time. Sprinkle in 1-2 teaspoons of beef broth base as you add the milk. Once the milk is incorporated, begin to stir in water, sprinkling in the remaining broth base to taste. Add pepper to taste. Whisk until a desired consistency is reached. Stir in cooked onions and mushrooms. 

Finally, add the patties into the gravy to reheat just a bit. Serve, spooning additional gravy, mushrooms, and onions over the patties. 

I love to serve my Salisbury Steak with some mashed potatoes (that’s the Mr’s expertise) and peas, but anyway you have them, they are delish!

Salisbury Steak

Discover a delicious and easy-to-make Salisbury steak recipe, featuring savory, tender patties smothered in a rich, flavorful gravy. Perfect for family dinners or a comforting meal!
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 10 patties

Ingredients
  

  • 2 pounds of ground beef
  • cup dry bread crumbs
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • 2 eggs
  • 4 small onions 2 large, sliced
  • 1 package baby bella mushrooms
  • Olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • ¾ cup of milk
  • 1 ¼ cup water
  • 3-4 teaspoons beef broth base

Instructions
 

  • In a large bowl, combine beef, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, minced garlic, onion powder, and eggs. Form into 8-10 equal relatively flat patties. Heat a griddle to medium heat and cook patties until just cooked through, approximately seven minutes per side. Remove from the griddle and keep warm (I stick them on a plate and then in the microwave. Covering them with foil and placing them in the oven is a great idea too!)
  • Meanwhile, finely slice the mushrooms and onions. Heat a bit of olive oil over medium heat and add the onions. Cook for 4-5 minutes, until they start to soften. Then add the mushrooms. Feel free to season with a bit of salt and pepper and cook down until completely soft, about another 7 minutes. Remove from the pan.
  • In the same pan, melt butter. Stir in the flour and whisk until a light brown roux is formed. Gradually add the milk, whisking the entire time. Sprinkle in 1-2 teaspoons of beef broth base as you add the milk. Once the milk is incorporated, begin to stir in water, sprinkling in the remaining broth base to taste. Add pepper to taste. Whisk until a desired consistency is reached. Stir in cooked onions and mushrooms.
  • Finally, add the patties into the gravy to reheat just a bit. Serve, spooning additional gravy, mushrooms, and onions over the patties.

Notes

My go to for beef broth base is Orrington Farms. I love that I can control how much I add.
I love to serve my Salisbury Steak with some mashed potatoes (that’s the Mr’s expertise) and peas, but anyway you have them, they are delish!
Keyword comfort food, gravy, ground beef, mushrooms, onions, salisbury steak
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Looking for other great dinners?

Here are a few of my favorites! If these don’t tickle your fancy, give my cooking page a look see!

Italian Wedding Soup Orzo

Soup is nearly my favorite thing in the world to cook. It’s incredibly flexible. It generally involves chopping a ton of vegetables, which is something that is very cathartic for me. And most of all, it reheats and serves so well. While thinking about some of my favorite soups, I got to thinking that it would be fun to turn some of them into bakes or skillets. And in this, Italian Wedding Soup Orzo was born. 

I like to “shop” our pantry and try to keep many recipes with things we have on hand. If you open our fridge, you will always see carrots and celery (part of the base in so many soups, you see a theme right?). We have a ton of ground Italian venison in our freezer and I always have orzo. I even had spinach on hand after making my spinach and blueberry salad

I got to work making an orzo dish that has a feel of risotto in the way the orzo is prepared. The family was definitely pleased with the way it all came together: A soup without the broth!  I hope you like it as much as we did! 

Your Ingredients for Italian Wedding Soup Orzo

  • 1 pound ground Italian sausage (we use our Italian venison)
  • 1 egg
  • ½ cup bread crumbs 
  • ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

For the orzo:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil 
  • ½ cup celery, diced
  • ½ cup onion, diced
  • ½ cup carrots, diced
  • 2 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 tablespoon orzo
  • 1 ¼  cup orzo
  • 4  cups chicken stock, warmed 
  • 1 cup chopped spinach
  • 3 tablespoons shredded parmesan cheese
  • ½ teaspoon pepper

Your Steps to Italian Wedding Soup Orzo

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix Italian sausage, egg, bread crumbs, and parmesan cheese (salt and pepper, if wanted). Mix until well combined. Form into 1 inch diameter meatballs. Place on a foil lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, until cooked through. 

Meanwhile, begin to prep the orzo. Heat the olive oil in a deep saucepan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add onion, celery, and carrots. Cook until softened, about 5-8 minutes. Add the butter and garlic. Once the butter has melted, add the orzo and toast for 4-5 minutes, stirring often. From here, add the chicken stock in half cup increments, stirring very often. Once each ½ cup has been absorbed, add the next ½ cup, cooking about 15-18 minutes, until the orzo is al dente. (Think risotto) 

From here, add just a bit more stock and stir in the spinach, parmesan cheese, and pepper. Cook until the spinach is wilted. Plate the orzo and top with baked meatballs. 

Italian Wedding Soup Orzo

This Italian Wedding Soup Orzo has all the feels and flavors of Italian Wedding Soup without the broth to go with it.
3 from 1 vote
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Course dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound ground Italian sausage
  • 1 egg
  • ½ cup bread crumbs
  • ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Orzo

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ cup celery diced
  • ½ cup onion diced
  • ½ cup carrots diced
  • 2 garlic clove minced
  • 1 tablespoon orzo
  • 1 ¼ cup orzo
  • 4 cups chicken stock warmed
  • 1 cup chopped spinach
  • 3 tablespoons shredded parmesan cheese
  • ½ teaspoon pepper

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix Italian sausage, egg, bread crumbs, and parmesan cheese (and salt and pepper, if wanted). Mix until well combined. Form into 1 inch diameter meatballs. Place on a foil lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, until cooked through.
  • Meanwhile, begin to prep the orzo. Heat the olive oil in a deep saucepan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add onion, celery, and carrots. Cook until softened, about 5-8 minutes.
  • Add the butter and garlic. Once the butter has melted, add the orzo and toast for 4-5 minutes, stirring often.
  • Add the chicken stock in half cup increments, stirring very often. Once each ½ cup has been absorbed, add the next ½ cup, cooking about 15-18 minutes, until the orzo is al dente. (Think risotto)
  • Add just a bit more stock and stir in the spinach, parmesan cheese, and pepper. Cook until the spinach is wilted. Plate the orzo and top with baked meatballs.
Keyword carrots, Italian meatballs, Italian sausage, Italian Wedding Soup, meatballs, orzo, orzo and meatballs, orzo dish, pasta dish, spinach
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Looking for other delicious dinner ideas?

Check out my cooking page for some inspiration, or perhaps some of these hand picked ideas will tickle your fancy!