Mock Swiss steak is packed with flavor and will soon become one of your family’s favorite dinners. Add a veggie and rice or these honey mustard roasted potatoes, and you’ll have a delicious square meal.

Easy and Budget-Friendly Family Dinner

Additionally, this is a budget friendly family dinner you can serve often without anyone getting tired of it.

In fact, I’ve been using this Swiss steak recipe for more than 30 years, and we like it just as much now as we did then.

Update: I made this recently with cube steak. It basically tasted the same, except it had a slightly different texture.

Although we like it more with steak that hasn’t been cubed, it was still good. I like knowing that I can use whatever meat is on sale.

I cooked this on the stovetop, but you can cook Swiss steak in a Crock Pot or Instant Pot. It’s delicious, regardless of how you cook it.

Quick and Easy Mock Swiss Steak

Do you ever wish you could throw a quick meal on the table?

Are you concerned about how much fast food your family is eating?

Do you want to up your nutrition game without having to spend hours in front of the stove?

This is possible, and it’s not hard at all. I’ve put together a bunch of meals that I know are healthier options than fast food, and they taste great.

The mock Swiss steak is one of the easiest main dishes you’ll ever make. Another of our family favorites is this ground beef stroganoff and this hamburger Tater Tot casserole.

Some people harbor the notion that southern cuisine involves hours of standing in front of the hot stove. Fortunately, they’re mistaken.

The key is knowing a few shortcuts and ways to add the flavor that makes your tastebuds happy.

Key points for putting a quick meal on the table:

• Have a weekly meal plan.
• Make a shopping list.
• Have plenty of easy-to-assemble foods on hand.
• Use canned soups and salad dressings to enhance your dishes.

Mock Swiss Steak Ingredients

You only need a couple of ingredients.

First, you’ll need the steak, of course. Any kind of steak will do.

Next, you’ll need either Catalina or Russian dressing.

I’ve actually used zesty French dressing when that was all I had, and it turned out pretty good.

I also like to add Worcestershire sauce, although it’s not necessary. But try it because it’s really good.

For exact measurements of each ingredient and full directions, go to the recipe card at the bottom of the page. You can even print out the card by using the “print” button.

Too Busy to Cook?

Hold your horses. You can be worn slap out, but there’s always something you can whip up in less time than it takes to make a run to a fast food joint.

I’ve always enjoyed cooking, but sometimes life gets away from me. So I came up with a bunch of quick and easy meals that I could whip up when time was tight.

Kitchens were once the heart of the home, but with the busyness that has taken over our lives, it’s becoming more intimidating.

You’re an expert at whatever field you’re working at all day. You haven’t had time to develop the skills you need to prepare a decent meal.

There are so many nutritious, delicious meals you can cook for your family, and many of them are fast and easy to prepare—even for the novice cook.

I love watching the Food Channel and seeing how quickly both famous and unknown chefs can put together a meal from a basket of random ingredients. But I often wonder how they really taste.

Skillet Magic with Mock Swiss Steak

Although my mother used to work a nine-to-five job, she managed to get food on the table at a decent time every night.

I remember watching in awe as she quickly threw a few things into the skillet, popped some biscuits on a pan, slid it into the oven, and voila! A meal was born!

Shopping Lists

Mom’s quick meals didn’t actually start when she got home from work. She had to do some advance planning before each shopping trip to make sure she had everything she needed at her fingertips.

Plus she was an expert at turning a single pot roast into several meals—all of them different.

One of our family favorites was beef hash. All you need are some potatoes, onions, and leftover beef. Add a side salad, and you have a delicious, nutritious meal.

Start out with a shopping list of things you’ll need for the week. I have to admit I’m bad when it comes to tossing a few extras into the cart, and then when I get home, I discover I have way more than I need.

But then I turn that into a positive by getting creative in figuring out what I can do with that odd ingredient to add interest to a meal.

Family-Approved Meals

My husband once told me that if he ever says he wants me to put aside some of the meal for leftovers the next day, that’s the best compliment I can get. And it happens a lot!

Not only does my husband like some of the quick meals I cook, my daughters’ friends used to ask what we were having for dinner, hoping to get an invitation.

One of Alison’s pals asked for the recipe to my Mock Swiss Steak dinner so she could give it to her mom.

Super Simple Mock Swiss Steak Recipe

Spray a large skillet with nonstick cooking spray.

Or you can use your favorite cooking oil. The main thing is that your skillet is oiled so the steak doesn’t stick.

After you brown one side of the steaks, flip them over and brown the other side.

Dump the entire bottle of Catalina, Russian or French salad dressing over the steak. 

Pour 1 cup of water and a dash (or two) of Worcestershire sauce over the dressing and stir until the liquids are blended.

One of the reasons these salad dressings work for this recipe is that they’re tomato based. You can add some diced tomatoes or leave the recipe as-is.

Turn down the heat and simmer until the steak is done according to your taste. I generally cook thinner cuts of meat about 15 minutes and thicker cuts up to 30 minutes.

Serve with rice and steamed green beans.

Cook enough rice for each person in the family to have 1/2 to 3/4 cups.

I like to cook a little more for leftovers.

Put green beans into the pot and add water.

If you want some extra flavor, use half water and half beef bone broth.

*Helpful hint: If you purchase a tougher cut of meat, this recipe can be cooked all day in a slow cooker, which helps tenderize the meat.

The only problem you might face is that it’s too tender and falls apart when you lift it out of the pot.

Broccoli Cheese Bake Side

Green beans are always good with mock Swiss steak, but you might prefer something a little different. Here’s a good one from Back to My Southern Roots: Broccoli Cheese Bake.

Add a Salad

If you’re someone who loves having a salad before a meal, why not pack it with a hefty amount of nutrition? A couple of favorites include this Shrimp Cocktail Salad and Mediterranean Salad.

More Great Recipes

You might also like this slow cooker pork tenderloin that is a delicious, stick-to-your-ribs main dish. It’s great for a family dinner or when you have guests.

If you enjoy trying new dishes, check out some of the recipes at Meal Plan Monday and Foodie Friday.

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