Easy Gravy Recipe

4.82 from 16 reviews

Homemade gravy is undeniably satisfying and it elevates your Thanksgiving meal to a whole new level. Unlike store-bought versions, this easy gravy recipe is rich, flavorful, and completely customizable.

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Total Time20

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: gravy, sauce, thanksgiving

Servings:

Author: The Modern Nonna

Equipment

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ teaspoon salt to taste
¼ teaspoon pepper to taste
¼ cup all-purpose flour or gluten-free cup-for-cup flour
2 cups unsalted broth homemade or store-bought: chicken, veggie, turkey, or beef broth

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a medium pot, melt the butter over medium heat until it shimmers. Season the butter with salt and black pepper, stirring to infuse the flavors for a few seconds.
Next, add the flour to the melted butter and stir continuously. Continue to stir until the mixture reaches a playdoh-like consistency, about 30 seconds. The butter-flour mixture (called a roux) should be lightly browned and smell a bit nutty. If the mixture still has a raw flour smell, cook it for about 30 more seconds.
Gradually incorporate the broth into the mixture, whisking as you add the liquid. Allow the mixture to thicken over medium-low heat for 6 to 10 minutes. For a thicker sauce, allow the gravy to continue to simmer and reduce for a few additional minutes, stirring occasionally. For a looser gravy, add about 1/2 cup more broth, and whisk to incorporate.
Once the gravy has reached your desired thickness, serve at once or transfer it to a glass Tupperware container. Don't be concerned if it appears slightly runny; it will continue to thicken as it cools.
Refrigerate the gravy for up to 4 days. On Thanksgiving Day, reheat the gravy in a saucepan and consider adding some of the drippings (fat that has cooked off the turkey and liquified in the baking dish) from the turkey for an extra layer of flavor. Alternatively, you can freeze the gravy and defrost it the night before for future use.

Video

Notes

Less Salt: Store-bought gravy and gravy concentrates or starter packets are loaded in sodium. My easy homemade gravy recipe keeps the sodium content low by using unsalted butter and low or salt-free broth.
Which comes first: the gravy or the turkey? Some people swear by preparing their gravy in advance of Thanksgiving day, while others prefer to prepare it fresh, the day of. The benefit of making it in advance is less cooking on the day of entertaining. The benefit of making it the day of is that you can transfer your roasted turkey to a cutting board (or serving platter) and use the same roasting pan for cooking the gravy. All the turkey drippings can be used as a base, right alongside butter, to build the base of the gravy.
Turkey Broth: To make a turkey broth, you can use the leftover carcass from a cooked turkey and cook it in the style of an Easy Homemade Chicken Broth.

Nutrition