Beef meatballs finished in mushroom onion gravy. Big salisbury steak energy without having to feed your family a meatloaf.

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Meatballs:

2 lb ground beef, preferably 85% lean but whatever you got is always best

1 c plain breadcrumbs

1 c whole milk

1 large egg

2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

2 Tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley

1½ tsp kosher salt

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

½ tsp black pepper

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Mushroom Onion Gravy:

3 Tbsp unsalted butter

2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced

16 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp dried thyme

¼ c all purpose flour

4 c low sodium beef broth

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp Dijon mustard

Kosher salt and black pepper

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Mashed Potatoes:

3 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1½" pieces

6 Tbsp unsalted butter

¾-1 c warm whole milk

1 c sour cream

1½ tsp kosher salt, plus more for the water

Black pepper

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1. Meatballs: Heat the oven to 425°F/320°C. Combine the breadcrumbs and milk and let stand 5 minutes. Add the beef, egg, Worcestershire, Dijon, parsley, salt, garlic powder, onion powder and pepper. Mix gently until combined.

2. Shape & Bake: Form 24 meatballs, about 2 Tbsp each, and arrange on a parchment- or silicone-lined sheet pan. Again... ice cream scoop. Bake for 14-17 minutes, until browned and at least 155°F inside. They will finish in the gravy.

3. Potatoes: Cover the potatoes with cold water by 1" and salt generously. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15-18 minutes until completely tender. Drain well and return to the hot pot for 1 minute to steam dry.

4. Gravy: Melt the butter in a wide skillet over medium high. Add the onions and mushrooms with a pinch of salt. Cook for 10-12 minutes until deeply browned. For a darker gravy, let the onions and mushrooms truly brown before the color won't be great. Add garlic and thyme and cook 1 minute. Sprinkle in the flour and cook 2 minutes.

5. Gradually whisk the beef broth into the skillet. Add Worcestershire and Dijon, then simmer for 5 minutes. Add the baked meatballs and simmer for 8-10 minutes until the gravy coats a spoon and the meatballs reach 165°F. Season to taste.

6. Mash: Mash the hot potatoes with butter. Fold in ¾ c warm milk and the sour cream, adding more milk as needed. Season with salt and pepper. Don't use a blender or they'll be nasty. Hand mixer is ok.

Storage & Reheating:

Store: Refrigerate the balls in gravy and potatoes in separate compartments up to 4 days.

Freeze meatballs with gravy up to 3 months. Freeze potatoes separately in individual portions for best reheating.

Reheat: Microwave meatballs and gravy, covered, for 2 -3 minutes, stirring halfway. Reheat potatoes with a splash of milk and a small pat of butter.

Tags: beef, dinner, freezer-meal, gravy, main, make-ahead, mash, meatball, mince, mushroom, nut-free, potato, sauce

Bare Minimum - Substack (September 19, 2026)