Round steak is one of my favorite protein options when I’m looking at beef. It’s affordable and easy to make, tender and delicious. These recipes prove you don’t need to purchase the most expensive steak at the butcher to have a wonderful, beefy meal!
This list is filled with easy round steak recipes that are sure to change your mind about round steak if you haven’t come to love it already.
Many of these recipes use an instant pot or slow cooker, which is always a great option for busy weeknights.
Because cooking round steak involves some form of braising, each of these recipes has a sauce that comes with the finished product, which I personally love!
Sauces add texture and flavor, and when the sauce is a part of the dish itself, it makes things a lot easier.
Scroll through this list and pick out some recipes to try. You’re sure to become a round steak fan!
1. Mongolian Beef
Mongolian beef is my top choice when we’re ordering Chinese takeout! I love the crisp bits on the ends of the beef, the creamy, almost gravy-like sauce that’s sweet and salty, and the way each bite is perfect with steamed rice.
This recipe gives you all the best parts of takeout, but in the comfort of your kitchen.
Don’t skip the rice vinegar here. The twang it adds is necessary to nail that takeout flavor. I like to top this with some sesame seeds in addition to the green onion for that added nuttiness.
2. Old Fashioned Swiss Steak
This version of Swiss steak is quite different from others on this list. It uses bell peppers and crushed tomatoes as the majority of flavor in the sauce.
Thanks to those peppers, you can serve this over a wide range of things: rice, potatoes, pasta, or even a bed of hearty greens.
I love to make this in a big batch and eat this for lunch for a few days after.
Some of the best ways to reheat steak are on the stovetop over low heat, but other methods are too.
3. Instant Pot Chinese Pepper Steak
This recipe takes round steak and turns it into a Chinese dish that makes you feel like you’re eating take-out, but you made this at home!
I love the sesame flavors in this recipe and the spice from black pepper and ginger.
If you want to make this gluten-free, use tamari or coconut aminos in place of the soy sauce.
If you want to up the vegetable content here, I recommend serving with steamed broccoli or green beans. Make sure to serve this over a bowl of steamed rice or some cauliflower rice for a low-carb meal.
4. Slow Cooker Swiss Steak
This slow cooker Swiss steak takes the best flavors from the old-fashioned Swiss steak above but makes it a lot easier by cooking everything in your slow cooker!
I like to make this recipe when I know I have a long, busy day ahead of me, and making dinner will be difficult.
Instead of spending money and picking up an unhealthy pizza for my family, I throw this in my crockpot in the morning, and it’s ready to go by the time we get home!
I love to serve this over mashed potatoes with steamed corn for a fully balanced meal.
5. Swiss Steak
This Swiss steak is slightly different as it leans into the bell pepper and tomato flavors more than others and has a bit of a Cajun kick by using paprika and Cajun seasoning.
This steak was meant to serve over rice and top with some fresh herbs.
If you want to make this recipe a little more elevated, I like to add some prawns or shrimp to give this a surf and turf twist.
If you don’t have fresh herbs on hand, feel free to swap them for dried herbs.
6. Easy Instant Pot Steak Recipes
Anytime there’s an instant pot recipe, sign me up, especially for round steak recipes!
The best part of this recipe? You cook the whole meal in your instant pot!
The sauce, onions, steak, and potatoes all cook at the same time.
The potatoes are cooked in an aluminum foil packet that allows them to steam and not get soggy.
Pro tip: if you want some extra vegetables, throw some broccoli or green beans in the packet with your potatoes!
7. Dump and Bake Smothered Round Steak
This recipe is exactly what the title suggests. You dump it all in and bake it! It’s insanely easy to make, and I like to recommend this to people who are busy or beginners in the kitchen and want to start cooking for themselves.
All this requires is slicing one onion. The rest you add to your baking dish and throw it in the oven.
Tada! You have a homecooked meal! Heat some frozen veggies and cook a box of pasta, and you have a well-balanced plate.
8. Creamy Crock Pot Round Steak
This creamy crockpot round steak is a great option for a weeknight dinner.
A lot of the flavor comes from the cream of mushroom soup and the caramelized onions.
The best part? It’s a crockpot recipe, folks! And we know I love a crockpot recipe, and this dish is no exception.
The steak comes out perfectly tender and delicious, and the sauce is delicious poured over a bowl full of pasta. Serve this with some roasted vegetables like asparagus or green beans.
9. Crockpot Steak Bites
The steak bites are perfect for kids or parties! Everything bite-sized is just more fun to eat, and I’m sure your kids will enjoy this for dinner.
