Cube steak is slow-simmered in a savory tomato sauce until it practically falls apart with your fork. That’s Slow Cooker Swiss Steak, and it’s the kind of meal that fills your kitchen with a fantastic aroma all afternoon. It’s budget-friendly, hands-off, and the kind of comfort food that leaves plates clean without a single complaint.
I grew up eating Swiss steak at my grandmother’s house, but hers required babysitting a Dutch oven for hours. When I figured out the slow cooker version, I felt guilty about how easy it was. It has the same tender beef and the same rich tomato gravy with zero hovering over the stove.
Cube steak is one of the most affordable cuts of beef at the grocery store, and the slow cooker does all the work of turning it into something that tastes like you spent way more time and money than you did. The low, slow heat breaks down the meat while the tomatoes, onions, and seasonings build into a sauce you’ll want to pour over everything.
What I really love about this recipe apart is how forgiving it is. Forgot to start it until noon? No problem, it’ll still be amazing by dinner. Can’t find cube steak? Round steak works great, too. Six to eight hours on low, and you’ve got beef that’s tender all the way through.
I’ll walk you through my foolproof method, my favorite sides, and all the tricks I’ve learned. Once you try this hands-off approach to Swiss steak, you’ll never go back to the stovetop version again.
Looking for more easy, budget-friendly slow cooker meals? Try my recipes for slow cooker chicken pot roast, slow cooker lasagna soup, or slow cooker split pea soup.
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Ingredient Notes
For exact amounts needed see the recipe card below
- Cube steak: This is beef that’s been tenderized with a meat mallet, resulting in distinctive indentations. You’ll find it in the meat section, usually near the round steaks. If your grocery store doesn’t have it labeled, ask the butcher for tenderized round steak.
- Flour
- Seasoning blend: Season the steak with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and paprika
- Oil
- Celery
- Onion
- Carrots
- Garlic cloves
- Stewed tomatoes
- Brown sugar
- Worcestershire sauce
- Brown gravy packet
How to Make Slow Cooker Swiss Steak
- In a shallow dish, add the flour along with the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and paprika. Whisk everything together
- Lightly dredge the cube steak in the seasoned flour mixture.
- Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the steaks to the hot oil and quickly brown them on each side. We’re talking 2-3 minutes per side to get some color and develop flavor.
- Transfer the browned steaks to your slow cooker, arranging them in a single layer if possible.
- Scatter the chopped carrots, celery, and onion over the steaks.
- In a small bowl, combine the minced garlic cloves, brown sugar, stewed tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and the brown gravy packet. Whisk this together really well to break up any lumps from the gravy mix and evenly distribute everything.
- Pour the sauce mixture over the meat and vegetables in the slow cooker.
- Cover your slow cooker with the lid and set it to cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-6 hours. The meat is done when it’s fork-tender, and the vegetables are soft.
Serving Ideas
Swiss steak is one of those meals that practically demands a starchy side dish to soak up all that gorgeous gravy. Mashed potatoes are the classic pairing. The creamy texture contrasts beautifully with the tender meat and rich sauce.
Rice works wonderfully, too. I reach for white or brown rice depending on what I have on hand, and both absorb the gravy like a dream. Egg noodles are another winner. They’re hearty enough to hold up to the sauce without falling apart.
If you’re looking to keep things lighter, mashed cauliflower or zucchini noodles work well. The sauce is so flavorful that you won’t miss the heavier starches, and your family might not even notice the swap.
How to Store
Leftovers keep beautifully for up to four days in the fridge. You can also freeze it in an airtight container for up to three months.
To reheat it on the stovetop, transfer it to a pot and warm over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 15 to 20 minutes. In the microwave, place a portion in a microwave-safe dish, cover it loosely, and heat in 30-second intervals until warm throughout.
Tips & Tricks
Be sure to check out the step by step instructions
- Don’t skip the searing step. I know it’s tempting to toss everything into the slow cooker and call it a day, but dredging and searing the steak adds a depth of flavor you can’t get any other way. Plus, that flour coating helps thicken the gravy as it cooks.
- When browning the meat, use tongs rather than a fork to flip the steak. This keeps that seasoned flour coating intact instead of tearing it off.
- Slice your vegetables evenly. This way, they all cook at the same rate.
- Stir the sauce before pouring it into the slow cooker. The brown gravy mix tends to settle at the bottom of the bowl, and you want it evenly distributed throughout the liquid.
- For a richer, more complex gravy, add a splash of beef broth or red wine along with the tomatoes.
- You can use round steak, chuck roast (cut into pieces), or boneless short ribs instead of cube steak. Just keep in mind that tougher cuts need a bit more cooking time to get tender, so lean toward the longer end of the cook time range.
- Suppose you don’t have stewed tomatoes; substitute diced or crushed tomatoes. I’d add a pinch of Italian seasoning to give them a little more flavor, since stewed tomatoes are usually pre-seasoned.
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Slow Cooker Swiss Steak
Ingredients
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- 1 ½ to 2 pounds cube steak
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 stalks celery chopped
- 1 onion chopped
- 3 carrots chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cans stewed tomatoes with juice 14.5 ounces each
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar or to taste
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 packet brown gravy
Instructions
- Add the flour, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and paprika to a shallow dish and whisk to combine.¼ cup all-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, ¼ teaspoon paprika
- Lightly dredge the steaks in the flour and set aside.1 ½ to 2 pounds cube steak
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil.3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Add the steaks to the oil in the pan and quickly brown on each side. We’re just looking for a bit of color, not to cook through.
- Add the steaks to the slow cooker.
- Add the carrots, celery, and onion on top of the steaks.3 stalks celery, 3 carrots, 1 onion
- Next, whisk together the garlic, brown sugar, tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and brown gravy mix in a small bowl.2 cloves garlic, 2 cans stewed tomatoes with juice, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 1 packet brown gravy
- Pour the liquid mixture into the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low 6-8 or high 4-6 until the meat and veggies are tender.
Notes
- Don’t skip the searing step. I know it’s tempting to toss everything into the slow cooker and call it a day, but dredging and searing the steak adds a depth of flavor you can’t get any other way. Plus, that flour coating helps thicken the gravy as it cooks.
- When browning the meat, use tongs rather than a fork to flip the steak. This keeps that seasoned flour coating intact instead of tearing it off.
- Slice your vegetables evenly so they all cook at the same rate.
- Stir the sauce before pouring it into the slow cooker. The brown gravy mix tends to settle at the bottom of the bowl, and you want it evenly distributed throughout the liquid.
- You can use round steak, chuck roast (cut into pieces), or boneless short ribs instead of cube steak. Just keep in mind that tougher cuts need a bit more cooking time to get tender, so lean toward the longer end of the cook time range.
- Suppose you don’t have stewed tomatoes; substitute diced or crushed tomatoes. I’d add a pinch of Italian seasoning to give them a little more flavor, since stewed tomatoes are usually pre-seasoned.
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
