Treat your family to this rich, easy to make Onion Gravy!
This delicious gravy is loaded with flavor, vegetarian and vegan friendly, and so simple to prepare. Pair it with mashed potatoes and other dishes for a festive holiday meal, or serve it any day of the week!
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If you're looking for an easy Gravy recipe that's also super flavorful and versatile, then look no further.
This rich Onion Gravy is my go-to recipe! No special ingredients and no drippings here, you'll find everything right in your pantry.
You're going to love this simple recipe. It's loaded with melt-in-your-mouth onions, which add so much flavor, and it makes a luxurious topping for mashed potatoes or anything else you'd enjoy with gravy.
Best of all, while this recipe is special enough for holidays, it's so easy to make. Serve it anytime you get a craving, year round.
Ready to try this recipe for yourself? Keep reading for all the details!
Ingredients
This recipe uses simple ingredients you can find anywhere! Here's what you'll need:
- Onions - This recipes calls for yellow onions, but feel free to use red or white onions (or a combo) if that's what you have on hand.
- Shallots - While optional, the shallots are really tasty in this recipe. If you don't have them, just add an extra ½ cup of onions.
- Garlic - A little garlic give this simple gravy an extra layer of flavor.
- Butter + Olive Oil - This recipe uses a combination of butter and extra virgin olive oil, which gives the finished sauce a delicious flavor, while also cutting down on saturated fat.
- All-Purpose Flour - Flour is used a thickener here, and it's essential to this recipe.
- Broth - Feel free to use your favorite broth. I used Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base to make my broth, and it makes for a rich Brown Gravy. These Vegetable Bouillon Cubes are also great, but may be harder to find.
- Salt and Pepper - I prefer to use Kosher Salt, and fresh cracked pepper is always best.
Vegan Variation
As long as you use vegetable broth to make this recipe, it will be vegetarian. To make it vegan, swap out the butter for a non-dairy alternative. It will still be totally delish (and no one will be able to tell the difference, so shh).
You'll Also Need
To make this recipe, you'll want to use a large skillet (this non-stick frying pan is my favorite). You'll also need a wood spoon for cooking the onions, and a whisk for stirring in the broth.
How to Make Onion Gravy
This recipe is super simple and quick to make. You'll find a detailed, printable recipe below, but here's a short overview:
- Heat oil and butter over medium heat, then add diced onions. Season with a little salt and pepper, then cook until the onions are translucent and starting to brown (stirring frequently).
- Add the shallots. Continue cooking until everything is tender and golden to medium brown, depending on your preference. (Mine got a little too dark ... oops!) Stirring a little less frequently will encourage the onions to brown, but you still want to keep a fairly close eye on them.
- Add the garlic. Stir constantly once you add the garlic, then cook just until it's fragrant. This should only take about 30 seconds or so.
- Stir in the flour, then cook for two minutes. Cooking the flour for a couple minutes (or until golden) will get rid of any raw flour taste. Keep stirring to ensure it cooks evenly.
- Whisk in the broth. Slowly add the broth, whisking vigorously as you do. Then continue cooking the gravy just until it's thickened. It should take about five to ten minutes.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper, then serve hot. Since gravy cools quickly, you want to time it so that everything else is ready to serve when it's done.
And now you know how to make the BEST Onion Gravy from scratch! Pretty simple, right?
Variations
This recipe uses basic ingredients, which makes it easy to customize. Here are some ideas:
- Onions - I used yellow onions here, but red or white onions would also work great.
- Slice Onions - Prefer sliced onions? No problem ... just keep them on the thin side, otherwise they'll take a while to cook.
- Caramelized Onions - If you have the time, try caramelizing your onions over medium-low heat instead of frying them. It takes a while, but the onions will be even sweeter and more tender.
- Shallot / Garlic Free - Don't have (or don't like) shallots or garlic? Skip them and just add an extra ½ cup of onions.
- All Butter - This recipes works just as well whether you make it with all butter.
