Crockpot Cube Steaks with Onion Gravy
These Crockpot cube steaks with onion gravy cook until fork-tender in a savory sauce made with sliced onions, French onion soup, cream of mushroom soup, and beef broth is one of my favorite comfort meals to make. A packet of brown gravy mix brings the sauce together, giving you plenty to spoon over mashed potatoes (which is the side I normally make with them), rice, or egg noodles. You can brown the steaks first for extra flavor or skip the skillet and let the slow cooker handle dinner.
This is the kind of meal that calls for a generous scoop of mashed potatoes, and extra gravy (which is just begging to be sopped up with a buttermilk biscuit!). The prep is straightforward, and the long cooking time helps turn the cube steak into a tender, comforting dinner. For a pressure cooker version on another night, try my Instant Pot cube steak with onion gravy.
Recipe Snapshot
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 6–8 hours on LOW or 4–5 hours on HIGH
Total Time: 6 hours 15 minutes–8 hours 15 minutes on LOW, or 4 hours 15 minutes–5 hours 15 minutes on HIGH
Servings: 6
Difficulty: Easy
Perfect For: Family dinners, comfort-food cravings, and make-ahead meals
Main Ingredients: Cube steak, onion, French onion soup, cream of mushroom soup, beef broth, and brown gravy mix
Why You’ll Love This Crockpot Cube Steak
Why This Recipe Works
Cube steak is usually top round or top sirloin that’s been run through a tenderizer, which is where those little square dents come from. That helps, but it’s still a lean, hardworking cut. Cooked quickly, it tightens up and gets chewy. A long, gentle simmer in the slow cooker gives the connective tissue time to soften, so the steaks turn tender instead of tough.
The gravy comes together from three shortcuts, and each one does a different job. The French onion soup adds sweet onion flavor and a beefy broth base. The cream of mushroom soup gives the gravy body and a creamy finish. The brown gravy mix brings deep color, seasoning, and extra thickening. Together they taste like a gravy you stood sweating over a stove to make.
The Ingredient Breakdown
How to Make Crockpot Cube Steak
Step 1: Season the Steaks
Pat the cube steaks dry with paper towels and season both sides with pepper and a light sprinkle of salt. Drying them helps them brown if you sear them in the next step.
Step 2: Sear the Steaks (Optional)
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Sear the steaks for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until they have a deep brown crust, working in batches and adding more oil as needed. Don’t crowd the pan; packed-in steaks steam instead of browning. [DAVID: Do you usually sear yours, and do you think it’s worth the extra step?]
Searing is optional, but it’s worth it if you have the time. It adds flavor and color, and it helps keep the steaks from sticking together in the crockpot. If you skip it, leave out the oil and go straight to the next step.
Step 3: Layer the Steaks and Onion
Layer the steaks in a 6-quart crockpot. If you’re stacking them, tuck a few onion slices between the layers. This matters most if you skipped searing, since raw cube steaks tend to stick together as they cook. Scatter the rest of the onion and the garlic over the top.
Step 4: Mix and Pour the Gravy
In a bowl, whisk the French onion soup, cream of mushroom soup, beef broth, and brown gravy mix together until smooth, with no dry clumps of gravy mix left. Pour it over the steaks, making sure they’re covered.
Step 5: Slow Cook Until Fork Tender
Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until the steaks are fork tender. Cube steak is thin, so start checking at the low end of the range. You want a fork to slide through with almost no resistance. Past that point, the steaks start breaking into shreds. [DAVID: Did you cook yours on LOW or HIGH, and how long did it take in your crockpot?]
Step 6: Finish the Gravy
Gently lift the steaks out with a wide spatula and set them on a platter. They’re tender enough to fall apart if you grab them with tongs. Then whisk the gravy in the crockpot. It often looks thin at this point because the steaks and onions release juices as they cook, but it thickens up as you whisk and as it cools slightly.
If it’s still too thin, stir together 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of cold water, whisk it into the gravy, and cook on HIGH, stirring occasionally, until it thickens. If it’s too thick, whisk in a little more broth or water. Taste it now and add salt only if it needs it.
Step 7: Serve
Spoon the gravy over the steaks, top with fresh chopped parsley, and serve over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or rice.
