A satisfying family favorite that uses few ingredients and very little time, this flavor-packed comfort food hamburger steak and gravy recipe is worthy of its place on your weekly rotation. Forget compromising taste and texture for convenience and budget because this easy entree has it all.
Perhaps the hardest question moms and family cooks face almost every day is “What’s for dinner?” If you’re the meal planner for your family, I feel your pain. The temptation to wing it is strong, especially for those of us who love to live in the moment.
I tried to be a meal planner with all those labels and food storage containers in the fridge, but it just wasn’t me. Simple, easy, and tasty are my three favorite food terms when it comes to family meals, which is probably why I love this particular dish.
Hamburger vs. Salisbury Steak
I was not aware there was a difference. Honestly, my recipe is a fusion of the two. Hamburger steak has fewer binders, lighter seasoning, and a lighter gravy. Salisbury steak has binders such as rolled oats and cracked meal (or breading) for a softer patty. The rich brown gravy is heavier and perfect for smothering mashed potatoes.
My recipe has one egg and some breadcrumbs. But it’s the sauce that has me hooked. The savory onion mushroom gravy is so mouthwateringly good that we pour it all over anything that happens to be on the table. Rice, mashed potatoes, egg noodles, you name it. It’s perfect with almost everything!
How to Make Hamburger Steak and Gravy
- Make the patties, then sear them.
- Sauté the mushrooms and onions and make the gravy.
- Add the hamburger steaks back to the pan, then simmer until tender. Serve immediately with your favorite sides.
Recipe Tips
- You can go simple or sneak some veggies into the gravy, like minced bell peppers, grated carrots, cubed potatoes, and diced celery. Add them with the onions, and no one will complain.
- For juicy burger steaks, 20% fat content to 80% meat will do you well. You could go as low as 15%, but less than that will give you dry steaks.
- Combine the meat mixture just enough to incorporate everything. Overmixing may give you dense, tough patties.
- Press your thumb to make an indent in the middle of the patty for more even cooking.
- Searing the patties well, then simmering them in the gravy gives you that delicious Maillard reaction and tender meat.
What to Enjoy With Hamburger Steak and Gravy
Some people love poutine vibes by serving it over fries and topping it with grated mozzarella. We usually enjoy it over mashed potatoes with a light salad on the side to balance things out.
More Budget-Friendly Recipes to Try
Watch How to Make It
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”0VQ1X32j” upload-date=”2019-04-25T13:24:45.000Z” name=”Hamburger Steak and Gravy” description=”Hamburger Steak and Gravy – a satisfying family-favorite meal that only uses less ingredients without compromising the taste. Made with ground beef steak and soaked in an onion mushroom gravy that is to-die for! Pure comfort food that comes easily together!”]
This blog post was originally published in June 2018 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.