This tender, oven-baked Swiss steak simmers low and slow in a rich tomato gravy with onions, mushrooms, carrots, and fresh herbs. It’s an easy dump-and-bake dinner that comes together in minutes and tastes like pure comfort food.
If you love hearty, old-fashioned beef dinners, you’ll also enjoy this Salisbury Steak or Beef Tips with Mushroom Gravy. Find more family favorites in my Easy Beef Dinner Recipes.
Table of Contents
Before You Get Started
A few key tips will help you get fork-tender results every time. Here’s what to keep in mind before you start cooking.
- Choose the right cut. Beef round steak is ideal here because it’s thin enough to braise without pounding. You can also use chuck shoulder steak (sliced or pounded thin) or cube steak. Tougher, lean cuts work best since the long cooking time breaks them down into fork-tender bites.
- Low and slow is essential. Tough cuts like round steak are full of connective tissue that needs time to break down. Rushing the cook time or cranking up the temperature will leave you with chewy, dry meat. The 325°F oven and 3-hour cook time allow the collagen to convert to gelatin, which is what makes the beef melt-in-your-mouth tender.
- Don’t skip the flour. Dredging the steak in flour before adding it to the pot helps thicken the gravy as it cooks and gives the sauce body. Shake off any excess so it doesn’t clump.
What Is Swiss Steak?
Swiss steak is a classic comfort food dish where beef is braised in a pot of stewed tomatoes, onions, and seasonings until fork-tender. In parts of the South, it’s also called smothered steak.
The name doesn’t come from Switzerland. It refers to the “swissing” process, which means pounding or rolling the meat to tenderize it. Cube steak (top round or sirloin that’s been mechanically tenderized) works great in this recipe because it’s already been through that process.
Swiss steak vs. Salisbury steak: These are two different dishes. Salisbury steak is made with ground beef shaped into patties, while Swiss steak uses actual steak that’s braised until tender.
How to Make Swiss Steak in the Oven
This simple comfort food comes together quickly, then the oven does the rest. Here’s how to get perfectly tender results.
Step 1: Dredge the Steak
Place about 2 tablespoons of flour in a shallow dish. Dip the steak in the flour to coat both sides, then shake off any excess.
Place the coated steak in the bottom of a Dutch oven or large covered baking dish that’s been sprayed with cooking spray.
Step 2: Add the Vegetables and Seasonings
Layer the remaining ingredients over the steak: diced tomatoes (with their juices), sliced onion, celery, carrots, and mushrooms. Tuck in the fresh rosemary and thyme sprigs.
Pour the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce over everything, then sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
⇢ Don’t drain the tomatoes. The liquid helps create that rich, saucy gravy as the steak braises.
Step 3: Bake Low and Slow
Cover the dish tightly and bake at 325°F for 2 hours.
⇢ Low and Slow: The low temperature and long cook time are what transform a tough cut of beef into something fork-tender. Resist the urge to peek too often since you’ll release heat and steam.
Step 4: Thicken the Gravy
After 2 hours, remove the pot from the oven. Stir together the cornstarch and cold water to make a slurry, then stir it into the pot.
For a thinner gravy, you can skip the cornstarch altogether.
Cover and bake for another 45 to 60 minutes, until the beef is completely tender and the gravy has thickened.
⇢ How to tell it’s done: The meat should shred easily with a fork, and the vegetables should be soft. The gravy will be thick and glossy.
Step 5: Serve
Remove the herb stems before serving. Slice or shred the steak and spoon it over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or rice. Ladle plenty of that rich tomato gravy and vegetables on top.
Slow Cooker Option
This recipe works beautifully in the Crock Pot if you want dinner waiting when you get home. Follow the same prep steps (dredge the steak, layer everything in the pot), then cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours or HIGH for 4 to 5 hours.
⇢ For a thicker gravy in the slow cooker: Add the cornstarch slurry during the final 15 to 30 minutes of cooking. Turn the pot to HIGH so the mixture simmers and the cornstarch activates to thicken the sauce.
What Goes with Swiss Steak
The meat and sauce pair perfectly with a simple starch to soak up all that gravy. Serve it over garlic mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or rice. A slice of crusty bread or spoon bread on the side doesn’t hurt either.
For extra vegetables, any of these would complement the meal:
- A simple green salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Oven Roasted Asparagus
- Garlic Roasted Broccoli
- Slow Cooker Southern Green Beans
Storage, Reheating, and Make-Ahead
To store: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days.
To reheat: Warm gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of beef broth if the gravy has thickened too much. You can also reheat in a covered dish in a 325°F oven until warmed through.
