This foolproof brown gravy recipe is quick, flavorful, and customizable. Use pan drippings or broth - ideal for turkey, mashed potatoes, and roast dinners!
This is an easy pan gravy from scratch, it's so fast and it's a great way to make gravy from drippings, or you can also use homemade chicken bone broth.
The base is a savory sauce made from meat drippings or stock, thickened and seasoned to a glossy brown finish. We love homemade brown gravy on red skinned mashed potatoes or some simple grilled pork chops with potatoes and green beans. It's also my go-to gravy recipe for the holidays to use with turkey drippings or beef drippings or no drippings at all! Just the broth.
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Yields: 1.5 cups to 2 cups, adjustable.
- Taste: Savory, beef broth gravy with color and flavor from soy sauce & Worcestershire sauce.
- Ease: Making a roux, adding broth, then adding spices! Pretty simple stove top brown gravy.
- Time: 5-7 minutes to make the roux, 2-3 more minutes to mix in the broth and spices. Less than 10 minutes total.
🥣 2 Methods
Method 1 - Roux + Drippings/Broth (most flavorful)
Steps: sprinkle 1:1 fat:flour (by Tbsp) to make roux in pan → cook 3-5 min to darken → whisk in stock (approx 2 cups stock per 2 tablespoon roux) → simmer to thicken → season.
Method 2 - Cornstarch Slurry (fastest)
Steps: Mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch + 1 tablespoon cold water → whisk into simmering broth/drippings until glossy and thickened (30-60s). Use less for thinner gravy.
When to use each style
- Pan-drippings for roast/turkey; roux for stovetop full-bodied gravy.
- Cornstarch slurry for a 5 minute quick weekday gravy.
🛒 Core Ingredients / Flavor Building
- Fat: drippings vs butter vs oil
- Drippings = best flavor for SURE. Use butter/neutral oil when drippings aren't available.
- Stock / broth choice - beef, chicken, turkey, vegetable.
- Sauces - when testing the recipe, I couldn't just use Worcestershire OR soy sauce, I had to use both to get the flavor I wanted.
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Pro Tip: Always taste and adjust at the end - concentrated stocks and drippings vary widely and depending on how seasoned the meat is, drippings might be sodium heavy.
✏️ Substitutions & Variations
- Chicken, turkey, pork drippings all work for this gravy.
- Add extra black pepper for a more flavorful spiciness.
- Trade out soy sauce for miso! It's amazing.
- Use fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary) vs dried for a nice elegant finish.
🧑🍳 Instructions
- Step 1. In a pot or frying pan, melt butter over medium heat, and add flour. Mix well. The consistency should be like wet sand.
- Step 2. Cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally to keep the flour and butter cooking evenly. The mixture should turn from a blond to light/medium brown.
- Step 3. Add ¼ cup of warm beef broth at a time, stirring constantly in between each addition. You can use a whisk or a rubber spatula, just make sure to get the lumps out of the mixture before adding more broth.
- Step 4. Add all spices: garlic & onion powder, salt & pepper, and Worcestershire and soy sauce. Whisk well so there are no lumps. Bring to a boil for 1-2 minute to thicken then remove from heat, pour into a serving dish, and serve.
TIP: Make sure the broth is warmed before pouring it into the roux, if it's cold it can seize the butter in the mixture a little and cause lumps.
📌 Troubleshooting
- Lumpy gravy: caused by cold liquid into roux or poor whisking - fix by straining or blitz with immersion blender; reheat and whisk well.
- Too thin: reduce or make and whisk in extra roux (melt fat + add flour) or cornstarch slurry.
- Too thick: whisk in hot stock a Tablespoon or two at a time.
- Floury taste: cook roux longer next time; brown flour to remove raw taste.
❄️ Make Ahead, Store, and Freezing Tips
Refrigerate: up to 4 days, reheat gently over low heat, whisking or reblend, and add splash of stock to thin out the gravy if needed.
Freeze: up to 3 months - thaw overnight then reheat.
Reheating Tip: roux-based gravies can set thick in the fridge - whisk over low heat or use immersion blender for smoother gravy.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Meats: over roast (beef or pork), turkey, grilled chicken, or mushroom stuffed meatloaf.
Veggies: grilled veggies or green beans with bacon and onions.
Potatoes: cheesy twice baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, or poutine with bacon.
You can also pour the gravy over flaky sourdough discard biscuits with sausage for breakfast!
❓Frequently Asked Questions
Can happen from pouring cold broth or not whisking as you pour. You can blend the gravy to fix it. In the future, make sure to use warm broth/drippings when adding to the roux to help prevent lumps.
You can use beef or chicken broth or use a substitute of 1 teaspoon bouillon to 1 cup (240 mL) water.
This recipe is very forgiving! You can use a mixture of part drippings part broth, all broth, or all drippings if you like. I like a mixture of both (about half and half) or it can seem too oily from the drippings.
Savory Recipes that go with Gravy
Did You Try This Recipe? ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Make sure to leave a star rating and a comment below the recipe card. I love hearing from you, and it is so helpful to other readers! Better yet, share it with family and friends. Thank you!!
📝 Printable Recipe
Easy Brown Gravy
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 2 Tablespoons flour
- 1½ cups beef broth
- 1 teaspoon beef bouillon
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon soy sauce
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground pepper
Instructions
- In a pot or frying pan, melt2 Tablespoons butter over medium heat, and add 2 Tablespoons flour . Mix well. The consistency should be like wet sand.
- Cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally to keep the flour and butter cooking evenly. The mixture should turn from a blond to light/medium brown.
- Add ¼ cup of warm beef broth (see note 1) at a time, stirring constantly in between each addition. You can use a whisk or a rubber spatula, just make sure to get the lumps out of the mixture before adding more water.
- Add all spices:1 teaspoon beef bouillon, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, and ½ teaspoon soy sauce ¼ teaspoon salt & ⅛ teaspoon ground pepper Whisk well so there are no lumps. Bring to a boil for 1-2 minute to thicken then remove from heat, pour into a serving dish, and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Hi, I'm Sara!
Registered Nurse by day, food blogger by weekend. Perfect dip tester & snack quester. I love short walks on the beach and long naps. Sharing my love for food, one bite at a time.
Sara says
Made with red skinned mashed potatoes and beef drippings and was so delicious!