Let bottled and dry mix gravy be relics of the past! This recipe for Mushroom and Onion Gravy stirs up silky and delicious. It’s super freezer-friendly so you can keep it just as convenient as a can.
Serve this easy Mushroom and Onion Gravy over Roasted Turkey Breast and Herbed Stuffing. It’s a delicious Make-Ahead and Freeze Thanksgiving Side Dish.
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I was raised to think that making homemade gravy was difficult. It wasn’t some plot by my mother to get me to like canned gravy. But, it really was a fearful thing for many of the women in my extended family.
What if there were lumps?!
That would be the kiss of death, particularly at a holiday dinner.
So, whenever there was a big meal with gravy, despite how many cooks were in the kitchen, we either busted out a jar of commercial gravy or we summoned Debra, a second cousin once removed who knew how to make gravy.
As an adult I learned how to make gravy, and I’m so glad I did. Definite life skill to have, my friend, and thankfully one that’s not as difficult as some of my relatives would have you believe.
Why Make This
It’s easy! This Mushroom and Onion Gravy always turns out great. No lumps. Trust me when I say that making gravy is not hard.
You need gravy. Mushroom and Onion Gravy is an essential part of the Thanksgiving Meal. Gravy is necessary, people. Necessary.
It’s super delicious. This Mushroom and Onion Gravy is one that we absolutely love. I purposely make a double batch so that I can make a Turkey Pot Pie with leftovers. If I don’t make a pie, I freeze the extra so that we can have homemade gravy in minutes.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make Mushroom and Onion Gravy:
butter – I like to use real butter, but you can use margarine, plant butter, or even olive oil.
onion – Brown onions are usually the cheapest, but you can also use sweet onions or white onions, or even shallots. I don’t recommend red onion, though.
mushrooms – You can use fresh button or brown mushrooms in Mushroom and Onion Gravy. In a pinch you can use canned mushrooms: drain them well, chop them fine, and skip the sautéing of the mushrooms step.
flour – I use unbleached, all-purpose flour, but you can use regular all-purpose as well.
broth or stock – Use chicken, turkey, beef, or vegetable broth. You can also substitute part of the broth with milk, sherry, or white wine. If you have leftover drippings from a roast beef, roast pork, turkey, or chicken, add those to the broth amount as well. They’ll add tons of flavor!
rubbed sage – Rubbed sage is a perfect herb to pair with mushrooms and onions. You can substitute another herb if you like, such as tarragon, thyme, oregano, or basil.
salt and black pepper – Season to taste with salt and pepper. You can also season the gravy with a spice blend, such as Cajun Spice Blend or Homemade Seasoned Salt.
Variations
To make this gluten-free: Use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour in place of the flour. Make sure that there is no gluten in your broth or any seasoning you might add.
To make this vegan: Use oil or a plant-based butter for the dairy butter. Make sure to use a vegetable broth for the liquid.
Step-by-Step Instructions
This mushroom and onion gravy is basically a simple mushroom sauce. Here’s how you make it:
- Melt butter in a large pot. Add the chopped mushrooms and onions and cook them down until the onions are clear and the mushrooms have reduced.
- Add a bit more butter and flour. Stir well until a paste is formed.
- Gradually quick in the stock and simmer until thickened.
- Whisk in seasonings. Adjust to taste. Serve hot.
Freezing Instructions
This Mushroom and Onion Gravy is perfect for freezing. Once you’ve prepared the gravy, divide it into portion-size containers and chill them in the fridge. When the gravy is cold, transfer the containers to the freezer.
To serve: Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Tips for Success
Here are some things you should know to make the best Mushroom and Onion Gravy:
- The gravy will be more flavorful if you use pan drippings from a roast turkey or chicken. If you choose the make-ahead option, it will be just as tasty with broth or stock. Save the drippings and make another batch of gravy a different day. You’ll be less stressed when you freeze Thanksgiving side dishes.
- Not all vegetable broths are created equal. Try a few different brands or make homemade vegetable broth for best flavor.
- Leftover gravy goes very well in pot pies, soups, and stews. Don’t throw it out! Use it creatively in another dish or bake some biscuits to go with. Use it in Shepherd’s Pie with Cheddar Mash or Homemade Chicken Pot Pie.
FAQs
Drippings from roast meats add great flavor to gravy. Just substitute the drippings for an equal amount of stock. You can also use a bit of wine in place of some of the liquid. Herbs and spices also add good flavor.
You can make this gravy in advance. Chill it and store it either in the fridge or the freezer. Thaw it in the fridge and then reheat it on the stovetop. Whisk it before serving to adjust the texture.
You can slice or chop onions for gravy. I like to chop them so that the pieces are bite size and not unwieldy on the dishes you serve with the gravy.
Recipe Costs
Knowing how much it costs you to prepare a recipe can help you decide if it’s the type of recipe to make regularly or one you might want to save for special occasions. Let’s crunch some numbers and see how this recipe pencils out.
- butter – $0.50
- onion – $0.35
- mushrooms – $1.99
- flour – $0.08
- broth – $1.99
- seasonings – $0.05
While your costs may vary depending on where and how you shop, you can expect to pay about $4.96 for a big batch of Mushroom and Onion Gravy, about $1.24/cup.
More Great Thanksgiving Dishes
Mushroom and Onion Gravy
Ingredients
- 7 tablespoon butter
- ½ onion (for ½ cup chopped)
- 8 oz mushrooms finely chopped (I pulsed them in the food processor)
- ½ cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
- 4 cup turkey stock or chicken, beef, or vegetable broth or stock
- ¼ teaspoon dried rubbed sage
- salt
- black pepper
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Add the onion and cook on low for 15 minutes, covered. Add the mushrooms and cook another 15 minutes on medium.
- Add the remaining 3 tablespoons butter and allow it to melt. Stir in the flour and cook for a minute. The mushroom mixture will appear like a thick paste.
- Slowly whisk in the broth, adding a little at a time, until the liquid is incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Simmer until thickened, about ten minutes.
- Season with the sage, salt, and pepper.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published in November 13, 2013. It has been updated for content and clarity.
A T
Um, just wondering if we could get Debra’s stuffing recipe?
Thanks for all you do!
Jessica Fisher
This is the stuffing that gets inhaled at my holiday meals.
Jean
I tried this recipe and had to add double amount of liquid. It was like a paste without adding extra liquid!
Jessica Fisher
Thank you for pointing out my typo! Oh my word. Yes, it should have read 4 cups. I’m not sure what happened, but glad you caught it. Thank you for letting me know. And I apologize for the inconvenience!
Jules boudreaux
I have found if I add stock before flour and let it warm up then add flour slowly while whisking the clumps do not appear
Nancy Laybourn
I often make my grave ahead of time and on turkey day but a tablespoon or two of drippings in the grave, or I will get turkey or chicken wings ahead of time and use the stock for grave.
Cecee
I am the same way. I am a total whiz in the kitchen, but ALWAYS buy canned gravy for T-Day, because I’m afraid of lumps. Since its just the hubs and I this year, I’m going to try this one. Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Ken
I love to make sauces and gravies. The only thing I would add to the discussion is that I heat the stock in the microwave before I use it. The lumps that Cecee is talking about occur when you add the cold stock to the hot butter/flour mixture in the pan. By heating the stock, the lumps won’t happen.
Christine, have you ever tried Rice Flour for thickening recipes? You can usually find it in Asian grocery or International section of regular grocery.
Christine
Yum! I love gravy, and when it thickens beautifully I beam at my husband like it’s Christmas morning. 🙂 Can’t wait to try yours. I just want to mention for those who can’t use flour (my kids have celiac) that I have found Better Batter GF flour to be great for thickening gravy. Also for homemade mac n cheese – my white sauce actually thickens faster than it ever did with all purpose flour. Also if you do want to do it with the pan drippings, check out Mark Bittman. He has a really easy technique in How to Cook Everything.
another sue
Thank you so much for this. I feel a lot more confident about the upcoming meal knowing I can get the gravy right ahead of time and not be struggling with a kitchen full of people. Gravy making! No longer a spectator sport!