Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak

5 from 7 votes

Crockpot Salisbury Steak delivers tender beef patties in restaurant-style mushroom gravy with minimal effort. Brown the patties first for best flavor, or skip it for an even easier weeknight dinner. Serve with mashed potatoes to soak up every drop of that savory gravy.

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword crockpot salisbury steak, salisbury steak mushroom gravy, salisbury steak recipe slow cooker, salisbury steak with gravy, Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 4

Total Time 4 15

Servings people

Calories 413kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Equipment

Slow Cooker
12 inch skillet

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef
1 (1 ounce) packet dry onion soup mix (NOTE: use just 1/2 the packet for a less-salty dish)
¼ cup breadcrumbs (I use panko breadcrumbs)
¼ cup milk
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 (8 ounce) container sliced fresh mushrooms
2 (10.5 ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup (we prefer Campbell's Heart Healthy variety for a less-salty dish)
1 (1 ounce) packet dry au jus gravy mix (such as McCormick brand) (use just 1/2 the packet for a less-salty dish)
¾ cup water
Optional garnish: chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

In a large bowl, use your hands or a fork to gently combine the ground beef, onion soup mix (see note), breadcrumbs, and milk. NOTE: use just half of the packet of onion soup mix for a less salty dish.
Shape the meat into 4 patties.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the patties for about 3 minutes per side, or just until browned (but not cooked through).
Place the onions and mushrooms in the bottom of a large slow cooker. Arrange the browned patties on top.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the condensed soup, dry au jus mix (see note), and water. NOTE: Use just half of the packet of au jus mix for a less-salty dish.
Pour the gravy into the slow cooker.
Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours. Give the gravy a stir and spoon over the patties. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley, if desired.
Serve the patties and mushroom gravy over mashed potatoes or noodles.

Video

Notes

Browning the patties first adds rich flavor and helps them hold together, but you can skip this step if you're short on time.
No-sear option: Skip browning and place raw patties directly in the slow cooker. They'll still taste great but with less depth of flavor.
Homemade Gravy: Whisk together 2 cups beef broth, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons ketchup, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Pour over patties and vegetables in the slow cooker. Thicken with a cornstarch slurry at the end.
To thicken the gravy: Whisk 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water, stir into slow cooker, and cook on HIGH for 10-15 minutes.
Layer vegetables on the bottom of the slow cooker so that they are tender by the end of the cooking time, while also adding flavor to the gravy.
Don't over-mix the beef mixture or patties will be dense.
Storage: Refrigerate up to 3-4 days or freeze up to 3 months.
Make-ahead: Shape raw patties up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate until ready to cook.
Oven method: Bake covered at 325°F for 1 hour.
Ground turkey: Works well but has milder flavor and can dry out if overcooked.

Nutrition