How to Make Gluten Free Gravy • Recipe + Tips • Eat or Drink (2024)

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

This post is designed to teach you How to Make Gluten Free Gravy. You’ll learn how to make gluten free gravy using my fool-proof technique. Learn how to season your gluten free gravy properly no matter what type of broth you are making it out of. My gravy is gluten free, dairy free, soy free, egg free, corn free, and peanut free. It can be made vegan if you use vegetable broth.

With Thanksgiving sneaking up on us, I see so many people new to the gluten free diet wondering how to make gluten free gravy. The good news is that making gluten free gravy is not that different from making regular gravy. So while this recipe is not mind-blowing, it’s important to know which replacement ingredients work best. I’ll also share some fool-proof techniques that result in a gravy that’s never clumpy.

If you want dairy free mashed potatoes to go along with your gravy, click here to learn How to Make Dairy Free Mashed Potatoes.

How to Make Gluten Free Gravy • Recipe + Tips • Eat or Drink (1)

If you are brand new to Eat or Drink be sure to sign up for the newsletter so you never miss a thing. Eat or Drink is my Food and Lifestyle blog with a focus on Allergy-Free eating and living. If you want to find more posts focused on the food aspect of Eat or Drink, just click here. If you want to find more posts focused on Allergy-Free Living, click here.Or if you want more lifestyle and faith-based posts, click here.

You can also FOLLOW ME on INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK, and PINTEREST to see more delicious food and to see some social media exclusive recipes, tips, and giveaways.

How to Make Gluten Free Gravy

Gluten free gravy is not all that different from the regular gravy. The only major difference is your thickening agent. It’s also important that you incorporate your flour properly so that it does not clump up.

Create a Slurry

The easiest way to thicken any gravy is to make a slurry. A slurry is simply a mixture of your flour and liquid. You can use water as your liquid or use some of your broth. I prefer using broth because it helps keep the gravy flavorful. Creating a slurry is a fool-proof technique to ensure your gravy thickens properly. The last thing you want in your gravy is clumps of flour. By creating a slurry you remove the risk of your gravy clumping up.

How to Make Gluten Free Gravy • Recipe + Tips • Eat or Drink (2)

Choosing a Flour

My favorite flour to use in gluten free gravy is brown rice flour. Brown rice flour acts very similar to regular gluten-full flour in gravy. It dissolves well and does not add any weird flavor. It is such a common gluten free flour that you can easily find it at any store or you might already have some on hand. In the past, I have tried using starches like tapioca starch or potato starch, but unfortunately, those get a bit too gooey in gravy. You also want to avoid some of the grain free flours like almond or coconut because they have a strong taste and a distinct texture.

When to Season Your Gluten Free Gravy

These tips are not exclusive to learning how to make gluten free gravy. No matter what type of gravy you are making, it’s important to know how to properly season it. A little extra seasoning is especially important for vegan gravy made from vegetable broth.

What to add to gravy made from store-bought broth – Great for Vegan Gravy

These are just some suggestions on ways to season gravy made from store-bought broth. You may not want to use all of them at once. If you are using store-bought broth see the recipe card for an example on how to add seasonings.

  • Salt + Pepper to taste
  • Poultry Seasoning
  • Smoked Paprika
  • Garlic Powder
  • Onion Powder
  • Rosemary
  • Liquid Smoke – not necessary but does help add a rich flavor that store-bought broth is lacking
  • Dark Brown Sugar – a very small amount of dark brown sugar helps round out the flavors
  • Dairy Free Butter

What to add to gravy made from turkey pan drippings:

If you are using the pan-drippings and juice from a cooked meat like Turkey on Thanksgiving, you will not need to add a lot of seasoning. Below are the only things I suggest adding to help season your gravy.

  • If there is not enough liquid from the turkey you may need to add some broth
  • Salt + Pepper to taste

How to Make Gluten Free Gravy • Recipe + Tips • Eat or Drink (3)

Troubleshooting Tips

Hopefully, you don’t run into errors when making your gravy. But if you do goof up somewhere along the way it’s not the end of the world. Here are some troubleshooting tips to help you when you are in a pinch.

