Salisbury Steak Meatballs
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Ground beef combined with bread crumbs, onion, egg plus a mix of Worcestershire, ketchup, Dijon, and garlic. Hand mixed, shaped into 1½ tablespoon balls. Cooked in olive oil in batches for even browning. Finished with mushroom gravy stirred in. Served best over mashed potatoes or egg noodles. Adjusted timings with sensory cues. Substituted panko for bread crumbs and swapped Dijon for yellow mustard. Total cook time around 32 minutes. Serves 32 small meatballs. Nutrition per meatball roughly 45 calories, 5 grams protein, 2 grams fat.
Prep:
22 min
Cook:
32 min
Total:
54 min
Servings:
32 servings
#American
#meatballs
#beef
#mushroom gravy
#comfort food
#easy dinner
Ground beef, bread crumbs, onions, egg. Mixed with Worcestershire, ketchup, a punch of mustard — switched Dijon for yellow this round, sharp but less aggressive. Grab hands, mix quickly, don’t overwork or it stiffens. Shaping balls into firm little nuggets, roughly one and a half tablespoons each—why? Uniform cooking, won’t dry out. Olive oil gets nice and hot, shimmering, not smoking or food sticks. Hear that sizzle hitting skillet? Key sound that meat’s searing, flavors locking in. Flip carefully. Meatballs gently firm, maybe a little puffed, no raw pink inside. Transfer out, don’t crowd pan or steam them, that kills texture. Gravy made from packet but rely on pan bits. Mushrooms drained, not soggy, fold in last. Serve over mashed potatoes or egg noodles, soak up every drop. Tried panko for crunch, less dense than regular crumbs, lighter mouthfeel. Cooking time ups and downs with size but trust eyeballs and touch. Learn the signs — browned crust, springy but not mushy inside. Cooking intuition, my secret weapon.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef
- ¾ cup panko bread crumbs
- ½ cup finely diced onion
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 package mushroom gravy mix
- 1 can mushrooms drained
About the ingredients
Panko bread crumbs replace traditional crumbs for lighter, airier texture inside meatballs. Diced onions add moisture but avoid large chunks or uneven cooking; fine dice recommended. Yellow mustard is a swap for Dijon mustard, less pungent but still sharp enough to cut richness. Worcestershire sauce key for umami kick, don’t skip. Garlic minced fresh always preferred but jarred works in pinch. Extra virgin olive oil chosen for sautéing meatballs; if you only have vegetable or canola oil, that’s fine but EVOO adds subtle fruity aroma. Mushrooms drained thoroughly to avoid watery gravy. If gravy packet unavailable, use beef broth thickened with flour and a dash of soy sauce for savory depth. Salt and pepper to taste but go lighter initially, can always punch up later. Egg binds everything but don’t overmix — tough meatballs are a sign of too much handling. Can swap ground beef for turkey or mix of beef and pork for more moisture. Leftover meatballs freeze well before gravy, reheat with sauce gently.
Method
- Dump beef in large bowl. No fancy prep here.
- Add panko crumbs, diced onions, egg, Worcestershire, ketchup, yellow mustard, garlic, onion powder, salt, pepper. Get hands in there. Mix like you mean it until uniform.
- Scoop about 1½ tablespoons per meatball. Roll between palms. Should be firm but not packed like a brick.
- Heat olive oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high. Oil slick should shimmer but not smoke.
- Carefully place meatballs spaced apart. Hear the sizzle, that’s key. Cook 3-6 minutes per side, flip gently to brown all sides evenly. They swell slightly and firm up when done.
- Remove meatballs to plate once cooked through — texture tight with no pink inside.
- Make gravy right in same skillet per package instructions. Use pan drippings for flavor.
- Stir in drained mushrooms just before serving.
- Serve with creamy mashed potatoes or buttered egg noodles. Meatballs soak up gravy like cozy blankets.
