This easy homemade gravy is rich and silky. It comes together in under 30 minutes and tastes far superior to anything from a jar.
This gravy's deep color and rich umami taste come from well-browned onions, and while you can use pan drippings as a base, butter works just as well if you don't have any, which is often the case when I make turkey legs or turkey breast for Thanksgiving. The recipe yields about one cup, or four servings, and can easily be doubled if you're cooking for a crowd. It also reheats beautifully, so you can make it a day or two ahead and store it in the fridge.
Ingredients
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.
- Butter: I use salted butter. As mentioned above, if you have drippings, you can use them, and the gravy will be even richer and more flavorful.
- Onions: The stars of the show and the ingredient that's responsible for the gravy's umami flavor and deep, brown color.
- Chicken stock: I prefer to avoid reduced-sodium broth, as those don't have the richness and flavor I'm looking for. If I don't have homemade chicken broth, I use this chicken bone broth.
- All-purpose flour: A crucial ingredient for thickening gravies. It means this recipe is not gluten-free, but I do provide an alternative that uses cornstarch if needed. In terms of carbs, a ¼-cup serving has 5 grams of carbs.
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Sauté the onions in butter until deep golden brown. Sprinkle the flour on the mixture and whisk it in. Cook it briefly.
Add hot chicken stock and cognac. Cook, whisking occasionally, until the gravy thickens.
Strain if you wish and serve, or cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Recipe Tip
The gravy can be dark and smooth or light and chunky. See the two photos above. The first photo (on the left) was taken in 2012 - that was the year I started making this recipe. Back then, I sauteed the onions lightly and left the gravy unstrained.
Fast forward to 2025 (the second photo, on the right), and my taste has changed. I now like to saute the onions until they are deeply browned (they are almost like caramelized onions rather than sauteed onions, although I cook them faster), and I prefer a smooth gravy, so I strain it.
In other words, the gravy will be as dark as the cooked onions. If you saute them until golden, the gravy will be lighter, with a milder flavor. If you cook them until they are deeply golden brown, the gravy will be darker with a deeper, more developed flavor. Both are excellent - it's a matter of personal preference.
Recipe FAQs
Sprinkling the flour prevents clumps and helps it cook more evenly.
Whisking the flour in and letting the gravy simmer for a few minutes activates the starch for thickening and also cooks out any chalky raw-flour taste.
While low-carb options exist, including coconut flour and konjac flour, I'm not a fan of them in this recipe. Flour-based gravies have a rich, full, velvety texture. Since I make this gravy for holiday meals and not as an everyday occurrence, I prefer to go the classic route and use a smaller quantity of the real thing.
Yes. I recommend gluten-free cornstarch. Instead of sprinkling it into the pan, mix 1 tablespoon with 2 tablespoons of cold water to make a slurry. After adding the hot stock and cognac, bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and whisk the slurry in. Cook for a minute or two until the gravy thickens, then immediately remove it from the heat.
Cornstarch creates a clearer, silkier gravy but doesn't add the richness that flour does. Another option is to use gluten-free all-purpose flour, using it the same way you would use regular flour. It won't be as good, but it will be an effective thickener.
Yes. Leftover gravy keeps and reheats well. You can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days, or freeze it for up to three months in freezer-safe containers, leaving space for expansion. When reheating, gently warm it on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, or use the microwave in short intervals, stirring after each session. If the gravy has thickened too much while stored, whisk in 1-2 tablespoons of broth, water, or milk.
Serving Suggestions
I usually make gravy for holiday meals. See the photo below - it's amazing with turkey or as a topping for mashed cauliflower or cauliflower rice.
It also pairs well with steamed veggies, pasta or pasta alternatives (like zucchini noodles), fries (including jicama fries), meatloaf (like this turkey meatloaf - made without ketchup), roasts (like this pork roast), and meatballs. The image below shows reheated gravy served with cauliflower rice and chicken meatballs.
Recipe Card
Homemade Gravy (With or Without Drippings)
Video
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons salted butter - or drippings if you have them
- ½ cup yellow onion - diced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour - see notes below
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt - optional, see notes below
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 cup chicken stock - hot, not low-sodium; I use chicken bone broth
- 1 tablespoon cognac - or high-quality brandy
Instructions
- Melt the butter over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Add the onions. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are golden brown, about 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low if the onions are browning too fast. We don't want them burnt.
- Mix the kosher salt, black pepper, and thyme into the flour and sprinkle the mixture into the pan, whisking it in. Cook the flour for 2 minutes.
- Add the hot chicken stock and cognac. Cook uncovered, whisking occasionally, until thickened, for about 5 minutes. Taste and decide if you'd like to add more salt.
- An optional step is to strain the onion for a smoother gravy. I usually do, but you can leave it in.
- Serve the gravy immediately, or refrigerate it covered for up to 4 days.
Notes
- Gluten-free option: Skip the flour. After browning the onions, add the spices, hot chicken stock, and cognac. Bring to a gentle simmer, then whisk in a cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon gluten-free cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons of cold water). Cook, stirring, just until it thickens, for about 1 minute. Remove from the heat immediately. Another option is to use gluten-free all-purpose flour, using it the same way you would use regular flour. It won't be as good, but it will be an effective thickener.
- The recipe yields about one cup, or four servings, and can easily be doubled if you're cooking for a crowd.
- While low-carb options to all-purpose flour exist, including coconut flour and konjac flour, I'm not a fan of them in this case. Flour-based gravies have a rich, full, velvety texture. Since I make this gravy for holiday meals and not as an everyday occurrence, I prefer to go the classic route and use a smaller quantity of the real thing.
- I usually add ¼ teaspoon of Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, which is equivalent to ⅛ teaspoon of any other salt (including Morton kosher salt). However, since I recommend using salted chicken stock and salted butter, you might find that there's no need for added salt. So, you might want to skip the salt, taste the gravy when it's done, and decide if you'd like to add salt to taste.
- Leftover gravy keeps and reheats well. You can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days, or freeze it for up to three months in freezer-safe containers, leaving space for expansion. When reheating, gently warm it on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, or use the microwave in short intervals, stirring after each session. If the gravy has thickened too much while stored, whisk in 1-2 tablespoons of broth, water, or milk.
- Based on Ina Garten's recipe.
Nutrition per Serving
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Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
