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Home / Courses

Swiss Steak

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Author: Imma Published:12/17/2018Updated:3/31/2021
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Swiss Steak – a hearty and easy family dinner with flour-coated and browned round steak slowly cooked in a rich tomato gravy, bell peppers, onions and seasonings. A tasty family-friendly steak meal that doesn’t break the bank!

Swiss Steak

This rich Swiss steak is inspired by my sister’s recipe which is a regular on her menu, especially when I’m around at her place. It’s her sort of reward for me ’cause I happen to be the best baby-sitter /aunt to her little munchkins. 😉 She knows that I love steak, but this cut here doesn’t break the bank and the flavors are super on point! And no, it’s not a Swiss-inspired dish.

What is swiss steak?

As you would know by now, this Swiss Steak recipe isn’t a Swiss dish, so to speak, but it’s very American in all forms. It’s called “swiss”, as in “swissing”, that pertains to the method of pounding or rolling the meat to make it tender. And since the meat are tenderized, most version of this recipe call for boneless, not so tender and inexpensive cuts of beef like that of chuck steak, bottom or top round steak.

Swiss Steak

Despite using inexpensive cuts of beef, this Swiss Steak recipe is a major winning dish for the family. It’s budget-friendly, tasty and easy to prepare. You’d hardly have any leftover once you make this for dinner. 

How to cook Swiss steak?

To cook this tomato-based steak recipe, I started off by coating my steaks with a well-seasoned flour, dredging the excess, and then browning it in a skillet. Feel free to pound the meat into thinner cuts like around 1/4 – 1/2 inch thick. This time I decided to go for thicker Swiss steak ’cause…uhmmm… I can’t find our meat tenderizer. 😀 

After browning the steak, proceed t making the tomato-based sauce. Start of by sauteing the spices and seasonings for 3-5 minutes. Next, you pour in the tomatoes puree, which I must say, really adds a good dimension in this sauce. If you don’t have one, a can diced tomatoes with juice works fine, too.

Swiss Steak 

Season the tomato puree with smoked paprika, Worcestershire sauce and pour a cup of water. Let it simmer for about 45 minutes before you throw in the remaining ingredients to tenderized the meat and allow all the flavors in the sauce to permeates the steak.

As you can see, there’s no need for a thickener in this recipe as the sauce is thick enough due to the tomato puree. But if you used the regular diced tomatoes with juice, you can combine and stir in into the sauce a tablespoon of flour or cornstarch to a tablespoon of water to make the sauce thicker. For a thicker sauce without using flour or cornstarch, add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste along with the tomatoes.

Swiss Steak

Go ahead and serve them on top of a warm white rice or serve it with mashed potatoes and/or this green beans and bacon. This Swiss steak recipe here makes a regular family weeknight meal or a main course on special occasions. A super easy, saucy and tasty inexpensive steak. Yum yum yum!

Happy holidays!

 

Tips and Notes:

  1. For best results thin your  your steak using a meat tenderizer into  half inch thickness. Cube steak works just fine here 
  2. If desired, you can add about a cup of sliced celery to the onion mixture OR some diced carrots for added texture.
  3. If you don’t have a can of tomato puree, a can diced tomatoes with juice works fine, too. Just stir in a combination of 1 tablespoon of cornstarch/flour and a tablespoon of water to thicken the sauce.

 

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Swiss Steak
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Swiss Steak

Swiss Steak - a hearty and easy family dinner with pounded, coated and browned round steak slowly cooked in a rich tomato gravy, bell peppers, onions and seasonings. A tasty family-friendly steak meal that doesn't break the bank!
5 from 6 votes
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 1 hr 5 mins
Total: 1 hr 10 mins
American
Servings 6 -8

