This homemade turkey gravy recipe is a required sauce on your holiday table to serve with turkey and mashed potatoes! With our no-fuss, easy method, it comes together in minutes with a couple of pantry ingredients (plus it has the perfect flavor).
In our opinion, a great homemade gravy recipe may just be the star of the meal at Thanksgiving. When it’s made correctly, it’s so rich and flavorful, and adds that extra bit of decadence in every bite. But we understand that sometimes it can be a pain to make or even intimidating, which is why we can’t wait to share our simple recipe.
With just a couple of pantry ingredients and in less than 30 minutes, you can have this gravy ready to impress. I taught one of my sons how to make it last Thanksgiving, and now he calls himself the “professional gravy maker.” Serve it over my lemon herb turkey or sausage stuffing, you can’t go wrong.
THIS GRAVY WAS DELICIOUS!!!!! Especially with the matching turkey!! Ohhh my word i can’t wait to make this again next week!! i also just made some potato pancakes with left over mashed potatoes and put some of this gravy on top and when i tell you my taste buds went wild I’m not joking !!! Best gravy ever!! -Brittany
You make turkey gravy look so good and easy to make! -Shawn
Why you’ll love this recipe
Gravy is a staple on our Thanksgiving table. My kids and I actually think it’s the best part of the meal, and our version is so delicious you’ll want to eat it by the spoonful!
- Easy to make with pantry staples – With just four basic ingredients and a few simple steps, this gravy from scratch comes together in 20 minutes and always turns out perfectly.
- More flavorful than store-bought – Our friends and family can attest, our recipe for turkey gravy is so rich in taste, especially when you use drippings from my champagne turkey recipe!
- Versatile to pair with many meals – This recipe is the perfect way to amplify not only a holiday turkey, but also stuffing, chicken, ham, and other proteins too. If it was up to me, I’d pour gravy over everything!
Shinee’s Tip
When separating the fat from the turkey drippings, it’s often messy and a pain. We recommend investing in an affordable turkey fat separator to make the process seamless.
Key Ingredient Notes
- Pan drippings – Save the drippings from your turkey, and start with a cup when making gravy to avoid an overly concentrated flavor. You can always add more!
- Butter – You can use unsalted or salted butter. Or, if you have it on hand, we love to use bacon fat for a slightly smokey salty taste that’s out of this world delicious.
- Flour – Use all-purpose flour to create a roux and thicken the gravy. Or, if needed, you can substitute a 1:1 all-purpose, gluten-free flour to keep your gravy gluten-free.
- Chicken stock – Be sure to use chicken stock over chicken broth as it has a more concentrated flavor. You can also use turkey stock too. We always recommend using low-sodium varieties, which lets you control the level of salt more easily.
How to make this homemade turkey gravy recipe
Before you begin, pour the turkey drippings into a fat separator through a fine mesh strainer. This removes any big clumps and herbs! Then, set it aside.
1. Prepare a Roux
- Melt the butter (or bacon fat) in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Once completely melted, add the flour, and roast, stirring constantly until it’s golden brown with a nutty aroma, about 2 minutes. Be very careful not to let it burn!
Don’t cook roux for too long
It’s crucial to keep a close eye when cooking the roux. Not only is it easy to burn the roux, but it’s also important to keep in mind that the longer you cook the roux, the less thickening power it will have!
2. Add the liquids
- Slowly pour the cold chicken stock into the roux, while stirring vigorously to prevent clumps.
- Add the turkey drippings, leaving the layer of fat in the cup.
Avoid clumps
To prevent the clumps from forming, make sure to add the liquids slowly and whisk the mixture continuously!
RULE OF THUMB: Add cold liquid into hot roux. Or hot liquids to cold roux!
3. Cook the gravy
- Bring the mixture to a boil. Then, immediately reduce the heat to medium.
- Simmer for 10 minutes, stiring occasionally.
Achieve the perfect consistency
Keep in mind that gravy thickens as it cools. So, be careful not to make it too thick!
4. Flavor the gravy
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- If you feel like your gravy is missing something, instead of adding more salt, add something acidic. You might just need a touch of acid to make it taste restaurant-quality. Try adding 1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice, white wine, or balsamic vinegar would be perfect!
Tips for Success
- Cook the flour long enough in the roux. If you don’t cook the flour well enough, you’ll taste raw flour, and no one wants that.
- Avoid burning the roux. Make sure to pay undivided attention to the roux, whisking it constantly! It’s so easy to burn because it literally takes seconds to turn from perfectly golden brown to dark and burnt. Once the roux is burned, you’ll need to start over, because you don’t want that burnt flavor in your gravy.
- Add the chicken stock slowly. Don’t rush the process and be sure to whisk constantly to prevent the flour from clumping. If you work too quickly, you’ll have to start the gravy over.
- Use cold chicken stock. This is the most important tip. When adding a liquid to a hot roux, make sure it’s cold to prevent clumping.
- Start with a cup of drippings. Depending on how you prepare your turkey, your drippings may or may not be super concentrated. So, you may not want to add all the drippings. We recommend starting with 5-6 ounces. Then, taste your gravy, and add more as needed for consistency and flavor.
- If your gravy is too thin, simply mix 1 tablespoon of flour with 1 tablespoon of softened butter into a paste. Whisk half of the paste into the gravy and bring to a simmer. Allow to thicken for a couple of minutes, then add more of the paste as needed.
Variations
- Make gravy without drippings. If you aren’t roasting a whole turkey, you can follow this recipe as written, omitting the drippings. It won’t be quite as flavorful, but it’ll still be tasty!
