Savory and velvety smooth vegetarian gravy is a holiday must-make. A handful of simple pantry ingredients form a sumptuous and rich vegetarian gravy that even meat-eaters will love.
If you're a vegetarian like me, you're probably on the hunt for a solid vegetarian gravy recipe to serve with or without turkey. This simple and reliable recipe produces silky smooth, perfectly salty gravy that's crammed with onions, soy sauce for umami flavor, and vegetable broth. I promise this gravy will please meat-eaters and non-meat-eaters alike. I love vegetarian gravy with Thanksgiving, or any time I want something special to drizzle over maple butternut squash puree, roasted cauliflower, or gluten-free souffle.
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Why You'll Love This Vegetarian Gravy Recipe
Skip the canned veggie gravy this year and make it yourself! If you have a vegetarian coming for the Thanksgiving or holiday feast, this is a fantastic option to serve alongside traditional turkey gravy, or you could serve it INSTEAD of turkey gravy. Yes, it's that good!
- Keeps well. I love making this gravy a day or two in advance of serving it, which saves me time on Thanksgiving (or at dinner time) when I'm focused on all of the other dishes. The flavor deepens the longer it rests in the fridge, too.
- So flavorful. A combination of onions, vegetable broth, and a hint of soy sauce makes this gravy gorgeously flavorful.
- Easily made gluten-free. You can make this gravy gluten-free as well as vegetarian by using your favorite 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour.
What You'll Need
Just a few pantry staples are all you'll need to make this delicious gravy! The full ingredient amounts and detailed instructions will be in the recipe card lower down.
- Butter - I like unsalted butter so that I can adjust the amount of added salt to taste. If you use unsalted butter, you may not need to add much more salt.
- Yellow onion - You could also use a red onion.
- Flour - Use sweet white rice flour to keep this recipe gluten-free, or try all-purpose flour.
- Vegetable broth - Regular or low-sodium vegetable broth is fine.
- Soy sauce - I tend to use low-sodium soy sauce, but it doesn't much matter. Again, you may wish to limit the salt to taste depending on the saltiness of these other ingredients.
- Salt and pepper - To taste!
How to Make Vegetarian Gravy
Here's an overview in photos of how you'll easily make a hearty vegetarian gravy:
- Cook onions: Melt the butter, add the onions, and cook until they are translucent and soft.
- Add flour: Stir in the flour and cook until thick.
- Whisk in broth: Now whisk in the broth until the gravy is smooth.
- Finish: Stir in the soy sauce, salt and pepper to taste, and cook the gravy until thick.
Gravy Tip: Don't Overcook the Roux
When you cook butter and flour together, it forms a roux, a mixture that is composed of equal amounts of fat and butter, that works as a thickening agent. You'll find directions in many recipes, from sauces to souffles.
It's so important not to overcook the roux. You want to hit the sweet spot where the flour is cooked and the butter smells slightly nutty, which is around 3 minutes of continuous stirring time. If your roux burns or gets very dark brown, discard it and try again.
Tips and Variation Suggestions
This vegetarian gravy recipe comes together in just minutes and one of my favorite things about it is that you don't need to fuss with any pan drippings. Here are a few tips and variations you can try when making vegetarian gravy:
- Make it dairy-free. I love the richness of butter in this gravy recipe, but I also make it using olive oil, and it's just as deliciously smooth and creamy.
- Make it gluten-free. Use ¼ cup (40 grams) of sweet rice flour instead of the flour to easily make this vegetarian gravy recipe gluten-free.
- Add mushrooms. For an even deeper flavor, add 1 cup of chopped mushrooms to the pan when you are cooking the onions.
- Add minced garlic. Likewise, you can add 2 cloves of minced garlic to the onions to add a bit of spicy, garlicky flavor.
- Make ahead: I love making this vegetarian gravy recipe ahead of time so that I have one less thing to deal with when I'm cooking Thanksgiving dinner. Cool the gravy, then transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. The gravy will thicken as it rests in the fridge. When you reheat it, whisk in a little water or broth until it reaches your desired consistency again.
Serving Options
Vegetarian gravy is best served piping hot and drizzled over a big pile of fluffy mashed potatoes. It's a necessary addition to a vegetarian Thanksgiving feast and is also perfect when served with the traditional roast turkey. You can use it in place of beef gravy when making roast beef, biscuits and gravy, or with any other meals that call for gravy.
Storage and Reheating Tips
- Store - Store gravy in an airtight container - I like to use a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid - in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Reheat - Place the gravy in a pot over medium-low heat. Add a little broth or water to thin it out if necessary. Then reheat until the gravy is bubbling and hot.
If you tried this recipe please let me know! Or if you have any recipe questions, always feel free to reach out in comments or email. I hope you love it! ❤️
Recipe
Vegetarian Gravy
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil
- ½ cup finely diced yellow onion
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon soy or tamari sauce
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large heavy bottom saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the onions and cook for about 10 minutes until they are translucent and soft.
- Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes, until the roux thickens. Whisk in the vegetable broth and soy sauce, then add salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook the gravy over medium heat until thick and bubbling.
- May be made in advance and heated to serve; you may need to thin a bit with water or broth.
Notes
- Make it dairy-free. I love the richness of butter in this gravy recipe but I also make it using olive oil and it's just as deliciously smooth and creamy.
- Make it gluten-free. Use ¼ cup (40 grams) of sweet rice flour instead of the flour to easily make this vegetarian gravy recipe gluten-free.
- Add mushrooms. For an even deeper flavor, add 1 cup of chopped mushrooms to the pan when you are cooking the onions.
- Add minced garlic. Likewise, you can add 2 cloves of minced garlic to the onions to add a bit of spicy, garlicky flavor.
- Make ahead: I love making this vegetarian gravy recipe ahead of time so that I have one less thing to deal with when I'm cooking Thanksgiving dinner. Cool the gravy, then transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. The gravy will thicken as it rests in the fridge. When you reheat it, whisk in a little water or broth until it reaches your desired consistency again.
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