- Herbs - Stir in a teaspoon or two of your favorite fresh herbs (like sage, thyme, or rosemary) before serving.
- Wine - Add a deeper flavor to this homemade sauce by deglazing your plan with red wine. Stir ¼ cup red wine into the onions once they're browned, then continue cooking until the wine evaporates. Then add the flour and proceed as directed. This will also make your onions extra tender.
- Creamy - Stir in a generous splash of heavy cream just as the gravy is done cooking (do not boil).
- Vegan - This recipe is vegetarian, as long as you use vegetable broth / bouillon. To make it vegan, simply replace the butter with a non-dairy alternative.
Storage
If you have leftover gravy, store it in an airtight container in your refrigerator, and it will keep for about four days.
To warm up leftover gravy, gently warm it in your microwave or in saucepan over medium-low heat. If it's too thick, you can thin it by whisking in a little broth.
Serving Suggestions
Wondering what to serve this easy Onion Gravy with? Your fave Mashed Potatoes, of course ... but don't stop there! I served it with these super creamy Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes (yum!), along with some of my favorite Thanksgiving Sides, including Cranberry Relish, Sourdough Stuffing, Pomegranate Brussels Sprouts, and an easy Wild Rice Salad (recipes coming soon!)
It's also delicious paired with a vegetarian entree, like this Mushroom Wellington, Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie, or this Stuffing Stuffed Acorn Squash.
Of course, you can serve this delicious homemade gravy any time of year! It's so quick to make (and the ingredients so basic) that it's simple enough to prepare anytime you get a comfort food craving.
Related Recipes
Looking for more classic holiday recipes? Try one of these next:
- Mushroom Gravy
- Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes
- Mushroom Stuffing
- Classic Bread Stuffing
- Cranberry Orange Sauce
- Roasted Vegetables
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Still have questions? Check out these FAQs or leave a question in the comment section.
You can either dice or slice onions for gravy ... it's up to you. To do so, first slice off the stem end, then slice it in half (end to end). Remove the peel, then place it flat side down on a cutting board. Thinly slice the onion (parallel to the stem end) or dice it.
You do not need to wash onions before cutting them. Just remove the peel, and you're good to go. If for some reason the onion is dirty under the peel, give it a quick rinse then pat dry, or just remove another layer of onion.
Flour is the best, most stable thickener for gravy. However, you can also use cornstarch in a pinch. To do so, create a slurry by mixing together two tablespoons of cornstarch and three tablespoons water. Slowly whisk the slurry into the gravy, adding just enough to thicken it.
To avoid flour from clumping in gravy, first make sure it's well combined with whatever fat you're using. Then, slowly add your broth, whisking vigorously as you do. Keep whisking, until the flour and liquid are well combined, then continue to watch closely and stir frequently.
If your gravy does get lumpy, you have a few options. You can blend it with an immersion blender, or you can pass it through a fine mesh strainer, which will catch all the lumps. Don't worry too much though ... a few lumps are not the end of the world, and no one will probably notice!
If your gravy is too salty, whisk in a little unsalted broth or water.
You can reheat gravy gently in the microwave (cooking at short intervals and stirring frequently until hot), or you can warm it in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. If it's too thick, whisk in a little broth to thin it.
Onion Gravy
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced (about 2 cups)
- 2 small shallots, diced (about ½ cup)
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- kosher salt
- pepper
Instructions
- Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- When hot, add onions. Season lightly with salt and pepper, then cook until translucent and starting to brown (stirring frequently).
- Stir in shallots, then cook until onions and shallots are golden to medium-brown (stirring occasionally).
- Mix in garlic, then cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds (stirring constantly).
- Sprinkle flour over onion mixture, then stir to coat. Continue cooking for two minutes, or until flour starts to change color (stirring constantly).
- Slowly add broth, while whisking vigorously, until fully incorporated. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until gravy has thickened, about 5 to 10 minutes.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper, then serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
