This easy vegan gravy is rich, creamy, and full of savory flavor. It takes just 15 minutes to make with simple pantry ingredients, and there's no need to chop onions or garlic. I love serving it over mashed potatoes, especially for Thanksgiving and Christmas, but it's just as good for everyday meals.
Traditional gravy is often made with butter and chicken, beef, or turkey broth, and sometimes with meat drippings for extra flavor. I use vegan butter and vegetable broth instead, plus a little soy sauce for a deeper, savory flavor. I also add unsweetened plant-based milk to make it extra creamy without making the recipe any more complicated.
It's a great option for holiday meals because you can make it ahead of time and reheat it when you're ready to serve. I usually pair it with Vegan Mashed Potatoes, but it works just as well with other holiday dishes or a simple weeknight dinner.
Looking for more vegan holiday recipes? Try my Vegan Mushroom Gravy if you love mushrooms. My Vegan Green Bean Casserole and Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole are also great additions to your holiday menu. They're all easy to make and perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas, so you can put together a delicious holiday meal without spending hours in the kitchen.
Why You'll Love This Vegan Gravy
Here's what makes it so good:
- Rich and creamy: Vegan butter, vegetable broth, and plant-based milk give this gravy a smooth, creamy texture, while soy sauce and herbs add plenty of savory flavor.
- Ready in 15 minutes: It's quick enough for a weeknight dinner and easy to prepare while the rest of your holiday meal is cooking.
- No chopping required: Garlic powder and onion powder add flavor without having to chop or sauté fresh vegetables, saving you time and cleanup.
- Made with simple ingredients: No mushrooms, specialty seasonings, or hard-to-find ingredients. Just everyday staples you may already have in your kitchen.
- Perfect for holidays and everyday meals: It's great for Thanksgiving and Christmas, but it's also an easy way to add extra flavor to your favorite comfort foods throughout the year.
Vegan Gravy Ingredients
- Vegan butter: Adds richness and flavor. I usually use store-bought, but you can also make your own Vegan Butter or use olive oil instead.
- All-purpose flour: Thickens the gravy. You can also use whole wheat flour for a slightly darker gravy with a nuttier flavor, or try a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend.
- Garlic powder and onion powder: They add flavor without any chopping. You can use 2 minced garlic cloves and ½ finely chopped onion instead. Just sauté them in the vegan butter over medium heat for 4-5 minutes before adding the flour.
- Dried rosemary: Adds an herby flavor. You can substitute dried sage or Poultry Seasoning.
- Dried thyme: Adds a warm, earthy flavor. Dried sage is another good option.
- Black pepper: Freshly ground is best for flavor, but pre-ground works too.
- Soy sauce: Adds saltiness, umami, and a deeper color. Use tamari for a gluten-free option or coconut aminos for a soy-free alternative.
- Vegetable broth: Use your favorite store-bought broth or try my Homemade Vegetable Broth.
- Unsweetened Non-Dairy Milk: Makes the gravy creamier. I use Soy Milk, but any unsweetened non-dairy milk works, like Oat Milk or Almond Milk.
Find the full recipe with exact measurements in the recipe card below.
How to Make Vegan Gravy
- Melt the vegan butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then whisk in the flour.
- Cook for 1-2 minutes, whisking frequently, until lightly golden.
- Add the garlic powder, onion powder, rosemary, thyme, and black pepper. Whisk to combine.
- Stir in the soy sauce until well combined.
- Slowly add the vegetable broth and non-dairy milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 5 minutes, whisking frequently, until thickened. Serve warm.
Tips for the Best Results
- Use a flavorful vegetable broth: The broth makes a big difference in the final flavor, so choose one you really like. Low-sodium broth is a good option if you want more control over the saltiness.
- Don't rush the roux: Let the flour cook in the vegan butter for 1-2 minutes to get rid of the raw flour taste and develop a little more flavor, but don't let it burn.
- Adjust the thickness to your liking: Use less broth for a thicker gravy or the full amount for a thinner one. Keep in mind that the gravy will thicken a little more as it cools.
- Taste before adding salt: Vegetable broth and soy sauce already contain salt, so taste the gravy once it's ready before adding any extra seasoning.
- Keep it warm until serving: If you're not serving it right away, keep it over very low heat and give it an occasional stir. Add a splash of broth if it thickens too much.
Serving Suggestions
For Thanksgiving or Christmas, serve this gravy over Vegan Mashed Potatoes, Vegan Turkey, or Vegan Stuffing. It also goes really well with Vegan Meatloaf, Mushroom Wellington, or Vegan Lentil Loaf.
