This affordable and easy cube steak recipe with onion balsamic gravy has a rich and savory flavor.
Simple beef cube steaks are lightly fried and then smothered in a savory onion gravy. It’s the ultimate comfort food served over mashed potatoes or noodles.
You’ll Love This Savory Cube Steak Recipe Because…
- The slow braising makes the steak tender and infused with savory flavorings.
- The rich and robust gravy is balanced by the red wine, broth, balsamic, and Dijon.
- It combines sweet and tangy flavors.
- Caramelized onions add a little sweetness to the overall dish.
- The rich layered flavors and tender texture combine perfectly with the unique ingredients in the sauce.
What You’ll Need Cube Steaks & Gravy
Cube Steaks: Cube steaks are a lean cut of beef that comes from the top or bottom round and are also known as ‘cubed,’ ‘Swiss,’ or ‘minute steaks’. They’re a tough cut of meat that is usually pre-tenderized so cooking them is super easy! If you can’t find cube steaks, use round steaks and tenderize them with a meat tenderizer or mallet.
Onions: Use yellow or white onions to add lots of flavor to the gravy. The onions should be softened without browning.
Gravy: Rich and full-bodied this gravy has a bit of balsamic for a boost of flavor. Use extra broth if you prefer to omit the wine and feel free to add Italian seasonings if desired.
Variations
Bulk up the gravy with some bacon crumbles, sauteed garlic mushrooms, broccolini or toss in a bag of frozen vegetable medley if desired.
How to Make Cube Steaks and Gravy
- Dredge steaks in flour and seasonings and brown. Set aside.
- Cook onions in oil and deglaze the pot with red wine.
- Stir in the remaining ingredients (except cornstarch).
- Transfer the steaks to a plate and bring the gravy to a boil on the stovetop.
- Whisk in cornstarch slurry and simmer. Serve.
Storing Cube Steak
Leftover cube steaks with gravy can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat portions in the microwave or on the stovetop. Freeze portions in quart-sized zippered bags for up to one month and thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Side Dishes for Cube Steak
Did you enjoy this Cube Steak recipe? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Cube Steaks
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds cube steaks
- ⅓ cup all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 large yellow onions sliced into ¼" rings
- ½ cup red wine or beef broth
- 3-4 cups beef broth + 1 cup, not low sodium
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary or ½ teaspoon dried crushed rosemary
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch or as needed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- On a shallow dish or plate, combine flour, kosher salt, and pepper. Lightly coat each cube steak with the seasoned flour mixture, shaking off any excess.
- In a 4qt Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Brown the cube steaks for 2 minutes on each side (adding additional olive oil if needed) or until lightly browned. Remove from the Dutch oven and set aside.
- Add the butter to the Dutch oven and cook the onions over medium heat until tender. Add the wine, scraping up any brown bits, and simmer over medium heat until reduced by half.
- Add the beef broth, vinegar, Dijon mustard, and rosemary and stir to combine. Add the browned steaks, cover, and place in the oven. Bake covered for 2 ½ to 3 hours or until fork-tender. Halfway through cooking, add 1 more cup of broth if needed to ensure the meat is covered with liquid.
- Place the Dutch oven on the stovetop and transfer the steaks to a plate. Loosely cover with foil.
- Turn the stove on to medium-high heat and bring the gravy to a boil.
- In a small bowl, mix cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water. Whisk the cornstarch mixture into the gravy, stirring until thickened. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if desired.
- Serve over mashed potatoes or egg noodles.
Notes
- Cook the steak low and slow for the best results. A higher temperature won’t tenderize the meat as well.
- If the cube steaks are not tender, they need more cooking time to continue to cook and break down tough tissues. Cover them back up and cook another 20-30 minutes.
- For a thicker gravy mix equal parts cornstarch and water and drizzle into the simmering liquid to reach desired consistency.
- No dutch oven? Brown the steaks in a large skillet and transfer to a casserole dish. Prepare the sauce in the same skillet and add to the casserole dish. Cover with a lid or aluminum foil and bake as directed.
- Keep leftovers in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Beef, Dinner, Entree, Main Course
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
How can I make this in a crock pot/slow cooker? I don’t have an oven option at the moment.
Hi Amy, We have a delicious crockpot steak and gravy recipe that you could follow the cooking instructions for!
Could you use a crocket? And I love your recipes!
We have a delicious crockpot steak and gravy recipe that you could follow the cooking instructions for, Marci.
I used 1/2 inch thick chuck steaks (no cube steak on hand) and followed the recipe exactly for all other ingredients. I was pressed for time so I changed the method to stove top instead of oven. I cooked the steaks on low flame for 1 hour and they were fork tender. The flavor of the gravy was scrumptious!! My son happened by the evening I cooked this and there was just a small piece of steak left which he promptly ate. He thought the sauce was so good that he took the remaining gravy and said he was going to saute some thin strips of beef and add my gravy to put over rice, lol. I will definitely make this again, it’s a keeper!!
That is great, Patricia! I am so happy he enjoyed it so much. Definitely a make again recipe!
I made this last night….wow! As Guy says, this sauce/gravy would be good even on a flip-flop! The only thing in the recipe I changed was to add garlic…..well, garlic salt on the beef before browning, and garlic butter into the sauce while baking because I MAY be a garliholic ! After baking the beef I shredded it and added it back into the thickened sauce and served it over rice….I will serve it over steamed broccoli without rice as a low carb alternative. Your recipes never disappoint and I have made dozens of them. Thank you for all you do and keep them coming !
So happy you enjoyed it, Graham!
great recipe….meat is so tender…I do omit balsamic vinegar and dijon. I add instant beef broth in addition to the other beef broth in the recipe.
One problem is it’s very difficult to find cube steak in the supermarket and sometimes don’t even know what it is.
Anyway I love most of your recipes
So glad you enjoyed it, Mapper!
Can I cook them in a crockpot
Hi Donna, we have a delicious crockpot steak and gravy recipe that you could follow the cooking instructions for.