Cooking tips
Mixing is about even distribution not mashing meat. Use hands for best feel — stop when mixture holds together but still tender. Forming consistent sized meatballs means even cooking; bigger will need more time and risk drying inside. Heat oil to shimmering, test by dropping a tiny bit of meat mixture; it should sizzle immediately. Cook meatballs in batches if skillet too crowded — overcrowding traps steam, making them grey and mushy. Flip when edges brown and crust firms against pan, about 3 to 6 minutes per side depending on heat. Internal doneness judged by slight spring back to touch and no pink center. Use cooking time ranges as guides but trust senses and cut one open if unsure. Make gravy after meatballs removed; skillet drippings boost flavor significantly. Mushrooms added at end prevent overcooking and sogginess. Serve immediately after combining meatballs with gravy; texture and warmth matter. Leftovers reheat gently in simmered gravy to avoid drying out. Keep notes on heat levels and timing for your stove, every kitchen differs.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Use panko crumbs, not regular bread crumbs for lighter texture; they keep meatballs airy inside, less dense. Dice onions fine so no chunks, prevents uneven cooking. Mustard swap is sharp enough to cut richness but milder than Dijon; don’t skip it, balances flavors. Mince garlic fresh but jarred can work if pressed. Mix with hands until meat just binds, not mushy, less handling equals tender texture. Shaping uniform balls is key; about one and a half tablespoons each helps cooking evenness. Thicker balls need more time but risk dryness; better smaller uniform sizes.
- 💡 Heat olive oil until shimmering but not smoking. Test by dropping tiny bit of mix, should sizzle fast. Don't overcrowd pan or meatballs steam, turn pale and mushy. Cook 3 to 6 minutes each side; listen for sizzling, look for browned crust edges, firm texture when pressed with spatula. Flip gently to keep shape intact; swollen, springy but no pink center signals done. Rest on plate after cooking, don’t stack or trap steam. Gravy made in same pan to catch all browned bits, huge flavor boost, use gravy packet or homemade beef broth thickened with flour and soy sauce for umami.
- 💡 Drain mushrooms well before adding or gravy waters down. Stir mushrooms in last minute to avoid soggy texture. Serving suggestions: mashed potatoes or buttered egg noodles soak gravy well. Freeze leftover meatballs before adding gravy; reheat gently in warm gravy to avoid drying out. Adjustment: can swap ground beef for turkey or mix beef and pork for extra moisture. Onion powder plus fresh onion gives depth without overpowering chunks. Season salt and pepper light at first, add more if needed after cooking; easier to fix than over salted meatballs.
- 💡 Mixing is about distribution not mashing meat. Use hands for best feel — stop mixing when meat holds together but still soft. Shape firm but not too tight balls, compressed meat toughens. Use sensory clues much more than cooking times; smell garlic, look for crust browning, touch meatball firmness. Timing varies by stove, pan size. If skillet too small, do batches, large skillet better for even heat. Cook meatballs on medium-high for crust but not burning. Use extra virgin olive oil for subtle fruity aroma; can swap vegetable oil but flavor differs.
- 💡 Make gravy after removing meatballs so skillet drippings add deep flavor. Mushrooms last add avoids overcooking. Don’t crowd pan with meatballs, steam ruins crust. If gravy mix missing, beef broth thickened with bit of flour plus soy sauce mimics flavor—low tech but effective. Egg binds but minimal mixing important to avoid tough meatballs. Shaping consistent size cooks evenly; smaller balls dry faster, bigger couple extra minutes. Listen for sizzle, smell garlic and browning meat; real clues to know when to flip or pull off heat. Serve immediately once combined with gravy.
Common questions
How to tell meatballs are done?
No pink inside. Slight spring back when poked. Browned crust edges. Sizzle when cooking fades but don’t overcook or dry. Cut open if unsure. Touch over timer. Visual and feel beats clock.
Can I use ground turkey?
Yes. But meat moistening more crucial. Add extra moisture or fat for tenderness. Cooking time usually less. Watch texture closely. Mix same as beef but careful not to overwork. Other swaps: mix pork ground for fat balance.
What if pan too crowded?
Crowding traps steam, meatballs get grey, mushy. Cook batches. Let oil hot between batches. Keeps crust crisp. Use larger pan if possible. Don’t rush or pile in. Work in small groups.
How to store leftovers?
Freeze meatballs before gravy or keep in fridge for few days. Reheat slow in warm gravy or sauce to keep moist. Microwave dries fast, better stovetop. Gravy helps retain texture. Wrap airtight or seal in containers.
