Easy Swiss Steak Recipe

This classic Swiss Steak Recipe uses pounded round steak smothered in a tomato gravy sauce. It's a delicious comfort food dinner recipe that the whole family will love.

There's really nothing better than a delicious steak dinner, and this is one of our favorites. Swiss Steak is an impressive comfort food classic that's super simple to make, and unbelievably satisfying to enjoy. It's packed with staple ingredients and hearty flavor, making it a dinner dish the whole family is sure to crave.

Made with an affordable and tender cut of beef, then served in a rich tomato gravy you won't be able to get enough of, this Swiss steak recipe is truly feel-good food at its finest. Say it with us now... "Swiss steak, it's what's for dinner!"

If you like this easy and delicious steak recipe, be sure to try out some of our other favorite meat-rich dinner ideas. We especially love this Salisbury Steak recipe, this rich Creamy Steak Pasta, and our simple and satisfying Hamburger Steak and Gravy. Try one or try them all - enjoy!

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Comfort Food Classic: This recipe is an oldie and a goodie and for good reason. It's a classic go-to comfort food recipe that's easy to make and full of hearty, cozy flavors.
• Affordable Steak Dinner: Just because it's steak doesn't mean it has to break the bank. This dish is made with an inexpensive cut of meat that you transform into a tender, flavor-packed steak dinner.
• Easy and Delicious Family Favorite: With just a handful of familiar ingredients and a simple cooking process, this is sure to be a staple dinner recipe you (or any level cook!) can get on the table with little effort, that the whole family will enjoy.

Swiss Steak vs. Salisbury Steak

Swiss steak and Salisbury steak are often confused for each other, but they're actually very different dishes! We've broken them down for you here.

Salisbury steak is made with ground beef that's been shaped into a patty and then seared. Salisbury steak is traditionally finished in and served with a beef broth-based gravy.

Swiss steak is actually made from a cut of steak, then pounded thin and braised. Swiss steak is traditionally made with a tomato-based gravy.

The reason it's called Swiss steak is from the "swissing" technique that's used to tenderize the meat. "Swissing" is an English term for pounding out the meat to make it more delicate. The steak is put through a swissing machine, a meat tenderizer, that leaves small cube-shaped indentations in the meat.

Ingredients

Scroll Down for Ingredient Amounts Listed in the Recipe Card Below

This Swiss Steak recipe uses just a handful of ingredients that are all very affordable for a weeknight meal. It's a dinner recipe that's perfect to make in a pinch.

• Round Steak: Top round is a classic cut of beef to use for this recipe. It's nice and beefy in flavor, and easy to pound out into thin cutlets
• Seasoned Flour: The key ingredient for dredging the steak. Seasoned flour gives it extra flavor and coats the steak nicely for searing. You can find this in grocery stores, or even make your own! I prefer Kentucky Kernel Seasoned Flour.
• Olive Oil: The fat to sear and saute the steak and vegetables in. This will brown the steak cutlets perfectly with a nice crust, and soften the veggies nicely.
• Onion: Either yellow or sweet onion work well, these are aromatics that bring flavor to the sauce.
• Carrots: Adds more flavor to the sauce and pairs nicely with the onion when sautéed together.
• Seasoning Salt or Salt and Pepper: Essential for flavoring and seasoning the vegetables, and essentially the whole sauce. Be generous here and taste as you go! I prefer Livias Seasoning Salt.
• Diced Tomatoes: We like to use canned here, you can't beat the convenience. They add a nice depth of flavor and create that signature tomato-based gravy for the steak.
• Worcestershire Sauce: Provides umami notes and a flavor-punch to the sauce. Beef and steak always pair well with the flavors of Worcestershire, too.
• Beef Broth: The liquid to braise the steak and create the decadent sauce.
• Cornstarch: Helps to slightly thicken the sauce to a velvety consistency.

TOOLS YOU'LL NEED

• Shallow Dish
• Large Skillet or Cast Iron Skillet
• Silicone Tongs or Fork
• Liquid Measuring Cup
• Measuring Cups
• Meat Tenderizer

How To Make this Swiss Steak Recipe

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Using a meat mallet, pound round steaks to ½-inch thickness. Cut into even servings, about 4-6 ounces each. If desired, season with seasoning salt or salt and black pepper.

2. Dredge the steak cutlets in seasoned flour, coating it evenly. Shake off any excess flour.

3. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large ovenproof skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches and adding a tablespoon of oil between batches, sear the coated steaks on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer the browned steaks to a plate and set aside.

4. In the same skillet, add the remaining oil, chopped onion and carrots. Add ¼ cup water, and scrape up any solid bits from the bottom of the pan. Sauté until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes, and season with seasoning salt or salt and black pepper.

5. Add the diced tomatoes (with juices), Worcestershire sauce, and beef broth to the skillet. Stir to combine, and add additional seasoning if desired.

6. Return the browned steaks to the skillet, nestling them into the sauce and vegetables, then cover the skillet or Dutch oven with a lid or aluminum foil. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 2-2 ½ hours, or until the steak is tender.

7. Carefully transfer the pan from the oven to the stovetop.
8. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and 1-2 tablespoons water. Over medium heat, stir the cornstarch slurry into the pan and allow the mixture to thicken for 3-5 minutes.

9. Serve Swiss steak over mashed potatoes, rice, or egg noodles.

Expert Tips

• Tenderize the Meat. It's essential to tenderize your meat while pounding the steaks thin. A mallet works perfectly for tougher cuts of meat like top round. This ensures your meat is tender and juicy once it's cooked, so don't skip this step! You can also start with pre-tenderized cube steak. Cube steak is usually a top round or top sirloin cut that's been "cubed" or tenderized.
• Seasoned Flour: I use a pre-seasoned store-bought flour blend called Kentucky Kernel Seasoned Flour. This is available at most grocery stores or online. You can also make a flour blend from scratch by mixing together 1 cup all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon each salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder and onion powder, and ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional).
• Use a Slow Cooker or Instant Pot: We like using a dutch oven to braise in after the steak has been seared, but you can certainly use your slow cooker or instant pot for this step if you have these appliances on hand. Simply follow the instructions or settings for "braising" on low heat once you've seared your steak on the stovetop.
• Serve with your favorite starch. This Swiss steak recipe is delicious as is, but it's even more delicious when it's served over your favorite starch. The options are endless here, so get creative, and switch it up from time to time. Our favorites to serve this with are fluffy mashed potatoes, simple rice, and buttery egg noodles. All are great options to soak up that delicious sauce!

Storage Instructions

• Fridge: If you've got Swiss steak leftovers, you've got dinner for tomorrow night - hooray! Store leftover Swiss steak in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days, for maximum flavor and freshness.
• To reheat, gently warm the steak and sauce through in a skillet over medium heat until hot. Serve with rice, noodles, or mashed potatoes. You can also reheat in the microwave in 30-second increments, in a pinch. Just remember to stir periodically.
• Freezer: You can also freeze your leftover Swiss steak. Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight when you're ready to enjoy, and then reheat in a skillet over medium heat until warmed through.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Easy Dinner Recipes

• Crockpot Beef Stroganoff
• Beef Mac and Cheese
• Slow Cooker Beef Brisket
• Beef Tips and Gravy