The Best Gravy From Scratch Recipe – Homemade Gravy (Easy!)

Today I’m sharing the very best, most flavorful homemade gravy from scratch recipe,,, With or without pan drippings! 

This easy recipe is a great addition to your holiday table or with your favorite meats like Thanksgiving Turkey, chicken, roast beef, a pork butt pork roast, and even vegetables! (Vegan gravy substitutes are also shared below) Printable Card Below!

Once you learn how to make gravy from scratch with pan drippings, you’ll use it almost every time you make a roast or mashed potatoes… It’s so simple once you get the process down!

Why make homemade gravy from pan drippings?

First off, it’s all about those amazing flavors! When you cook meats like roasts or chicken, they release these tasty drippings that you don’t wanna waste. Instead of letting that deliciousness go down the drain, you turn it into a mouthwatering gravy that takes your dishes to a whole new level.

And, it’s not just about taste – it’s about making your meals look and feel fancy without breaking a sweat. Imagine serving up a roasted chicken with a rich, homemade gravy poured all over it – that’s some restaurant-level stuff!

Plus, it’s pretty darn easy to do! You just need to know some basic cooking tricks, like making a roux to thicken the gravy and getting all those yummy browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll feel like a pro chef in your own kitchen!

Oh, and it’s great for cutting down on food waste too. Instead of tossing those flavorful pan drippings, you’re turning them into something incredible. And it’s flexible – you can customize the flavors to your liking, add some herbs and spices, and make it as thick or smooth as you want.

The best part? Your family or guests will be seriously impressed when you serve up your homemade gravy. It’s a total win-win – deliciousness and kitchen cred all in one!

Get ready to level up your cooking with some homemade gravy magic. Trust me, once you start making it, there’s no turning back!

How To Make Gravy from Scratch

Some recipes we all just need to have… And this gravy from scratch recipe is one of them! You can use this easy gravy recipe with almost anything including: chicken stock, beef broth, turkey drippings, homemade stocks and chicken broth, beef stock or store-bought stock. It only takes 10 minutes, and you can make it ahead of time too. Homemade gravy stays good in the fridge up to 5 days.

This super easy gravy recipe works with all different kinds of meats including — fried chicken, roast beef, turkey, pork chops, pot roast, Sunday roasted chicken and lamb. You can even make vegetarian gravy using vegetable broth instead of pan juices.

4 Easy Steps To Make Homemade Gravy

If you haven’t made gravy before, don’t worry… It’s super simple! Follow these instructions, and you’ll be whipping gravy up every week! It only takes about 10 minutes, and it’s SO good!

First – Make a roux or smooth paste with (melted) butter and all purpose flour. The paste or roux is what thickens the meat or veggie stock, so that your gravy becomes thick and smooth. First, melt butter in a smaller saucepan over medium-high heat, and then whisk the flour into it. Let the butter and flour cook and bubble for a minute. You’ll see the roux paste get a bit darker in color as it cooks…. That’s good! Let it develop to a blond color.

Second – Whisk in your stock, broth or pan drippings. Liquids seem to mix into the roux better when they’re warm. Let the pan drippings, broth or stock heat up with the roux and simmer so that your gravy gets thick. Simmer 1-2 minutes.

Third – Season to taste with salt, pepper, herbs and optional ingredients: Taste your gravy before serving! If it is bland, add more salt, sage, thyme, mushroom powder, or Worcestershire sauce.

Fourth – Add Cream! Adding cream is optional, but it makes gravy creamy and so much better!

Ingredients You Need To Make Gravy

Basic gravy ingredients my easy homemade gravy, plus some optional ingredients to make it extra good!

• Butter or Fat
• All-purpose flour (or Cornstarch) combine butter and flour to make a paste or a roux to help thicken broth to the perfect gravy thickness. Don’t have butter? No problem… see the tips below. Use cornstarch for gluten free gravy!
• Stock, broth, or pan drippings – the base to every type of gravy. You can use chicken stock or broth, beef, pork, lamb, fish or even vegetable stock. The best gravy EVER is made using meat drippings!
• Salt
• Black Pepper gives gravy flavor so it’s not isn’t bland.

Optional Ingredients For More Flavor:

Herbs! Fresh or dried herbs add flavor. Some of my favorites herbs for gravy are sage, garlic and thyme. I really love using sage for turkey and pork gravy.

Cream! Add cream right before you serve gravy to make it creamy and super delicious.

Mushroom Powder!

Worcestershire Sauce 

Garlic Powder

Onion Powder

These ingredients may seem strange for a gravy, however, they each add a savory element that really kicks your gravy up a notch! The mushroom powder can be purchased in specialty stores or online. Fish and Worcestershire sauces I use a lot in our own kitchen, they just add such a wonderful flavor. Just a little bit makes meat recipes really sing.

How To Make Gravy From Scratch Recipe with Pan Drippings

You can use this recipe to make gravy from scratch with or without pan drippings. Pan drippings include flavors of what you roasted… And they are the best part because they are so flavorful!

So chicken roasted with onions will have the chicken and onion flavors in pan drippings, for example, and it makes the gravy super flavorful! I really hate wasting all that yummy flavor, so I love making gravy with pan drippings! Here’s how to do it:

First – Use a spoon to scoop out some of the fat from the bottom of your roasting pan.

Second – Strain remaining liquid. The fat spooned off is used in place of butter in this recipe, and the liquid saved is used as broth!

