Homemade Salisbury Steak Meatballs: A Classic Comfort Food Reinvented
Indulge in the ultimate comfort food experience with these Homemade Salisbury Steak Meatballs. This exquisite dish features tender, perfectly seasoned ground beef meatballs, lovingly simmered in a rich, dark brown gravy—enhanced with or without savory mushrooms—and traditionally served over a bed of fluffy mashed potatoes. Forget your childhood TV dinners; this recipe elevates a nostalgic favorite into a sophisticated, homemade masterpiece.
Elevating a Childhood Favorite: Salisbury Steak Meatballs
For many, the mention of Salisbury Steak instantly conjures images of nostalgic TV dinners, those foil-divided trays from childhood. While those meals offered convenience, they often lacked the depth of flavor and wholesome goodness we crave today. Our Salisbury Steak Meatballs are the grown-up, more sophisticated evolution of that classic, transforming it into a meal that truly satisfies. The only commonality you’ll find is that familiar “Salisbury” flavor, ideally paired with mashed potatoes and a delectable brown gravy. And if you’re feeling extra nostalgic, perhaps a side of corn!
The true beauty of making this dish from scratch lies in your ability to use fresh, high-quality ingredients. There’s no “mystery meat” here, just wholesome, flavorful ground beef combined with carefully selected seasonings. You have complete control over what goes into your meal, ensuring a delicious and trustworthy experience every time.
While I always opt for adding mushrooms to the rich gravy for an extra layer of umami and texture, they are, of course, entirely optional. Feel free to customize this recipe to your family’s preferences.
The Evolution: Salisbury Steak Patties to Savory Meatballs
My culinary journey with Salisbury Steak began in 2014, experimenting with various “from scratch” recipes. Interestingly, my family often felt these homemade versions didn’t quite stack up to the TV dinner experience they remembered. A curious challenge, wouldn’t you agree? After considerable tweaking and perfecting, I finally mastered my original Salisbury Steak & Mushrooms recipe, featuring succulent Salisbury Steak patties with caramelized onions in a rich brown mushroom gravy. It was a hit, but a new idea began to simmer.
Then a thought struck me: wouldn’t this incredible flavor profile be even better in *meatball form*? The next time I prepared the dish, I shaped the seasoned beef mixture into meatballs, and the result was nothing short of sensational. We instantly adored this meatball variation even more! After all, who doesn’t love a good meatball? (Unless you’re vegetarian, in which case, this particular recipe might not be your first stop.) The meatball format offers a delightful bite, ensures every piece is coated in that fantastic gravy, and adds a fun, comforting twist to the classic.
The Perfect Pairing: Meatballs Served Over Mashed Potatoes or Noodles
Traditionally, I’ve always served this hearty meatball dish over a generous mound of fluffy mashed potatoes. The creamy potatoes perfectly absorb the rich, savory gravy, creating an incredibly satisfying bite. However, I absolutely cherish reader feedback, and one suggestion truly captured my imagination: serving it over egg noodles. I love hearing how you enjoy my recipes, so I eagerly gave it a shot.
While store-bought egg noodles are certainly an option for convenience, I decided to take it up a notch by whipping up a batch of my Homemade Egg Noodles. And oh my goodness, the result was sensational! The tender, slightly chewy noodles intertwined with the savory meatballs and gravy offered a wonderfully different, yet equally comforting, experience. Whether you choose mashed potatoes or egg noodles, you simply can’t go wrong. Both options provide the ideal canvas for these flavorful Salisbury Steak Meatballs and their luxurious gravy.
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If you’re as excited as I am to try this incredible Salisbury Steak Meatball recipe, make sure you don’t lose track of it! Pin it to your favorite Pinterest recipe board now so you can easily find it when you’re ready to cook up some comfort food magic. Sharing is caring, and this is a dish you’ll want to revisit often!
Key Ingredients for Flavorful Salisbury Steak Meatballs
One of the many reasons I adore this recipe is that most of the ingredients are pantry staples, readily available whenever a craving strikes. We’re talking about basic, wholesome components that come together to create something truly extraordinary. However, there’s one ingredient that often sparks questions: Kitchen Bouquet. Over the years, I’ve received numerous inquiries about what it is and its purpose.