Too Thick

If your gravy gets too thick don’t panic! This can happen very easily from overcooking your gravy or adding too much flour. If your gravy is too thick just slowly whisk in more broth while your gravy is simmering. Once your gravy reaches the consistency you want to turn it off and remove it from the heat. The longer it cooks the more the liquid will evaporate so be sure to remove it from the heat when it is at your desired consistency.

Too Thin

Maybe you had more broth than you realized and your gravy isn’t getting thick. Don’t worry too much. Just make more slurry and SLOWLY add it in. Start with a little bit, mix well, and simmer for a few minutes. If it’s still thin repeat.

Too Much Seasoning

If you added too much seasoning you might just have to add more broth and slurry to expand the amount of gravy. This will dilute the seasoning you added.

Clumpy

If your gravy gets clumpy first try adding a bit more broth and whisking vigorously. If the clumps still don’t go away you can try running your gravy through a fine mesh strainer. This should help you remove the clumps.

If you’ve enjoyed this post don’t forget to scroll down to the comments section to rate the recipe ☆☆☆☆☆ and let me know your questions, thoughts, and opinions. I love hearing from you!

If you think your friends would love this recipe too, don’t forget to hit the share buttons below.

How to Make Gluten Free Gravy • Recipe + Tips • Eat or Drink (4)

5 from 7 votes

Gluten Free Gravy

Learn how to make simple gluten free gravy with this simple recipe. Perfect gravy for mashed potatoes. You'll love this gluten free gravy on Thanksgiving or Christmas. It's dairy free, corn free, and can be made vegan with vegetable broth.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time7 minutes mins

Total Time12 minutes mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: corn free, dairy free, gluten free, gravy, holiday, thanksgiving, vegan

Servings: 3 Servings

Calories: 70kcal

Author: Emily Meyer | Eat or Drink

Pin Recipe Print Recipe Rate this Recipe

Ingredients

Gravy Base

  • 1 1/2 cup store-bought broth or cooking liquid and drippings from meat like turkey

Slurry

  • 1/2 cup broth or water
  • 3 tablespoons brown rice flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt - more or less to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper - more or less to taste

Other optional seasonings - see note in blog post about seasoning your gravy

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Add broth or pan drippings and juice to a small pot and bring to a boil.

  • While your liquid is coming to a boil, make your slurry. To make your slurry add broth or water to a small bowl and add in your brown rice flour. Whisk very well to combine. If you leave the bowl sitting long before adding to your pot, you may need to whisk again because separation can occur.

  • Slowly add your slurry to your boiling broth while whisking. Quickly reduce to a simmer and cook for about 7 minutes. During this time you can add any seasonings you would like to add. If your gravy starts to get too thick for your liking remove from heat and serve. If you run into any issues with gravy consistency see troubleshooting tips in the blog post.

Video

Notes

Read the blog post for tips on seasoning. If you run into any issues with texture see troubleshooting tips in the blog post.

Please be aware: I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition facts provided are not always 100% accurate and are calculated using general brands and figures. If you need exact nutrition facts please consult a certified dietician or nutritionist.

Nutrition

Calories: 70kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Sodium: 843mg | Potassium: 122mg | Vitamin A: 80IU | Vitamin C: 8.3mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 0.4mg

How to Make Gluten Free Gravy • Recipe + Tips • Eat or Drink (2024)

FAQs

Can gluten-free people eat gravy? ›

The only thing that adds gluten to gravy is the flour to thicken it. If you use cornstarch or another gluten-free flour you'll have a GF gravy. Sorry I don't have recipes for it, but I've never used a recipe for gravy.

What is the best thickener for gluten-free gravy? ›

Cornstarch is probably the most readily available ingredient to sub in for flour in your gluten-free gravy—and you probably already have it in your pantry. The only catch is you'll skip the roux-making process. Once you've deglazed your roasting pan and added stock, transfer about 1 cup stock mixture to a medium bowl.

What is the secret to good gravy? ›

Here are my principles for making great gravy without fear:
  • Make it ahead. This is the most important one. ...
  • Make a really good homemade turkey stock first. Don't skimp on this crucial first step. ...
  • Reinforce the stock's flavor. ...
  • Simmer, simmer, simmer. ...
  • Strain and cool. ...
  • Reduce. ...
  • Hot liquids only.
Nov 5, 2021

What would happen if a gluten-free person eats gluten? ›

A tiny amount—possibly even smaller than the eye can see—could trigger a variety of bodily reactions. Symptoms of glutening are often digestive (abdominal pain, diarrhea, and constipation). However, gluten exposure can also cause headaches, anxiety, brain fog, skin rashes, or problems with a variety of body systems.

