Gravy is one of those Thanksgiving foods nobody talks about much until it goes wrong.
Too thin, and it runs across the plate like broth.
Too thick, and it lands beside the turkey in one determined lump.
Too salty, and suddenly every other side dish tastes salty too.
Good Thanksgiving gravy should quietly make everything else on the plate better.
It should be smooth, savory, rich enough for mashed potatoes, and flavorful enough to rescue the occasional slice of turkey that stayed in the oven a few minutes longer than planned.
For these Thanksgiving gravy recipes, we’re making five useful versions: classic turkey gravy, make-ahead gravy, creamy herb gravy, mushroom gravy, and easy gravy without drippings.
That gives you options even if you’re roasting turkey, making dinner ahead, serving vegetarians, or discovering at the last minute that the roasting pan did not produce nearly as many drippings as expected.
What You’ll Need
Classic Turkey Gravy
- 1/4 cup turkey fat or unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups turkey drippings and turkey or chicken broth combined
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon dried sage
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups turkey or chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Creamy Herb Gravy
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken or turkey broth
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh sage
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Mushroom Gravy
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1 small shallot, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Easy Gravy Without Drippings
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon dried sage
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Tools You’ll Need
Gravy doesn’t need much equipment, but one good whisk makes life much easier.
You’ll need:
- Medium saucepan
- Large saucepan
- Roasting pan or fat separator for turkey drippings
- Fine-mesh strainer
- Whisk
- Wooden spoon
- Rubber spatula
- Chef’s knife
- Cutting board
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Liquid measuring cup
- Ladle
- Small bowl
- Serving gravy boat or heatproof serving bowl
Start With the Thanksgiving Classic
Classic Turkey Gravy
If you’re roasting a turkey, this is the gravy most people expect.
And the flavor comes largely from one thing you already have.
The roasting pan.
After removing the cooked turkey, carefully pour the pan drippings into a fat separator or heatproof measuring cup.
Let the fat rise to the top.
Measure 1/4 cup turkey fat.
If you don’t have enough, add unsalted butter until you reach 1/4 cup.
Now measure the flavorful liquid underneath.
Add turkey or chicken broth until you have 2 cups total liquid.
Place the turkey fat in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
Whisk in the flour.
Cook the mixture for about 2 minutes, whisking frequently.
This is your roux.
It should smell lightly toasted rather than raw and floury.
Slowly pour in the drippings and broth while whisking continuously.
Do this gradually.
A little liquid at first makes it easier to work out any lumps.
Once the mixture is smooth, add Worcestershire sauce, thyme, sage, black pepper, and a small amount of salt.
Bring to a gentle simmer.
Cook for approximately 5 to 8 minutes, whisking occasionally, until the gravy coats the back of a spoon.
Taste before adding more salt.
Turkey drippings can already be quite salty, especially if the bird was brined.
That tasting step can save the entire gravy.
Strain it if you want an especially smooth finish.
Then serve.
Pro Tips for Smooth Thanksgiving Gravy
Add liquid gradually. Dumping all the broth into the roux at once makes lumps much more likely.
Cook the flour briefly before adding broth. Raw flour flavor has no place on mashed potatoes.
Season near the end. Drippings, broth, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and butter can all contribute salt.
Keep extra broth nearby. Gravy thickens as it sits, so a splash of warm broth can loosen it before serving.
Don’t panic over lumps. A fine-mesh strainer can fix quite a lot.
The Gravy You Make Before Thanksgiving Even Starts
Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy
If making gravy while the turkey rests sounds like an unnecessary final challenge, this recipe is for you.
You can make it ahead, refrigerate it, then reheat it while everyone else is arguing about when dinner should actually begin.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Add the onion, carrot, and celery.
Cook for about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and begin to brown.
Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables.
Stir for approximately 2 minutes.
Slowly add the broth while whisking or stirring.
Add thyme, sage, bay leaf, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and black pepper.
Bring to a gentle simmer.
Cook uncovered for approximately 20 to 25 minutes.
The gravy should reduce slightly and develop more flavor.
Remove the bay leaf.
Pour everything through a fine-mesh strainer.
