Vegetarian gravy
Make this easy vegetarian gravy recipe in minutes! Rich, savory, and perfect for mashed potatoes, biscuits, or holiday meals—no drippings required.
Ingredients
- Base
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 small diced onion
- Thickener
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- Liquid & Flavor
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon salt and pepper or to taste
- Optional Add-Ins
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme or poultry seasoning
Instructions
- Melt the Butter & Cook the Onion (3–4 minutes)
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
- Add the diced onion and cook until softened and lightly golden.
- Your kitchen will immediately smell cozy and savory — the perfect start to gravy-making.
- Add the Flour and Cook (1–2 minutes)
- Sprinkle in the flour and cook for 1–2 minutes, whisking constantly.
- This step removes the raw flour taste and forms a golden roux that will thicken your gravy.
- The mixture should smell slightly nutty and look like soft paste.
- Add Broth Slowly While Whisking (1–2 minutes)
- Pour in the vegetable broth gradually while whisking to prevent lumps.
- Continue whisking until the mixture begins to smooth out.
- Add Flavor and Simmer (5 minutes)
- Stir in:
- soy sauce
- nutritional yeast
- salt and pepper
- optional spices
- Let the gravy simmer for 5 minutes until thickened and glossy.
- If it gets too thick, splash in more broth. If too thin, simmer longer.
- Adjust Seasoning and Serve
- Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and soy sauce as needed.
- Serve immediately over mashed potatoes, biscuits, stuffing, or roasted veggies.
- This is the moment where I always sneak a little spoonful — just for “quality control!”
Notes
- Whisk constantly when adding broth to ensure a smooth, lump-free texture.
- Cook the flour long enough to avoid a raw, floury taste.
- Soy sauce deepens color and flavor — add gradually to avoid oversalting.
- Warm broth incorporates more smoothly into the roux.
- If gravy becomes too thick, loosen with broth; if too thin, simmer longer.
- This gravy freezes well for up to 3 months.