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I love serving hearty comfort food in a cast iron skillet. It just adds to the feeling of welcome home.
This is one of my favorite ground beef recipes and guaranteed picky eater friendly (if you fish out the onions and mushrooms).
Pan-fried and smothered in a rich onion gravy. Y'all it doesn't get better than this. Try pairing it with this recipe for squash casserole.
🗝️ Key takeaways
This Cracker Barrel Hamburger Steak recipe is everything I love about hearty, old-fashioned dinners—juicy, tender, and smothered in rich gravy with zero fuss. It’s a spot-on dupe of the classic Cracker Barrel Old Country Store favorite, so you get all that cozy, comfort food flavor without changing out of your stretchy pants. No fancy ingredients, no complicated steps—just a down-home, stick-to-your-ribs meal perfect for busy weeknights or Sunday suppers. Bonus? You can prep it ahead. Serve it up with red skin mashed potatoes or flaky Southern biscuits, and you’ve got yourself a plate of pure comfort.
📖 Recipe
Hamburger Steaks with Onion Gravy
Print Pin Recipe Save Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
Hamburger Steaks
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
- ⅓ cup breadcrumbs
- ⅓ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
Onion Gravy
- 1 onion, sliced
- ¼ cup butter
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups beef broth
Instructions
Hamburger Steaks
- Place all ingredients into a bowl and mix well to combine. Mixing with your hands works best here.
- Form mixture into 6 patties.
- Spray a heavy skillet with nonstick cooking spray.
- Brown each patty on a medium high heat setting for 3 mins per side.
- Remove from the pan and set aside.
Onion Gravy
- Add the onions to the same pan. Add a little extra oil if necessary.
- Sauté until onions start to brown
- Add butter and let it melt.
- Once the butter melts, whisk in the flour until it’s no longer visible.
- Cook, whisking constantly for 1 minute.
- Whisk in the beef broth until no flour lumps remain.
- Bring to a simmer, whisking until thickened.
- Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Add the beef patties back into the gravy.
- Set heat to medium-low, cover, and allow it to simmer for 20-30 minutes or until patties are 160 in the center.
- Remove from heat, cover, and let stand 5-10 minutes.
- Serve with mashed potatoes and green beans.
Notes
- If your burger steak mixture is a little bit too wet, add in some more bread crumbs until it has a consistency that you're happy with.
- Make the steaks a little bigger than you want them to be - they'll shrink during cooking.
- The internal temperature should be 160 degrees Fahrenheit when you take them off the heat.
- I used plain breadcrumbs but you can also use seasoned if that is what you have on hand.
- Remember when you are browning your patties, that the goal is just to get them brown on both sides, you are not cooking them all the way through.
- If you want to make this dish ahead of time, brown your patties but wait until you are ready to serve before making the gravy.
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.
🧾 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.
🔪 Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Mix the beef patty ingredients.
- Form into 6 patties about the side of your hand.
- Sear in a hot skillet.
- Flip and sear the other side then remove from the pan.
- Add the onions to the skillet and saute until they begin to brown. Add the butter.
- When the butter is melted stir in the flour and whisk for 1 minute.
- Whisk in the beef stock and simmer until it thickens.
- Add the patties back to the gravy, cover, and simmer 20 minutes.
🥫 Storage
This is a great recipe to make for freezer meals. Spend an hour or so making a large number of the patties and then refrigerate or freeze them.
When it's time to make this for dinner just make the gravy and proceed with the recipe.
Leftovers? Crumble them up in this yummy cheeseburger soup!
Refrigerate
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Freeze
You can also freeze for up to three months.
Place in ziploc bags or place in a single layer in an airtight container. Put parchment over the top and then carefully add another layer of the prepared ground beef patties.
Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator or just simmer in the gravy for a bit longer if cooking from frozen.
Reheat
Reheat in a skillet over medium heat until warm or in the microwave for one to two minutes at a time.
📖 Variations
- Instead of topping this easy hamburger steak recipe with onion gravy, you can also top it with garlic butter that has a dash of soy sauce in it.