- Add something acidic if your gravy lacks flavor. Oftentimes, the gravy doesn’t need more salt, you just need a touch of acid to give it a wow factor. We recommend using our champagne turkey recipe because it makes the best gravy! Here are some examples of acid to add: lemon juice, white wine, balsamic vinegar.
What to serve with turkey gravy
There are so many options but here are some of our favorites for your holiday table or a weeknight meal:
Storage
Allow any leftover gravy to cool completely. Cover it with plastic wrap, or transfer it to an airtight container. Homemade turkey gravy will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
You can also freeze leftovers for up to 3 months! Keep in mind that you can only freeze and thaw gravy once. So, we recommend pouring it into an ice cube tray and freezing the cubes until solid before transferring them to a sealable bag. Then, you can pull out a few cubes as needed and prevent any waste.
If you want to make the gravy in advance, you can follow the recipe as written, omitting the turkey drippings. Then, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. When you’re ready to serve, reheat homemade turkey gravy on the stovetop, slowly stirring in your drippings.
FAQs
It’s best to use flour because it results in a thicker, more stable gravy.
The turkey drippings will make this recipe extremely flavorful. But if you feel like your gravy is lacking something, add a touch of acid, like lemon juice, wine or balsamic vinegar.
The secret to learning how to make gravy is to use flavorful turkey drippings and to cook the roux (flour) just until it’s golden.
More Easy Thanksgiving Side Dishes
Best Homemade Turkey Gravy Recipe
Ingredients
- ½-1 cup pan drippings Note 1
- ¼ cup (55 g) butter salted or unsalted Note 2
- ¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (720 ml) low sodium chicken stock cold Note 3
- Salt and pepper if needed
- 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice, white wine, or balsamic vinegar optional Note 4
Instructions
- Pour the turkey drippings into a fat separator through a fine mesh strainer. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan (2qt), melt the butter (or bacon fat) over medium high heat.
- Add flour and roast the flour, stirring constantly, until golden brown with nutty aroma, about 2 minutes. (Note: It's so easy to burn the roux, because it literally takes seconds from perfectly nutty to burning. So don't get distracted here.)
- Slowly pour in cold chicken stock, while stirring vigorously.
- Then add the pan drippings, leaving the layer of fat in the cup.
- Bring it to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium.
- Simmer until desired thickness is reached, whisking occasionally, about 10 minutes. Keep in mind, gravy also thickens as it cools.
- Add salt and pepper, if needed. Keep in mind that the flavor and level of saltiness will greatly depend heavily on your pan drippings. TIP: If you feel your gravy is lacking something, add a touch of acid, such as lemon juice, white wine, or balsamic vinegar. (P.S. You won't have this problem if you made my champagne turkey. The dripping is so flavorful and tangy!)
⭐️ Did you make this recipe?
Please leave a review and let us know how you liked it!
Tips & Notes
– Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
– Freeze cooled gravy for up to 3 months. Keep in mind that you can only freeze and thaw gravy once. So, I recommend pouring it into an ice cube tray and freezing the cubes until solid before transferring them to a sealable bag. Then you can pull out a few cubes as needed to prevent waste.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published on November 6th, 2017.
Hello Shinee,
What if you don’t have turkey drippings. Can you just go with chicken broth?
Sure can!! In that case, I like to season the gravy with some herbs.
Have made champagne turkey and gravy at least 5 times never fails to impress. Turkey is always very moist and tender. The gravy has just the right tang. Put the roasting pan on top of the stove with the carrots and apples and boil to get the brown bits and concentrate the juice.
I made your foolproof turkey gravy today. It is 5 days before Thanksgiving. Should I freeze it or just refrigerate.
Hi, Mary Jo! Woohoo, you’re on top of it!! 🙂 Yes, go ahead and freeze the gravy. And transfer it into the fridge the day before Thanksgiving. Happy Thanksgiving!
Can you make this in an electric roaster?
Hi, Ann. I have no experience with electric roaster. So, unfortunately no advice.
This recipe sounds amazing. Have anyone ever tried making it gluten free? We have a couple of family members with Celiac. I don’t always know how best to modify recipes. Thanks! Can’t wait to try this.
Hi, Janice. Since you can’t use roux (roasted flour and fat mixture) as thickening agent, I suggest using cornstarch instead. I’d boil the chicken stock and drippings. Mix cornstarch with a little bit water to make a slurry and add it when the stock boils. (Note, cornstarch activates when it’s added to boiling mixture.) Since I haven’t tested this method for turkey gravy recipe, I can’t provide exact measurements though.
This looks divine! Making in advance and will add drippings day of but wondered if I could use homemade turkey stock vs. chicken?
Hi, Theresa. Yes, you can definitely use turkey stock instead of chicken. Enjoy!
THIS GRAVY WAS DELICIOUS!!!!! Especially with the matching turkey!! Ohhh my word i can’t wait to make this again next week!! i also just made some potato pancakes with left over mashed potatoes and put some of this gravy on top and when i tell you my taste buds went wild I’m not joking !!! Best gravy ever!!
Oh my gosh, Brittany, gravy over mashed potato pancakes sounds amazing!!!! And yes, this gravy is beyond delicious!
You make turkey gravy look so good and easy to make! Can’t wait to give this a try!
Thank you, Shawn!!
This turkey gravy looks amazing!! Thanks for sharing!!!
Thanks, Jocelyn!
This is exactly what I’ve been looking for- foolproof AND delicious. Cannot wait for turkey (&gravy) day to get here!
Me too, Karly. Even though I had like 3 faux Thanksgivings so far this year (#foodbloggerproblems), I’m still looking forward to the actual Thanksgiving. Haha