Swiss Steak – A simple yet hearty family dinner with beautifully browned round steak slowly simmered in a decadent tomato gravy with bell peppers, onions, and delectable seasonings. Serving it with rice, mashed potato, or bread creates an amazing comfort food fix that won’t break the bank!
The best part is how economical this recipe is. However, cheap doesn’t mean flavorless coz these flavors are right on point! And though it’s called swiss steak, it’s not related to anything Swiss, but we’ll talk about that later. 😉
Most recipe versions call for boneless, not-so-tender, inexpensive cuts of beef, like chuck steak, bottom, or top round steak. But, hey, we’re going to tenderize it, and those are the tastiest cuts of beef.
What Is Swiss Steak?
As I said, this swiss steak recipe isn’t Swiss but 100% American. Its intriguing name comes from the swissing technique, which involves pounding or rolling meat to make it tender. Of course, you can take the easy route and use a mechanical tenderizer (swissing machine).
Recipe Ingredients
- Beef – Top round or bottom steak works great for this recipe. It’s an economical cut, yet it turns out just as tender and delicious as prime rib when you know how to cook it.
- Seasoning – Salt, pepper, and Creole seasoning to season our meat.
- Flour – The flour coating aids in tenderizing the meat and gives our steak a beautiful crusty finish. And to make the steak more flavorful, we’ll also season the flour with salt, pepper, garlic, and onion powder.
- Herbs and Spices – Aromatics, such as garlic, thyme, oregano, bay leaf, and paprika, will surely enhance the flavor of our beef and its sauce.
- Tomatoes – You can use either pureed or diced tomatoes for this recipe. It will serve as the base of our swiss steak sauce.
- Worcestershire Sauce – It’s a special sauce with a sweet and rich umami flavor, making our tomato gravy really delicious.
- Bell Pepper – You’ll love the contrasting sweetness and bitterness for more flavor depth and color in the sauce.
How to Make Swiss Steak
Season and Fry the Steak
- Season the Steak – Pat dry the steak with a paper towel, then season with salt and Cajun seasoning.
- Combine Flour and Seasoning – In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt, pepper, garlic, and onion powder.
- Coat – Then coat with seasoned flour and shake off any excess.
- Fry – Heat oil in a cast iron or skillet over medium-high heat; then fry steak on both sides until golden brown — about 6-7 minutes per side.
- Set Aside – Remove beef from the skillet and place it on a plate.
Make the Sauce
- Saute – Add onions to the skillet, then saute for about 2-3 minutes. Follow with garlic, thyme, oregano, and bay leaf, and continue cooking for 3-5 more minutes, occasionally stirring to prevent burns.
- Cover and Simmer – Next, add tomatoes puree, smoked paprika, Worcestershire sauce, beef, and about 1-2 cups water. Cover and simmer for about 45 minutes.
- Add Bell Pepper – Throw in bell pepper, and continue cooking until meat is tender.
- Serve – Remove and serve warm. Spoon the sauce over the steak.
Recipe Variations
- More Veggies – You can add carrots and green peas to the sauce just like the old-fashioned swiss steak does. Potatoes, mushrooms, and broccoli are fantastic additions, too.
- Spicy – Spice it up with habanero, serrano, or Scotch bonnet pepper for an added zesty oomph. Although a dash of pepper flakes, cayenne, or hot sauce work, too, if you don’t like it too overpowering.
- Asian-Style Version – Shake things up with curry powder and coconut milk, and you’ll enjoy this swiss steak on a different level.
- Red Wine Sauce – Infuse red wine into the tomato-based braising liquid for a more sophisticated finish perfect for an intimate date night.
- Baked Swiss Steak – Sear the meat, add the rest of the ingredients, cover tightly with foil, and bake at 350℉/177℃ for an hour or two until the meat is tender. Remove it from the oven, and let it rest for about 10 minutes before serving.
- Slow Cooker Swiss Steak – Maybe you’ll also like the slow cooker version, especially on a busy day. Brown the steaks, add them to the slow cooker with the rest of the ingredients, and let the slow cooker or crockpot do the rest. You can cook it for about 7-8 hours on low and 4-5 hours on high.
Tips and Tricks
- For best results, thin your steak using a meat tenderizer to half-inch thickness. Cube steak works just fine here.
- If desired, you may also add about a cup of sliced celery to the onion mixture OR some diced carrots for added texture.
- If you don’t have a can of tomato puree, a can of diced tomatoes with juice works fine, too. Just stir in 1 tablespoon of cornstarch/flour and a tablespoon of water to thicken the sauce.
