10 Easy Gravy Recipes From Scratch (2026): Simple Favorites

Good gravy is the difference between a plate of food and a meal people talk about. If you have ever stood over the stove whisking flour into a hot pan while the kitchen fills up with a good, meaty smell, you already know why these easy gravy recipes from scratch are worth cooking. Every one of them takes 20 to 35 minutes, uses pantry staples, and comes out smooth and pourable without a store-bought mix.

I made these ten for weeknight roasts, holiday dinners, and a Saturday breakfast where the biscuits were the point. They all use the same basic idea: fat plus flour plus warm liquid. Change the meat drippings and the stock, and you get a whole new gravy. Pick one below and cook it this week.

Easy Gravy Recipes From Scratch at a Glance

Recipe	Time	Difficulty	Best for
1. Classic Brown Gravy	30 min	Easy	Roast beef, pot roast, mashed potatoes
2. Easy Chicken Gravy	20 min	Easy	Fried chicken, roast chicken, chicken fried steak
3. Simple Turkey Gravy	25 min	Easy	Thanksgiving dinner, stuffing, leftover turkey sandwiches
4. Rich Pork Gravy	25 min	Easy	Pork chops, baked ham, biscuits
5. Creamy Mushroom Gravy	30 min	Easy	Steak, baked potato, meatless dinners
6. Easy Sausage Gravy	20 min	Easy	Breakfast biscuits, toast, fried eggs
7. Southern Style Gravy	20 min	Easy	Fried chicken, white beans, country breakfast
8. Red Wine Beef Gravy	35 min	Medium	Steak, beef tenderloin, dinner parties
9. Onion Gravy	30 min	Easy	Roast chicken, pork, casseroles
10. Green Peppercorn Gravy	25 min	Easy	Steak, pork tenderloin, roast beef

1. Classic Brown Gravy From Scratch

This is the mother recipe, and the one I make most often. Browning the flour a few shades darker than you think it should go is what separates homemade brown gravy from the pale, watery stuff. It is smooth, deeply savory, and it pours over almost anything.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings · Prep: 10 min · Cook: 20 min · Total: 30 min · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons beef drippings (reserved from the roast) or unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour (40 g)
• 3 cups low-sodium beef stock, kept warm
• 1 teaspoon beef bouillon granules
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage or thyme leaves

Instructions

1. Pour off the excess fat from the roasting pan and set it aside. Leave a thin layer of browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.
2. Add 1 cup of the warm stock and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon until the browned bits loosen and dissolve.
3. In a separate wide skillet, melt 3 tablespoons of the reserved fat over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and keep whisking for 2 minutes.
4. Whisk until the roux smells toasty and turns a medium chestnut brown, about 1 minute more.
5. Pour in the deglazed stock a little at a time, whisking after every pour, until the mixture is smooth.
6. Add the remaining stock, the bouillon granules, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper.
7. Simmer gently, stirring often, for 8 to 10 minutes, until it coats the back of a spoon.
8. Remove from the heat, stir in the fresh sage or thyme, and taste for salt before serving.

Tip: Keep the stock warm. Cold liquid hitting a hot roux is the main reason gravy turns lumpy.

Swap it: Use 2 cups chicken broth and 1 cup water for a lighter version, or swap in gluten-free flour blend one for one.

Storage: Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 3 to 4 days, or freeze flat in a bag for 3 months. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of stock, until it pours again.

2. Easy Chicken Gravy From Scratch

This is the gravy I make after frying chicken in a cast-iron skillet, using the brown bits left behind. It takes 20 minutes and it tastes like the skillet did all the work. Good over fried chicken, roast chicken, and chicken fried steak.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings · Prep: 5 min · Cook: 15 min · Total: 20 min · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (24 g)
• 2 cups chicken broth, warmed
• 1 cup pan drippings from the fried chicken, or water
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

1. Set the chicken aside on a platter, keeping the warm drippings in the skillet.
2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
3. Whisk in the flour and stir until it bubbles and turns pale golden, about 90 seconds.
4. Pour in 1/2 cup of the warm broth and whisk until no lumps remain.
5. Add the rest of the broth and the pan drippings one cup at a time, whisking constantly.
6. Stir in the onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
7. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until the gravy is glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon.
8. Stir in the parsley and pour over the chicken right away.

Tip: Pour the broth in slowly the first time and it will not need a second whisk. The first cup does all the work of breaking up the roux.

Swap it: Make it creamy by whisking in 1/3 cup heavy cream after step 6, then simmer 2 minutes more.

Storage: Keeps in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Thicken with a cornstarch slurry of 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water if it loosens.