I also like to make this for get-togethers in the winter, specifical parties with mostly appetizers.
Often at these parties, there are few protein choices, and I end up just eating a lot of fried carb-filled bites, so I love to make this recipe as another option.
Top these steak bites with some cheese sauce or chimichurri, and you have a great protein to bring to your next party!
10. Emerils Onion and Pepper Smothered Steak
I love thinly sliced round steak recipes because the way the steak is sliced allows all edges to get browned and the steak to cook down to delicious tenderness.
The best part of this recipe is the Worcestershire sauce. It makes the flavors in this dish stand out.
The seasoning mix for the dredge is also amazing. I like to use this same mix for both pan-seared chicken and fish. Add this recipe to your weekly dinner plans. You won’t be disappointed!
11. Round Steak Gravy
I know there are several steak and gravy recipes in this list, but here’s the thing: steak goes great with gravy! And gravy means you can pour that deliciousness over your vegetables and starch as well.
This recipe is simple. If you want to make it a little fancier, try adding some sauteed sliced mushrooms.
I love to serve this with freshly baked bread to sop up all that delicious gravy as I eat my plate.
I love to make this in the fall. It just feels like an autumn recipe and makes us feel warm and comfy.
12. Pressure Cooker Beef Stroganoff
Beef stroganoff always reminds me of my dad, he used to make us stroganoff on special weekends, and we loved it.
This recipe makes stroganoff extremely easy and quick, and this dish comes out just as creamy and delicious as the stovetop version.
Mushrooms add that punch of umami, and the sour cream cuts the richness.
Make sure you don’t skip the browning step that adds color and flavor to your steak.
Wondering what to serve with beef stroganoff? Vegetables, rolls, salad; there are plenty of options!
13. Steak with Gravy
I recommend making this recipe when you have round steak on hand but want a thinner gravy.
This recipe has you use a pre-made onion gravy packet which makes it extremely quick and easy to throw together, and instead of using a cream or milk, it uses water, so the gravy is a lot lighter.
I agree with the recipe’s suggestion to serve this with potatoes and corn, something about the beefy, oniony gravy mixed with creamy mashed potatoes and corn is magical.
14. Round Steak Beef and Noodles
This steak recipe is a homey feeling, and I love to make it on a winter Sunday afternoon for a filling dinner.
The key to this recipe is to serve it over egg noodles. You can serve this over other types of pasta, but it isn’t the same.
The egg noodles have a nice texture, and their shape holds the sauce perfectly.
This is one of those great ideas for a recipe to fix when you have company over; everyone is sure to love this and leave full and satisfied.
15. Swiss Steak Recipe
This Swiss steak recipe manages to pack many flavors with fewer ingredients than the other Swiss steak recipes on this list.
Eight simple ingredients are all you need to have a delicious, tender steak with a luscious gravy.
What makes this possible? Using Lawry’s seasoned salt and beef bouillon cubes lets you skip the homemade seasoning blend.
You can make this gluten-free by substituting gluten-free all-purpose flour in place of the flour listed.
16. New Swiss Steak
This swiss steak is easy and quick to throw together. The seasoning blend is what makes this recipe unique. It uses celery salt, garlic powder, and dry mustard to bring those savory flavors needed to compliment a swiss steak.
After frying and then braising on a lower heat, you’re left with a tender steak drowned in a sea of delicious, oniony gravy.
I love to serve this with fresh-baked sourdough bread and some roasted vegetables!
16 Best Round Steak Recipes
Ingredients
- 2 pounds round steak
- 3/4 c flour
- 6 tsp olive oil
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp celery salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion salt
- 1 tbsp dry mustard
- 1 large sliced onion
- 2 c water
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 c sour cream
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- 2. Heat oil up in a cast iron or other heavy bottomed pan over medium-high until oil is shimmering.
- 3. While oil heats combine flour, salt, pepper, celery salt, garlic powder, onion salt, and dry mustard in a large flat bowl. Take tenderized steak and dredge both sides in the flour mixture, shake off any excess.
- 4. Once oil is heated, carefully lay the steaks one at a time and fry until meat is browned and crisp. Remove from the pan and place in a baking dish that has a fitting cover.
- 5. Top steak with sliced onion, garlic, water, and Worcestershire sauce. Cover and place in preheated oven for 2 to 2 ½ hours, until steak is tender. Remove the steaks and transfer to your serving dish.
- 6. Transfer liquids to a small pot and let simmer until slightly thickened. Add sour cream and mix. Pour over the steaks and serve.