Press gently on the vegetables with the back of a spoon to extract the flavorful liquid.
Discard the vegetables.
Taste and adjust seasoning.
Cool the gravy promptly and refrigerate.
On Thanksgiving Day, reheat it gently in a saucepan.
If you have turkey drippings available, whisk a few spoonfuls into the gravy at the end.
That gives you the convenience of make-ahead gravy with some of the flavor of the actual turkey.
Very little last-minute whisking required.
Creamy Herb Gravy for an Extra-Rich Holiday Plate
Creamy Herb Gravy
Traditional gravy does not usually need cream.
But sometimes Thanksgiving is not the day for restraint.
This version works especially well with turkey breast, mashed potatoes, roasted chicken, pork, or holiday vegetables.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
Whisk in the flour.
Cook for approximately 1 to 2 minutes.
Slowly whisk in the broth.
Keep whisking until smooth.
Add thyme, rosemary, sage, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
Cook until slightly thickened.
Reduce the heat to low.
Slowly stir in the heavy cream.
Let the gravy warm gently for another 3 to 5 minutes.
Do not boil it aggressively after adding the cream.
Taste.
Adjust seasoning.
If you want a perfectly smooth gravy, strain it before serving.
If you like seeing tiny pieces of herbs, leave it alone.
This one is rich enough that you don’t need much.
A spoonful over turkey or mashed potatoes goes a long way.
And if your Thanksgiving menu already contains several cream-based casseroles, choose a lighter gravy instead.
There can, in fact, be too much cream on one plate.
It takes effort.
Thanksgiving is capable of it.
Mushroom Gravy That Doesn’t Need Turkey
Mushroom Gravy
A good vegetarian gravy should not feel like the sad backup plan.
This one certainly doesn’t.
The mushrooms provide deep savory flavor while shallot, garlic, thyme, and soy sauce fill in the rest.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan or deep skillet over medium heat.
Add the mushrooms.
Spread them out.
Cook for about 7 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until their moisture has evaporated and they begin browning.
Do not rush this.
Pale, wet mushrooms and deeply browned mushrooms taste very different.
Add the shallot.
Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
Sprinkle the flour across the mushrooms.
Stir until everything is coated.
Cook for about 1 minute.
Slowly pour in the vegetable broth while stirring continuously.
Add soy sauce, thyme, salt, and black pepper.
Bring to a gentle simmer.
Cook for approximately 8 to 10 minutes, until thickened.
Finish with chopped parsley.
You can serve it chunky, which is my preference.
Or blend part of the gravy for a smoother texture.
This works beautifully with mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, stuffing, vegetarian mains, or even regular turkey if somebody at the table simply prefers mushroom gravy.
The Backup Gravy Every Thanksgiving Cook Should Know
Easy Gravy Without Drippings
Here is the situation.
The turkey is done.
You look at the roasting pan.
There are very few usable drippings.
This is not a Thanksgiving emergency.
Make this gravy.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
Whisk in the flour.
Cook for about 2 minutes.
Slowly whisk in the chicken broth.
Add Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, thyme, sage, salt, and black pepper.
Bring to a simmer.
Cook for about 6 to 8 minutes, whisking occasionally.
Taste.
Adjust seasoning.
Done.
If you happen to have a few spoonfuls of turkey drippings, add them.
If you don’t, don’t worry about it.
Good broth, butter, and herbs still make a very respectable gravy.
This is also the recipe to keep in mind when you’re serving turkey breast instead of a whole bird.
Smaller cuts don’t always give you enough drippings for a large batch.
How Thick Should Thanksgiving Gravy Be?
Gravy thickens as it cools.
Remember that before continuing to simmer it until it looks like pudding.
At the stove, gravy should be slightly thinner than you want it on the table.
Dip a spoon into it.
Run your finger across the back of the spoon.
The gravy should coat the spoon while leaving a clear line where your finger passed.
That’s usually a good sign.
If Your Gravy Is Too Thick
Whisk in warm broth, a few tablespoons at a time.
If Your Gravy Is Too Thin
Let it simmer a little longer.
If it still refuses to thicken, make a small slurry using equal amounts of cornstarch and cold water.
