Tired of the same old dinner options? Switch up your dinner routine with this recipe. It's perfect for those busy nights when you don’t have time to stand over a stove.
Table of Contents
🗝️ Key takeaways
- This is a budget-friendly, hearty dinner that'll feed the whole family.
- Since it's made in the
slow cooker it's great for busy weeknights. - Leftovers freeze well for up to 3 months.
Crock pot Salisbury steak is one of my family's favorite recipes, and I love that it's so easy to make.
Plus, the flavorful beef patties and decadent mushroom gravy go great with rice, egg noodles, or mashed potatoes—whatever you have in your pantry!
No time for this recipe? Try this easy, 30 minute Salisbury steak casserole instead!
🧾 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
📖 Variations
- This is one of my favorite ground beef recipes, but you can experiment with changing the meat mixture. Add some ground turkey, chicken, sausage, or pork to make the beef stretch.
- Alternatively, you can swap the ground beef patties with cubed steak.
- Have some meatballs to use up? You can use them in place of the steaks—no need to dredge or sear them, just toss and cook!
- Add fresh mushrooms if you like 'em.
- Or, stir some diced onion or minced garlic into the gravy ingredients before cooking.
- If you'd like, use a package of au jus mix instead of bouillon.
- Out of milk? Use unflavored non-dairy milk or beef broth in its place. However, I'd add a pat of butter or some oil to make up for the milk fat.
- You can easily replace the breadcrumbs with crushed crackers!
- Make gluten-free Salisbury steaks by swapping the breadcrumbs with crushed Chex cereal or another GF panko replacement.
- Make it in the oven! Prep the recipe as written, combining everything into a casserole dish. Bake, covered, at 350 degrees F for 45-50 minutes, or until the steaks reach 160 degrees F on a meat thermometer.
🔪 Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Mix the ground beef, bread crumbs, dry onion soup mix, and milk. Shape into patties.
- Dredge each of the hamburger patties in flour.
- Sear patties in a large skillet until brown. Place into the crock pot.
- Combine the soup, bouillon, and water and pour over the steaks. Toss in mushrooms (if using) and cook.
🎥 Video
🥫 Storage
Classic comfort food is great, especially when you have leftovers! Thankfully, these hamburger steaks keep just as easily as they're made.
Store the leftovers in a glass or plastic storage container. Cover the dish (or dishes) tightly with a lid or plastic.
Then, refrigerate for up to three days. Feel free to reheat crockpot Salisbury steak in the microwave for a super quick, delicious meal.
Also, you can freeze Salisbury steaks for up to three months. Just be sure to seal them tightly in storage containers or freezer-safe bags.
Expert Tip:
For the most tender beef patties, don't overwork the ground beef mixture. Combine it gently with your hands until the ingredients come together.
💭 Things to know
- This crockpot Salisbury steak recipe is best in a 6-quart oval-shaped
slow cooker . The smaller ones can't fit all the goodness in. - Feel free to stack the patties on top of each other in the
slow cooker . Searing first prevents them from mushing into one giant patty! - If you like to have a few big meals in the freezer at all times, double this
slow cooker Salisbury steak recipe and freeze half in a large foil baking dish. Thaw and warm the next time you get a craving for comfort! - On the other hand, you can make individual homemade freezer meals using meal prep containers. Add a steak, some potatoes or rice, and some cooked veggies to each container and freeze. Microwave from frozen to enjoy!
- You can also double or triple the patty ingredients and freeze those, uncooked, for another time.
👩🍳 FAQs
If you don't like mushrooms, feel free to swap the soup with cream of celery, instead. If your store is just out of regular mushroom soup, you can use golden mushroom soup. However, I'd avoid using cream of chicken, since this is a beef-based recipe.
You sure can! Prep all the ingredients and store in the fridge for up to two days. Then, carefully dump everything into the
The keys are fat and moisture! That's why we add milk. Egg works as a good binder, too, if you're in a pinch. Also, searing the patties in a hot skillet helps them hold their shape during the slow cooking process.
Some people use the names interchangeably, but a true homestyle cook can tell you the difference between the classic recipes. Salisbury steaks are generally cooked in creamy gravy while hamburger steaks are not.
📚 Related recipes
- Slow-Cooker Steak Sandwiches are tender, juicy, and dripping (literally dripping) with flavorful au jus. Plus, the crockpot does all the work!
- A Southern classic smothered in rich gravy, Chicken Fried Steak is the kind of homestyle cooking that gathers everyone to the dinner table!
- Full of old-fashioned flavor but made in a fraction of the time, this Homemade Meatloaf is an easy beef recipe and so tasty after a long day.
🍽️ Serve with...
Here are some serving suggestions to make your meal planning a breeze! You'll find over 60 more ideas for what to serve with salisbury steak here.
Southern Green Beans are cooked with bacon and onions to give the easy veggie side a rich flavor!
Nothing's better to serve for all that extra gravy than creamy, buttery Bob Evans Copycat Mashed Potatoes.
You can't have a good steak dinner without some soft and tender Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls!
Southern Coconut Pie is the perfect, gooey, sweet ending to a hearty beef dinner.
📞 The last word
I love diner food.
Maybe it's part of growing up in the 1960s but there's something about these classic comfort foods that soothes my soul like nothing else. And... it doesn't hurt that they're usually budget friendly.
Liver and onions, salisbury steaks, and meatloaf were all on that Blue Plate Special weekly lineup.
Salisbury steaks, poor man's steaks, hamburger steaks... this recipe goes by many different names but once you learn to make it in the
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Crockpot Salisbury Steak
Print Pin Recipe Save Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 2 pounds ground beef, 90/10 is best but use your favorite
- 1 ounce dry onion soup mix, 1 envelope
- ½ cup breadcrumbs, Panko, or dried/toasted
- ¼ cup milk
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 21.5 ounces cream of mushroom soup, 2-10.5 ounce cans, undiluted
- 1 tablespoon beef bouillon
- ½ cup water
- 1-½ tablespoons oil
Instructions
- Add crumbs, soup mix, and milk to the ground beef.
- Mix well - you'll probably need to use your hands.
- Divide evenly into 8 parts. Form into patties about the size of your palm. Set aside.
- Mix the cream of mushroom soup, the bouillon, and the water until smooth. Set aside.
- Heat the oil in the frying pan or multi-cooker.
- Mix the flour and any seasoning you want to use for dredging. Dredge the patties in the flour covering both sides.
- Brown the patties on both sides. Add to slow cooker if you've used a frying pan.
- Pour soup mixture over the beef in the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low for 4 ½ to 5 hours, or until meat registers 165℉ on an instant read thermometer.
Notes
- This recipe is best in a 4 or 6 quart slow cooker.
- Mix the ground beef with ground pork, ground turkey, or ground chicken if you like.
- If your family likes mushrooms definitely add as many as you'd like!
- Serve leftovers over toast as a hot, open faced sandwich.
- Make your own "frozen dinners" by using meal prep containers and covering with plastic wrap and then aluminum foil.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
Originally published May 26, 2020. Last updated February 21, 2024 for editorial improvements and better images.
Dana McFarland says
This was a family hit ! Easy & delicious
Kerri says
Absolutely delicious! Talk about comfort food!
My family loved it. Thank you!
Kerri says
I love this! We ate the whole thing... the leftovers were just as good!
I browned the parties 1st and sautéed mushrooms and onions. Put it over white rice! Yummy! Thank you! Kerri
Etta Miller says
What would be the best replacement for the cream of mushroom soup? We have a lot of folks that come into the VFW for our dinners but don't like mushrooms. I thought this would be a great dinner for them.
Marye says
Cream of celery would probably be best.