The BEST Vegan Gravy is made with simple wholesome ingredients. You’re going to adore this vibrant golden gravy and the rich umami flavor so much, this will be your “go to” gravy recipe from now on. I’ve been making this easy vegan gravy for years with rave reviews….even from meat eaters. I promise you won’t miss the saturated fat or the extra sodium!
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Yes, this vegan and gluten-free gravy is a healthier version than traditional Thanksgiving gravy…but sources (Hubby..plus any/all guest that have ever been at my Thanksgiving table) tell me that it’s also THE BEST GRAVY EVER! With all the flavor and texture you’d expect from Turkey Gravy….but made with no saturated fat or animal products.
I make this gravy year round. Hubby adores golden gravy spooned over plant based mashed potatoes, served with vegan dinner rolls, (aka: biscuits and gravy), poured over roasted broccoli, and as an incredible addition to a whole roasted cauliflower. The ingredients are always available and the result consistently tastes incredible.
Why save something so delicious for just one day a year?
Why you will love this Easy Vegan Gravy Recipe
- It’s EASY to make: 10 minutes…9 ingredients (including salt and pepper) is all you need to make this.
- It’s delish…super tasty!! Everyone will love it.
- No special skills or tools necessary. A small saucepan and a whisk is all you need.
- It’s meal prep and freezer friendly.
- Hubby considers this plus creamy vegan mashed potatoes a legit meal….maybe you do to?
- You don’t need to wait on a turkey to come out of the oven to make it. SERIOUSLY…make the gravy when it works well for YOU!
- Super satisfying umami flavor….nobody has to know it’s vegan and gluten-free…besides you and I who are committed to eating healthy food that tastes INCREDIBLE…Shh!
INGREDIENTS AND SUBSTITUTIONS:
- VEGETABLE BROTH: It’s easy to make homemade stock and the best way to control the ingredients in this recipe. If you don’t have time to make your own, look for a box that has vegetables, the least amount of salt and preferably no heavily processed vegetable oils.
- OLIVE OIL: You can make this using just veggie broth in place of the olive oil….but I found it to be a bit creamier and had a richer texture and taste with the small amount of olive oil included in the recipe.
- FLOUR: I used King Arthur Measure for Measure Gluten-free Flour. You do you. Any all purpose flour (including whole wheat, spelt, and oat flour—the only others I tried) will work. Use what you have and what works well for your dietary needs.
- ARROWROOT POWDER: I prefer arrowroot powder to cornstarch as a thickener. Arrowroot is extracted from the root vegetable without high heat or chemicals, and it’s a non GMO crop. It’s easy to find in most grocery stores in the aisle where flour is sold. It’s grain-free, easy to digest and contains fiber.
- MISO PASTE: My favorite way to add depth of flavor and umami satisfaction to vegan dishes that would otherwise call for meat products. If you don’t eat soy, you can find miso that is fermented rice or chickpeas.
- ONION & GARLIC POWDER: A little flavor boost without having to add additional sodium.
- FRESH HERBS: I have a pot of rosemary, thyme and sage in a sunny window that I bought over 5 years ago right before Thanksgiving at Trader Joes…they sell them at most grocery stores and it’s the easiest way to always have the fresh herbs you need when cooking. You can use that combo or also parsley or oregano to the mix and just finely chop. You know, the same sort of herbs you’d use if you were cooking a turkey 🙂
- SALT + PEPPER: I like the subtle smokey flavor of white pepper in this recipe, though I do use a bit of freshly cracked black pepper on the finished gravy. Sea salt is a great way to add in some trace minerals while adding flavor. I use unsalted broth and just add 1/2 teaspoon salt so it’s not loaded with sodium.
How to make The BEST Vegan Gravy:
First, mix together the flour, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, white pepper and finely chopped fresh herbs.
Heat oil, add in flour and spices. 
Whisk to make a roux.
Heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour mixture to make a roux. Keep whisking, as it turns into a thick paste and the raw taste of the flour cooks off.
Whisk in vegetable broth 1/2 cup at a time. Keep whisking as it will reduce the chance of lumps. Before pouring in the last 1/2 cup of broth, add the miso paste and arrowroot powder to the broth and whisk it together until smooth. Then pour in that mixture and whisk some more. Continue to cook over low heat for 2 minutes as the gravy thickens.
Debra’s Pro Tips
- Whisking continuously is how you get gravy without any lumps. Pay extra attention to the first step, making a roux…and then slowly add the stock, whisking until gravy is uniform in consistency in between each addition.
- Use the last addition of veggie stock to make a slurry with the arrowroot and to incorporate the miso paste…BEFORE you add it to the gravy mixture.
- If you’re making this for Thanksgiving, you don’t have to wait until the last minute. Make fresh while other things are in the oven and leave it in the pot to gently reheat when it’s time to eat. Or make it the day or two before when you have more time.
- Double the recipe! Leftovers always taste best when smothered in gravy.
MEAL PREP AND STORAGE:
- TO SERVE: Hot gravy tastes best. Serve over veggies, potatoes, rolls, or rice.
