This Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak recipe is easy, tasty, and simply the best. This Salisbury steak with mushroom gravy was one of the first meals the kids started to request by name. It is so good, you too will talking about too.
When making Salisbury steak with condensed mushroom soup, you get a gravy that is rich and comforts the soul. It all helps turn a brown sauce into a lovely mushroom and onion gravy that is to die for. All you need are some mashed sweet potatoes and your favorite vegetable to make a complete CrockPot meal.
Jump to:
What is Salisbury Steak?
Salisbury steak is a version of Hamburg steak, made famous by migrating Germans (called Frikadelle in Germany). It became quite popular in the 19th century.
Through changes along the way, the hamburger patties were fried, and then a brown sauce was added to become what have known for over a century as Salisbury steak. It was named after a physician and you can learn more here about James H Salisbury.
Ingredients Needed
For this Crockpot Salisbury steak recipe, you will need some fresh ground beef and several pantry staples that you may already have on hand. Hamburger meat that is seasoned with fillers added helps it stay together and not fall apart.
This is a great slow cooker recipe like my keto slow cooker chili with bacon. Both are part of my list of must-make ground beef recipes using only a few ingredients.
- Ground Beef - lean 90/10 or 80/20 is best (not cube steaks) since hamburger patties is traditional.
- Onion Soup Mix - for a ton of flavor.
- Bread Crumbs - to hold the meat together.
- Egg - to bind the ground meat so it doesn't fall apart.
- Milk - for moisture so they do not dry out.
- Cream of Mushroom Soup - to make the amazing gravy.
- Mushrooms, salt, & pepper - optional
How to Make Salisbury Steak in the CrockPot
This recipe may be made in a slow cooker after frying the patties on the stove in a pan. They are made from scratch with a mixture of items that both add flavor & hold the steaks together.
1 - Mix & Form the Hamburger Patties
In a large mixing bowl, add the ground beef, ½ of the onion soup mix, bread crumbs, milk, and egg. Use your hands to mix well.
Form 6 oval-shaped flat (Salisbury steak) patties with your hands. Sprinkle each with salt and pepper on each side.
2 - Pan-Fry the Salisbury Steaks
Heat a large frying pan with olive oil over medium-high heat. Add 2-3 patties to the pan, don’t overcrowd it. Cook for 3 minutes for each side, until brown. When done, remove from the pan carefully and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Continue with the remaining patties to cook and drain.
3 - Load up the Slow Cooker
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add the cream of mushroom soup, ½ the onion soup mix, and water. Whisk to combine. This mushroom and onion gravy are what makes the slow-cooked beef extra flavorful and moist.
To the bottom of the Crockpot insert, place 3 patties in a single layer. Add half the soup mix evenly over the patties. Next, add the remaining patties in a layer also. If adding mushrooms, do so now. Finally, add the last half of the soup mixture to the top and spread evenly over the top.
Put the lid on the slow cooker. Set for 4 hours on low.
4 - Serve
On a dinner plate add a salisbury steak and top with some of the mushroom gravy. Serve with mashed potatoes and your favorite vegetable.
Variations & Substitutions
This recipe for Salisbury steak cooked in the CrockPot is easy to make with simple ingredients. If you need to make a substitution or use an alternate ingredient due to dietary or allergy needs, here are some suggestions.
- Bread Crumbs - use gluten-free bread crumbs for a gluten-free Salisbury steak patty.
- Onion Soup Mix - for a substitute use 3 tablespoons minced dry onion, ¼ teaspoon salt, & 1 tablespoon of beef bouillon powder.
How to Store & Reheat Salisbury Steak
This recipe is great to make ahead of time or to keep for leftovers. It stores well which makes Salisbury steak perfect for meal planning. You can store it in an air-tight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator or up to a month in the freezer.
The gravy with this recipe helps keep leftover Salisbury steak juicy. Warm up a leftover patty in the microwave for 1 minute. Or you can bake it in the oven at 400° for 5 minutes.
Product Recommendations for this Recipe:
The Short Order Cook is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission on the sale at no additional cost to you. This helps with the costs of running the blog. Thank you!
Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 1.5 LBS ground beef 80/20
- 1 packet dry onion soup mix
- ½ C bread crumbs
- 1 egg
- ¼ C milk
- salt & pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup 10.75 ounce size
- ½ can water
- 1 C sliced mushrooms optional
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add the ground beef, ½ of the onion soup mix, bread crumbs, milk, and egg. Use your hands to mix well.
