Easy 5 Minute Vegan Gravy Recipe
This homemade easy vegan gravy recipe only requires 7 ingredients and 5 minutes to make, but the result is a rich, creamy, dairy-free gravy that is totally delicious. It’s full of flavor and pairs perfectly with mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, and all your favorite comfort foods. Perfect to mix up on Thanksgiving and other holidays!
This easy vegan gravy is seriously so creamy, so smooth, and so rich you will want to pour it over everything.
Try this creamy gravy not only on a Thanksgiving meal and Christmas dinner, but over vegan biscuits, paired with some lentil loaf, and of course on top of mashed potatoes.
For more Thanksgiving recipes click here. If you’re looking for more Christmas recipes click here.
Why You’ll Love this Vegan Gravy
- Super quick to make in only 5 minutes
- Super easy to put together with simple ingredients
- No big equipment required, just a pot and a whisk
- Mixes on the stove top
- Rich
- Creamy
- Full of flavor
- Seriously delicious!
Ingredients
- Vegetable Broth: This is the base of the gravy in place of milk or even dairy free milk. I really recommend the brand “Better than Boullion” in the vegetable base flavor. It’s what I always use. You can always use your favorite “No Chicken” cube or even homemade vegetable stock.
- Onion + Garlic Powder: By using powder in place of fresh onion and garlic we remove the need to blend or strain the gravy after cooking. I have also found that these more mild onion and garlic flavors are more palatable to kids or sensitive adults.
- Savory Herb Seasoning: This is my homemade savory herb blend that I use in so many recipes and can’t recommend enough that you make! You can use a general poultry seasoning in place of this, however, I really want you to make this with my blend for the best results.
- Black Pepper: A little bit to really enhance the depth of flavor.
- Soy Sauce / Tamari: This adds a bit of color and lots of umami flavor.
- Nutritional Yeast: This is the secret ingredient of this gravy. The nutritional yeast makes the gravy rich and full of flavor, adding that little bit of “je ne sais quois” to the dish.
- All Purpose Flour: This thickens the gravy and gives it body. Since it is raw flour, it’s really important to cook the gravy for the full 4 to 5 minutes so that the flour is cooked all the way through. See the variations on how to make this gluten free!
Instructions
Making this gravy is super simple!
Make sure to check out the recipe card below for the full recipe and ingredient list.
Start with your vegetable broth in a sauce pot. Add all the ingredients of onion and garlic powder, savory herb blend, soy sauce, nutritional yeast, and all purpose flour. Give it a quick whisk.
Pop the pot onto the stove over a medium heat and bring to a first boil. A first boil is when you get a “bloop” bubble in the gravy in the middle of the pot. After that, turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
Make sure to whisk it together almost constantly when you are at the simmer stage. This prevents the gravy from burning on the bottom.
After about 4 minutes of cooking, you should have a super thick and delicious gravy ready to serve!
Variations
Want a chunkier gravy? Replace the onion and garlic powder with a few tablespoons of chopped sweet onion and 2 cloves of garlic.
Want a thinner gravy? Increase the broth amount to 3 cups.
Make it a white pepper gravy by adding a ¼ to half teaspoon white pepper. This is especially good over biscuits!
Want to make it a sausage gravy? Before adding the ingredients, saute your favorite homemade or store bought vegan sausage into crumbles until browned. Remove from the pan and make the gravy in the same pot. In the last minute of cooking add the sausage back to the gravy.
To make this vegan gravy gluten free, replace the all purpose wheat flour with a good gluten-free flour blend. I always have good results with King Arthur Measure for Measure gluten free flour. It’s made with rice flour and potato starch with a bit of xanthan gum that will bind the gravy together. If you find that your gravy is still on the thinner side, I’ve had luck adding 2 teaspoons of cornstarch as well.
FAQs
Yes! See above on how to make this gluten free.
Yes! I have instructions in my savory herb seasoning mix on how to use fresh herbs for this brown gravy.
Sure! Add about 1 cup of sliced mushrooms (I recommend baby bella or porcini mushrooms) to the sauce pot with a tablespoon of vegan butter. Saute until the mushrooms have cooked. Set aside. Make the gravy in the same pot as directed. In the last minute of cooking, add the mushrooms back to the gravy and stir.
How to Store
Fridge: Allow the gravy to cool completely and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezer: Allow the gravy to cool completely and store in a freezer safe container for up to 2 months.
How to Reheat: Reheat gravy either in a microwave-safe container in 30 second intervals, making sure to stir each time. You may need to add a few tablespoons of water to help it. You can also reheat the gravy on the stove in a sauce pot on medium-low heat until warmed. Add a splash of water as needed to help get the right consistency.
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Equipment
- Sauce pot
- measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Whisk
Ingredients
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon savory herb blend or poultry seasoning
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- ¼ cup flour or gluten free flour
Instructions
- Whisk the gravy. In a small to medium sized sauce pot, whisk together all of the ingredients until it is blended together.
- Cook the gravy. Cook the gravy over medium heat on the stove until it comes to a first boil. Then, turn the heat down and let simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, whisking constantly to keep the gravy from burning on the stove. After a few minutes, the gravy will be thick and done. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- How to Store
- Fridge: Allow the gravy to cool completely and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Allow the gravy to cool completely and store in a freezer safe container for up to 2 months.
- How to Reheat: Reheat gravy either in a microwave safe container in 30 second intervals, making sure to stir each time. You may need to add a few tablespoons of water to help it. You can also reheat the gravy on the stove in a sauce pot on medium-low heat until warmed. Add a splash of water as needed to help get the right consistency.