Leftover steak recipes that use up the rest of the roast

3. Simple Turkey Gravy From Scratch

Thanksgiving gravy gets a reputation for being fussy, and mostly that is a temperature problem. This one uses the turkey fat and the drippings, then finishes in 25 minutes with no stress. The flavor is mild enough for kids and rich enough for the adults at the table.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings · Prep: 5 min · Cook: 20 min · Total: 25 min · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons reserved turkey fat (or unsalted butter)
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (30 g)
• 2 cups low-sodium turkey or chicken stock, warmed
• 1 cup water, warmed
• 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon ground sage
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

1. Transfer the turkey to a platter and rest it. Pour the drippings into a fat separator or a measuring cup and let it settle.
2. Skim 4 tablespoons of clear turkey fat off the top and reserve it.
3. Melt the fat in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
4. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 2 minutes until light golden and nutty.
5. Whisk in the warm stock a cup at a time, then the water, keeping the mixture moving.
6. Season with the poultry seasoning, sage, pepper, and salt.
7. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until it coats the back of a spoon and no longer looks loose.
8. Taste, adjust the salt, and serve it hot in a gravy boat.

Tip: Gravy thickens noticeably as it cools. Pull it off the heat while it still runs slowly off the spoon, not like honey.

Swap it: No turkey in the house? Skip the drippings and use 4 tablespoons butter with 2 cups chicken broth, plus 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika for a deeper, quicker version.

Storage: Refrigerate up to 4 days. Make it a day ahead and keep it covered; the next day it needs a splash more stock while it heats on the stove.

4. Rich Pork Gravy From Scratch

Pork chops rarely come with the drippings you need, so this recipe builds its own. Bacon drippings and a hit of smoked paprika give it a savory, slightly smoky edge that holds up next to a big plate of biscuits. It is the one I make when the weather turns cool.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings · Prep: 5 min · Cook: 20 min · Total: 25 min · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons bacon drippings or unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (30 g)
• 2 cups low-sodium pork or chicken stock, warmed
• 1/2 cup water, warmed
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Warm the stock and water in a small pot and take it off the heat.
2. Melt the bacon drippings in a wide skillet over medium heat.
3. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, whisking, until the roux is a light brown color.
4. Whisk in 1/2 cup of the warm stock and let it bubble, whisking, until the mixture pulls together.
5. Add the remaining stock and water a cup at a time, whisking after each addition.
6. Stir in the smoked paprika, soy sauce, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
7. Simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring regularly, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
8. Taste for salt and serve over pork chops, biscuits, or mashed potatoes.

Tip: Soy sauce is the quiet seasoning here. It adds salt and a deep savory note that plain salt alone cannot.

Swap it: For a milder gravy, leave out the cayenne and add 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar at the end.

Storage: Keeps 3 to 4 days refrigerated. Freeze in a small container with plastic wrap pressed onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming.

Easy recipes with hamburger and potatoes that go well with a second bowl of gravy

5. Creamy Mushroom Gravy From Scratch

Browning the mushrooms properly is the whole recipe here, and it takes longer than most people think. Give them a wide pan, a hot burner, and patience, and you get a gravy that tastes like a steakhouse. It works for meatless dinners too.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings · Prep: 10 min · Cook: 20 min · Total: 30 min · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced (250 g)
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (16 g)
• 2 cups vegetable or chicken stock, warmed
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup heavy cream, optional

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add the mushrooms in a single layer and cook without moving them for 4 minutes until deeply golden on the bottom.
3. Stir and cook 4 more minutes until browned and slightly shrunken, then transfer half to a plate.
4. Turn the heat to medium and add the remaining butter, then the shallots and garlic. Cook 2 minutes until soft.
5. Stir in the flour and cook 1 minute, stirring, until it looks like wet sand.
6. Whisk in the stock a cup at a time until the sauce is completely smooth with no lumps.
7. Add the thyme, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper, then simmer for 6 minutes.
8. Fold the reserved mushrooms back in and stir in the cream, if using, just before serving.

Tip: Salt the mushrooms only after they are browned. Salt early draws out water and they steam in their own liquid instead of browning.

Swap it: For a gluten-free version, swap the flour for 2 tablespoons cornstarch. For a vegan version, use olive oil, vegetable stock, and 2 tablespoons cashew cream instead of the dairy.

Storage: Refrigerate for 3 to 4 days. Reheat in a skillet over low heat with 1 to 2 tablespoons stock, stirring until the cream comes back together.

