Slow Cooker Swiss Steak


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Make this classic old fashioned recipe for Slow Cooker Swiss Steak with round steak, tomatoes and peppers which makes the best savory sauce!

close-up of piece of swiss steak coming out of the crockpot.

If you’ve never heard of Swiss steak, it is a recipe that has been around for decades. Some recipes call for “swissing” the steak (tenderizing with a meat mallet), but if you are cooking it in the slow cooker that is not necessary.

My Crockpot Swiss Steak recipe is a mix of a few different recipes I found in my vintage recipe collection. I decided to thicken the sauce by dredging the meat with flour. It adds a nice touch to the sauce which many slow cooker recipes don’t have.

This grandma style is still wonderful to make today! You can also make Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak or Slow Cooker Cube Steak, which has a different sauce but still has a vintage vibe.

ingredients to make crockpot swiss steak on a table.

Key Ingredients

Beef: Sliced Round steaks can be bought. Or if you can’t find that, a bottom round roast, or top round roast can be cut into slices (these are all the same).

Flour: This will be used to lightly coat the steaks prior to searing with olive oil.

Beef Consomme: This is a highly concentrated beef broth.

Diced Tomatoes: You’ll need 2 cans of diced tomatoes, undrained.

Vegetables: An onion and green bell pepper are both diced and tossed into the crockpot to provide texture, flavor, and heartiness.

Seasonings: Salt, black pepper, freshly minced garlic cloves, and Worcestershire sauce come together to make the delicious Swiss steak sauce.

How to make Slow Cooker Swiss Steak

  1. Dredge and brown the steaks, then add them to the crockpot.
  2. Pour in the beef consommé and tomatoes, then add the veggies and Worcestershire.
  3. Cover and cook until the beef is fork-tender.

Tips & Variations

Mushrooms: Add sliced mushrooms at the beginning of the cooking time, add 1-2 cups.

Red Wine: You can add a 1/2 cup of red wine (such-as Merlot or Cabernet) for more flavor.

Cut Change: You can use cube steak or cheap cuts of steak.

Sauce Swap: Instead of diced tomatoes you can use 2 cups of marinara or pasta sauce.

Tender Steaks: Steaks not tender? The longer you cook this Swiss steak recipe, the more tender it will become.

a piece of slow cooker swiss steak being held by tongs.

What to serve with Slow Cooker Swiss Steak?

It’s best to serve this dish with a starch, here are my favorite ways to serve.

Starch: Swiss steak is meant to be served with a starchy side. You can choose from mashed potatoes, steamed white rice or egg noodles.

Veggies: Serve with vegetables like green beans or a green salad for a refreshing touch. We often make Crockpot Green Bean Casserole to go along with this meal.

Top it off: Rolls or garlic bread are always a great match when looking for something to sop up the juices.

serving of slow cooker swiss steak on a white plate.

Does the meat need to be browned?

Yes, for this recipe, it’s best to brown the meat (and dredge in flour) before adding to the slow cooker. It will add depth of flavor, and the flour will help thicken the sauce.

a piece of slow cooker swiss steak being held by tongs.

Slow Cooker Swiss Steak Recipe

4.87 from 15 votes
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 7 hours
Total Time: 7 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 8
This Swiss Steak recipe features tender round steak slow-cooked in a rich tomato and beef sauce with onions, peppers, and garlic for classic comfort food.
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How to Video

Ingredients 
 

  • 2.5 lbs. round steaks, or bottom or top round roast cut into thick steaks (2-4 pounds will work fine in this recipe)
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. black pepper
  • 4 Tbsp. cooking oil
  • 10.5 oz. Campbell's beef consomme, or beef broth
  • 29 oz. petite diced tomatoes, (two 14.5 oz. cans) do not drain
  • 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 cup diced onion
  • 1 green bell pepper
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced

Instructions 

  • On a large plate add the flour and salt and pepper. Mix this together.
  • Dredge each steak in this mixture on both sides, transfer to another plate. Save any excess flour mixture, you will add this to the slow cooker with the meat later.
  • Set a large skillet to medium high heat. Add enough oil to coat the pan. Brown the steaks on both sides, no need to cook through. You may have to cook the meat in two batches if your pan is too small, add more oil in between batches. Add the browned steaks to the slow cooker. Sprinkle over any excess flour from the plate.
  • Deglaze the pan that you browned the meat in with by adding the beef consomme and scraping up any brown bits. Add to the slow cooker on top of the beef.
  • Add the remaining ingredients, stir.
  • Place the lid on the slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 7 hours or HIGH for 4 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time.

Sarah’s Notes

Thaw your meat before using this recipe, you will have better results with browning the meat.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 340kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 89mg | Sodium: 689mg | Potassium: 918mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 276IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 5mg

Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.

Made this recipe? Leave a comment below!

How to Store

This is the type of homestyle recipe that tastes even better leftover. Place in the fridge for up to four days or freeze the leftovers for up three months. Keep your starch you cooked for this meal in a separate container.

More Beef Slow Cooker Recipes

Mississippi Pot Roast melts in your mouth with its buttery texture and zesty kick, while Slow Cooker Balsamic Pot Roast offers a rich, tangy depth of flavor perfect for a hearty meal.

Smothered in a savory gravy, Salisbury Steak Meatballs are a comforting dish, just like Hot Roast Beef Sandwiches, which pile tender, slow-cooked beef onto soft bread for a satisfying bite.

Sweet and savory, Slow Cooker Teriyaki Beef is slow-cooked until tender, making it a delicious option for rice bowls or sandwiches.

If you love cozy meals like this also try my crockpot beef tips, or crockpot london broil. For a tangy and savory meal, try my crockpot flank steak over mashed potatoes.

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34 Comments

  1. Nancy M says:

    5 stars
    I made swiss steak in the crockpot and it came out fantastic. The meat was very tender to my surprise and there were no leftovers! Very easy to make.

  2. SDurant says:

    Made the Swiss steak it was delicious. Will definitely make it again & again