This is comfort food in its purest form, beefy patties smothered in a rich mushroom gravy. Keto Salisbury steak with mushroom gravy strips out the carbs while adding back plenty of moisture and flavor.
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This thickens with a bit of xanthan gum, a genuinely powerful thickener that behaves nothing like flour or cornstarch. Read through my notes on it before using it if this is your first time.
Do not use super-lean ground beef here, it dries out fast. An 80/20 blend keeps these patties genuinely moist.
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Chef Jenn’s Take on Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy
Xanthan gum is genuinely powerful, and it behaves nothing like flour or cornstarch. It does not need heat to activate, and a little goes a very long way, so start small, about half a teaspoon per 2 cups of liquid. Whisk it in, then let it rest 3 to 4 minutes before deciding you need more. Resist adding more too soon, it keeps thickening the longer it sits.
Brown the patties just enough to caramelize the outside, 2 to 3 minutes per side, they finish cooking through in the sauce afterward, so do not try to cook them through at this stage. Pull them with a meat thermometer at 165 degrees rather than guessing. Sautee the mushrooms until they have released their liquid and gone soft before deglazing the pan, that liquid is part of what builds the gravy’s flavor.
One reader had her patties fall apart, and still said the flavor was fantastic. She needed an immersion blender to fully work in the xanthan gum after the resting period, which can happen if it clumps. Mushroom variety is flexible too, white, cremini, or portobello with the black gills removed all work well here.
What You’ll Love About Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy
- Freezes well, so extra batches are ready for a busy week.
- Real comfort food, beefy patties smothered in rich mushroom gravy.
- Just 2 net carbs per serving, a genuine keto win.
Ingredients
- Ground beef – 80/20. Skip super-lean, it dries out too fast.
- Heavy whipping cream – Full fat.
- Onion – Grated or finely chopped.
- Egg – For binding the patties.
- Dijon mustard – Divided between the patties and the sauce.
- Worcestershire sauce – Regular.
- Garlic powder – Fresh minced garlic works too, in a smaller amount.
- Mushrooms – Sliced or quartered. White, cremini, or portobello all work.
- Tomato paste – Not tomato sauce, the two aren’t interchangeable here.
- Beef broth – Low or no sodium.
- Butter – For sauteing the mushrooms.
- Xanthan gum – Optional, used sparingly for thickening.
How to Make Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy
Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.
Mix the ground beef with the heavy cream, grated onion, egg, some of the Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder.
Form into patties and pan fry in a large skillet for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until caramelized. Remove to a plate.
Add the butter to the skillet with the mushrooms. Sautee for 4 to 5 minutes, until soft and the liquid has released.
Deglaze with 1/2 cup of the beef broth, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Add the browned patties and any juices, the tomato paste, and the remaining broth. Simmer on low, covered, for about 10 minutes, until the beef reaches 165°F.
Remove the patties to a clean plate. Thicken the sauce with xanthan gum if desired. Top the patties with the mushrooms and gravy, and serve.
Make It A Meal
Pair this with Pan-Roasted Asparagus for something to brighten the plate. For more steak dinners in the rotation, Garlic Steak & Mushrooms and Philly Cheesesteak Stacks are both worth adding.
Storage
Chill fully, then package in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat covered in a low oven at 325°F, or in the microwave, watching closely so it does not overcook.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe runs about 2 net carbs per patty. The number in the recipe card below will recalculate once this post is republished, so use it as an estimate until then.
Use your favorite keto-friendly thickener instead. Just be aware that results and carb counts can vary depending on what you choose.
Yes, mushrooms add flavor and heartiness, but they’re easy to skip. Just leave out the step where you sautee them and continue on from there.
It’s loaded with protein, and the mushrooms add real nutrition too. Pair it with plenty of vegetables for extra fiber.