6. Easy Sausage Gravy From Scratch

People on cooking forums describe the real method in the same short sentence: fry the sausage, make a roux, add milk, season. That is genuinely it. The only detail that matters is pouring the milk in slowly. This version is thick enough to hold up on a biscuit but still pours.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings · Prep: 5 min · Cook: 15 min · Total: 20 min · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 1 pound pork breakfast sausage, casings removed (450 g)
• 3 tablespoons rendered sausage fat
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (30 g)
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, optional
• 1 tablespoon chopped green onion, for serving

Instructions

1. Brown the sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it up with a spoon, until cooked through, about 8 minutes. Safe internal temperature is 160°F (71°C).
2. Transfer the sausage to a plate, leaving the rendered fat in the skillet.
3. Lower the heat to medium and measure out 3 tablespoons of the fat into a saucepan.
4. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes until the roux is a pale golden color.
5. Pour in 1 cup of the milk and whisk hard until the mixture is smooth.
6. Add the rest of the milk and the half-and-half 1 cup at a time, whisking between each addition.
7. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until it coats the back of a spoon and holds a thin line when you drag a finger through it.
8. Season with pepper, salt, and garlic powder, then fold the sausage back in and serve over biscuits.

Tip: If it turns gluey, whisk in half a cup of warm milk off the heat. It loosens right back up.

Swap it: Turkey sausage works and cuts the fat. For a dairy-free version, use 2 cups unsweetened oat milk and skip the half-and-half.

Storage: Keeps 3 days in the fridge. It sets firm when cold, so warm it slowly with a splash of milk rather than in the microwave on high.

7. Southern Style Gravy From Scratch

Southern-style gravy is a skillet gravy, not a saucy one. It is thin enough to soak into a split biscuit, seasoned with enough black pepper to make you notice it, and built from whatever the chicken left in the pan. This one is on the stove in 20 minutes.

Yield: 6 servings · Prep: 5 min · Cook: 15 min · Total: 20 min · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons rendered bacon, chicken, or pan drippings
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour (40 g)
• 2 cups chicken stock, warmed
• 1/2 cup water, warmed
• 2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce, such as vinegar-based, optional

Instructions

1. Let the fried chicken rest, then pour off all but 4 tablespoons of the fat from the skillet.
2. Set the skillet over medium heat and whisk in the flour.
3. Cook the roux for 2 minutes, whisking, until it smells toasty but is still light in color.
4. Whisk in 1 cup of the warm stock, then the water, then the rest of the stock.
5. Add the pepper, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, and salt.
6. Simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring, until it is the consistency of thin cream and coats a spoon lightly.
7. Stir in the hot sauce, taste for salt, and serve immediately.

Tip: Grind your own black pepper if you can. Pre-ground pepper in a tin has lost most of its heat and the smell by the time you measure it.

Swap it: Want it thicker? Add a second tablespoon of flour and 1/4 cup more stock, then simmer 3 more minutes.

Storage: Refrigerate for 3 to 4 days. This one loosens fast as it cools, so thin it with warm stock when you reheat rather than flour.

8. Red Wine Beef Gravy From Scratch

This is the most dressed-up recipe on the list, and the only one that asks for more than 30 minutes. Red wine cooked down with the browned bits in the pan builds a depth you cannot get from stock alone. Save it for the night you want the meal to feel like an occasion.

Yield: 6 servings · Prep: 10 min · Cook: 25 min · Total: 35 min · Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup dry red wine, such as Cabernet or Pinot Noir
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (16 g)
• 2 cups low-sodium beef stock, warmed
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. After searing the beef, set it on a platter and let the pan cool 2 minutes.
2. Add the butter and oil to the pan, then the shallot. Cook over medium heat for 3 minutes until softened and lightly golden.
3. Pour in the wine and scrape the bottom of the pan until the browned bits come loose, about 2 minutes.
4. Let the wine reduce by roughly half, until the sharp alcohol smell is gone and the liquid looks syrupy.
5. Stir in the flour and cook 1 minute, scraping the bottom.
6. Whisk in the warm stock a cup at a time until smooth, then add the Worcestershire sauce, thyme, salt, and pepper.
7. Simmer for 6 to 8 minutes until it coats the back of a spoon.
8. Rest the beef for at least 3 minutes, then slice against the grain and serve with the gravy poured over.

Tip: Use a dry red wine you would happily drink. Sweet wine makes a sweet gravy, and cooking does not take the sweetness out.

Swap it: Skip the wine entirely and add 1/2 cup extra beef stock plus 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar at the end for a shortcut version.

Storage: Holds 4 days in the fridge and improves overnight. Reheat over low heat, stirring, and add stock a tablespoon at a time until it moves again.

9. Onion Gravy From Scratch

Onion gravy is worth the time the caramelizing takes, and that time is 15 minutes of mostly standing still. Slow-cooked until the onions are deep brown and sweet rather than just soft, they melt into a gravy that tastes like it took all afternoon. It is the one I make for casseroles and roast chicken.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings · Prep: 10 min · Cook: 20 min · Total: 30 min · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (16 g)
• 2 cups chicken or beef stock, warmed
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar, optional
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a wide skillet over medium heat.
2. Add the sliced onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until the onions are limp and deep golden.
3. Stir the sugar in for the last minute, if using, to round out the sweetness.
4. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir for 1 minute until the pan looks dry and coated.
5. Whisk in 1 cup of warm stock, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen the fond.
6. Add the remaining stock, Worcestershire sauce, and black pepper.
7. Simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon.
8. Season with the remaining salt, stir in the thyme, and serve.

