Gravy is that one thing I absolutely need at the holiday dinner table. One big spoonful goes on everything! Mashed potatoes, green beans, stuffing, they all are just that much better with gravy on them (I’m a big sauce person, what can I say). My family used to always make gravy with the packets and a little water. We never made it with the insides of a turkey, so it never dawned on me that gravy was not naturally a vegetarian gravy. Once I realized what traditional gravy was made out of, I figured we had to find a vegetarian route. Thankfully, I was able to take the concept of my family’s packet and water gravy and amp it up a bit to make it totally vegan and taste like home. This vegan gravy recipe is packed with spices and is super easy to make!
Ingredients for Vegan Gravy
This gravy uses a semi-secret ingredient to add umami to it. Once you try it you’ll never make gravy any other way!
Soy Sauce: This is that super secret ingredient! Soy sauce adds great depth of flavor, saltiness, and umami to this gravy. You could also use marmite for a more intense savory flavor.. Fat: We use 1/4 of a cup of margarine, but you could use oil or vegan butter. Flour: This is the thickening agent for gravy. Most gravy’s use some type of thickener. It could be corn starch, flour, arrowroot starch, or other. Vegetable Broth: A traditional gravy would use turkey drippings for the gravy but this recipe uses vegetable broth. Alternatively, you could try our favorite vegan “chicken” broth for an even more spot on flavor! Poultry Seasoning: Poultry seasoning is a great way to add spices and the flavor of turkey drippings without the turkey! Dijon Mustard: Dijon mustard adds tangs to this vegan white sauce gravy.
How to make Vegan Gravy
Is vegan gravy easy? Yes! And I am about to show you just how easy! Step 1: RouxHeat the fat in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk until smooth. Cook for about 3 to 5 minutes, until it smells a bit toasted and the color is golden brown. Step 2: BrothWhile whisking, slowly pour in the vegetable broth. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring often, until mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Step 3: FlavorStir in remaining seasonings. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm!
Recipe tips
Storage: These leftovers store great. Simply press plastic wrap directly onto the gravy in a bowl and store it in the fridge. The plastic wrap prevents a skin from forming on the gravy. Variations: Whether you are using this gravy for Thanksgiving or as vegan gravy for biscuits, here are a few ways to mix it up.
Cracked black pepper or red pepper flakes Dried thyme and garlic Sage with browned butter
How to use Your Gravy
Now that you have this tasty vegan gravy, you’ll need some recipes to try it on!
Brown Butter and Sage Mashed Cauliflower is the perfect pairing for this vegan gravy. Vegan Green Bean Casserole can always benefit from a little more sauce! Vegetable Bread Stuffing is what gravy was made for. A little stuffing and a lot of gravy make the perfect plate of food. Greek Yogurt Biscuits are not vegan, but they pair awesome with this super easy vegan gravy!
