I Tried 6 Frozen Salisbury Steak Dinners & One Brand Stands Alone
I have always been curious about Salisbury steak dinners, mostly because they sound so delicious: Hamburger steak, gravy, and mashed potatoes/pasta sounds like the ultimate in good comfort food, a down-home dish perfect for a no-frills meal loaded with flavor. Every time I pass the frozen aisle I notice quite a few different brands offering their own spin on this meal, and these days frozen meals are such good quality they come pretty close to homemade. I picked six different options, all microwaveable, and taste-tested for quality, texture, flavor, and whether it’s something I would keep in rotation. All were fairly decent but one brand specifically was so good I was impressed: Here are six Salisbury steak dinners ranked from “just ok” to “surprisingly delicious”.
Michelina’s Salisbury Steak and Gravy with Mashed Potatoes
First of all, for less than two dollars the Michelina’s Salisbury Steak and Gravy with Mashed Potatoes is a solid meal, but I wasn’t crazy about it. The gravy had a strange sweetness to it, and the burger patty was very thin and soft without much flavor. The mashed potatoes were whipped into an almost liquid texture but they tasted fine, albeit a little bland. Possibly my least favorite overall but at that price point it seems churlish to criticize.
Boston Market Home Style Meals Salisbury Steak
Boston Market Home Style Meals Salisbury Steak was not my favorite, but it’s certainly not all bad. The meat had more of a lean taste and texture than the other hamburger patties which was nice, and the seasoning was on point. What cost this meal points was the pasta and cheese sauce: The pasta was soggy and limp, and the cheese sauce was watery with a mildly unpleasant flavor. Cheese-adjacent, if you will, but not a good cheese. Not my favorite.
Stouffer’s Salisbury Steak with Mac and Cheese
Stouffer’s Salisbury Steak with Mac and Cheese is a solid option. The hamburger steak really tasted just like a burger patty, with the same texture. The onion gravy was rich and flavorful and paired perfectly with the steak. I did find the mac and cheese to have a nice flavor to it but the cheese sauce was a little too watery, it was missing that creamy texture that makes mac and cheese so good.
On-Cor Gravy & 6 Salisbury Steaks Entree
I had an almost Proustian response to the On-Cor Gravy & 6 Salisbury Steaks Entree. Anyone who went to school in England in the 90s will recognize the scent, texture, and flavor of these meat patties and gravy, which are almost exactly like the ones served at our old school dinners. While the flavor of these steaks is a little bland it’s pleasantly so, and they would go well with home cooked sides. Don’t forget the bright pink custard for pudding.
Lean Cuisine Signature Salisbury Steak
Lean Cuisine Signature Salisbury Steak with Mac and Cheese contains 21g of protein per serving and is a “better for you” option. I thought the steak patty was thick with a nice texture, certainly more meaty and less of a processed texture than the others. The onion gravy was nicely seasoned and flavorful, but the mac and cheese was a little sad: It just didn’t taste like much of anything, let alone cheese. Still a great option for a “diet” meal.
Marie Callender’s Salisbury Steak,
Marie Callender’s Salisbury Steak is very, very good; featuring Salisbury steak with roasted potatoes and home-style gravy served with mac and cheese. First, the steak had a nice texture, a little on the softer side with light seasoning and a flavorful gravy but overall quite delicious. The potatoes had a nice firm texture to them and held up well to the gravy without getting mushy. The real star of the show, however, was the mac and cheese, which was creamy, cheesy, and perfectly al dente. An excellent frozen meal.