Everyone talks about Jollibee's Chickenjoy, but my heart has always belonged to the burger steak. Growing up, Jollibee was a special-occasion treat, saved for birthdays and good report cards, and burger steak was my order every time. When I left the Philippines, it was one of the first recipes I knew I had to figure out at home.
This homemade Jollibee burger steak is the version I've been cooking on repeat ever since. A real roux, actual mushrooms, and patties that finish cooking in the gravy make it richer than what's on the menu, and it's on the table in about 30 minutes.
Jump to:
- What is Filipino Burger Steak?
- What Makes Filipino Burger Steak Different from Salisbury Steak?
- Ingredients
- How to Make Filipino Burger Steak
- Variations
- What to Serve With Filipino Burger Steak
- Storage
- Rose's Top Tips
- Recipe FAQs
- More Filipino Beef Recipes to Try
- Did you try this recipe?
- Jollibee Burger Steak (Filipino Burger Steak with Mushroom Gravy)
What is Filipino Burger Steak?
Burger steak is a seasoned ground beef patty cooked like a steak, not served in a bun, smothered in thick mushroom gravy and eaten over steamed white rice. It traces back to Hamburg, Germany, made its way to the US, and eventually became a Filipino fast food staple, most famously at Jollibee, which now has locations across the US too, served with rice, mushrooms, rich gravy, and crispy toasted garlic on top.
This version uses beefier patties and a from-scratch roux-based gravy, and comes together in about 30 minutes.
What Makes Filipino Burger Steak Different from Salisbury Steak?
Both are ground beef patties served with gravy, and the two are often confused. The difference is in the meat mix. Salisbury steak is the more composed version: ground beef mixed with onion, mustard, ketchup, egg, and breadcrumbs, served with a brown onion gravy. The flavor is built into the patty itself.
Filipino burger steak is simpler. The patty is lightly seasoned, and the star is the mushroom gravy it's smothered in. Less fussy, faster, and built around the sauce.
Ingredients
Burger Patties
- Ground beef : The fat content matters. 80/20 keeps the patties juicy through searing and the simmer in the gravy. Leaner beef (90/10) dries out. Closer to Jollibee's version? Swap a quarter of the beef for ground pork, the fat keeps the patties noticeably more tender.
- Breadcrumbs soaked in milk: This creates a paste that distributes moisture through the patty as it cooks, which is why they stay tender instead of dense. Don't skip the soak, dry breadcrumbs don't do the same job.
- Egg: Binds the patty together.
- Garlic & onion: Crushed garlic and finely diced onion go directly into the meat mix.
- Worcestershire sauce: Adds umami to the meat itself, not just the gravy. Two tablespoons is enough without overpowering.
- Salt and pepper: Season the meat before forming patties, not after.
Mushroom Gravy
- Cremini (bella) mushrooms: The standard for homemade. For a more traditional Filipino version, canned button mushrooms is what many copycat versions use, budget-friendly, and the softer texture soaks up the gravy well. Fresh shiitake or portobello work as upgrades.
- Butter and flour (the roux): This is what separates a thin mushroom sauce from proper gravy. Equal parts butter and flour, cooked together until it turns the color of light coffee, not pale, not dark, just golden.
- Beef broth or water + beef powder: Broth gives more depth; water with beef powder (Knorr or similar) is the practical weeknight shortcut most Filipino home cooks use. Both work.
- Soy sauce: A Filipino addition that adds saltiness and a slightly deeper color. Light soy sauce, not dark.
- Heavy cream (optional): A few tablespoons stirred in at the end makes the gravy noticeably richer and smoother. Optional, but worth it.
How to Make Filipino Burger Steak
Burger Patties
- Soak breadcrumbs with milk.
- Combine: Mix ground beef, crushed garlic, diced onion, egg, Worcestershire sauce, soaked breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Gently form into 6-8 patties.
- Cook: Heat a pan with a thin layer of oil over medium heat. Sear the patties 3 to 4 minutes per side, just until a brown crust forms. They'll finish cooking in the gravy.
Gravy Sauce
- Sauté: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
- Melt butter: In the same pan, melt butter and add garlic and onion. Cook until softened.