**Kitchen Bouquet** is a browning and seasoning sauce, essentially a liquid browning agent for gravies, soups, and stews. It’s composed of concentrated vegetable bases and caramel coloring, imparting a beautiful deep brown hue and an incredibly rich, savory depth to dark sauces. I’ve truly come to adore it because it elevates beef recipes with brown gravies, like hearty stews or beef broth-based dishes such as vegetable beef soup, to an entirely new level of flavor and visual appeal. It’s a secret weapon for that restaurant-quality finish!
This is what a bottle of Kitchen Bouquet looks like. You can typically find it in the grocery store near the gravy mixes, marinades, or flavoring packets. If you can’t locate it locally, it’s also conveniently available to order on Amazon.
Crafting Your Homemade Meatballs
Once you’ve thoroughly mixed your ground beef with the seasoned breadcrumbs and a medley of spices, including ground mustard, beef bouillon granules, Worcestershire sauce, and ketchup, it’s time to form the meatballs. For consistency and even cooking, I highly recommend using a cookie scoop. This ensures each meatball is roughly the same size, leading to uniform browning and tenderness. Aim for meatballs slightly larger than a golf ball.
Once formed, they’re all ready for the skillet! Brown the meatballs in a tablespoon or two of oil over medium heat. It’s crucial to rotate them often to ensure they brown evenly on all sides without burning. This browning step is essential as it locks in flavor and creates a beautiful crust. Once golden brown all around, carefully remove them from the pan and set them aside. They don’t need to be cooked through at this stage, as they will finish simmering in the gravy.
Developing the Rich Brown Gravy
After browning the meatballs, carefully drain any excess grease from the pan, but do not wash it! Those browned bits at the bottom (fond) are packed with flavor. Add about two tablespoons of butter to the same pan and stir in your sliced onions. Cook them over medium-high heat for approximately 5-10 minutes, until they turn beautifully golden brown, tender, and wonderfully fragrant. This caramelization adds a sweet depth to the gravy. Next, add your sliced mushrooms (if using) and cook for a couple more minutes until they soften and release their moisture.
Reduce your heat to medium, then pour in the beef stock, a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce, and a tablespoon of ketchup. Stir everything together, scraping up any delicious browned bits from the bottom of the pan, and let it simmer for about 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Now, whisk in your Kitchen Bouquet and the cornstarch mixture (cornstarch dissolved in water). Stir continuously until combined; you’ll notice the gravy beginning to thicken beautifully. Season generously with salt and pepper to taste, adjusting as needed.
Return the browned meatballs to the simmering gravy, reduce the heat to low, and cover the skillet. Allow the meatballs to cook in the rich gravy for an additional 20-30 minutes. This crucial simmering period will ensure the meatballs become incredibly tender and fully absorb all the wonderful flavors of the gravy. Remember to stir gently now and then to prevent them from sticking, taking care not to break them apart.
Finally, spoon that glorious meatball gravy right over your choice of fluffy mashed potatoes or tender egg noodles, and prepare to enjoy an incredibly satisfying and comforting meal!
Recipes for Meatball Enthusiasts: What Else Can You Make?
Have you ever found yourself pondering, “what can I make with meatballs?” It’s a question far more common than you might imagine, and the answer is: a lot! While some readers have experimented with using frozen meatballs for this Salisbury Steak Meatball recipe, I personally recommend making them from scratch. The carefully selected spices and seasonings in homemade meatballs truly shine through, contributing immensely to the dish’s signature flavor. If you opt for frozen meatballs, please be aware that the overall taste will differ significantly from my original recipe, as the seasoning profile won’t be the same.
However, for those who adore meatballs, I have a treasure trove of recipes! Some are designed for the convenience of frozen meatballs, perfect for quick weeknight meals, while others guide you through making them from scratch for a truly gourmet experience. Here are just a few ideas for other delicious meatball dishes:
- Classic Italian Meatballs with Marinara Sauce
- Sweet and Sour Cocktail Meatballs
- Swedish Meatballs with Cream Sauce
- Meatball Subs with Provolone
- Spicy Asian Meatballs
These are all definite keepers for your recipe collection. But for now, let’s refocus on the star of the show that brought you here: these magnificent Salisbury Steak Meatballs.