To freeze: Cool completely, then freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Make-ahead: This is a great meal for busy nights. Prep the entire dish in advance (dredge the steak, layer everything in the baking dish), cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When you’re ready, let it sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes, then bake as directed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my Swiss steak tough?
The most common reason is not cooking it long enough. Tough cuts like round steak need low, slow braising (at least 2 1/2 to 3 hours in the oven) to break down the connective tissue and become tender. The collagen in these cuts needs sustained heat to convert into gelatin, which is what gives the meat that fall-apart texture.
If your steak is still chewy after the full cook time, cover it back up and keep cooking in 20 to 30 minute increments until it shreds easily with a fork.
Can I use a different cut of beef?
Yes, several cuts work well here. Chuck shoulder steak is a great option if you slice or pound it into thinner pieces (about ½ inch thick). Cube steak is another solid choice since it’s already been mechanically tenderized through the “swissing” process, and it may cook slightly faster. Bottom round or eye of round can also work, though they tend to be leaner and may benefit from a bit of extra cooking time.
Avoid tender cuts like ribeye, filet, or strip steak since they don’t benefit from long braising and will actually become dry and overcooked.
Can you make Swiss steak without flour?
Yes. The flour helps thicken the gravy and gives it body, but you can skip it if you need a gluten-free option. The gravy will be thinner and more broth-like. To compensate, add the cornstarch slurry (2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 2 teaspoons cold water) at the end of cooking, or simply embrace the lighter sauce and serve it over something that soaks up liquid well, like mashed potatoes or rice.
More Easy Beef Dinners
Did you make this recipe?
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Dump-and-Bake Swiss Steak
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 to 1½ lb. beef round steak
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 large sweet onion, sliced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
- 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup beef stock or broth
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch + 2 teaspoons cold water
- For serving: cooked egg noodles, rice, or mashed potatoes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Place flour in a shallow dish. Dip steak in flour to coat both sides, shaking off excess. Place in the bottom of a Dutch oven or large covered baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.
- Add tomatoes (with juices), onion, celery, carrots, mushrooms, rosemary, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, beef broth, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Cover tightly and bake for 2 hours.
- Stir together cornstarch and cold water to make a slurry.
- Remove pot from oven and stir in cornstarch mixture. Cover and bake for 45 to 60 more minutes, until beef is fork-tender and gravy has thickened.
- Remove herb stems. Slice or shred steak and serve with vegetables and gravy over mashed potatoes, noodles, or rice.
Notes
- For Crock Pot Swiss Steak: Cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours or HIGH for 4 to 5 hours. For thicker gravy, add the cornstarch slurry during the final 15 to 30 minutes on HIGH heat.
- Best cuts: Beef round steak, chuck shoulder steak (sliced or pounded thin), or cube steak all work well.
- For thinner gravy: Omit the cornstarch altogether.
- Gluten-free option: Skip the flour dredge. The gravy will be thinner, but you can still use the cornstarch slurry to add some body.
- Don’t drain the tomatoes. The liquid helps create a rich, saucy gravy.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of broth if needed.
- Freezing: Cool completely and freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Make-ahead: Prep the dish up to 24 hours in advance. Refrigerate covered, then let sit at room temperature 20 to 30 minutes before baking.
Nutrition
Originally published in May, 2019, this post was updated in February, 2026.
If using the crockpot, Blair, when should you add the cornstarch slurry? I like the idea of a thicker gravy. Thanks!
Great question! You’ll want to add the cornstarch slurry during the final 15-30 minutes of the slow cooking time. I like to turn the pot to HIGH heat so that it simmers and the cornstarch is activated to thicken the sauce. 🙂
Can this same recipe be done in the insta pot?
Hi, Patti! I think so, but I haven’t tested this cut of beef in the Instant Pot so I can’t offer exact timing instructions. Let me know if you give it a shot!
We harvest a lot of wild game and make cubed steaks with tougher cuts. I used moose for the base of this recipe and it turned out amazing! Thank you for the idea and another way to use our cubed steaks.
Yay! I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed it, Darcy! Thanks for taking the time to let me know. I need to remember to make this again soon. 🙂
My last grocery order was delivered with a round steak that was too small to use as I had planned so I started looking for a way to use it. This recipe looked like it would scale down well so I made it tonight with my 0.65Lb steak and it was perfect for my wife and I.
I hammered the steak with a meat tenderizer but that probably wasn’t necessary as it basically fell apart when I was serving it. Cooked in a Dutch oven per the instructions, the kitchen smelled great while cooking and the taste was very pleasant. Printed and filed in the “keeper” binder.
Excellent! Thanks, Jerry. I’m so glad that it worked well for you!
All sounds good !