Easy Homemade Gravy Recipe (2024)

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4.25 from 52 votes

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By: Julie Evink24 Comments

Posted: 10/31/19

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Easy gravy recipe that anyone can make for the holidays. It uses turkey broth, but if you don’t have that you can simply replace it with chicken broth. With only a few ingredients you will have a delicious, fool-proof and lump free just like everyone loves.

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Easy Homemade Gravy Recipe (1)

This quick and easy gravy recipe is one that anyone can make. There’s nothing like topping your turkey, mashed potatoes or stuffing with it at the holidays!

I love this recipe because it only uses a few ingredients and virtually fool-proof. If you are a beginner don’t be worried you will get an amazing, thick, creamy, delicious and fuss-free.

If you are making a turkey you can use the drippings from the turkey, but you can also substitute drippings for packaged broth and it’s still delicious.

Easy Homemade Gravy Recipe (2)

Contents show

What ingredients do I need?

  • Butter
  • Black pepper
  • All-purpose flour
  • Turkey pan drippings strained or chicken broth

How do I make it?

  • Melt Butter – The first step is to melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat.
  • Add Ingredients – When butter is melted stir in black pepper. Slowly add flour while whisking continuously until mixture is smooth. The next step is to slowly whisk in drippings or chicken broth to mixture in pan. Make sure you whisk continuously. Cook the mixture for several minutes until it thickens.
  • Serve – Serve it immediately or keep warm on low heat until ready to serve.

How to make it using pan drippings!

If you would like to make turkey gravy using the drippings from your homemade turkey it’s really simple, but a key step is straining out the drippings to get any fat or gristle out of the drippings.

I love using the drippings because you get all the taste from the seasonings of the turkey in your it!

Simply pour your drippings through a finer mesh strainer and that’s it!

How to make it using broth!

If you aren’t making a turkey and would still like gravy it’s super simple to use chicken broth instead of turkey drippings. Also, if you don’t have enough drippings to make it simply top off your turkey drippings with broth.

Easy Homemade Gravy Recipe (3)

Tips and Tricks!

  • Gluten Free – Simply substitute corn starch for flour at a 1:2 ratio to make this gluten free. That means you’d use 1/4 c. corn starch instead of 1/2 c. flour.
  • With milk – If you are looking for it be more creamy like sausage gavy just substitute part of the liquid for milk.
  • Avoid lumps – The trick to making it lump free is to whisk continuously and slowly add in the flour while whisking.
  • Thicker– If you would like it thicker simply whisk in a little more of the flour or cornstarch. Although make sure you simmer it before you do this as it will thicken as it simmers.

To go with this delicious gravy, you’re definitely going to need some stuffing! Grab my recipe forCrock Pot Stuffing here!

WATCH THE STEP BY STEP VIDEO FOR THIS RECIPE BELOW:

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Easy Homemade Gravy Recipe (4)

4.25 from 52 votes

Gravy Recipe

Delicious Homemade Turkey Gravy that Anyone Can Make!

Prep:10 minutes mins

Cook:10 minutes mins

Total:20 minutes mins

12

Ingredients

  • 1/2 c. butter
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
  • 4 c. of turkey pan drippings strained or chicken broth

Instructions

  • Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in black pepper.

  • Slowly add flour, whisking continuously until mixture is smooth.

  • Slowly whisk in drippings or chicken broth into the pan. Make sure to whisk continuously. Cook gravy for several minutes until it thickens up.

  • Serve immediately or keep warm on low heat until ready to serve.

Tips

  • Gluten Free - Simply substitute corn starch for flour at a 1:2 ratio to make this gluten free. That means you'd use 1/4 c. corn starch instead of 1/2 c. flour.
  • Gravy with milk - If you are looking for a creamy gravy like sausage gravy just substitute part of the liquid for milk.
  • Avoid lumps - The trick to making gravy lump free is to whisk continuously and slowly add in the flour while whisking.
  • Thicker Gravy - If you would like the gravy thicker simply whisk in a little more of the flour or cornstarch. Although make sure you simmer it before you do this as it will thicken as it simmers.

Video

Nutrition Information

Calories: 110kcal (6%)

© Julie's Eats & Treats ®

We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box is calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.