David’s Tip
If you seared the steaks, don’t wash that skillet yet. Pour about ½ cup of the beef broth into the hot pan and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Add that broth to the soup mixture in Step 4. Those browned bits are pure flavor, and this way they end up in the gravy instead of the sink.
How to Get the Gravy Just Right
The gravy can look a little loose when you first lift the lid. Remove the steaks and whisk the sauce before deciding whether it needs thickening. It may gain some body as it cools slightly, but whisking alone won’t always fix a thin gravy.
For a thicker sauce, mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water until smooth. Whisk the slurry into the hot gravy, turn the Crockpot to HIGH, and cook until the gravy thickens. Keep the steaks covered while you finish the sauce.
Don’t sprinkle dry cornstarch straight into the Crockpot. It can form little lumps that are difficult to whisk out.
If the gravy is thicker than you want, whisk in a small splash of beef broth or water at a time until it reaches the consistency you like.
What to Serve with Cube Steaks and Gravy
Mashed potatoes are a natural fit because they catch every bit of that onion gravy. For a more loaded potato side, serve the steaks with my cheesy mashed potatoes with bacon.
Buttered egg noodles or rice are equally useful options, especially when you want an easy base without peeling potatoes. Add a green salad or oven roasted vegetables to round out the plate. A piece of crusty bread also comes in handy once you get down to the last spoonful of gravy.
Storage and Reheating
Fridge: Store the cooled steaks and gravy together in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. Keeping the meat in the sauce helps prevent it from drying out when reheated.
Reheating: Warm the steaks and gravy in a covered skillet over medium heat until heated through, turning the meat gently. Add a splash of broth or water if the gravy has thickened in the refrigerator.
For individual portions, microwave in a covered, microwave-safe dish in short intervals, checking the center and stirring the gravy between intervals.
Cube Steak Questions
More Comforting Beef Dinners
- Slow Cooker Creamy Mushroom Pot Roast: Another slow cooker dinner with tender beef and a creamy sauce.
- Slow Cooker Garlic Herb Pot Roast: A hearty roast with garlic and herb flavor for your next comfort-food night.
- Garlic Butter Steak Bites: A buttery, garlic flavored dish with flavor in every bite, and great with mashed potatoes.
Crockpot Cube Steaks with Onion Gravy
Ingredients
- 1¾ pounds cube steak about 6 pieces
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 –3 tablespoons vegetable oil for optional searing
- 1 onion thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 can French onion soup 10.5 ounces
- 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup 10.5 ounces
- 1½ cups beef broth
- 1 packet brown gravy mix 1 ounce
- Fresh chopped parsley for topping
Equipment
- 6-quart Crockpot
- Large skillet, if searing
- Mixing bowl and whisk
- Wide Spatula
Instructions
- Season the cube steaks lightly on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Optional searing: Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the steaks for 2–3 minutes per side, working in batches and adding more of the measured oil as needed. The steaks do not need to be cooked through.
- Place the steaks in a 6-quart Crockpot. Top with the sliced onion and minced garlic. If you skipped searing, omit the oil and place some onion slices between overlapping steaks.
- In a bowl, whisk together the French onion soup, condensed cream of mushroom soup, beef broth, and dry brown gravy mix. Pour over the steaks.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6–8 hours or HIGH for 4–5 hours, until the steaks are fork-tender.
- Carefully transfer the steaks to a platter and cover to keep warm. Whisk the gravy together and check its consistency.
- If a thicker gravy is desired, mix the cornstarch and cold water until smooth. Whisk into the gravy and cook on HIGH until thickened. If the gravy is too thick, whisk in a little broth or water.
- Spoon the gravy over the steaks and top with chopped parsley. Serve over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or rice.
- Round steak option: Tenderize with the textured side of a meat mallet and pound to about ½-inch thickness before using.
Nutrition
Notes
Seasoning: Reduced-sodium broth, soups, and gravy mix help control the overall saltiness.
Creamier gravy: Stir in ½ cup of heavy cream at the end of cooking and heat through.
Thicker gravy: add 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon cold water that’s mixed well
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers with their gravy in a sealed container for 3–4 days.
Reheating: Warm on the stovetop over medium heat, adding broth or water as needed to loosen the gravy.