- Form 6 oval-shaped flat (Salisbury steak) patties with your hands. Sprinkle each with salt and pepper on each side.
- Heat a large frying pan with olive oil over medium-high heat. Add 3 patties to the pan, don’t overcrowd. Cook about 3 minutes each side, until brown. When done, remove from the pan carefully and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Continue with the remaining patties to cook and drain.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add the cream of mushroom soup, ½ the onion soup mix, and water. Whisk to combine.
- To the bottom of the Crockpot insert, place 3 patties in a single layer. Add half the soup mix evenly over the patties. Next, add the remaining patties in a layer also. If adding mushrooms, do so now. Finally, add the last half of the soup mixture to the top and spread evenly over the top. Put the lid on the slow cooker. Set for 4 hours on low.
- Let stay on warm when done to make your additional sides. You can skim some of the fat off the top if you wish but stir it back in for a rich and amazing gravy that goes wonderful with mashed potatoes. Enjoy!
Notes
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 6 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 320 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 19.7g | 25% |
| Saturated Fat 6.4g | 32% |
| Cholesterol 94mg | 31% |
| Sodium 571mg | 25% |
| Total Carbohydrate 11.2g | 4% |
| Dietary Fiber 0.5g | 2% |
| Total Sugars 1.9g | |
| Protein 23.5g | |
| Vitamin D 3mcg | 13% |
| Calcium 61mg | 5% |
| Iron 3mg | 18% |
| Potassium 357mg | 8% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
Helen at the Lazy Gastronome says
Pinned and printed. Making this on Friday! Thanks for sharing at the What's for dinner party. Hope the rest of your week is joyful!
Angela says
Thanks for pinning and I hope you enjoy the recipe.
Stacy L Roman says
These look fantastic. Cant wait to try them. Thanks for sharing
Angela says
You are welcome, enjoy.
Ann Koenig says
The recipe doesn't say how much bread crumbs go into the patties. Thanks sounds great though!!
Angela says
Thanks, Ann, it was updated. Sorry, I missed that row in the recipe somehow but the amount for the breadcrumbs has been added.
Angelina says
I'm still scratching my head, trying to figure out WHY you'd put the patties into a slow cooker & wait 4 hours for them to be done, when you could make this very quickly & easily on the stovetop, in about 15 minutes? 80/20 gr. beef isn't tough, so it cooks quickly & it's also moist, so no need for a slow cooker, & having to wash two cooking vessels, without sacrificing the integrity of a recipe.....just sayin 🤔
Angela says
Thanks for the comment. I have made this in a pan and in the slow cooker and this is the method we prefer for the taste and how the gravy comes out. I personally appreciate being able to put this together during my lunch break (working from home) and not having to do anything else until it is dinner time. It is much better for me versus watching over the stovetop to stir and making gravy. Salisbury steak can be made several different ways, even in an Instant Pot, but if you want a slow cooker version, this is a wonderful option.
Ann Koenig says
Thanks so much for your prompt answer!! The recipe sounds terrific and I can't wait to try it!!
Angela says
Great. You are welcome.
Deborah says
You're so very right. Salisbury steak is a great comfort food and one of my favorites. Preparing it in a slow-cooker is a great idea for busy days. Thanks for sharing!
Angela says
YOu are welcome.
Jere Cassidy says
Good timing for this recipe since my hubby had just asked me to make this for him. It looks easy and full of flavor.
Nisha says
Looks like a great meal to enjoy with family and friends . The mushroom gravy to go along looks fantastic!
Beth says
I have to say that when I was growing up I thought that Salisbury steak only came in TV dinners. I can see now that it's not so different from a mushroom meatloaf, and I am going to correct my old misconceptions.
LaRena Fry says
Love the vintage classics. What an imaginative idea to add mushroom soup to it.
The Cooking Code says
What an easy recipe this appears to be! These kinds of recipes really are great for weekdays.
Jacqueline Debono says
I just love the combo of meat with mushroom sauce and mashed potaoes. I've done something similar with pork loin. Now I want to try it with Salisbury steak. Looks really good!
Angela says
I hope you enjoy this too.
Lisa says
Turned out great! Are you supposed to put the 6 patties in a single layer; or stack the last 3 on top of the bottom 3? Just wondered about that. Thanks for a great recipe!
Angela says
You can do either. I have two Crockpots and I usually have to layer a few on top even in my larger oval shaped insert.