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This Easy 5-Minute Gravy Recipe is a simple homemade gravy made from scratch with butter, flour, stock, and seasonings. It’s rich, flavorful, and perfectly thick, and you don’t even need pan drippings to make it! You can use chicken, turkey, beef, or vegetable stock, making this an easy gravy recipe for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any dinner that needs a little something extra.
5 Minute Gravy From Scratch
I’ve learned something as I’ve gotten older: gravy might actually be the most important part of the meal. Mel would practically drink the stuff if I let him, and he’s definitely not shy about drowning everything on his plate in it. I used to struggle with getting gravy thick enough because watery gravy is just not my thing. I wanted a recipe I could make any time, not just when I happened to have a turkey roasting in the oven.
The trick is starting with a butter and flour roux, which gives the gravy its thickness without making it lumpy. I also use bouillon when I’m making it with stock instead of drippings because plain stock doesn’t always have enough flavor on its own. My biggest advice is to use unsalted butter and taste before adding salt, especially if you’re using bouillon. And don’t walk away from the stove! This really does thicken in about five minutes, which is exactly what I want when I’m trying to get a holiday dinner on the table.
What Makes This the Best Gravy Recipe
This gravy is the best because it’s super flavorful and thick. I love a thick gravy poured over everything, and this one delivers. Plus, it’s fast, and you can make it even without drippings from a turkey or roast.
Easy Gravy Recipe Ingredients
- Butter: I love butter in gravy – it makes it so thick and rich. It’s best to use unsalted butter and then add salt to taste because you never know how much salt is really in stock or bouillon and you don’t want your gravy recipe to be too salty.
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour for this. The butter and flour mixture cooks and makes a roux which thickens the gravy to the perfect thickness.
- Chicken Stock or broth: Use your favorite brand – but use a good one. I prefer using low sodium stock. You can also use drippings from your roast or turkey.
- Bouillon: I use this to add extra flavor when I’m just using stock or broth. If I’m using the drippings I don’t usually add this because turkey or beef drippings have tons of extra flavor.
- Spices: Use your favorites, but I love adding herbs and onion powder.
Click to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions. See below the recipe card for even more information: process shots, variations, FAQ and more.
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Dorothy’s Expert Tips for Gravy
- This gravy recipe calls for stock so make sure to use one that is high quality. The more flavor the better!
- If you are making a turkey or chicken with drippings, strain it, remove the fat, and measure it with the stock to add tons of extra flavor.
- If you’re using stock and not drippings don’t skip the bouillon. But if you’re using drippings you can reduce them or omit them.
- It’s best to use unsalted butter, just because stock, drippings, and bouillon often have lots of salt. Taste your end product to see if it needs extra salt or pepper.
- It really only takes 5 minutes. Don’t walk away from the stove; this gravy thickens fast!
Easy Gravy Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups (474ml) chicken, beef, vegetable, or turkey stock
- 2 beef or chicken bouillon cubes
- 4 tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter
- ¼ cup (31g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried sage
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Combine the stock and the bouillon cubes in a microwave safe bowl or measuring cup. Heat for 1 minutes and stir. Repeat until bouillon is dissolved.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the flour, onion powder, thyme, sage, and rosemary and cook for 1 minute to cook the flour. Slowly whisk in the stock until smooth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook, whisking, until smooth and thick, about 1 minute. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and serve immediately.
Notes
- If you have pan drippings, use those then add stock to make 2 cups.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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How To Make Gravy From Scratch
- Always melt the butter first, before adding the flour or flavors.
- Always whisk the flour into the melted butter so it makes a thick “rue” or paste. It needs to cook a few minutes to get rid of that “flour” taste.
- Adding hot stock makes this boil much faster than if it’s cold!
- Whisk almost constantly so it doesn’t stick.
How to Serve This Quick Gravy Recipe
- Easy Crockpot Mashed Potatoes
- Crockpot Pot Roast with Gravy – Crazy for Crust
- Hamburger Tater Tot Casserole with Gravy
- Easy Oven Roasted Potatoes Recipe – Crazy for Crust
How to Store Homemade Gravy
- Store leftover gravy in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
- Cooled gravy can be frozen in airtight containers or bags for up to 3 months.
- Thaw in fridge.
- Reheat in the microwave or over the stove, adding a bit more stock as needed to thin.
Easy Brown Gravy Recipe FAQs
This gravy recipe is thickened with flour – the butter and flour make a rue that thickens the stock.
You’d have to use cornstarch to thicken the gravy. Bring the stock to a boil in a saucepan and use 2 tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water. Stir the cornstarch slurry into the boiling stock until it thickens.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will gel; heat to thin and add additional stock or water if you want it thinner.
AWESOME!!!!!
Glad you like it. Thanks, Stephanie!
It was great – superfast and rescued my mashed pots!!
Glad you like it! Thank you!
I made this gravy and everyone loved it. It is very tasty! Thank you for such an easy recipe!
Hi, thanks for your easy gravy recipe!
I just wonder how to successfully double this to 4 cups of gravy, without assuming everything is just doubled?!?
I usually just double it – so 4x what you need and it’ll work! It might take longer to thicken though.
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