Tip: Slice the onion thin and use a wide pan. A crowded skillet steams the onions, and you will get pale sweet gravy instead of deep caramelized flavor.

Swap it: Add 1/2 cup sliced cremini mushrooms in step 2 for a mushroom onion gravy. For a gluten-free version, use cornstarch instead of flour and 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water to finish.

Storage: Keeps 3 to 4 days refrigerated. It thickens more than others, so add 2 to 3 tablespoons stock when reheating.

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10. Green Peppercorn Gravy From Scratch

Green peppercorns are the reason this one tastes like a restaurant. Toasting them dry in the pan first builds a floral, peppery aroma that softens when the cream goes in. It takes 25 minutes and works with pork, beef, or chicken.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings · Prep: 5 min · Cook: 20 min · Total: 25 min · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons green peppercorns, coarsely crushed
• 1 shallot, minced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (16 g)
• 1 1/2 cups low-sodium beef stock, warmed
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and add the crushed peppercorns.
2. Toast them for 60 to 90 seconds, stirring, until they smell fragrant and turn a shade darker.
3. Add the shallot and cook for 2 minutes until soft and translucent.
4. Stir in the flour and cook 1 minute, whisking, until the roux turns pale golden.
5. Whisk in the stock a cup at a time until smooth, then add the cream.
6. Simmer gently for 5 to 6 minutes until the sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon.
7. Turn off the heat and stir in the Dijon, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper.
8. Taste and adjust the salt, then serve over sliced steak, pork tenderloin, or roast beef.

Tip: Do not boil the cream sauce. A gentle simmer keeps it smooth; hard boiling is what makes cream gravies grainy.

Swap it: No cream in the house? Use 1 1/2 cups total stock and 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water, stirred in at the end.

Storage: Refrigerate for up to 4 days and use within that time. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat, whisking often, and thin with stock if it has tightened up.

Tips for Making These

How to make gravy from scratch in 3 steps (the 3:2:1 rule)

The 3:2:1 rule means three parts liquid to two parts fat to one part flour, and it works for every recipe on this page. Melt the fat, whisk in the flour and cook it a couple of minutes, then add warm liquid gradually while whisking. That is the entire method.

1. Make the roux. Melt 2 parts fat in a wide pan, whisk in 1 part flour, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until it turns a light brown and smells toasty.
2. Add liquid in stages. Whisk in the first 1/2 cup of warm stock and let it bubble, then pour in the rest 1/2 cup at a time, whisking every time.
3. Simmer and check. Simmer 5 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Strain it if you want it perfectly clear.

• Warm the liquid first. Lumps almost always trace back to cold stock hitting a hot roux. Warm it in a separate pot while you build the roux.
• Use a wide pan and a whisk. A spoon leaves pockets of dry flour in the corners. A flat whisk reaches the whole surface.
• Toast the flour, but watch it. Nutty and golden for white and chicken gravies, deep chestnut for brown gravy. The moment it smells burnt, it is too far.
• Stop before it looks done. Gravy thickens as it cools, so pull it from the heat while it still runs slowly off the spoon.
• Deglaze the pan. Those browned bits in the roasting pan, the fond, hold more flavor than the meat. Scrape them loose with a splash of stock before you even start.
• Season at the end, then taste twice. Salt, pepper, Worcestershire, or a splash of vinegar. If it tastes flat, it needs acid or salt, not more flour.

For a thicker, glossier sauce, strain the finished gravy through a fine-mesh sieve, or add a small amount of gelatin bloomed in cold stock before reheating. Both keep the sauce from breaking into a grainy mess.

Leftovers thicken and turn gelatinous in the fridge, which is normal. Warm them in a saucepan on low heat with a splash of the stock you used, stirring until they loosen back to pouring. Microwaving on high is what separates the fat and leaves you with a grainy sauce.

A note on food safety before you start: gravy picks up flavor from whatever you put in it, so keep raw meat and its juices separate from the finished sauce, and save the pan drippings only after the meat has hit a safe internal temperature. That is 165°F (74°C) for poultry, 160°F (71°C) for ground meat, and 145°F (63°C) with a three-minute rest for beef, pork, veal, and lamb.

Frequently Asked Questions

A Favorite Gravy to Make First

Start with the classic brown gravy. It teaches the whole method: brown the roux, add the stock in stages, taste as you go. Once you can do that one, the rest of these easy gravy recipes from scratch are just the same technique with different fat, liquid, and seasoning.

If you want a second try soon, make the sausage gravy on a Saturday morning and keep the pan out for your old fashioned cake in the afternoon. Gravy teaches patience, and biscuits are the reward.