This dish truly embodies Comfort Food with a capital “C.” The gravy itself is absolutely amazing, but when you pair these tender meatballs and their rich sauce over a mound of fluffy mashed potatoes or comforting noodles? It’s a match made in culinary heaven. This recipe is practically begging to be the centerpiece of your next Sunday family dinner, promising warmth, flavor, and contented smiles all around!
I sincerely hope you give these Salisbury Steak Meatballs a try and that you and your loved ones enjoy them every bit as much as my family and I have over the years. This recipe is a testament to how simple, fresh ingredients can transform a classic into an unforgettable homemade meal.
Let’s get cooking! 
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Print Recipe
Salisbury Steak Meatballs
Equipment
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Set of 3, Scoops with Trigger, Quick Release Stainless Steel, 3 Pcs (1.5 Tbsp, 2.8 Tbsp and 5.4 Tbsp)
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13×18 Half Sheet Pan
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Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet With Assist Handle, 10.25″, Black
Ingredients
- Meatballs:
- 2 pounds Lean Ground Beef
- 2/3 cup Seasoned Breadcrumbs
- 2 teaspoons Ground Mustard
- 2 teaspoons Beef Bouillon Granules
- 4-5 dashes Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon Ketchup
- Salt And Pepper to taste
- Gravy:
- 1 medium Onion diced
- 8 ounces white mushrooms sliced (can sub two 3 ounce cans of mushrooms)
- 32 ounces Beef Broth
- 4 dashes Worcestershire
- 1 Tablespoon Ketchup
- 2 teaspoons Kitchen Bouquet
- 3 Tablespoons of Corn Starch dissolved in 3 Tablespoons water
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Instructions
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In a large mixing bowl, combine the lean ground beef with the seasoned breadcrumbs, ground mustard, beef bouillon granules, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix gently until just combined, being careful not to overmix, which can make the meatballs tough. Form the mixture into evenly sized meatballs; a cookie scoop works wonderfully for this, ensuring consistent cooking. Mine were slightly larger than a golf ball. Pour a couple of tablespoons of oil into a large skillet and heat over medium heat. Add the meatballs, being careful not to overcrowd the pan (cook in batches if necessary). Brown the meatballs evenly on all sides, rotating them often to prevent burning. Once nicely browned, remove them from the pan and set aside. They don’t need to be cooked through at this stage.
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Carefully remove any excess grease from the skillet, leaving any flavorful browned bits (fond) in the pan. Do not wash the pan! Add about 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet and melt it over medium-high heat. Stir in the diced onion and cook for 5-10 minutes, or until the onions are golden brown, tender, and fragrant. Add the sliced mushrooms (if using) and cook for another couple of minutes until they soften. Reduce the heat to medium and pour in the beef broth, 4 dashes of Worcestershire sauce, and 1 tablespoon of ketchup. Stir well, scraping up any delicious browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let this mixture simmer for about 10 minutes to allow the flavors to deepen. In a small bowl, whisk together the Kitchen Bouquet and the cornstarch dissolved in water. Add this mixture to the simmering gravy, stirring constantly until combined. The gravy will begin to thicken almost immediately. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Return the browned meatballs to the gravy in the skillet. Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet, and let the meatballs simmer in the gravy for 20-30 minutes. This slow simmer will ensure the meatballs become incredibly tender and absorb all the rich flavors of the gravy. Stir occasionally and gently to avoid breaking the meatballs apart.
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Serve immediately, spooning the generous meatballs and gravy over hot, fluffy mashed potatoes or tender egg noodles. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 340kcal |
Carbohydrates: 14g |
Protein: 36g |
Fat: 15g |
Saturated Fat: 6g |
Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g |
Cholesterol: 101mg |
Sodium: 904mg |
Fiber: 1g |
Sugar: 3g
This recipe was originally shared on May 7, 2014. It has been updated to improve user experience and reshared on October 14, 2020.
(This recipe is inspired by The Pioneer Woman’s Salisbury Steak Recipe)