- If you want a bit of crunch in your burger steak, try adding some chopped up bacon to the mixture.
- Have some cube steaks that need to be cooked? Use them instead of the hamburger meat in this recipe.
- For a little bit of heat, try adding some cayenne pepper to the beef mixture.
- Add some sautéed mushrooms to the gravy for an extra umami flavor.
- You can also add salt and black pepper to your ground beef mixture if you prefer.
- Cooked bell peppers can give a delicious flavor to your gravy.
- Add some shredded cheddar cheese to your ground beef mixture for a cheesy patty.
- One of the ways I love this dish is to cut a thick slice of Amish white bread and lay one of the hamburger steaks on top, then spoon over a ton of the gravy. SO good! Try it!
- Garnish with some crispy fried onions.
If you're pinched for time try this easy, 30 minute Salisbury steak casserole, instead.
💭 Things to know
Expert Tip: If your burger steak mixture is a little bit too wet, carefully add in some more breadcrumbs, a tablespoon at a time, until it has a consistency that you're happy with.
- Use high-quality ground beef for the best flavor and texture. Ground round or ground sirloin will give you a delicous "steak burger"!
- The internal temperature should be 160 degrees Fahrenheit when you take them off the heat.
- I used plain breadcrumbs but you can also use seasoned if that is what you have on hand.
- Make the patties a little bigger than you think they should be. Remember, they'll shrink a little when they cook.
- Remember when you are browning your patties, that the goal is just to get them brown on both sides, you are not cooking them all the way through.
- If you want to make this dish ahead of time, brown your patties but wait until you are ready to serve before making the gravy.
- Add in a little grated butter to make juicy hamburger steaks. Use about 8 tablespoons per 2 pounds. This works with burgers, too.
It's not traditional but I love to serve cheesy jalapeno grits as a great side dish with this meal.
👩🍳 FAQs
A hamburger steak is a patty that is usually made of ground beef, breadcrumbs, and eggs that are browned and then simmered in gravy. It's similar to meatloaf but not baked.
The difference between Salisbury steak and hamburger steak is that Salisbury steak is usually made with ground beef, breadcrumbs, and onion while hamburger steak typically does not have onion inside it.
No, chopped steak is not the same as hamburger steak. Chopped steak is usually a tougher cut of meat that has been chopped up into small pieces. Hamburger steak is typically made with ground beef.
I like to use a lean ground beef, but you can any type of ground beef that you have on hand. I do find that fresh ground beef holds the patty shape best, instead of using previously frozen beef.
📚 Related recipes
- If you want a simple comfort food recipe that only requires 10 minutes of prep, then look no further than this easy Salisbury Steak recipe.
- Chicken Fried Steak is a family favorite recipe that is full of southern comfort food flavor.
- Keep a batch of this easy Italian beef in the freezer for quick and easy sandwiches.
🍽️ Serve with...
Serve this simple meal with any of the recipes below... or go all out and make ALL of them.
Mashed potatoes are the most popular thing to serve with this hamburger steak recipe but I like hashbrown casserole for a nice change.
Egg noodles work really well, too.
Add a side of green beans for a great weeknight meal.
When I have time I like to add these fluffy cloverleaf rolls and serve double chocolate Coca Cola cake for an unforgettable finish.
These ideas for what to serve with salisbury steak are also perfect with hamburger steaks, too!
Y'all, there's a special place in my heart for Cracker Barrel recipes like this and their luscious buttermilk pie - not so much standing in line waiting on a table.
Their recipes are so similar to the comfort foods I grew up on that sometimes I just have to indulge. I hope you enjoy this one!
First published March 14, 2022. Last updated October 18, 2023, for editorial improvements.
Bet says
Hubby came in and said "it smells delicious in here" followed directions exactly except only few shakes of Worcestershire. Thank you for a very good recipe 😄 this will be a repeat.
Amanda says
Can this be baked in the oven?
Marye says
I've never done it but I'm sure it could.
Linda Sprouse says
It is DELICIOUS and I will definitely make this again