The best way a is tolso use your roasting pan, if it’s safe for use on the stove top, and make your gravy in it. There is so much flavor stuck on the bottom of the pan that you can’t get off any other way. However, If you roasted in a glass a baking dish, you’ll have to make your gravy in a different pan.\

Easy Gravy From Scratch Recipe

PREP Time – 5mins

COOK Time – 5mins

TOTAL Time – 10mins

Delicious homemade gravy is really quick and super easy to make. If you’ve roasted any meat like chicken, turkey or beef, you’ll want to use the pan drippings left inside the roasting pan for the best flavor! Pan drippings make gravy super flavorful and delicious.

However, You can still make really good gravy without drippings by using stock or broth. Stocks and broths are normally not very seasoned… Make sure to test your gravy before serving and season to taste.

For extra good gravy, and deep flavor, season with mushroom powder! The mushroom powder is totally optional, but it adds a rich savory taste.

Gravy Ingredients

Makes about 4 cups

1/3 cup unsalted butter

1/3 cup all-purpose flour (Use a tablespoon more flour if you like extra thick gravy.) (Use cornstarch, instead of flour, for gluten free gravy!)

3 cups warm broth, stock or pan drippings, or a combo of them (any type of broth: poultry, beef, pork or vegetable stock) or use pan drippings!!!

1/2 teaspoon mushroom powder, optional

1/2 tablespoon chopped sage or thyme (or)

1/4 tablespoon dried sage or thyme.

4 – 6 tablespoons cream (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!

How To Make Gravy From Scratch the Easy Way:

Warm a medium pot to medium heat and melt butter.

While butter is bubbling, Whisk flour into it till flour and butter become a smooth paste.

Let bubble for a minute till medium blonde color develops; to eliminate the raw flour taste

Whisk in broth, stock, or pan drippings till smooth. Keep whisking to eliminate lumps. No one likes lumpy gravy!

Bring to a low simmer…. Gravy thickens as it simmers, and gets glossy and smooth gravy.

Stir fresh or dry sage or thyme into gravy. (Optional)

Add mushroom powder and simmer for a minute. (Optional)

Remove Gravy from stove, and mix in cream right before serving (optional).

Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and black pepper.

How To Make Creamy Gravy with Milk

Use milk to make creamy and lower fat gravy. This is super easy to do by simply substituting half of the stock or broth with milk.

How To Make Gravy without Butter

Butter is so yummy, but it can be substituted with other fats including: chicken fat, lard, pan dripping fats, or oil. If you make vegan gravy, you can use vegan butter.

How To Make Easy Gluten Free Gravy:

Making gluten-free gravy is simple, but I do it a bit differently. Here’s how I make it…

First – Heat your stock, broth or pan drippings in a small pot top a low simmer.

Next Step – In a small bowl add 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water, and mix really well so there are no lumps.

Third – Whisk the simmering broth, while whisking slowly pour in the cornstarch and water mixture.

Fourth – Keep whisking till gravy thickens then lower heat and season with herbs, salt and pepper!

Recipe Card

Tips:

Turkey gravy is especially good with sage! (If you’re making this for Thanksgiving be sure to check out the free coloring Thanksgiving coloring pages!)

Beef gravy is super flavorful with mushroom powder and Worcestershire sauce.

Country gravy is made with milk instead of broth, and delicious served over homemade bread or rolls!

Serve your flavorful gravy, in a gravy boat, with creamy mashed potatoes for a crowd pleasing side dish!

Storing Leftover Gravy

To preserve your delicious homemade gravy, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Enjoy its rich flavor in various meals throughout the week.

Now that you’ve mastered the art of homemade gravy, get ready to impress your family and guests with your culinary prowess. Whether it’s a special occasion or a regular dinner, your homemade gravy will take your dishes to the next level!

Troubleshooting Gravy From Scratch Recipe – Common Gravy Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Gravy-making can sometimes be tricky, and beginners may encounter a few challenges along the way. To help your readers overcome these obstacles and ensure their gravy turns out perfectly, consider adding a troubleshooting section. Here are some common issues and their solutions:

1. Lumpy Gravy

• Issue: Your gravy has developed unsightly lumps.
• Solution: Strain the gravy through a fine-mesh sieve or use an immersion blender to smooth out the lumps.

2. Too Thin or Watery Gravy

• Issue: Your gravy is not thickening as expected.
• Solution: Make a slurry by mixing equal parts cold water and flour (or cornstarch for gluten-free gravy). Slowly whisk this slurry into your thin gravy and simmer until it thickens to your desired consistency.

3. Too Thick Gravy

• Issue: Your gravy has become too thick.
• Solution: Gradually add more broth, stock, or pan drippings to thin out the gravy while simmering. Alternatively, you can use milk or cream for a creamy consistency.

4. Gravy Tastes Bland

• Issue: Your gravy lacks flavor.
• Solution: Adjust the seasoning by adding more salt, pepper, herbs, or other flavor-enhancing ingredients like Worcestershire sauce or garlic powder.

5. Gravy Separation

• Issue: Your gravy has separated into layers.
• Solution: Reheat the separated gravy and whisk vigorously to emulsify it back together. Adding a small amount of additional liquid can help with this.

6. Burnt Roux

• Issue: You accidentally overcooked the roux, and it tastes burnt.
• Solution: Discard the burnt roux and start over with fresh butter and flour. Pay close attention to avoid overcooking this time.