What are gluten-free people not allowed to eat? ›

Foods containing gluten (not safe to eat)
  • bread.
  • pasta.
  • cereals.
  • biscuits or crackers.
  • cakes and pastries.
  • pies.
  • gravies and sauces.

Will gluten free flour thicken liquids? ›

Yes, gluten free flours can be used to thicken, as the key part is the starch in the flour, not the protein, which is the gluten. Corn flour (not wheaten cornflour) is a common gluten free thickening agent.

How do you thicken gravy without wheat flour? ›

Similar to flour, cornstarch is another ingredient that can be used to make gravy thicker. With cornstarch, making a slurry is also an option, but with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch whisked into cold water. Again, you'll want to add the slurry in increments so you don't over-thicken the gravy.

Are potatoes gluten-free? ›

The simple answer is yes — potatoes are gluten-free. Gluten is a type of protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and other grains. Potatoes aren't grains, they're a type of starchy vegetable. That's good news for people who can't tolerate gluten because they have celiac disease or gluten intolerance.

Does gravy taste better with flour or cornstarch? ›

Browning adds more flavor to the gravy and gets rid of the raw flour taste. You're basically making a roux. We find that a flour-based gravy holds up better and reheats better later, which is why we tend to prefer using flour over cornstarch to make gravy unless we have a guest who is eating gluten-free.

Why is my gravy not tasty? ›

If the gravy lacks oomph, adjust seasoning as necessary with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. If you used canned stock instead of homemade, the gravy might not be as flavorful. Homemade stock, even made with chicken stock rather than turkey, will produce a superior gravy—so it's worth the effort.

What is the ratio of flour to liquid for gravy? ›

(The classic ratio for gravy is three:two:one, so 3 tablespoons flour, 2 tablespoons fat, and 1 cup of hot stock.) You can add other flavors to the mixture, swap out the stock for another liquid, or use cornstarch rather than flour to thicken your gravy.

Do you use hot or cold water for gravy? ›

It used to be said that the broth must be cold or the gravy will turn out lumpy. We made three gravies, one with gently simmering broth, one with room-temperature broth, and one with cold broth. Adding the warm broth shaved a few minutes off the cooking time, but there was no discernible difference in quality.

What thickener is best for gravy? ›

While you're most likely to have flour or cornstarch in the pantry, there are other substitutes you can use to thicken gravy, following the same instructions for creating a slurry: Arrowroot. Tapioca starch. Potato starch.

Why add soy sauce to gravy? ›

Their experiments have proved the best gravy should be made from meat juices, vegetable water – and a dash of soy sauce to bring out the umami, or meaty taste.

What gravy can celiacs have? ›

Bisto Gluten Free Gravy Granules. Same great taste as the nation's favourite.

Which gravy mix is gluten free? ›

MAGGI Gluten Free Supreme Gravy Mix is the perfect way to add a rich, beef - flavoured finish to meat and vegetable dishes. Easy to make, simply cook on stovetop and serve. It's gluten free, and 99% fat free.

What can I substitute for flour in gravy? ›

Similar to flour, cornstarch is another ingredient that can be used to make gravy thicker. With cornstarch, making a slurry is also an option, but with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch whisked into cold water. Again, you'll want to add the slurry in increments so you don't over-thicken the gravy.

Does potato gravy have gluten? ›

Don't top mashed potatoes with gravy. Flour is a main ingredient in most kinds of gravy, but you can find gluten-free options at the store, or make your own.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Lidia Grady

Last Updated:

Views: 6790

Rating: 4.4 / 5 (45 voted)

Reviews: 84% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Lidia Grady

Birthday: 1992-01-22

Address: Suite 493 356 Dale Fall, New Wanda, RI 52485

Phone: +29914464387516

Job: Customer Engineer

Hobby: Cryptography, Writing, Dowsing, Stand-up comedy, Calligraphy, Web surfing, Ghost hunting

Introduction: My name is Lidia Grady, I am a thankful, fine, glamorous, lucky, lively, pleasant, shiny person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.