Homemade Brown Gravy Recipe for Roast and Mashed Potatoes

This reliable brown gravy is fast to make, richly flavored, and easy to adapt. Use pan drippings for maximum depth or plain broth when you need a quick sauce—perfect with turkey, mashed potatoes, roasts, and weeknight dinners.

You can make this pan gravy from scratch in minutes using drippings from roast meat or with a good quality broth. It is versatile, forgiving, and a great way to turn those flavorful juices into a glossy sauce.

At its core, brown gravy is a savory sauce made by thickening meat drippings or stock with a roux (butter and flour) or a cornstarch slurry, then seasoning until balanced. We love it over red-skinned mashed potatoes, pork chops, or a holiday turkey. If you don’t have drippings, a robust beef or chicken stock produces an excellent result.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Yield: About 1½ to 2 cups; easy to scale.
• Flavor: Deep, savory brown gravy with extra umami from Worcestershire and soy.
• Simple technique: Make a roux, whisk in warm stock, then season.
• Fast: About 10 minutes from start to finish.

2 Methods

Method 1 – Roux + Drippings/Broth (most flavorful)

How: Combine equal parts fat and flour in a pan (by tablespoon) and cook to a light or medium brown to develop flavor. Gradually whisk in warm stock (roughly 2 cups per 2 tablespoons roux) and simmer until thickened. Finish with seasoning.

Method 2 – Cornstarch Slurry (fastest)

How: Mix cornstarch and cold water (1:1 by tablespoon) to form a slurry. Whisk into simmering hot broth or drippings until glossy and thickened in 30–60 seconds. Adjust slurry for thickness.

When to use each style

• Use pan drippings and a roux for the fullest roast or turkey gravies.
• Use a cornstarch slurry when you need a quick weekday gravy with minimal fuss.

1. Step 1. In a saucepan or skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons flour and stir to form a paste. The texture should resemble wet sand.
2. Step 2. Cook the roux about 3–5 minutes, stirring often, until it darkens from blond to light or medium brown. This develops the toasty flavor and removes the raw flour taste.

3. Step 3. Warm 1½ cups beef broth (or a mix of broth and drippings). Add about ¼ cup at a time to the roux, whisking constantly to eliminate lumps. Continue adding broth and whisking until smooth.
4. Step 4. Stir in 1 teaspoon beef bouillon (optional), ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, ½ teaspoon soy sauce, ¼ teaspoon salt, and a pinch (⅛ teaspoon) of ground pepper. Bring to a gentle boil for 1–2 minutes to thicken, then remove from heat and serve.

Tip: Use warmed broth or drippings; adding cold liquid to a hot roux can cause the fat to seize and create lumps.

Troubleshooting

• Lumpy gravy: Often caused by cold liquid or not whisking. Rewarm and whisk vigorously, strain, or blend with an immersion blender to smooth.
• Too thin: Reduce the gravy over low heat, or whisk in additional roux (melt fat + add flour) or a cornstarch slurry.
• Too thick: Whisk in hot stock a tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
• Floury taste: Cook the roux a little longer next time to remove the raw flavor—browning it adds complexity.

Make Ahead, Store, and Freezing Tips

Refrigerate: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat gently over low heat, whisking or briefly blending, and add a splash of hot stock if it has thickened too much.

Freeze: Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat slowly.

Reheating tip: Roux-based gravies often set in the fridge. Warm over low heat and whisk or use an immersion blender for a smooth texture; add a little hot stock if needed.

Serving Suggestions

Meats: Pour over roast beef or pork, turkey, grilled chicken, or a hearty meatloaf.

Vegetables: Great with roasted or grilled vegetables and green beans.

Potatoes: Ideal for mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, cheesy twice-baked potatoes, or poutine-style dishes.

Also delicious on breakfast biscuits with sausage for a savory start to the day.

Lumps form when cold liquid is added too quickly or whisking is insufficient. To fix: warm the gravy, whisk vigorously, strain, or blend with an immersion blender. To avoid lumps, add warm liquid gradually while whisking.

Use good-quality beef or chicken broth, or dissolve 1 teaspoon bouillon in 1 cup (240 mL) hot water for a quick substitute.

Mix part drippings with part broth, or use all broth. A roughly half-and-half mix gives richness without excess oil.

Easy Brown Gravy

A foolproof brown gravy that’s quick, flavorful, and customizable. Use drippings or broth—perfect for turkey, mashed potatoes, and roast dinners.

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 2 Tablespoons flour
• 1½ cups beef broth (or broth + drippings)
• 1 teaspoon beef bouillon (optional)
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• ½ teaspoon soy sauce
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon ground pepper

Instructions

1. Melt butter over medium heat and stir in flour until combined into a paste like wet sand.
2. Cook 3–5 minutes, stirring, until the roux turns light to medium brown.
3. Warm the broth or drippings. Add about ¼ cup at a time to the roux, whisking well and smoothing out lumps before adding more.
4. Stir in bouillon (if using), garlic and onion powders, Worcestershire, soy sauce, salt, and pepper. Bring to a brief simmer until the gravy thickens, then remove from heat and serve.

Notes

Note: Warm broth prevents the roux from seizing and helps avoid lumps. Substitute up to 1 cup of broth with drippings for extra flavor. When reheating, whisk in a little hot broth if the gravy has thickened too much.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 25 kcal | Carbohydrates: 4 g | Protein: 1 g | Fat: 0.4 g | Sodium: 369 mg