- Whisk in flour: Slowly whisk in flour, creating a roux. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Deglaze: Gradually whisk in beef broth, or water plus beef powder, scraping up any browned bits.
- Season and simmer: Add beef powder, sugar, soy sauce, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, or until thickened. Add some water if the gravy turned too thick to your liking.
- Finish: Return the mushrooms and patties to the pan and stir in the cream, if using. Simmer 8 to 10 minutes, until the patties reach 160°F.
- Assemble & serve: Garnish with parsley.
Variations
- Beef and pork patties - Substitute ¼ of the ground beef with ground pork. The pork fat keeps the patties noticeably moister and the texture more tender. This is closer to how Jollibee's patties taste.
- Cheesy burger steak - Add a slice of quick-melt cheese (Eden or Velveeta) or cheddar on top of each patty in the last 2 minutes of simmering in the gravy. Cover the pan so the cheese melts.
- Spicy burger steak - Add sliced siling labuyo or bird's eye chili to the gravy with the mushrooms, or mix chili flakes into the meat.
- Bacon mushroom burger steak - Add 3-4 strips of chopped cooked bacon to the patty mix or crumble over the finished dish. The smokiness works well with the mushroom gravy.
- Onion gravy version - Skip the mushrooms and double the onion in the gravy, cooking until deeply caramelized (about 20 minutes over low heat).
What to Serve With Filipino Burger Steak
Steamed white rice is the default for a reason. The gravy is built to be eaten with rice, spoon it on generously.
- Sinangag (garlic fried rice): For next-day leftovers or a more heartier plate, serve over sinangag instead of plain rice. The garlic in both isn't too much, it's exactly right.
- Mashed potatoes: The Western alternative that works. The gravy is just as good over potatoes as rice.
- Steamed or buttered vegetables: Broccoli, carrots, or green beans on the side. Practical, and it balances the plate.
- Atchara (pickled papaya): The tangy crunch cuts through the richness of the gravy.
- Filipino Cucumber Salad: Crisp and tangy, another good way to balance the richness if you want something fresher on the plate.
- Jollibee-style spaghetti: The other half of the Jollibee order. If you're making burger steak for a birthday or a crowd, a pan of sweet Filipino spaghetti with hot dogs rounds out the table the same way it does at Jollibee.
Storage
Store leftover patties and gravy together in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The gravy thickens in the fridge - add a splash of water or broth when reheating and stir gently over medium-low heat.
To freeze: cool completely, store patties and gravy in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stove with a little added water.
Rose's Top Tips
Grate the onion. Instead of dicing, grate the onion directly into the meat mix on the coarse side of a box grater. The grated onion distributes more evenly and adds moisture throughout the patty without leaving chunks.
Don't press the patties. Pressing a spatula down on the patty while it cooks forces the juices out. Let it cook undisturbed.
Use the fond. The brown bits stuck to the pan after searing the patties are concentrated beef flavor. Scrape them up when you add the butter for the roux - they go into the gravy and add depth you can't get any other way.
Cook the roux long enough. The flour needs 1-2 minutes of cooking in the butter before you add liquid. If you see white or very pale paste, keep going. You want light golden - it should smell slightly nutty. This eliminates the raw flour taste.
Finish patties in the gravy. Sear for color and crust, then finish in the gravy for the last 8-10 minutes. The patties come out juicier and the gravy tastes more like it has beef in it - because it does.
Crispy garlic isn't optional. It's the detail that makes this taste specifically like Filipino burger steak instead of a generic patty with gravy on top. Takes 3 minutes and makes the whole dish.
Recipe FAQs
It's not required, but it makes the difference. The roux gives the gravy a thick, glossy body that clings to the patties and rice instead of running off. Without it, you get a thin mushroom sauce. It adds only a couple of minutes.
Yes. Canned button mushrooms are common in Filipino-style burger steak, and many copycat recipes use them because they're cheap and soak up the gravy well. Drain them and add them straight to the gravy. Fresh cremini gives you more flavor and a meatier bite if you have it.
Ground beef is safe at 160°F, so an instant-read thermometer is the easiest check. Sear the patties just long enough for a brown crust, then let them finish cooking in the simmering gravy. They reach 160°F without drying out because the gravy keeps them moist.