Ingredients

  • 2 -2.5 pound top round or bottom steak ( 1/2″ thickness.) See notes
  • salt and pepper or cajun seasoning
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 3 tablespoons cooking oil
  • 1 onion , roughly chopped
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 2 teaspoons minced thyme
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 -1 cup puréed tomatoes or diced tomatoes (I used 1 cup )
  • 1-2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1-2 cups water
  • 1 small red or green bell pepper , sliced
  • 2 tablespoon parsley , chopped (garnish)
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Pat dry steak on with a paper towel, then season with salt and Cajun seasoning.
  • In a medium bowl combine flour, salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder.
  • Then coat with seasoned flour and shake off any excess .
  • Heat oil in a cast iron or skillet over medium-high heat; then fry steak on both sides until golden brown — about 6-7 minutes per side.
  • Remove beef from skillet and place on a plate.
  • Add onions to the skillet, then saute for about 2-3 minutes. Followed by garlic, thyme, oregano, bay leaf and continue cooking for 3-5 more minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent any burns.
  • Next add tomatoes puree, smoked paprika, Worcestershire sauce , beef and about 1-2  cups water Cover and simmer for about 45 minutes.
  • Throw in bell pepper, and continue cooking until meat is tender.
  • Remove and serve warm. Spoon the sauce over the steak.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 593kcal (30%)| Carbohydrates: 18g (6%)| Protein: 72g (144%)| Fat: 24g (37%)| Saturated Fat: 4g (25%)| Cholesterol: 184mg (61%)| Sodium: 282mg (12%)| Potassium: 1670mg (48%)| Fiber: 3g (13%)| Sugar: 6g (7%)| Vitamin A: 2305IU (46%)| Vitamin C: 67mg (81%)| Calcium: 112mg (11%)| Iron: 8.8mg (49%)
Author: Imma
Course: Main
Cuisine: American
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Nutrition Facts
Swiss Steak
Amount Per Serving
Calories 593 Calories from Fat 216
% Daily Value*
Fat 24g37%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Cholesterol 184mg61%
Sodium 282mg12%
Potassium 1670mg48%
Carbohydrates 18g6%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 6g7%
Protein 72g144%
Vitamin A 2305IU46%
Vitamin C 67mg81%
Calcium 112mg11%
Iron 8.8mg49%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

 

How to Make Swiss Steak

Swiss SteakPat dry steak on with a paper towel, then season with salt and Cajun seasoning. In a medium bowl combine flour, salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder. Then coat with seasoned flour and shake off any excess.

Swiss SteakHeat oil in a cast iron or skillet over medium-high heat; then fry steak on both sides until golden brown — about 6-7 minutes per side.

Swiss SteakAdd onions to the skillet, then saute for about 2-3 minutes. Followed by garlic, thyme, oregano, bay leaf and continue cooking for 3-5 more minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent any burns.

Swiss SteakNext add tomatoes puree, paprika, Worcestershire sauce and about 1-2  cups  water. Cover and simmer for about 45 minutes or until beef is almost tender 

Swiss Steak

Throw in bell pepper, and continue cooking until meat is tender. Adjust seasonings and thickness of stew to taste 

 

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Swiss Steak
Swiss Steak
Swiss Steak

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Comments & Reviews
  1. Jenn S. says

    Posted on 2/27 at 3:23PM

    5 stars
    This recipe came out perfect and was delicious! It will be one of my go-to recipes from now on.

    Reply
    • imma africanbites says

      Posted on 2/27 at 7:54PM

      Woohoo! So happy this recipe turned out well for you, Jenn. Thank you for taking the time to comment.

      Reply
  2. Kelly says

    Posted on 6/3 at 2:00PM

    I fixed this recipe for Sunday lunch at the Cafe. Every plate came back cleaned up. It’s a great recipe and I’m fixing it again this Sunday. Thanks a lot.

    Reply
    • Immaculate Bites says

      Posted on 6/3 at 9:18PM

      This is really a delicious recipe. Thank you for preparing this, Kelly 🙂

      Reply
  3. Amanda says

    Posted on 4/5 at 8:44PM

    I made this recipe tonight and substituted V8 juice instead of the tomatos. Plus I added in a can of mixed peas and carrots at the last 5 minutes or so.
    I whipped together some mashed potatoes made from scratch and the meal turned out excellent!
    Thank you for a straightforward recipie! At first glance, with all the ingredients, it’s looks a bit overwhelming, but if you take it in steps and get the prep work out of the way, it was fairly quick to put together.
    Definitely adding this to my books!

    Reply
  4. Barry says

    Posted on 10/14 at 8:26PM

    5 stars
    This is about the 4th recipe I have cooked of yours Imma and I love them all. This was superb! So tasty! Boy, that Cajun seasoning becomes the most popular spice in the kitchen, doesn’t it? 🙂

    I did do one thing different. I put everything except the veggies in a clay pot and cooked it in the oven at 350 for 1 1/2 hours. For the last 30 minutes I put in the bell pepper, onion and added mushrooms. I felt that the flavors would meld together really well in the clay pot and they did. It was just fantastic!

    Thanks for taking the time and effort to share your recipes.