Whisk a little into the simmering gravy.
Give it a minute before adding more.
Do not pour dry cornstarch directly into the pan.
Unless little white lumps were part of your Thanksgiving vision.
Which Thanksgiving Gravy Should You Make?
Here’s the quick version.
| Gravy | Main Flavor | Uses Drippings? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic turkey | Traditional, savory | Yes | Roast turkey |
| Make-ahead | Savory, herby | Optional | Busy holidays |
| Creamy herb | Rich, creamy | No | Turkey, chicken, potatoes |
| Mushroom | Earthy, savory | No | Vegetarian menus |
| No-drippings | Classic, simple | No | Backup gravy |
For the most traditional table, make classic turkey gravy.
For a low-stress Thanksgiving, prepare the make-ahead version.
For vegetarian guests, mushroom gravy is worth making even if turkey gravy is already available.
And keep the no-drippings recipe in your back pocket.
Hopefully you won’t need it.
But knowing it’s there is comforting.
How Much Gravy Do You Need for Thanksgiving?
Gravy disappears quickly.
People pour it on:
- Turkey
- Mashed potatoes
- Stuffing
- Biscuits
- Rolls
- Sometimes nearly everything else
A useful starting point is about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of gravy per person.
For 8 people, aim for around 3 to 4 cups.
For 12 people, around 5 to 6 cups gives you more breathing room.
If your family treats gravy like a beverage, make more.
You know your people better than I do.
Extra gravy is rarely a serious Thanksgiving problem.
Running out is considerably more noticeable.
Make-Ahead Tips
Gravy is one of the easiest Thanksgiving jobs to move off Thanksgiving Day.
Two Days Before
You can prepare:
- Make-ahead gravy
- Mushroom gravy
- Herb gravy
- No-drippings gravy
Cool them quickly.
Transfer to covered containers.
Refrigerate.
Thanksgiving Day
Reheat slowly over medium-low heat.
Whisk frequently.
Add warm broth if the gravy has thickened too much.
If you have fresh turkey drippings, add them to the make-ahead or no-drippings gravy.
Taste again before serving.
The flavor may change slightly after refrigeration and after adding drippings.
How to Make Gravy Without Lumps
Lumpy gravy usually starts when liquid meets flour too quickly.
Here’s the safer method.
Cook butter or fat with flour first.
That creates the roux.
Then add a small splash of broth.
Whisk until completely smooth.
Add a little more.
Whisk.
Once the mixture has loosened and looks smooth, you can pour the remaining broth more quickly.
If you still get lumps, use an immersion blender briefly or pour the gravy through a fine-mesh strainer.
Lumpy gravy is fixable.
No need to dramatically announce its failure to the entire kitchen.
What Can I Use Instead of Turkey Drippings?
Plenty.
You can build a good gravy with:
- Chicken broth
- Turkey broth
- Vegetable broth
- Butter
- Roasted turkey stock
- Mushroom broth
For deeper flavor, add Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, herbs, browned mushrooms, roasted garlic, or caramelized onions depending on the type of gravy.
The key is building savory flavor somewhere else.
Drippings are useful.
They’re not mandatory.
Substitutions and Variations
Gravy is surprisingly flexible.
Turkey fat: Use unsalted butter.
Turkey broth: Chicken broth works well.
Chicken broth: Use vegetable broth for vegetarian gravy.
All-purpose flour: A suitable gluten-free flour blend can work.
Heavy cream: Half-and-half gives creamy gravy a slightly lighter finish.
Cremini mushrooms: White button mushrooms work.
Fresh herbs: Dried herbs can be substituted in smaller amounts.
Soy sauce: Tamari can work if you’re avoiding gluten, as long as the product meets your dietary needs.
Worcestershire sauce: Leave it out if needed or use a suitable vegetarian version for meatless gravy.
Shallot: Finely chopped onion works in mushroom gravy.
You can also stir roasted garlic into traditional gravy or add a spoonful of Dijon mustard for a slightly sharper version.
Small changes work better than adding ten extra flavors.
Gravy still needs to taste like gravy.
How to Fix Gravy That Is Too Salty
First, don’t add more salt.