Add Preferred SourceKeto Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef 80/20
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup grated onion
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
For the mushroom gravy:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 8 ounces mushrooms sliced or quartered
- 2 cups low sodium beef broth
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum optional
Instructions
- Mix the ground beef with heavy whipping cream, finely chopped or grated onion, egg, some of the Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder.
- Form the meat into patties and pan fry them in a large skillet for 2-3 minutes per side in the oil until they're caramelized. Set them on a plate to keep warm.
- Add the butter to the skillet and add the mushrooms. Sautee the mushrooms over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes or until they are soft and have given off their liquid.
- Deglaze the skillet with 1/2 cup of the beef broth, scraping up all the yummy bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add the browned beef patties and any liquid from the plate, tomato paste, and remainder of the broth to the skillet and simmer on low, covered, for about 10 minutes or until the beef is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165-F.
- Remove the patties from the pan and set them on a clean plate. Thicken with 1/2 tsp of xanthan gum (optional).
- Top the patties with the sauce and enjoy!
Notes
Recipe Card Tips
- Start with a small amount of xanthan gum and let it rest a few minutes before adding more. It keeps thickening as it sits.
- Brown the patties just to caramelize the outside. They finish cooking through in the sauce afterward.
- Use a meat thermometer and pull the patties at 165°F rather than guessing.
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed. Erythritol carbs (sugar substitutes) are not included in the carbohydrate counts as they have been shown not to impact blood sugar, and they have zero calories and zero carbs. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
HUNGRY FOR MORE Easy Keto Recipes?
I’m always messing around in the kitchen creating new recipes, but these are some of my favorite all-time picks that I make again and again:
- Crack cauliflower
- This dump-and-go Instant Pot recipe
- Tex-Mex beefy goodness
- Grilled vegetables
- Keto French dip chaffwich
This salisbury steak looks absolutely incredible. I love all the flavors in the meat and the gravy. Can’t wait to taste this.
This is one of my favorite steaks. Loving all those mushrooms too!
Looks so good! Sharing this with my daughter right now because she’s always looking for delicious keto recipes.
made it and it was delicious, thanks
My hubby was just talking about the keto diet, and I see your post. It’s a sign! This looks delicious. I’m sure he’d love it.
These are so flavorful! I love the gravy on top, so good!
My kind of comfort food! Perfect meal for these chilly nights ahead!
Admittedly, I’ve glanced at the recipe. In the ingredients you state tomato sauce. In the direction you say paste. Which is it? Also in the ingredients you say add some instead of precise amounts.
Hi Jerry,
It is indeed tomato paste in the recipe. This is one of my favorite dishes – I hope you give it a try! ~Jenn
IM FIXING THIS SOON….I GET SO MANY RECIPES WITH WAY TOO MANY INGREDIENTS. I LIKE SIMPLE…LOOKS AWESOME….I WILL USE NOODLES WITH MINE
Excellent flavour! I followed the recipe- except I used arrowroot to thicken . Hubby loved it!
Best keto meal I’ve made! I used minced onions instead of grated. Accidentally used a bit too much worchestershire. I didn’t have xanthan gum so I used cornstarch… raised the carbs some but 🤷🏻♀️. Also I added maybe 1/4 a cup of willing cream to the sauce near the end to make it a little creamy. I served with sliced tomatoes, green beans, and cauliflower mashed potatoes. Fantastic!!!
Sounds like a delish meal! Thanks for coming back to let me know how it was! ~Jenn
My patties fell apart but that didn’t affect the delicious flavor. After waiting 5 minutes, had to use an immersion blender to get the Xanthan fully mixed. Also, added additional tomato paste and dijoin to the sauce. Served this with mashed cauliflower and added browned onions and garlic powder. We had your green beans with almonds and baçon. Everything tasted so good. If this is low carb, I’m in heaven for sure. Many many thanks!
Oh my delicious!!! Followed recipe and it turned out great!!! Hubby really enjoyed it too!! Will definitely make again !!!