I’m not ashamed to admit that I grew up eating a lot of TV dinners. My mom was a single mother of three working full time. My favorite TV dinners were the kind that had a little chocolate cake or brownie in it. As I got older and my tastes become more sophisticated, I started asking for the Salisbury steak tv dinner. My all time favorite thing to do would be to mix the corn and the mashed potatoes together with the gravy. The combination of the two always made me very happy. Although I no longer eat TV dinners (I couldn’t even tell you when was the last time), I still on occasion get a craving for Salisbury steak so I wanted to turn that classic dish into meatballs. These Salisbury Steak Meatballs are everything I remember those TV dinners to be, but of course 10000 times better because it’s homemade.
For the meatballs, in a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, onion, panko, garlic, ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, a pinch of salt and pepper, and egg until well combined. Divide the mixture evenly and form into 1-inch balls.
**Note: I like to make these meatballs a bit smaller as I think it works better for this dish, but if you prefer, you can make them bigger, just note that they’ll take longer to cook through.**
Set a large dutch oven over moderate heat. Once hot, drizzle with oil and add the meatballs in a single layer, taking care not to over-crowd the pan. You might have to do this in batches. Cook until the meatballs have browned on all sides.
**Note: You’re not looking to cook them all the way at this point, just browning them. Transfer to a plate and set aside.**
Drizzle in the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and stir in the onion, garlic and mushrooms. Cook until they’ve just started to brown and have softened.
Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and the thyme. Add the butter and cook until melted through. Stir in the flour and cook for about 30 seconds or so.
Whisk in the broth and bring to a simmer. Stir in the mustard, Worcestershire sauce and a small pinch of salt and lots of black pepper.
Return the meatballs to the pan and give it a good stir. Cook over low heat, stirring often, until the meatballs have cooked through and the gravy has thickened, about 10 to 15 minutes.
I like to finish them off with a sprinkle of chopped fresh chives for color but also a bit of an oniony taste. You can’t have Salisbury steak without mashed potatoes and corn (or peas). Honestly though, it would be delicious with white rice as well.
If you’re on the lookout for a quick and easy weeknight meal, then I hope you’ll give these meatballs a try. They’re tender and super flavorful! If you make it, let me know what you think below. Thank you so much for reading and following along!
Salisbury Steak Meatballs
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Dutch Oven
Ingredients
Meatballs:
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1/2 medium onion grated
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- Kosher salt and coarse black pepper
- 1 large egg
Gravy:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 medium onion finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 pint sliced mushrooms
- 1 teaspoon fresh Thyme leaves
- Kosher salt and coarse black pepper
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups low sodium beef broth
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives
Instructions
- For the meatballs, in a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, onion, panko, garlic, ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, a pinch of salt and pepper, and egg until well combined. Divide the mixture evenly and form into 1-inch balls.
- Set a large dutch oven over moderate heat. Once hot, drizzle with oil and add the meatballs in a single layer, taking care not to over-crowd the pan. You might have to do this in batches. Cook until the meatballs have browned on all sides. You're not looking to cook them all the way at this point, just browning them. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Drizzle in the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and stir in the onion, garlic and mushrooms. Cook until they've just started to brown and have softened. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and the thyme. Add the butter and cook until melted through. Stir in the flour and cook for about 30 seconds or so. Whisk in the broth and bring to a simmer. Stir in the mustard, Worcestershire sauce and a small pinch of salt and lots of black pepper.
- Return the meatballs to the pan and give it a good stir. Cook over low heat, stirring often, until the meatballs have cooked through and the gravy has thickened, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Serve with a garnish of fresh chives on top and enjoy!
you just gave me the best idea. Growing up in the 60s my grandma used to make Swiss steak. Rather than tenderizing round steak you just gave me the idea to make Swiss steak meatballs! They would be great served over mashed potatoes or rice. Thank you for the idea..