- Add tomato paste instead of a cornstarch slurry if you want a flavorful thicker sauce. Or thin out the sauce with more broth or water if you find it too thick.
Make-Ahead Instructions
You can prep the meat and sauce ahead and assemble everything in a pot. Cover the pot with a lid and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. There’s something about tomatoes that even tastes better the next day. When you’re ready to make it, simmer for 45 minutes to an hour, and you’re done.
Serving and Storage Instructions
Serving – This tender and juicy swiss steak are best served hot straight from the pot with mashed potatoes, rice, or pasta. It’s just the perfect dinner meal combo for the whole family.
Storing – If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, you can refrigerate them in an airtight container for 4 days or freeze them for 6 months.
Reheating – Reheat on a stove on medium heat until warmed through, occasionally stirring to prevent scorching at the bottom. You may add water or broth as needed. Or reheat in a 350℉/177℃ oven, covered with foil, for 25-35 minutes. Or microwave on high for 1-2 minutes if reheating a single serving.
FAQs
Swiss isn’t actually a cut of beef. It’s the tenderizing process for economic but tougher cuts, such as bottom round, top round, or chuck. Although you can also use other beef cuts like tenderloin and skirt for this recipe but shorten the cooking time since they get tender faster.
Chunks of beef smothered in a tasty tomato sauce is called swiss steak. Salisbury steak is ground beef in a delicious brown gravy. It’s that easy!
Yes. Swiss steak and cube steak go through the same process with a meat cuber or swissing machine, a mechanical tenderizer. So call your swiss steak or cube steak, whatever you want.😉
What to Serve With Swiss Steak
This swiss steak recipe makes a regular family weeknight meal or a main course on special occasions. And best served with fantabulous side dishes below for a total package.
- Roast Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Southern Green Beans and Potatoes
- Oven-Roasted Corn on the Cob
- Spicy Roast Garlic Broccoli
- Rice Pilaf
More Mouthwatering Steak Recipes to Try
Conclusion
Steak can be super expensive. But with this swiss steak recipe, you can save money and still have a drool-worthy beef dinner. Would you love some more family-budget-friendly beef dinner ideas? Sign up for my newsletter to keep up-to-date!❤️
Watch How to Make It
This blog post was originally published in December 2018 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.
Swiss Steak
Swiss Steak – a hearty and easy family dinner with pounded, coated and browned round steak slowly cooked in a rich tomato gravy, bell peppers, onions and seasonings. A tasty family-friendly steak meal that doesn’t break the bank!
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 1 hr 5 mins
Total: 1 hr 10 mins
American
Instructions
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Pat dry the steak with a paper towel, then season it with salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning.
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In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt, pepper, and garlic and onion powder.
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Then coat the steak with seasoned flour and shake off any excess.
-
Heat oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat; then sear the steak on both sides until golden brown — 6-7 minutes per side.
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Remove beef from the skillet and place it on a plate.
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Add onions to the skillet, then saute for 2-3 minutes. Follow with garlic, thyme, oregano, and bay leaf, and continue cooking for 3-5 more minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent it from burning.
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Next, add the tomato puree, smoked paprika, Worcestershire sauce, beef, and 1-2 cups of water. Cover and simmer for about 45 minutes.
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Throw in the bell pepper, and continue cooking until the meat is tender.
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Remove from heat and serve warm. Spoon the sauce over the steak.
Tips & Notes:
- For best results, thin your steak using a meat tenderizer to half-inch thickness. Cube steak works just fine here.
- If desired, you may also add about a cup of sliced celery to the onion mixture OR some diced carrots for added texture.
- If you don’t have a can of tomato puree, a can of diced tomatoes with juice works fine, too. Just stir in 1 tablespoon of cornstarch/flour and a tablespoon of water to thicken the sauce.
- Add tomato paste instead of a cornstarch slurry if you want a flavorful thicker sauce. Or thin out the sauce with more broth or water if you find it too thick.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
Nutrition Information:
Serving: 250g| Calories: 506kcal (25%)| Carbohydrates: 13g (4%)| Protein: 28g (56%)| Fat: 38g (58%)| Saturated Fat: 12g (75%)| Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g| Monounsaturated Fat: 18g| Trans Fat: 2g| Cholesterol: 107mg (36%)| Sodium: 144mg (6%)| Potassium: 561mg (16%)| Fiber: 2g (8%)| Sugar: 2g (2%)| Vitamin A: 807IU (16%)| Vitamin C: 22mg (27%)| Calcium: 54mg (5%)| Iron: 4mg (22%)
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