Craving comfort food? Try my recipe for slow cooker Salisbury steak for dinner tonight! This easy dinner recipe takes 15 minutes to prep and 4 hour to cook in the slow cooker. Loaded with fresh onions and mushrooms, a homemade gravy, that flavors and tops the hamburger steak. This is soon to be a new family favorite dinner recipe.
Growing up, I loved buying school lunch when they served Salisbury steak. I know most kids were repulsed by this lunch, but for some strange reason you slap gravy on just about anything and it is delicious. Or at least that’s how I feel. I love Salisbury Steak (probably because it’s smothered in gravy).
My Skillet Salisbury Steak with Onion Gravy recipe is one of my go-to dinner recipes for a quick weeknight meal. I love making this recipe and make it at least once a month. It’s a family favorite. In an effort to use my Slow Cooker more I decided to try making Salisbury Steaks in the slow cooker. I took a giant risk because I’ll be honest I wasn’t sure how it was going to turn out. I was pleasantly surprised though that it turned out just as good as my skillet version and with little time for me needing to tend to the recipe.
My slow cooker Salisbury Steaks still take time to put together because you still have to mix the ground beef and form the patties. But all the time for searing and flipping and stirring gravy has gone out the window thanks to the magic of the slow cooker.
Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak: Table of contents
Ingredients
- Portabello Mushrooms – I like to use baby Portabella mushrooms. Depending on the price of the mushrooms at the grocery store will depend if I buy them pre-sliced or slice them at home myself.
- Onion – I like to use one medium-sized onion and thinly slice it so that it cooks down evenly.
- Lean Ground Beef – I prefer to use lean ground beef whenever I’m cooking with beef broth as beef broth tends to have some fat to it already.
- Seasoning – I use a mix of Montreal Steak Seasoning, dried onion flakes, dried parsley, and black pepper. I do not use any salt because the Montreal Steak Seasoning, beef broth and Worcestershire sauce all provide enough salt to the meat.
- Worcestershire Sauce – A little bit of this sauce gives so much flavor to not only the meat but the gravy, too!
- Breadcrumbs – For this recipe you can use either Plain or Italian breadcrumbs to season and fill the ground beef. If mixed in properly you’ll never realize any breadcrumbs are mixed into the meat.
- Egg – One egg is all you need to help bind and keep the meat moist.
- Cornstarch – I prefer to use cornstarch to make gravy. It doesn’t give it the flour taste and keeps the gravy gluten free.
- Beef Broth – You can use water if you don’t have beef broth on hand. Just know the gravy won’t be as flavorful.
How do you make Salisbury steak gravy from scratch?
Spray a large 6-quart oval slow cooker with cooking spray. Then add the sliced mushrooms and onions to the bottom.
Next, prepare the ground beef mixture. Combine the ground beef, steak seasoning, 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, dried onion flakes, parsley, breadcrumbs and egg together. Mix well.
Divide the mixture into 4-6 patties. Form each patty into an oval shape, pressing thin, and then place in the slow cooker (make sure you spread evenly in the slow cooker and do not stack).
Mix together the 2 cups of beef broth, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, and black pepper.
Whisk until smooth then pour on top of beef patties.
Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook for 4 hours on high.*Half way through the cooking process flip the patties over and mix the gravy. If you are not home to do this, do not worry. The recipe will still come out great. I just like to keep the steaks moist with the gravy.
Once the Salisbury steak is done cooking, remove the steaks from the slow cooker.
In a small bowl add one-tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water. Stir the cornstarch water mixture into the gravy in the slow cooker. Mix until thickened.
Serve each Salisbury steak with mushroom and onion gravy on top of egg noodles or mashed potatoes. Enjoy.
FAQs
I use an oval shaped 6 quart slow cooker to cook all my recipes including my Salisbury steak.
If your slow cooker is smaller, and you need to stack the beef patties I would use a layer of onions and mushrooms in between to prevent the meat from sticking.
Yes, I know it can be considered a cardinal sin to remove the lid while cooking in the slow cooker. However, I have found for the best result to flip the steaks half way through the cooking process. I know what your thinking… this just took a half an hour off your cooking time. I promise the steaks still turned out great! This will also prevent them from drying out.
Salisbury steak consist of spices, bread crumbs, and egg to bind the ground beef together. Typically smothered in a brown gravy. Hamburger steak typically has no filler like the egg and breadcrumbs and has very little seasoning. Hamburger steak is traditionally left dry with no gravy and served with bread.
Your Salisbury steak is tough because you most likely over mixed the meat mixture. It is very important that you just mix it until it’s incorporated. Over mixing meat will result in a tough and sometimes dried out patty.
I find that Salisbury steak gets all it flavor from the spices and sauce mixed in the ground beef. I like to use Montreal Steak Seasoning, dried onions, and parsley as well as a little bit of Worcestershire sauce. The flavorful meat mixture is then topped with a rich brown gravy which adds additional layers of flavor.
You will notice in my recipe that I make cornstarch slurry. This consist of mixing cornstarch to water. And then whisking into the hot broth. Over time the sauce will thicken into a delicious gravy. Start by using a little at a time, because you can easily make an overly thick gravy in minutes.
Tips & Tricks
Here are a few of my favorite tips and tricks I’ve found helpful when making Crockpot Salisbury Steak.
- Onions – If you like the taste of onions, you can omit the dried onion flakes for minced fresh onions. A little goes a long way, so you won’t need much.
- Crisp Edges – If you prefer crispy seared edges of the steak. Feel free to sear the ground beef patties in a pan for a few minutes before putting the meat in the slow cooker.
- Gravy – Omit the extra tablespoon of cornstarch and water if your gravy is already at your desired thickness. I like a thick gravy so I always add in the extra.