Yes. Crushed crackers or panko soaked in milk work the same way. You can skip the filler entirely, but the patties will be denser and can dry out faster. The soaked crumbs hold moisture inside the patty as it cooks.
Let it simmer a few more minutes, since it thickens as it reduces. If it's still thin, stir in a slurry of 1 teaspoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon cold water and simmer for a minute. If it gets too thick, loosen it with a splash of water or broth.
Yes. Form the patties up to a day ahead and keep them covered in the fridge. Cooked patties and gravy keep in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water, since the gravy thickens as it sits.
Jollibee's version is ground beef patties in mushroom gravy, served over steamed rice. The exact recipe isn't public. This homemade version keeps the parts people recognize: a tender patty, a thick mushroom gravy, and rice to soak it all up.
More Filipino Beef Recipes to Try
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Jollibee Burger Steak (Filipino Burger Steak with Mushroom Gravy)
Equipment
- 1 deep skillet
Ingredients
Burger Patties
- 1 ½ pounds of ground beef
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup onion minced or grated
- 1 whole egg
- 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup breadcrumbs soaked in ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
Gravy Sauce
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 15 ounces bella mushroom sliced
- ¼ cup butter
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ onion minced
- 5 tablespoon All-purpose flour
- 2 cups water
- 2 tablespoon beef powder
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 3 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 3 tablespoon heavy cream or ¼ cup half and half or any milk optional
- pepper
- parsley for garnish
- 1 tablespoon crispy garlic
Instructions
Burger Patties
- Soak breadcrumbs with milk.½ cup breadcrumbs soaked in ½ cup milk
- Mix ground beef, crushed garlic, diced onion, egg, Worcestershire sauce, soaked breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper in a bowl.1 ½ pounds of ground beef, 5 cloves garlic, ½ cup onion , 1 whole egg, 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, ½ cup breadcrumbs soaked in ½ cup milk, 1 teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- Gently form into 6-8 patties.
- Heat a pan with a thin layer of oil over medium heat. Sear patties for 3-4 minutes per side, or until desired doneness (internal temp 160°F)
Gravy Sauce
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook until golden brown. Remove and set aside.2 tablespoon olive oil, 15 ounces bella mushroom
- In the same pan, melt butter and add garlic and onion. Cook until softened.¼ cup butter, 2 cloves garlic, ½ onion
- Slowly whisk in flour, creating a roux. Cook for 1-2 minutes.5 tablespoon All-purpose flour
- Gradually whisk in water, scraping up any browned bits.2 cups water
- Add beef powder, sugar, soy sauce, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, or until thickened. Add some water if the gravy turned too thick to your liking.2 tablespoon beef powder, 1 teaspoon sugar, 3 tablespoon light soy sauce, pepper
- Return mushrooms and patties to the pan and stir in cream (optional). Simmer for 2-3 minutes.3 tablespoon heavy cream or ¼ cup half and half or any milk
- Garnish with parsley and sprinkle with crispy garlic. Enjoy!parsley for garnish, 1 tablespoon crispy garlic
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Notes
- Use 80/20 ground beef for the juiciest patties — leaner beef can result in dry, tough texture
- Soak breadcrumbs in milk before mixing — this keeps the patties moist and tender
- Don't overwork the meat when mixing! Handle gently and stop as soon as everything is combined
- Chill formed patties in the fridge for 15–20 minutes before cooking to help them hold their shape
- Sear on medium-high heat for 3–4 minutes per side; internal temp should reach 160°F
- Cook mushrooms first until golden brown before setting aside — this builds deeper flavor in the gravy
- Whisk flour into the butter slowly to form a smooth roux; cook for 1-2 minutes before adding liquid to remove the raw flour taste
- Add water gradually while whisking to avoid lumps
- If the gravy gets too thick, just add a splash of water or broth to loosen it up
- Heavy cream is optional but adds a rich, restaurant-style finish to the sauce
- Store patties and gravy together in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days
- Reheat in a skillet over low heat with a splash of water or broth to keep the gravy smooth and silky
- Best served over steamed white rice or garlic fried rice to soak up all that mushroom gravy
- Top with crispy toasted garlic for that classic Jollibee-inspired finish
- Garnish with fresh parsley for a pop of color
