5-Minute Easy Gravy Recipe

Gravy is one of those things that I consider LIFE’S NECESSITIES.

Mashed potatoes just aren’t the same with no gravy. That dry Thanksgiving turkey is bereft without it. And stuffing? Stuffing, no matter how tender deserves a good dousing of gravy.

Now, some people think that there’s some mystery as to how to make a basic gravy recipe. But, there isn’t. I’ve got teenage boys making gravy over here, people! You can do it, too!

But, I get it. For years I thought there was a secret playbook to making good gravy.

My mom wouldn’t touch the task with a ten-foot pole. She either opened a jar or packet of dry mix or enlisted my cousin Debra to make it at holiday time. My mother-in-law delegated the gravy making as well.

Years of lumpy, homemade gravy has scared people off the task. What a crime. Because packaged gravy is really not delicious, and you can SO MAKE YOUR OWN.

This easy gravy recipe will guarantee you a delicious holiday meal or Sunday dinner.

What ingredients do you need to make gravy?

For this gravy recipe, the ingredient list is short and simple. 

• butter, oil, or fat drippings
• flour
• liquid – you can use juice drippings, broth, stock, milk, or wine
• salt and pepper
• herbs and aromatics (optional)

How to make homemade gravy

Today, I’m going to explain the basics to making this easy gravy recipe with butter, flour, and broth.

Spoiler alert: making gravy is very similar to making white sauce, so if you’ve already mastered that, it’s only a matter of swapping out an ingredient or two.

The process is super simple. You’re going to start by making a roux, a combination of flour and fat and then whisk in the broth.

• Melt the butter in a sauce pan. You can use oil or the fat drippings from a roast turkey, chicken or roast beef.
• Add the flour to the melted butter and whisk until bubbly and fragrant.

This is what your butter and flour mixture will look like. You want the flour bits to fully be absorbed by the melting butter. This is what prevents lumps in your basic gravy.

Once it’s all combined and bubbled a bit, you can start whisking in your broth or stock.

• Whisk in the stock or broth until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
• Simmer until your desired thickness is achieved.
• Douse all potatoes, stuffing, and meat within reach. Enjoy!

Told you it was easy. And it took what? All of 5 minutes?

This easy gravy recipe is designed to serve as your starting point. Embellish as you see fit by stirring in sautéed onions or mushrooms, chopped fresh herbs, or adding cream or white wine to enhance the flavors.

Freezing Instructions

It’s easy to make a big batch of gravy and freeze it in 2-cup portions to use later. A flour based gravy can keep in the freezer for up to 4 months. 

You can freeze this homemade gravy in containers, resealable plastic bags, or in an ice cube tray for when you need a small amount. It’s one of my favorite things for adding extra flavor to soup.

What can you do with leftover gravy?

You can do lots of things with your leftover gravy! Here are a few suggestions:

• Freeze it – as mentioned above, you can stash this in the freezer for months. Just thaw, reheat in a saucepan and whisk to recombine.
• Use it as a soup starter – Gravy is an easy soup starter, thickening the soup and adding flavor. Make soup from leftovers as a great way to save money and avoid food waste.
• Serve it with meatballs. They aren’t just for tomato sauce.
• Bake it into a pie. Shepherd’s pie and chicken pot pie are great ways to use gravy.

FAQs

Tools I use to make this recipe easy:

This is a pretty straight-forward dish. You don’t need any fancy equipment. However, having some good basic kitchen tools can really make your time in the kitchen more enjoyable. Over time, I’ve honed my collection so that they are perfect for my needs. Here are the tools that I like to use in this recipe.

• whisk – please get one with a sealed barrel handle. Trust me. You don’t want dish water seeping out into your food!
• saucepot – these are good for so many things!
• fat separator – helpful to separate the fat from the juice.