Put frozen beef patties in your baking dish with 3 other things and the family will think you spent hours on this.

This 4-ingredient oven Salisbury steak is the kind of supper I lean on when the day’s been long and the freezer is fuller than my patience. It starts with plain frozen beef patties, just like the ones my mother used to buy from the locker plant in town, and dresses them up with a simple onion-and-gravy treatment that tastes like you fussed all afternoon. This isn’t fussy, restaurant-style Salisbury steak—this is the Midwestern casserole-dish kind, baked low and slow until the meat is tender and the gravy is bubbling. It’s the sort of meal that fills the house with a cozy smell and brings everyone to the table without you having to hover over the stove.

Serve these oven Salisbury steaks right in their baking dish, spooning plenty of that oniony gravy over the top. They’re wonderful over a pile of mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles, or even plain white rice to catch every bit of juice. Add a simple side like canned green beans simmered with a little butter, a pan of frozen corn, or a tossed salad if you’re feeling virtuous. Warm dinner rolls or a slice of buttered bread are handy for mopping up the last of the gravy, just like we’ve done at farm tables around here for generations.

Servings: 4

4 frozen beef patties (about 4–5 ounces each, kept frozen)

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). While the oven heats, lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with a bit of butter or cooking spray so the patties don’t stick.

Arrange the frozen beef patties in a single layer in the baking dish. They can be close, but try not to overlap them so they cook evenly. The patties should still be rock-hard from the freezer; there’s no need to thaw.

Scatter the thinly sliced onion evenly over and around the frozen patties, tucking some slices down between the meat so the flavor gets into the gravy.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the condensed cream of mushroom soup and the beef broth until fairly smooth. It will still be thick, but you want the broth worked into the soup so it pours easily.

Pour the soup-and-broth mixture evenly over the patties and onions, making sure every patty is coated and there’s gravy in the bottom of the dish. Use a spatula to nudge the sauce into the corners if needed.

Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Place it on the middle rack of the preheated oven and bake for 35 minutes, allowing the patties to cook through gently in the covered steam.

After 35 minutes, carefully remove the foil (watch for hot steam), spoon some of the gravy over the tops of the patties, and return the uncovered dish to the oven.

Continue baking uncovered for another 15–20 minutes, or until the gravy is bubbling and thickened and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of a patty reads at least 160°F (71°C). If the gravy seems too thick, you can splash in a little extra broth and gently stir it around the patties.

Let the dish rest on the counter for about 5 minutes before serving. The gravy will settle and thicken just a bit more. Serve the patties hot with plenty of the onion-mushroom gravy spooned over each one.

You can dress this simple dish up or down depending on what you have in the pantry. If you like a stronger onion flavor, use a large onion or add a handful of frozen pearl onions along with the slices. For a richer gravy, substitute half a cup of the beef broth with milk or half-and-half, or stir in a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce before baking. If you’re not a fan of mushrooms, cream of chicken or cream of onion soup will work in place of the cream of mushroom and still give you that cozy, casserole-style gravy. A few sliced fresh mushrooms can be tucked in with the onions if you want more texture. For seasoning, you can sprinkle a bit of black pepper, garlic powder, or dried parsley over the patties before pouring on the sauce, but keep in mind that both the soup and broth are already salty, so taste the gravy before adding extra salt. If you need to stretch the meal for more people, you can squeeze in 1–2 extra patties and add another half can of soup plus another half cup of broth so there’s enough gravy to go around. Just be sure they still fit in a single layer. For smaller households, leftovers reheat well in a covered dish in the oven or microwave; add a spoonful of water or broth if the gravy thickens too much in the fridge. Food safety tips: Always keep the beef patties frozen until you’re ready to cook; don’t let them sit out on the counter for long. Because you’re baking from frozen, it’s important to check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer and make sure each patty reaches at least 160°F (71°C) in the center to be safe to eat. Use clean utensils and a clean plate when serving; don’t put the cooked patties back on any plate or tray that held them while they were raw and frozen. If you have leftovers, cool them slightly, then refrigerate within 2 hours in a shallow container and use within 3–4 days, reheating until hot and steaming all the way through.