Seems obvious.
Thanksgiving kitchens do strange things to people.
Whisk in unsalted broth.
If the gravy becomes too thin afterward, simmer it gently until it thickens again.
You can also make a small separate batch of unsalted roux and broth, then combine the two gravies.
Avoid relying on tricks such as dropping a raw potato into the pan.
Dilution is much more dependable.
This is why seasoning near the end matters so much.
Especially when you’re using turkey drippings.
Keeping Gravy Warm Without Ruining It
Gravy waits reasonably well, but the surface can form a skin and the sauce can thicken.
Keep it over very low heat.
Stir or whisk occasionally.
If it thickens, add a splash of warm broth.
For a larger gathering, you can transfer finished gravy to a small slow cooker and use the WARM setting, provided it remains at 140°F or above.
Don’t let it boil for an hour.
Gentle heat is enough.
And cover it between servings so you don’t develop that mysterious gravy skin nobody invited.
What to Serve With Thanksgiving Gravy
The obvious answer is turkey.
But gravy is not loyal.
It works with:
- Mashed potatoes
- Stuffing
- Roast turkey
- Turkey breast
- Roast chicken
- Biscuits
- Dinner rolls
- Meatloaf
- Roasted vegetables
- Vegetarian holiday roasts
- Potato casserole
Mushroom gravy is especially good with mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables.
Creamy herb gravy works beautifully with turkey breast.
Classic turkey gravy belongs wherever the serving spoon takes it.
Leftovers and Storage
Cool gravy promptly and refrigerate it within 2 hours of serving.
Store in a covered container.
Most homemade gravy can be refrigerated for 3 to 4 days.
To reheat, place it in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
Whisk as it warms.
Add a splash of broth if needed.
Reheat leftovers to 165°F.
Gravy can also be frozen.
Cool it completely, transfer it to a freezer-safe container, and leave a little space for expansion.
Flour-thickened gravy generally freezes better than cream-heavy versions.
After thawing, whisk vigorously while reheating to help restore the texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make Thanksgiving gravy ahead of time?
Yes. You can make gravy one or two days before Thanksgiving and reheat it gently before serving.
How do you make gravy from turkey drippings?
Separate the turkey fat from the pan juices, cook the fat with flour to create a roux, then gradually whisk in the remaining drippings and broth.
What if I don’t have enough turkey drippings?
Add turkey or chicken broth. You can also make gravy entirely without drippings.
Why is my gravy lumpy?
Liquid was probably added too quickly or the roux wasn’t whisked smoothly. Strain the gravy or blend it briefly to fix the texture.
Why is my gravy too thin?
It may need more simmering time. You can also add a small cornstarch slurry.
Why is my gravy too thick?
Whisk in warm broth until it reaches the texture you want.
Can I make vegetarian Thanksgiving gravy?
Yes. Mushroom gravy made with vegetable broth is a flavorful meatless option.
How much gravy should I make per person?
Around 1/3 to 1/2 cup per guest is a reasonable starting point for Thanksgiving.
Can gravy be frozen?
Yes. Many flour-based gravies freeze well. Cream-heavy versions may separate slightly but can often be improved by whisking during reheating.
How do I keep gravy warm for Thanksgiving dinner?
Keep it over very low heat or in a suitable slow cooker on WARM, maintaining a temperature of at least 140°F.
Wrapping Up
Gravy is not the biggest dish on the Thanksgiving table.
It might be one of the most useful.
A spoonful can bring turkey, potatoes, stuffing, and vegetables together in one bite.
Make the classic version if you have flavorful turkey drippings.
Prepare gravy ahead if Thanksgiving Day already looks too crowded.
Go creamy when you want something richer.
Make mushroom gravy for a savory vegetarian option.
And remember the no-drippings version in case the roasting pan refuses to cooperate.
Most gravy problems are fixable with broth, a whisk, and a few extra minutes.
So don’t overthink it.
Taste as you go, keep the texture slightly looser than you ultimately want, and make a little more than you think you’ll need.
Because watching the gravy boat come back empty while half the turkey is still on the table is one Thanksgiving problem that’s much harder to repair.