Meet Julie Evink

I'm here to help you win in the kitchen again! Life is Busy, Life is Crazy, but that doesn't mean you can't make your family dinner! Julie's goal is to provide you with easy, family, friendly recipes that use pantry staples. Dinnertime will be stress free again!

Read more...

Easy Homemade Gravy Recipe (5)

FREE DUMP & GO CROCK POT RECIPES!

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Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment

  1. Tony says

    Easy Homemade Gravy Recipe (10)
    I needed to make a fast gravy to put over leftover cornbread dressing. This was the perfect recipe and it was so delicious on the dressing! This is now one of my favorite gravy recipes!!

    Reply

  2. Angelica says

    Can you use turkey fat (from drippings) instead of butter? If so, would measurements change for fat and flour?

    Reply

    • Julie says

      I’m not sure! I have always used butter for this recipe.

      Reply

  3. Kathleen Nebreda says

    Easy Homemade Gravy Recipe (11)
    Made this gravy for our Canadian Thanksgiving.Delicious! I added some milk with the turkey drippings like my Mom ‘s recipe.So easy and no clumps.Thank you! i’ll be making this gravy at Christmas too!

    Reply

    • Julie says

      Perfect! I’m so glad it was a hit! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply

    • Femrite Joann says

      Julie,
      Why do you leave the skin on the onion !?? Gives me nightmares !!

      Reply

      • Julie Evink says

        This is a recipe for gravy and there are no onions in the recipe so I’m not sure what you are referring too?

  4. Alan Evans says

    Easy Homemade Gravy Recipe (12)
    Your recipe is hard to read and follow with all the ads, popups and videos.

    Reply

    • Dave says

      Could you print it so you can read without having the pop ups?

      Reply

      • Julie says

        Yes, there is a print recipe option that allows you to see the recipe card without any ads!

  5. Elaine Woodward says

    Can it be made ahead of time and frozen?

    Reply

    • Julie Evink says

      Yes I think that would work fine!

      Reply

  6. Vicki says

    Can this gravy be frozen?

    Reply

    • Julie Evink says

      I think you can!

      Reply

  7. Ann says

    Easy Homemade Gravy Recipe (13)
    We made this exactly as written – and it was awesome. This was the easiest gravy recipe we have ever made. It is a keeper. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply

    • Julie Evink says

      So glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply

  8. Karen @ The Food Charlatan says

    Easy Homemade Gravy Recipe (14)
    I totally used to be afraid of gravy too!! I just made some yesteday and it was super easy 🙂 🙂 this looks great!

    Reply

    • Melissa says

      Does the corn starch taste different in the gravy Compared to flour in the gravy.
      I’d like to make the gluten free so I could enjoy it too not make two different patches . Just curious looks amazing thanks for sharing it !😊

      Reply

      • Julie Evink says

        I think that would work fine! I use cornstarch to thicken up sauces a lot and can’t tell the difference 🙂

  9. Kelley @ Chef Savvy says

    Easy Homemade Gravy Recipe (15)
    Gravy is one of favorite parts of Thanks giving! I put it on EVERYTHING! Your gravy sounds amazing!

    Reply

  10. Savita @ Chef De Home says

    Easy Homemade Gravy Recipe (16)
    I have never roasted full turkey at home yet! 🙂 Hope to get over this fear soon. Gravy looks perfect, Julie. Love how easy this recipe is!

    Reply

  11. Danielle | The Creative Bite says

    That is funny because my mom did the same thing with gravy. She made me feel like it was this big scary undertaking. Later in life the ladies at the cafe taught me how easily whip up any gravy but I’ve never tried it with butter like yours calls for, so I might have to give that a try this Thanksgiving! Butter makes everything better right?! 🙂

    Reply

  12. Kelly says

    I feel the same way about my mom and realized that she’s usually right too 🙂 So glad you got over your fear now though. Love how easy this homemade turkey is!

    Reply

Easy Homemade Gravy Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How is gravy made from scratch? ›

Melt butter in a medium-sized sauce pan. Add flour and whisk constantly until mixture is golden caramel color and smells fragrant (3-5 minutes). Slowly whisk in liquids, while whisking, until mixture is smooth. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened and bubbly, 5 minutes or longer.

Can you make gravy with just flour and water? ›

(You can also start with a slurry of flour and water—equal amounts flour and cold water whisked together—if you want.) Whisk the gravy while slowly adding liquid: Slowly add stock, water, milk, cream, or a combination to the pan, whisking vigorously to dissolve the flour into liquid.

What is the formula for gravy? ›

A traditional roux uses roughly an equal amount of flour and fat, but gravies often call for a bit more flour than that, to ensure the gravy is thick enough. (The classic ratio for gravy is three:two:one, so 3 tablespoons flour, 2 tablespoons fat, and 1 cup of hot stock.)

What is traditional gravy made of? ›

A roux is a mixture of equal parts fat and flour. It's used to thicken a variety of stews and sauces, including homemade gravy. For this recipe, you can either use some of the skimmed fat from your pan drippings or butter and whole wheat flour to make your gravy roux.

How to make gravy if you don't have flour or cornstarch? ›

Arrowroot. This powder comes from rhizomes of the Marantaceae family of tubers. It's a great natural substitute for those needing a gluten-free gravy thickener. As with using cornstarch or flour to thicken gravy, make a slurry with your arrowroot powder by mixing 2 to 3 tablespoons with an equal amount of water.

What is it called when you mix flour and water for gravy? ›

A slurry is generally made with liquid (often water or broth) mixed with either cornstarch or flour and added to a hot liquid to thicken it. Because a slurry is a concentrated starchy liquid it will thicken sauces and gravy.

Can you use water instead of milk for homemade gravy? ›

Simple Gravy Recipe Without Milk

This old fashioned gravy recipe made from pan drippings and a slurry of water and corn starch has been passed down in my family for generations. It's a foolproof gravy recipe and so easy to make following these simple instructions.

Is gravy better with flour or cornstarch? ›

It's important to note that cornstarch has twice the thickening power of flour. If you need to substitute cornstarch to thicken liquid in a recipe that calls for ¼ cup (four tablespoons) flour, you only need two tablespoons cornstarch.

What can you add to homemade gravy to make it taste better? ›

Seasonings + Herbs: I use pantry staples like garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, kosher salt, and white pepper. If you don't happen to have white pepper on hand, you can replace it with black pepper. I find that white pepper not only adds a more delicious flavor but it also makes the gravy look better!

What is KFC gravy made of? ›

What is the gravy at KFC made of? The restaurant uses a simple combination of gravy powder, water, and – their secret ingredient – chicken crackling. This is a collection of the browned bits and pieces leftover from frying their world famous chicken.

What thickener is best for gravy? ›

Similar to flour, cornstarch is another ingredient that can be used to make gravy thicker. With cornstarch, making a slurry is also an option, but with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch whisked into cold water. Again, you'll want to add the slurry in increments so you don't over-thicken the gravy.

What is gravy mix made of? ›

INGREDIENTS: CORNSTARCH, WHEAT FLOUR, DEXTROSE, HYDROLYZED CORN, SOY, WHEAT PROTEIN WITH SUNFLOWER OIL, SALT, YEAST EXTRACT (YEAST EXTRACT, NATURAL FLAVOR, SALT, MALTODEXTRIN ), NONFAT DRY MILK, CANOLA OIL, ONION, SILICON DIOXIDE (TO PREVENT CAKING), GARLIC, BEEF FAT WITH TOCOPHEROL , CARAMEL COLOR, EXTRACTIVES OF ...

Is gravy made from milk and flour? ›

In a matter of minutes, you can whip up white gravy in a saucepan for the perfect creamy, savory topping for your favorite dishes. This basic sauce is prepared with ingredients you likely already have on hand: butter, flour, milk, salt, and pepper.

What is the story behind how do you make gravy? ›

It tells the story of a newly imprisoned man writing a letter to his brother, in which the prisoner laments that he will be missing the family's Christmas celebrations. The same character appears in Kelly's earlier songs, "To Her Door" (1987) and "Love Never Runs on Time" (1994).

Is gravy made with plain or self rising flour? ›

Self-rising or all-purpose flour can both work in making gravy.

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