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Slow Cooker Hamburger Steaks with Onions

Slow Cooker Hamburger Steaks with Onions is a comforting, hearty dish made with seasoned ground beef patties cooked slowly in a rich onion gravy. It is the kind of meal that feels homemade, filling, and satisfying without requiring much effort. The slow cooker does most of the work, allowing the hamburger steaks to become tender while the onions soften and release their sweet flavor into the gravy.

This recipe is perfect for busy days, family dinners, or whenever you want a warm meal that tastes like classic comfort food.

What Are Hamburger Steaks?

Hamburger steaks are ground beef patties that are shaped like thick steaks instead of being served in burger buns. They are usually seasoned, browned, and cooked with gravy or onions. Unlike regular hamburgers, hamburger steaks are served as a main dish with sides such as mashed potatoes, rice, green beans, roasted vegetables, or buttered noodles.

When made in a slow cooker, the patties stay moist and absorb the flavor of the onion gravy as they cook.

Ingredients

For the hamburger steaks, you will need:

2 pounds ground beef
1 large egg
½ cup breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon oil for browning

For the onion gravy, you will need:

2 large onions, thinly sliced
2 cups beef broth
1 packet brown gravy mix
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons water

Step 1: Prepare the Ground Beef Mixture

Place the ground beef in a large mixing bowl. Add the egg, breadcrumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and Worcestershire sauce.

Mix everything gently with your hands or a spoon. Do not overmix the meat, because that can make the hamburger steaks tough. Mix only until the seasoning and breadcrumbs are evenly combined.

Step 2: Shape the Hamburger Steaks

Divide the meat mixture into 6 to 8 equal portions, depending on how large you want the steaks to be. Shape each portion into an oval patty, about ½ to ¾ inch thick.

Try to keep the patties similar in size so they cook evenly in the slow cooker.

Step 3: Brown the Patties

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the hamburger steaks in batches. Brown each patty for about 2 minutes per side.

You do not need to cook them all the way through at this stage. Browning gives the patties better flavor and helps them hold their shape while they cook slowly.

After browning, transfer the patties to a plate.