- Dietary Substitutions – Here are a few of my tips and tricks for making Salisbury Steak gluten and/or dairy free.
- Gluten Free – Use a gluten free bread crumb to make this recipe gluten free. Also make sure you read your label on the Worcestershire sauce. Some contain gluten. If this is the case, find a brand that does not contain gluten. This also goes for the beef broth. Some brands are naturally gluten free where others are not.
- Dairy Free – Do not use Italian style bread crumbs if trying to make Salisbury steak dairy free. Use plain bread crumbs to the meat mixture and you will be good to go!
Side Dish Recipes
Here are a few of my favorite side dish recipes that pair great with this slow cooker Salisbury steak recipe.
- Sour Cream and Chive Mashed Potatoes
- Macaroni and Cheese
- Yogurt Cucumber Dill Salad
- Caramelized Onion Bacon Spaetzle
- Baked Zucchini Fries
- Beet, Tomato, and Artichoke Salad
Want more steak recipes?
Here are a few of my favorite steak recipes.
If you make this Salisbury Steak Slow Cooker Recipe, I would be honored and love for you to take the time to leave a star rating and comment! I spend hours developing and testing these recipes, and always love to hear feedback and user experience!
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Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 cup Sliced Baby Portabello Mushrooms
- 1 Onion thinly sliced
- 1-⅓ lbs. Lean Ground Beef
- 1 tablespoon Montreal Steak Seasoning
- 3 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce divided
- 1 teaspoon Dried Onion Flakes
- 1 teaspoon Dried Parsley
- ½ cup Breadcrumbs Plain or Italian
- 1 Egg
- 3 tablespoon Cornstarch divided
- 2 cups Beef Broth
- ⅛ teaspoon Black Pepper
Instructions
- Spray a large 6-quart oval slow cooker with cooking spray. Then add the sliced mushrooms and onions to the bottom.
- Next, prepare the ground beef mixture. Combine the ground beef, steak seasoning, 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, dried onion flakes, parsley, breadcrumbs and egg together. Mix well.
- Divide the mixture into 4-6 patties. Form each patty into an oval shape, pressing thin, and then place in the slow cooker (make sure you spread evenly in the slow cooker and do not stack).
- Mix together the 2 cups of beef broth, 2-tablespoons Worchestire sauce, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, and black pepper. Whisk until smooth then pour on top of beef patties. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook for 4 hours on high.
- *Half way through the cooking process flip the patties over and mix the gravy. If you are not home to do this, do not worry. The recipe will still come out great. I just like to keep the steaks moist with the gravy.
- Once the Salisbury steak is done cooking, remove the steaks from the slow cooker.
- In a small bowl add one-tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water. Stir the cornstarch water mixture into the gravy in the slow cooker. Mix until thickened. Place the steaks back in the slow cooker. Enjoy.
Video
Notes
- Onions – If you like the taste of onions, you can omit the dried onion flakes for minced fresh onions. A little goes a long way, so you won’t need much.
- Crisp Edges – If you prefer crispy seared edges of the steak. Feel free to sear the ground beef patties in a pan for a few minutes before putting the meat in the slow cooker.
- Stacking – If your slow cooker is smaller, and you need to stack the beef patties I would use a layer of onions and mushrooms in between to prevent the meat from sticking.
- Gravy – Omit the extra tablespoon of cornstarch and water if your gravy is already at your desired thickness. I like a thick gravy so I always add in the extra.
- Dietary Substitutions – Here are a few of my tips and tricks for making Salisbury Steak gluten and/or dairy free.
- Gluten Free – Use a gluten free bread crumb to make this recipe gluten free. Also make sure you read your label on the Worcestershire sauce. Some contain gluten. If this is the case, find a brand that does not contain gluten. This also goes for the beef broth. Some brands are naturally gluten free where others are not.
- Dairy Free – Do not use Italian style bread crumbs if trying to make Salisbury steak dairy free. Use plain bread crumbs to the meat mixture and you will be good to go!
Nutrition
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Edie Purser
We love this recipe! Great flavor, with a small amount of effort. I especially like forming the patties and putting them in the crockpot WITHOUT browning first. Such a time saver.
Katie
Edie, thank you for taking the time to leave a 5 star review this helps others make the recipe. I agree I like that you don’t have to brown the patties first if you don’t want too.
Susan Lewis
I’m trying this recipe for Sunday dinner. I just put them in the crockpot at 8:15pm. I went ahead put the cornstarch mixture in the pot now as I’ll be asleep when it gets done.
Katie
Hi Susan, Hope the recipe came out great and everyone loved dinner!
Diane
I cannot eat mushrooms. Is there anything I can use to replace them or would it be OK if I just leave them out? Seems like they add a lot to the flavor
Katie
Hi Diane, You can use onions instead or simply leave the veggie all together. The mushrooms do lend an unami flavor to the broth, but don’t make or break the recipe. Good luck cooking and enjoy!
Susan
Can I cook it on low for 8 hours?
Katie
Hi Susan, yes you can absolutely cook this on low for 8 hours. Don’t stress if you can’t flip it either. It will keep it moister and more flavorful, but not a deal breaker.
Bobby P
So easy and so delicious. My wife love love loved this meal. Serve it over mashed potatoes or egg noodles and a veggie.
Thanks for sharing Katie
Katie
Bobby, thank you for taking the time to leave a review. I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe!!!
Rach's Recipes
Wow this turned out AMAZING! Thank you! I added some shiitake mushrooms as well and mildly toasted garlic bits. Really delicious!
Katie
Glad that you loved it! I’ll have to try what you did next time I make this!
Sommer @aspicyperspective
The slow cooker is such a great option! Can’t wait to try this delicious salisbury steak recipe!