When the cold weather chills you to the bone, make Crock Pot Swiss Steak! This fabulous cube steak recipe features juicy beef with caramelized onions and tomatoes. It’s a simple and scrumptious comfort food meal that is perfect for any cool night!
Winter is in full swing, and that means the chilly weather is here to stay for a while. When the cold weather leaves you feeling frozen, warm up with Crock Pot Swiss Steak.
This easy weeknight dinner is comfort food at its best!
Reasons We Love Crockpot Swiss Steak
- It’s Quick and Easy.
Dinner for your family will be on the table with very little effort with this simple slow cooker recipe! - Budget Friendly.
This Swiss steak recipe is made with cube steak, which is very inexpensive. We have another Crock pot cube steak recipe, but this meal is our new favorite!! - Wholesome Ingredients.
The combination of juicy and tender beef, caramelized onions, and tomatoes will make your taste buds sing! - Leftovers are Delicious.
This meal reheats beautifully, so you can enjoy it all week long!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Cube Steak
If you are unable to find cube steaks, you can use round steak or top blade steaks, which are individual steaks cut from a boneless top blade roast. Top blade roast also goes by the names chuck roast first cut, top chuck, flat iron, or blade roast.
Be sure to purchase steaks rather than a whole roast, or cut a whole boneless roast into individual steaks. - Vegetables
Our Swiss steak recipe calls for onions and tomatoes. There is another version of Swiss steak with green peppers, which typically goes by the name pepper steak. Feel free to include them if you’d like! - Broth
We use chicken broth in this recipe. However, beef broth or vegetable broth are good substitutes.
Recipe FAQ
Do you brown meat before cooking it in a crock pot?
Yes, we recommend searing the cube steak in a skillet before adding it to the crock pot. Doing this adds flavor, gives the steak a nice color, and keeps it moist.
Why is it called Swiss steak?
This meal gets its name from the original method of preparing the beef, called “Swissing”, which is used to tenderize tougher cuts of meat.
The process involved making the meat softer by pounding or rolling it with a tool.
These days, cube steak is a common choice for a Swiss steak recipe because the meat is pre-tenderized.
Do you love slow cooker recipes?
We do, too! A couple of our most popular crock pot dinners are Dr. Pepper Ham and Slow Cooker Turkey Tenderloin.
Kitchen Tools Needed
- Crock Pot or slow cooker
- Slow cooker liner (optional)
- Meat mallet or tenderizer (if using top blade steaks)
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Swiss Steak Crock pot Recipe Tips
- Grease the inside of the crock, or use a slow cooker liner.
Slow cooker liners are fantastic time savers, because they make clean-up so much easier!
- Sear the steak.
We recommend searing the cube steak in a skillet with some oil until browned before adding it to the crock pot. Browning gives the steak a nice sear and adds flavor to the dish.
- Sauté the onions.
We also suggest caramelizing the onions in a skillet before adding them to the crock pot. This brings out their sweetness and deepens the flavor of crock pot Swiss steak.
Serving Suggestions
Swiss steak pairs wonderfully with creamy mashed potatoes. You can also serve it over a bed of cooked brown rice or Basmati rice if you prefer.
For a more filling meal, serve with a side of buttermilk biscuits or sourdough rolls and your favorite steamed vegetables, or a green salad.
Storing and Reheating Instructions
In the fridge:
Leftovers will keep for 3-4 days. Just store them in an airtight container and refrigerate.
In the freezer:
Before freezing your crock pot Swiss steak, be sure the meal is completely cool first. Then, place it in a shallow airtight container or resealable bag, and store it for up to 4 months.
Reheating:
To reheat the meat and vegetables, you can use a microwave, or heat them in a pan over medium heat on the stove.
If microwaving, be sure to cover your dish with a damp paper towel to prevent splattering.
On the stove top, simmer for a few minutes until heated through. If the cube steak seems dry, you can add 2-3 tablespoons of water or cooking broth.
Crock Pot Swiss Steak
Equipment
- slow cooker liner - (optional)
- meat tenderizer - (if using top blade steaks)
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds cube steaks (or boneless top blade steaks, see Notes)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 medium onion peeled, halved, thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 14 ounces tomato puree
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes or 1 cup diced tomatoes
Instructions
- Prepare the crock pot by spraying the liner with cooking spray or line it with a slow cooker liner.
- If using boneless top-blade steaks, lightly pound steaks with the meat tenderizer. Cube steaks are sold already tenderized. Pat steaks dry with paper towels.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Sear the steaks for 2 minutes per side, until browned. Transfer the swiss steaks to the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Turn the heat to medium, add 1 tablespoon oil and sliced onions to the pot. Saute until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, and tomato paste, then sprinkle with flour. Cook for 1 minute. Stir in tomato puree and chicken broth and stir to deglaze the skillet.
- Pour over the onion broth mixture and the steaks and top with cherry tomatoes. Add the lid to the crock pot.
- Cook on low for 2-3 hours, until swiss steaks are tender. Skim fat from sauce, and pour over steaks before serving.
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