- TO PREP AHEAD: Make the full recipe, turn off the heat and let sit in the pot, covered, on the stove for up to 3 hours. Gently heat over low heat, stirring a bit, until warm before serving.
- TO STORE: Let gravy cool to room temperature before pouring into containers. Gravy will stay good in the fridge for up to a week, freezer for 3 months in tightly sealed containers.
- TO FREEZE: Use silicone molds to freeze in 1 cup increments and then transfer into freezer safe zip top bags. Make sure to allow for gravy to expand when frozen. Allow 1-2″ of extra space if using glass jars. Defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat over low heat on the stovetop.
- TO REHEAT: Reheat gently on the stovetop. Gravy will thicken when refrigerated and will thin out as it heats up. If it’s still thicker than desired, thin with 1-2 Tablespoons of veggie broth whisked in.
More Healthy Thanksgiving recipes you will adore:
- Gluten-free Vegan Stuffed Mushrooms
- Spiced Delicata Squash
- Sriracha Brussels Sprouts
- Green Beans Almondine
- Easy Jeweled Rice
- Cranberry Jam
- Vegan Dinner Rolls
- Cornbread Stuffing
- Mini Pumpkin Pies: Gluten-free and Vegan
- Gluten-free Apple Galette
Yes. Make sure gravy is completely cool before storing in airtight container. It will stay good in the freezer for 3 months. Let thaw in the fridge overnight and then whisk over low heat to prevent lumps.
Vegan gravy doesn’t have the saturated fat that is in meat or poultry gravies. Also, you can make your own vegetable broth to cut back on the salt that is often added to premade veggie broth or bullion cubes. Cutting back on the salt and saturated fat makes vegan gravy healthier than traditional gravy.
Traditional gravy is made from meat drippings (fat), meat or poultry stock and flour. Vegetable gravy uses olive oil for unsaturated fat, vegetable stock and flour. There are plenty of vegan umami flavor boosts to add for an authentic gravy taste. Miso paste, onion and garlic powder, fresh herbs are a few options.
Plan on 1/3 cup gravy per person, plus extra if you’re planning on using gravy with your leftovers. You can freeze any extra, so go ahead and make a double batch!
Whisking constantly when making the roux and then whisking with each addition of liquid is the best way to prevent lumps from forming in your gravy. Also, make sure you’re adding the stock in slowly, 1/4 or 1/2 cup at a time, whisking with each addition to absorb the solids evenly.
Vegan Gravy Recipe
The BEST Vegan Gravy is so easy to make! You're going to adore this vibrant golden gravy and the rich umami flavor so much, this will be the only vegan gluten-free gravy you'll ever make. I've been making it for years with rave reviews....even from meat eaters.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup + 1 Tablespoon flour*
- 1 Tablespoon fresh herbs*
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 cups Vegetable Broth
- 2 Tablespoons light miso paste
- 1 Tablespoon arrowroot powder
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together flour, fresh herbs, onion powder, garlic powder, pepper and sea salt.
- MAKE A ROUX: Heat olive oil in small saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour mixture until a thick paste forms. Make sure there are no lumps and then let it cook for 1-2 minutes (over low heat) to remove the raw flour taste.
- Slowly add veggie stock 1/2 cup at a time into roux, whisking for uniform consistency after each addition.
- When 1/2 cup stock is left, whisk in the miso paste and 1 Tablespoon arrowroot powder to the stock before adding into the pan of gravy. Continue to whisk until everything is well incorporated. Allow gravy to cook over low heat for another 2 minutes as it thickens.
- Cool completely before storing in glass jar in the fridge for up to a week or freezer for 3 months*
- Reheat gently on the stove. Gravy will thicken up in the fridge, and will thin out as it heats back up. Add additional broth, 1-2 Tablespoons at time, if needed to result in desired thickness. Whisk occasionally as gravy heats to prevent lumps.
Notes
FLOUR: I used King Arthur Measure for Measure Gluten-free flour in these photos. Use whatever flour you have and works well with YOUR dietary needs.
FRESH HERBS: I used rosemary, thyme and sage. You could also use parsley and oregano or any combination. If you don't have fresh herbs, use 1 teaspoon dried herbs of the same variety. It is easy to find a combination of potted rosemary, thyme and sage in the grocery stores just before Thanksgiving. You can grow them in a sunny window all year round.
VEGGIE BROTH: I used homemade broth without any added salt. If you use broth from a box, it will be already be salted. So, omit the salt from the recipe and taste for seasoning before adding any.
FREEZING: Make sure gravy is completely cool before storing in glass jars. Or, pour cooled gravy into silicone molds to later transfer to zip top, freezer grade bags. Gravy will expand a bit when frozen, so leave space in the jar, so it doesn't crack.
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Nutrition Information
Yield
6Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 104Total Fat 9gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 8gCholesterol 0mgSodium 524mgCarbohydrates 4gFiber 1gSugar 1gProtein 1g
The nutrition calculations were done using online tools. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in any given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients you used. You are ultimately responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information is accurate, complete and useful.
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