Easy Vegan Gravy Recipe - Debra Klein (2024)

This is THE BEST Vegan Gravy Recipe out there, it’s made with simple ingredients and takes just 10 minutes to make!! You’re going to adore this vibrant golden gravy and the rich umami flavor so much, this delicious recipe will be your “go to” from now on. I’ve been making this easy vegan gravy for years with rave reviews….even from meat eaters.

Yes, this vegan and gluten-free gravy is a healthier version than traditional Thanksgiving gravy…but sources (any/all guests 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 Traditional Turkey Gravy….but made without animal products.

I make this easy vegan gravy year round, not just for a holiday meal. Hubby adores golden gravy spooned over vegan mashed potatoes, and vegan meatballs 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 delicious results are consistently tasty.

Why save something so delicious for just one day a year? If you haven’t made cauliflower steaks and drizzled this vegan gravy over them have you even been living?

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Easy: 10 minutes…9 ingredients (including salt and pepper) is all you need.
• Delish: Super tasty!! Everyone will love it….and you can use it on all the things.
• No special skills or tools necessary. A small saucepan and a whisk is all you need.
• Meal prep and freezer friendly. If you’re going to use this for Thanksgiving Gravy, then definitely make it ahead and freeze it!
• 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.
• A lot of vegan gravy recipes use liquid aminos or soy sauce, but I find the miso paste gives this vegan recipe a subtle poultry-like flavor that goes a long way to making this taste like there’s actual turkey broth in it.

Ingredients and Substitutions:

• Vegetable broth: It’s easy to make homemade vegan 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. This is the perfect recipe for a gluten-free flour blend, but any all purpose flour, but any all purpose flour (including whole wheat flour, 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: Traditional gravy recipes use cornstarch as a thickener. I prefer arrowroot. It 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: The not so secret ingredient! It’s my favorite way to add depth of flavor and umami satisfaction to vegan dishes that would otherwise call for meat products. It’s superb in my vegan yellow split pea soup! I used mellow light miso. If you don’t eat soy, you can find miso that is made from fermented rice or chickpeas.
• Onion and garlic powder: Make sure to use onion powder not onion salt. Same for the garlic.
• Fresh Herbs: If you don’t have fresh herbs, use 1 teaspoon dried herbs. An assortment of parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme gives the most authentic gravy flavoring. Poultry seasoning is a good substitute.

How to make The BEST Vegan Gravy:

Step 1: mix together the flour, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, white pepper and finely chopped fresh herbs.

Step 2: Heat olive oil over medium 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.

What is a roux? Flour and fat cooked together and used to thicken sauces.

Step 3: Turn the heat down to medium-low and whisk in vegetable broth ½ cup at a time. Keep whisking as it will reduce the chance of lumps.

Step 4: When you’re down to the last ½ cup of broth, dilute the miso paste and arrowroot powder into that ½ cup before adding it to the gravy on the stove. Don’t skip the miso. It adds tons of flavor!

Step 5: Pour in the miso mixture and whisk some more. Continue to cook over low heat for 2 minutes as the gravy thickens.

Debra’s Pro Tips

• You don’t need to wait for a special occasion like Thanksgiving dinner to make this simple vegan gravy recipe. A good gravy recipe is the easy way to turn ordinary recipes into delicious meals.
• 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.
• If you’re looking for super duper smooth gravy, use an immersion blender while the gravy is still in the pot.
• Keep the heat on medium-low as you whisk in the stock. Adjust to lower if you’re not able to keep the consistency uniform.
• Use the last addition of vegetable 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 it 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. Better yet, make it way in advance and freeze.
• Double the recipe! Leftovers always taste best when smothered in this delicious vegan gravy.
• Last year I dropped off jars of this healthy vegan gravy to friends who didn’t host the Thanksgiving meal…they said it was the perfect sauce for all the leftovers. Don’t forget, sharing is caring!

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