Quick Salisbury Steak with French Onion Soup

Growing up, Salisbury steak meant those TV dinners my mom would heat up when she worked late. You know the ones – with the tiny compartments of corn and mashed potatoes? The gravy was always a bit…questionable.

But then I discovered how to make it from scratch, and wow, what a difference! Adding French onion soup to the mix was a game-changer. It’s not fancy cooking by any means, but it’s the kind of meal that makes you feel like you’ve got your life together, even on a busy weeknight. And trust me, it’s way better than those frozen dinners from my childhood.

What Kind of Ground Beef Should I Use?

For Salisbury steak, the 85/15 ground beef ratio (85% lean meat, 15% fat) is really the sweet spot. While you might be tempted to go leaner, that extra bit of fat helps keep your steaks juicy and adds flavor during cooking. Regular ground beef with a higher fat content (like 80/20) can make your steaks too greasy, while super lean ground beef (90/10 or higher) might leave you with drier, less flavorful results. When you’re at the store, look for ground beef that’s bright red in color and feels firm but not hard to the touch. If you’re buying pre-packaged ground beef, check the bottom of the package to make sure there isn’t excessive liquid pooling there, as this could mean the meat isn’t as fresh as it could be.

Options for Substitutions

Need to make some swaps? Here are some helpful substitutions for this classic comfort dish:

• Ground beef: While ground beef gives the best traditional flavor, you can use ground turkey or a mix of ground pork and beef. If using turkey, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the mix to keep it moist since it’s leaner than beef.
• French onion soup: If you’re out of canned French onion soup, you can use beef broth mixed with 1/2 cup of caramelized onions. In a real pinch, beef broth alone will work, but add extra onion powder to taste.
• Onion soup mix: No packet on hand? Mix 3 tablespoons of minced dried onion, 2 teaspoons of beef bouillon powder, 1/4 teaspoon onion powder, and a pinch of black pepper as a substitute.
• Plain flour: You can swap regular flour with gluten-free flour blend, cornstarch (use half the amount), or crushed crackers for binding.
• Cream: The recipe already mentions milk or half-and-half as alternatives. You could also use non-dairy options like unsweetened almond milk or oat milk, though the sauce won’t be quite as rich.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest challenge when making Salisbury steak is overmixing the meat mixture, which can lead to dense, tough patties – instead, combine the ingredients gently just until they’re evenly distributed. Getting the right sear is crucial, so avoid the temptation to move or flip the patties too frequently; give them 4-5 minutes on each side to develop a nice brown crust. Another common mistake is rushing the onion soup gravy – let it simmer and reduce properly for at least 10-15 minutes to concentrate the flavors and achieve the perfect consistency. For the best results, make sure your pan is hot enough before adding the patties, and don’t crowd them in the pan, as this will prevent proper browning and could lead to steaming instead of searing.

What to Serve With Salisbury Steak?

This classic comfort dish really shines when paired with creamy mashed potatoes – they’re perfect for soaking up all that tasty onion gravy! For a complete meal, I like to add some simple steamed green beans or roasted broccoli on the side to balance out the richness of the meat and gravy. If you want to keep things traditional diner-style, buttered egg noodles make an excellent base for the steaks and sauce. A warm dinner roll or slice of crusty bread on the side is always welcome for cleaning up any extra gravy from your plate!

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: This salisbury steak stays good in the fridge for up to 4 days when stored in an airtight container. The gravy might thicken up a bit in the fridge, but don’t worry – that’s totally normal! I like to make extra because the flavors actually get even better the next day.

Freeze: You can freeze these steaks for up to 3 months! Just let them cool completely, then place them in a freezer-safe container with the gravy. I recommend freezing them in individual portions – it makes reheating so much easier when you’re ready to enjoy them again.

Warm Up: To reheat, place the steaks and gravy in a covered skillet over low heat until warmed through, about 10-15 minutes. If the gravy is too thick, just add a splash of beef broth or water. For microwave reheating, use medium power and heat in 1-minute intervals, stirring the gravy occasionally.

Preparation Time	15-20 minutes
Cooking Time	25-30 minutes
Total Time	40-50 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1200-1400
• Protein: 90-100 g
• Fat: 70-80 g
• Carbohydrates: 80-90 g

Ingredients

• 1.5 pounds extra-lean ground beef (85/15 ratio)
• 10.5 ounces canned french onion soup (undiluted)
• 2 ounces onion soup mix seasoning (equivalent to one packet)
• 1/4 cup plain flour
• 3 tablespoons cream (or use milk or half-and-half)

Step 1: Prepare the Ground Beef Mixture

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Place the ground beef in a large bowl.

Sprinkle the onion soup mixture on top and pour over the cream.

Using a large fork or your hands, thoroughly combine the ground beef mixture to ensure everything is well incorporated.

Step 2: Form and Dredge the Patties

Divide the ground beef mixture into six equal portions and shape each portion into an oval patty.

Once shaped, dredge each side of the patties in flour, making sure they are evenly coated.

Step 3: Sear the Patties

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, add the ground beef patties to the hot skillet.

Sear each patty for about 3 minutes on one side, then flip and sear the other side.

Remove the burgers from the pan once they are nicely browned and set them aside.

Discard any excess fat from the skillet.

Step 4: Deglaze the Skillet and Add Soup

Scrape and loosen all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, which will intensify the flavor of the dish.

Return all of the browned patties to the skillet.

Evenly pour the French Onion Soup over each patty, ensuring they are well covered.

Step 5: Bake and Serve

Place the skillet in the preheated oven and bake uncovered for 20 minutes.

Once cooked through and fragrant, remove from the oven.

Serve the burgers hot, and enjoy the savory, delicious meal!