My easy homemade beef gravy recipe comes together quickly using ingredients from your pantry. There is no need for drippings in this recipe, but we flavor ours with plenty of spices, umami, and aromatics. Pour the rich, flavorful gravy over mashed potatoes and serve it with chicken fried steak, keto Yorkshire pudding, or boneless leg of lamb.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Savory homemade beef gravy is so easy to make, and you don’t need drippings, store-bought jars, or packets! This recipe is a must-have for home cooks in need of quick gravy to pair with dinner or a holiday meal. Get ready to impress your house guests by preparing gravy-from-scratch in 15 minutes!
What You Need to Make This Recipe
You can easily whip up homemade beef gravy using just a few simple ingredients in your pantry.
- Cornstarch Slurry: Cold water and cornstarch form an easy slurry to thicken the gravy.
- Beef Stock: Low-sodium beef stock is our chosen base, but consider using a mushroom broth as a vegetarian option.
- Beef Better Than Bouillon: To enhance the beefy flavor of the gravy, add Beef Better Than Bouillon.
- Spices: Season the homemade beef gravy with onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper.
- Worcestershire Sauce: Worcestershire sauce enhances the other ingredients.
- Thyme: Fresh thyme flavors the gravy with earthy sweetness.
Roux vs. Slurry
Thicken sauce and gravy with a roux or a cornstarch slurry, depending on your preference. I use a cornstarch slurry to make homemade beef gravy to keep it gluten-free. Creating a slurry involves combining COLD water with cornstarch. The cold water added to the slurry prevents lumps from forming once you add them to the warm ingredients in the pan.
How to Make Homemade Beef Gravy Without Drippings
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Combine cold water and cornstarch in a liquid measuring cup. Set it aside.
Step 2: Bring beef stock to a boil in a saucepan. Then, stir in Better Than Bouillon, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce.
Step 3: Add the cornstarch slurry, and reduce the heat; continue whisking until smooth.
Step 4: Add thyme sprigs and simmer until the gravy reaches desired thickness.
Expert Tips
- Use cold water and cornstarch to make a thickening slurry. The cold water helps to create velvety-smooth gravy by preventing lumps from forming.
- The longer the gravy simmers, the more concentrated the flavor will become.
Searching for More Like This?
If you love this recipe, pair it with one of these tasty favorites!
What Sides Go Well with Gravy?
- Boneless Leg of Lamb Recipe, Pork Roast, Instant Pot Pot Roast, Boliche
- Poutine, French Fries, Roasted Potatoes, Air Fryer Frozen Sweet Potato Fries, Air Fryer Home Fries
- Mashed Cauliflower
- Beef Tips, Cube Steak, Hamburger Steak, Hawaiian Loco Moco
- Pork Chops
- Fried Chicken, Chicken Tenders
What to do With the Leftovers
- Refrigerate – Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3 days.
- Freeze – Let the gravy cool completely, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container or bag. Homemade beef gravy will freeze for 5 months.
- Reheat – As the gravy cools, it naturally thickens. To reheat the leftovers, add a quarter cup of water or beef stock to the gravy and warm it in a saucepan.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is brown gravy made of?
Brown gravy is often made using the drippings from roasted meat. As this recipe shows, gravy is also made with beef stock, spices, herbs, and a thickening agent.
What is the secret to good gravy?
It comes down to the consistency. Who doesn’t love a smooth, thick gravy? In order to avoid lumps that can easily form when making gravy, cornstarch slurry is the way to go! Using cold water combined with cornstarch prevents lumps from forming once the slurry is added to the gravy.
How do you make gravy from beef drippings?
Replace the beef stock with accumulated drippings from a turkey, roasted chicken, or pot roast.
Can I make this recipe ahead of time?
You can, and I encourage you to do so, especially when planning busy holiday meals. Make the gravy as-is and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Then, follow my suggestions for reheating.
Can I use flour instead of cornstarch?
Yes, but use it at the beginning of the recipe with 2-3 tablespoons of butter. Build a blonde roux and follow the remaining instructions for preparing the gravy.
How to Make a 15-Minute Blonde Roux
Ingredients:
• Butter
• Flour
Instructions:
1. Start with a cold pan and warm butter over medium heat until it bubbles.
2. Add the flour and whisk to combine.
3. Whisk constantly to prevent burning; this is especially important once the paste changes color. If you notice any color spotting, turn down the heat and continue whisking.
4. Watch the roux and pay attention to the color; it may not take 15 minutes, or it can take longer. It all depends on the stove you’re using.
More Comfort Food Recipes:
Homemade Beef Gravy
- ¼ cup cold water
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 cups beef stock, low-sodium
- 1 teaspoon Beef Better Than Bouillon
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, coarse ground
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 3 fresh thyme sprigs
- Combine cold water and cornstarch in a liquid measuring cup. Set it aside.
- Bring beef broth to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Then, stir in Better Than Bouillon, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce.
- Add the cornstarch slurry, and reduce the heat; continue whisking until smooth.
- Add thyme sprigs and simmer until the gravy reaches desired thickness.
- Use cold water and cornstarch to make a thickening slurry. The cold water helps to create velvety-smooth gravy by preventing lumps from forming.
- The longer the gravy simmers, the more concentrated the flavor will become.
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.
Annie
Friday 24th of March 2023
I tried this Homemade Beef Gravy recipe and it was absolutely delicious! I love that it was easy to make and didn't require any drippings. The combination of onion powder, garlic powder, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and fresh thyme gave the gravy such a rich and flavorful taste. It was the perfect addition to my mashed potatoes. Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe!