Filipino burger steak is a seasoned ground beef patty served with rice and smothered in thick mushroom gravy - one of the most ordered dishes at Jollibee and one of the easiest weeknight dinners you can make at home. The patties take about 10 minutes to prep, the gravy comes together in one pan, and the whole thing is on the table in 30 minutes. The trick that makes it genuinely good: don't skip the roux, finish the patties in the gravy instead of just pouring it over, and top with crispy garlic.
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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 Beef Recipes
- Did you try this recipe?
- 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 originated in Hamburg, Germany, made its way to the US, and eventually became a Filipino fast food staple, most famously at Jollibee, where it's served with rice, mushrooms, rich gravy, and crispy toasted garlic on top.
This recipe is inspired by that beloved classic but with beefier patties, a from-scratch roux-based gravy, and it all 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: Ground beef (1½ lbs, 80/20) - The fat content matters. 80/20 gives you enough fat to keep the patties juicy through searing and the additional simmer in the gravy. Leaner beef (90/10) produces drier patties. If you want to go closer to the Jollibee version, substitute a quarter of the beef with ground pork - pork fat keeps patties noticeably moister and more tender.
- Breadcrumbs soaked in milk - Soaking the breadcrumbs in milk before mixing creates a paste that distributes moisture throughout the patty as it cooks. This is the reason the patties stay tender rather than dense. Don't skip the soaking step - 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 depth to the meat itself, not just the gravy. Two tablespoons is enough to taste without overpowering.
- Salt and pepper: Season the meat before forming patties, not after.
Mushroom Gravy
- Cremini (bella) mushrooms: Fresh cremini are the standard for homemade. If you want to go more traditional Filipino style, canned button mushrooms work and are what most Jollibee-style recipes actually use - more accessible and budget-friendly, with a softer texture that soaks up the gravy. Fresh shiitake or portobello both work as upgrades if you have them.
- Butter and flour (the roux) - This is what separates a thin mushroom sauce from proper gravy. Equal parts butter and flour, cooked together until the mixture turns the color of light coffee - not pale white, not dark brown, just golden.
- Beef broth or water + beef powder - Beef broth gives more depth; water with beef powder (Knorr or similar) is the practical weeknight shortcut and what most Filipino home cooks use. Both work.
- Soy sauce - A Filipino addition to the gravy 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 patties for 3-4 minutes per side, or until desired doneness (internal temp 145°F for medium-rare).
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 minute.
- Deglaze: Gradually whisk in water and beef broth, 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 mushrooms and patties to the pan and stir in cream (optional). Simmer for 2-3 minutes
- Assemble & serve: Garnish with parsley. Enjoy!
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 only correct answer for a Filipino table. The gravy is built to be eaten with rice. Spoon it generously.
- Sinangag (garlic fried rice) - For next-day leftovers or a more indulgent plate, serve over sinangag instead of plain rice. The garlic in both the rice and the dish is not too much - it's exactly right.
- Mashed potatoes - The Western alternative that works. The gravy is just as good over potatoes as over rice.
- Steamed or buttered vegetables - Broccoli, carrots, or green beans alongside. Practical and balances the plate.
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.
Chill before cooking. Thirty minutes in the fridge after forming the patties makes a real difference for keeping them intact in the pan. Cold fat holds together; warm fat spreads.
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 is not optional. It's the finishing touch that makes this taste specifically like Filipino burger steak and not just a generic burger patty with gravy. Takes 3 minutes and makes the whole dish.
Recipe FAQs
Technically no, but the roux is what gives the gravy a thick, coating consistency that clings to the patties and rice rather than running off. Without it, the sauce is thinner and less satisfying. The roux takes 2 extra minutes and is worth every second.
Yes. Canned button mushrooms are actually more traditional for Filipino-style burger steak - they're what Jollibee uses and what most Filipino home cooks reach for. Drain them well and add directly to the gravy. Fresh cremini or shiitake give you more flavor and better texture if you have them, but canned is a completely legitimate choice.
Most likely the patties weren't chilled before cooking, or the pan wasn't hot enough when they went in (so they stuck and broke when flipped). Refrigerate the formed patties for at least 15-30 minutes before searing, make sure the oil is hot before the patties go in, and don't move them until a crust has formed on the bottom - about 3-4 minutes.
Yes. The patties can be formed and refrigerated (uncooked) up to a day ahead. The finished dish reheats well - the gravy actually improves slightly overnight as the flavors meld. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water or broth.
Jollibee's burger steak is ground beef patties in mushroom gravy served with steamed white rice, topped with crispy fried garlic. The exact recipe isn't public, but the key elements - thick mushroom gravy, crispy garlic finish, served over rice - are what this homemade version replicates.
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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 teaspooon sugar
- 3 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 3 tablespoon heavy cream or ¼ cup half and half or any milk optional
- pepper
- parsley for garnish
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 145°F for medium-rare).
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 minute.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 teaspooon sugar, 3 tablespoon light soy sauce, pepper
- Return mushrooms and patties to the pan and stir in cream (optional). Simmer for 2-3 minutes3 tablespoon heavy cream or ¼ cup half and half or any milk
- Garnish with parsley. Enjoy!parsley for garnish
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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 145°F for medium-rare
- 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 minute 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