    Reply
    • ImmaculateBites says

      Posted on 10/15 at 8:56PM

      Yes it does Barry. To be honest I can’t do without it . Makes everything tastes much better . Thanks for taking time out to share such detailed feedback with us.

      Reply
  5. Vicki Gregory says

    Posted on 8/13 at 8:18PM

    I don’t like chunky tomatoes is it ok to use V8 juice

    Reply
    • ImmaculateBites says

      Posted on 8/18 at 3:05PM

      Yes you can.

      Reply
  6. Ruth H says

    Posted on 5/31 at 12:03PM

    Are the herbs fresh or dried?

    Reply
    • imma africanbites says

      Posted on 6/5 at 9:10PM

      I use dried herbs.

      Reply
  7. Kathy says

    Posted on 2/24 at 12:55PM

    Is it possible to make this in a crockpot?

    Reply
    • ImmaculateBites says

      Posted on 3/2 at 4:50PM

      Yes it is .You might have to adjust stock.

      Reply
      • Elle says

        Posted on 5/10 at 8:57AM

        I absolutely love this recipe, I do use the crackpot though because I’m so busy with school and sports, so I use 2-2 1/2 cups of beef broth and I use flour to thicken for gravy. Red sauce over mashed potatoes is awesome.

      • Immaculate Bites says

        Posted on 5/10 at 8:41PM

        Thank you for sharing, Elle! 🙂

  8. Bev says

    Posted on 2/5 at 9:55AM

    5 stars
    It doesn’t say when to re-add the meat

    Reply
    • ImmaculateBites says

      Posted on 2/7 at 5:10AM

      You re add the beef before adding water . Thanks

      Reply
  9. Celina says

    Posted on 12/18 at 11:35AM

    5 stars
    Imma, I have thought for Sooo long on what I wanted to say to you. The best I could do is…. YOU ARE A GENIOUS!!!! EVERY tried and TRUE! I have NEVER followed someone’s receipt and it came/comes out PERFECT each and EVERY time. YOU are a DREAM! 1 request PLEASE my people are from St. Thomas (St. Croix). My grandmother raised us and Christmas time she would make coconut and pineapple tarts/pies. I have TRIED to do it over and over, with FAIL! can you please post the receipt for them for me PLEASE!! I love you Imma, your are TRULKY exceptional!!

    Reply
    • ImmaculateBites says

      Posted on 12/19 at 8:17PM

      Guess what? I read your mind Celina and pineapple pie is up tomorrow. Great minds… Oh by the way Here’s an oldie but a favorite of mine pineapple empanadas https://www.africanbites.com/pineapple-empandas/. Thanks for your kind words – am SO Thrilled!

      Wishing you and your family a VERY Merry Christmas and Happy New year!!!

      Cheers

      Reply
      • Celina says

        Posted on 12/20 at 8:54AM

        5 stars
        Oh my Imma, THANK YOU SOOO MUCH for answering! Sorry for ALL the typo’s…lol. I am soo thrilled, grandma would be proud! I would LOVE the receipt for the coconut tart, that is my FAVORITE of all times! I am excited to be making the pineapple empanadas. I will def. let you know how it came out. Again Imma, thank you so much for responding. I was hoping and praying that my request would reach you and it did!!!! 🙂 OMG Imma , I feel like a kid in a candy store!! Your are the ultimate! EVERY receipt that I have copied from you has been a success. It is wonderful when you cook and you see the person go back for 2nd’s and 3rd’s!! THANK YOU!! Please keep up the good work and never stop, never give up. Your receipt are so simply and well thought out and the pic’s are awesome!!! I cannot wait for the coconut tart!
        Imma wishing you and your family a VERY Merry Christmas and Happy New year!!!

      • ImmaculateBites says

        Posted on 12/22 at 7:48PM

        Aww, thank you SO MUCH Celina. You are just too kind! So happy the recipes are working out well for you.
        Sorry I don’t have a recipe for coconut tart . But here is a good one , from my blogger friend- Renz . You would not be disappointed . https://www.homemadezagat.com/2016/05/trinidad-style-coconut-tart.html . Enjoy !!!
        Wishing you the very best this Season!!!!

  10. Robin says

    Posted on 12/17 at 9:43PM

    5 stars
    This is so yummy! Was hoping for leftovers but nope. Thanks so much.

    Reply
    • ImmaculateBites says

      Posted on 12/18 at 5:13AM

      Awesome! So happy to hear it worked out well for you Robin.

      Reply

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