Slow Cooker Swiss Steak
31 Comments Feb 18, 2024
Updated Jun 11, 2024
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Make this classic old fashioned recipe for Crockpot Swiss Steak with round steak, tomatoes and peppers which makes the best savory sauce! It’s a nice meal that can pair with lots of things and something your whole family is sure to enjoy.
This old-fashioned recipe 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.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Slow Cooker Swiss Steak
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 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.
The cooking time can be as short as 4 hours or you can choose to cook it a bit longer and get some things done while dinner is cooking. This is an excellent recipe if you’re looking to cook a flavorful meal but all together in the same pot. Consider cooking this for your next Sunday dinner. If you love cozy meals like this also try my crockpot beef tips, or crockpot london broil.
Recipe Ingredients
- Beef: Round steaks can be bough. Or bottom roast, or top round roast can be used and cut into thick steaks. 2-4 pounds will work fine in this recipe.
- Flour: This will be used to lightly coat the chuck steak prior to searing with olive oil.
- Beef Consomme or Beef Broth: Either one will work and both provide the perfect tasting base for the roast to cook in. I prefer Campbell’s brand.
- 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 mend together to make the delicious seasoning tasted in every bite.
- Cooking Oil: You’ll need this for searing the roast prior to adding it to the slow cooker.
Step-by-Step Directions
Step One – 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.
Step Two – 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.
Step Three – Add the browned steaks to the slow cooker. Sprinkle over any remaining flour from the plate.
Step Four – Add the remaining ingredients.
Step Five – Stir everything together until well combined.
Step Six – Cover and cook on LOW for 7 hours or HIGH for 4 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time or until fork tender. Serve and enjoy!
What to serve with Swiss Steak?
- Mashed potatoes or steamed rice make great sides. You can also serve pieces over egg noodles for a great recipe that is tasty and hearty.
- Serve Swiss steak with vegetables like green beans or a green salad adds a refreshing touch. We often make Crockpot Green Bean Casserole to go along with this meal.
- Rolls or garlic bread are always a great match when looking for something to sop up the juices.
Other versions of Swiss steak:
- Swiss Steak with Brown Gravy – by Tastes of Lizzy T
- Creamy Swiss Steak – Taste of Home
- Instant Pot Swiss Steak – by Savory Tooth
Recipe FAQs
Yes, if you can’t find bottom roast or steaks you can use one of these cuts of beef: cube steak (or cubed stew meat), chuck roast (leave whole, shred at the end and degrease the sauce by laying paper towels over the sauce and discarding), or stew meat.
Yes! Mushrooms can be added at the beginning of the cooking time, add 1-2 cups. You can also add tomato sauce, garlic powder, or mushroom soup for even more flavor.
To store leftover slow cooker Swiss steak, allow it to cool to room temperature, then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate within two hours. Consume the leftovers within 3-4 days or freeze for longer storage, ensuring proper reheating before serving.
I do not advise that as it will not sear properly and could take longer to cook. Let the roast thaw overnight in a shallow dish prior to cooking according to the directions.
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Slow Cooker Swiss Steak
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 inbewteen 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 scrapping 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 with out opening the lid during the cooking time.
How to Video
Sarah’s Notes
- Cube steak
- Chuck roast (leave whole, shred at the end and degrease the sauce by laying paper towels over the sauce and discarding).
- Stew meat
- Over mashed potatoes or steamed rice
- Green salad or steamed veggies on the side
- Garlic bread or dinner rolls
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Very good and easy used beef broth and used 1 can tomato sauce and 1 can diced tomato, omitted green pepper.
Great with mashed potatoes!
Great recipe. Lots of juice leftover.
Love this recipe! It is just like the one my sweet MIL used to make. However, she used to simmer her sauce on the stove ALL day. So much easier in a crockpot.
Absolutely delicious. Love Swiss steak. I do sometimes put a can of Ro Tel with diced tomatoes and green chili’s. Just to add a bit of a twang.
Delicious. I did add celery and a mixture of diced tomatoes and crushed tomatoes
Thank you SO much for this recipe!! my mom used to make it and I had totally forgotten about it! SO Excited to try it again!!!
Do you have a recipe for Vegetable Lasagna ?
We made this tonight and it was ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS! It reminds me of my mom’s. I used cube steak and the beef broth. My husband said he has never had cubed steak this tender before.
This will become a staple dish in this household.
Thank You
I’m 76 years old now and grew up with my Mom’s Swiss Steak which I introduced to my son many years ago. I still make it for myself and he makes it for his family, Mom’s recipe differs in several ways: she used stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, no bell peppers, AND the biggest difference is that she added a jar of pimiento olives with a little of the brine. IMO, the olives add so much to the flavor.
That sounds great
I tried to make him try to make it this week
I haven’t made this yet, but I can tell from the ingredients this will be a very tasty dinner.
I do have a slow cooker, but can this be done on the stove top?
Sometimes we go to Tahoe and stay in a cabin. If I don’t have to pack my slow cooker that would be a bonus for me.
My mother still makes it in her 1970 wedding cookware… she braises it in the oven.
That’s always been the way I’ve known it to be made. I guess that shows my age 😉
My Mom always cooked this low and slow on the stove top. She would cook it for 2 to 3 hours. This recipe nails the way she cooked her.
So did my mother. It was always so good!! I remember watching my mother cook it in the 60’s. How’s that for showing your age. Also shows a really good recipe that’s handed down from generation to generation. Cant wait for dinner tonight
You could bake it in the oven on 350 for 1 hour and probably 30 more minutes just check it and make sure it doesn’t burn.