Cozy, warm, and so delicious! Tender Salisbury steak meatballs that have been seared until golden brown, rolling around in a hearty caramelized onion and mushroom gravy. They’re warm and cozy and perfect for this time of the year when you’re looking for comfort food to warm you through and through. Don’t be surprised if you catch the fam sneaking off with a meatball or two straight from the pan. My husband said he could guzzle the sauce with a spoon and insisted that I didn’t waste even a drop of it. I take that as a good sign. Salisbury steak meatballs are a twist on the original recipe you might have eaten quite a bit of when growing up. But is it just me, or is it kind of annoying to cook flat Salisbury steaks in a pan? Not to mention that it’s totally retro. I never really know when to turn them, and now and again, one of them will fall apart and crumble right into the sauce – which good for my husband. It makes the gravy extra meaty. But bad for my perfectionist self, who despises when that happens. Salisbury Meatballs are a nice little compromise. All the flavor and perfect eye appeal too.
What do you need to make Salisbury steak meatballs?
Grated onions: add flavor and moisture to the meatballsBreadcrumbs: are used for binding. I prefer to use panko breadcrumbs because they melt right into the meatballs, and you don’t even realize they’re there!Seasonings + sauces: I’ve got some garlic, onion, and mustard powder, along with a splash of Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce.An egg: the egg is the binder to hold everything together.Ketchup: a couple of squirts of ketchup help add both moisture and flavor. I prefer to use this ketchup; it’s a Texas favorite!Ground beef: I prefer to use 90% lean ground beef for this recipe. You could use anything between and 90-97% to keep these meatballs on the leaner side. If you use ground beef with a higher fat content, you might need to dispose of any additional grease that might have been rendered in the pan before making the onion and mushroom gravy. This will keep it from being too greasy.
How to make the perfect meatballs:
Ingredients for the onion mushroom gravy:
Butter: the butter is used for both the roux and to cook the mushrooms and onions.Mushrooms: you can use white button mushrooms or baby bellas for this recipe. I prefer to use baby portobello mushrooms because they add a bit more flavor to the gravy.Onions: ¼-inch thick slices of onions keep the onions from disappearing in the gravy. They caramelize and develop the most delicious flavor.Garlic: minced garlic adds just the right amount of garlicky punch to the mushrooms.Flour: just a bit of flour to help thicken the sauce and make the rouxBeef stock: adds flavor and is the base of the mushroom gravy.Sauces: we’ll add another dash of Worcestershire sauce, a hint of dijon, and another splash of soy sauce to help flavor the sauce
How to make the best gravy for Salisbury steak meatballs:
Tips for making Salisbury Steak Meatballs faster:
Other meatball recipes you might like:
Firecracker Chicken MeatballsGreek Chicken Meatballs in Lemon Cream SauceComforting French Onion MeatballsMongolian Beef MeatballsSwedish MeatballsRustic Chicken Piccata MeatballsCheesesteak MeatballsCajun Meatballs in Cream SauceItalian Meatball Soup
