Father's Day Feast: Just 5 ingredients total. I make it when I want dinner handled hours ahead while we enjoy the sunny weather.

This 5-ingredient slow cooker Salisbury steak is my go-to when I want a hearty, cozy dinner handled hours before everyone gets hungry—especially on days like Father’s Day when we’d rather be outside soaking up the sun than hovering over the stove. Instead of mixing and shaping patties from scratch, I lean on raw seasoned beef patties from the store, then let the slow cooker do all the work with a simple onion-and-mushroom gravy. It has all the classic diner-style Salisbury steak vibes—tender, saucy, and comforting—with almost no effort.

Serve these slow cooker Salisbury steaks right over a big scoop of mashed potatoes or buttered egg noodles so they can soak up all that rich gravy. Steamed green beans, roasted asparagus, or a simple side salad round out the plate without much extra work. For a Father’s Day spread, I like to add corn on the cob and warm dinner rolls to mop up the sauce. A light beer or iced tea fits the backyard, sunny-weather mood perfectly.

Servings: 4

8 raw frozen or thawed seasoned beef patties (about 2 pounds total)

Lightly spray the inside of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray for easier cleanup (optional but helpful). Scatter the sliced onion evenly over the bottom to create a flavorful bed for the patties.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the condensed cream of mushroom soup, dry brown gravy mix, and beef broth until mostly smooth. It will be thick, and that’s okay—this will become the rich gravy.

Arrange the raw seasoned beef patties in a single layer over the onions. If your slow cooker is smaller, you can slightly overlap them, but try to keep them mostly in one layer so they cook evenly.

Pour the soup and gravy mixture evenly over the patties and onions, making sure each patty is coated with some of the sauce. Use a spoon to nudge the onions down into the liquid so they don’t dry out on the sides.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours, or on HIGH for 2.5 to 3 hours, until the beef patties are cooked through (an internal temperature of at least 160°F) and very tender. The sauce will be bubbling and slightly thickened.

Once cooked, gently stir the sauce around the patties to mix in any juices, being careful not to break them apart. Taste the gravy and adjust with a pinch of salt and pepper only if needed, since the patties, soup, and gravy mix are already seasoned.

Serve the Salisbury steaks hot, spooning plenty of the onion-mushroom gravy over each patty. Leftovers can be cooled, then stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.

If you can’t find pre-formed seasoned beef patties, you can use plain raw beef patties and sprinkle both sides lightly with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder before adding them to the slow cooker. For a mushroom-forward version, add 1 to 2 cups of sliced fresh mushrooms on top of the onions before adding the patties. If you prefer a thicker gravy, remove the cooked patties at the end, whisk 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water, stir it into the hot sauce, then cover and cook on HIGH for 10 to 15 minutes until thickened before returning the patties to the slow cooker. To keep this Father’s Day-friendly for different diets, you can use reduced-sodium beef broth and look for lower-sodium soup and gravy mix to cut back on salt, or choose gluten-free versions of the soup and gravy mix if needed. Food safety tips: Always start with fully raw patties (not pre-cooked) so they cook evenly in the sauce, and avoid stacking them too high in a very small slow cooker. Make sure the internal temperature of the beef reaches at least 160°F before serving. Do not leave the cooked dish at room temperature for more than 2 hours; refrigerate leftovers promptly in shallow containers so they cool quickly. If cooking from frozen patties, add about 30 to 45 minutes to the total cook time on LOW and still confirm doneness with a thermometer.