For everyday meals, try serving it over warm Vegan Biscuits or alongside Vegan Chicken. It's also great spooned over roasted vegetables for a simple, comforting side dish.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Fridge: Store leftover gravy in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. It will thicken as it cools, but that's completely normal.
- Freezer: Let the gravy cool, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2-3 months. The texture may change slightly after freezing, but it should become smooth again when reheated and whisked well.
- Thaw: Let it thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheat: Warm the gravy in a saucepan over low heat, whisking frequently until smooth and heated through. Add a splash of vegetable broth or unsweetened non-dairy milk if it's too thick. You can also reheat it in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! You can make this gravy 1-2 days ahead and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. When you're ready to serve, gently reheat it in a saucepan over low heat, whisking frequently. Add a splash of vegetable broth or unsweetened non-dairy milk if it's too thick.
For a thicker gravy, use less vegetable broth or let it simmer a little longer, stirring frequently. If it's still too thin, mix 1 teaspoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of cold water, whisk it into the simmering gravy, and cook for another minute or two until thickened.
For a thinner gravy, gradually whisk in more broth until you reach your preferred consistency. Keep in mind that gravy thickens as it cools.
The key is to add the vegetable broth and non-dairy milk gradually while whisking constantly. Make sure the flour is fully mixed with the vegan butter before adding any liquid. If lumps do form, whisk vigorously or use an immersion blender to smooth them out.
Absolutely! Just double all the ingredients and use a larger saucepan to give yourself plenty of room to whisk. The gravy may take a little longer to heat up and thicken, but the method stays the same. It's a great option when cooking for a crowd.
Replace the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend suitable for thickening sauces, and use gluten-free tamari instead of regular soy sauce. Make sure your vegetable broth is gluten-free too. You can also use cornstarch, but you'll need to mix it with a little cold liquid and add it as a slurry rather than making a roux.
More Vegan Holiday Recipes
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Easy Vegan Gravy
Ingredients
- ¼ cup vegan butter, or olive oil
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour also works
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1½-2 cups vegetable broth, I used 2 cups, but you can use less for a thicker gravy
- 1 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk, I used soy milk
Instructions
- Place the vegan butter in a saucepan over medium heat and let it melt. Then, whisk in the flour.
- Cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, whisking frequently, until the mixture turns lightly golden.
- Add the garlic powder, onion powder, rosemary, thyme, and black pepper. Whisk until well combined.
- Pour in the soy sauce and whisk to combine.
- Gradually whisk in the vegetable broth and non-dairy milk until smooth and free of lumps.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and cook for about 5 minutes, whisking frequently, until the gravy thickens. Serve warm.
Video
Notes
- Keep leftover gravy in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. It will thicken as it cools.
- Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 2-3 months. The texture may change slightly, but whisking during reheating should help smooth it out.
- Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Warm in a saucepan over low heat, whisking frequently. Add a splash of vegetable broth or unsweetened non-dairy milk if needed. Alternatively, microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until heated through.
Markell says
Amazing and so easy! I am shocked to find a recipe that only required basic ingredients that I already had.
Iosune Robles says
Hi Markell! Thanks for your kind comment 🙂
Lisa says
I also used homemade almond milk...
Lisa says
Delish!
I used slightly caramelized onions instead of onion powder, and finished it with about a tablespoon and a half of nutritional yeast at the end. It was slightly less thick than I like my gravy, so I added one more tablespoon of AP flour too. While I made this to put over my vegan Shepard's Pie that needed a little added moisture, having this much yummy gravy hanging around inspired me to make some biscuits! 😉
Thanks for the recipe!
Iosune Robles says
Hi Lisa! So glad you liked it Lisa 🙂
Gabriele Powell says
Delish with our prime rib and German noodles for Christmas dinner.
Iosune Robles says
So glad you liked it Gabriele 🙂
Cathie says
OMG this is one of the best gravies I’ve ever had I stayed true to the recipe and it was perfect for me. I made French Toast and Hash Browns this morning and the gravy went so well with both of them.
Iosune Robles says
Hi Cathie! Thanks for your kind comment 🙂
Joyce says
This gravy was great. Was skeptical about using coconut milk due to expected taste, but I didn’t detect any coconut. This is a keeper.
Iosune Robles says
Hi Joyce! Thanks for your kind comment 🙂
Bridey Parker says
I made this vegan gravy after realising the store bought one I had contained milk! Silly me for not reading properly. Given this was the first time I'd ever made a gravy from scratch I was well impressed. Easy to make and delicious!
Iosune Robles says
Hi! I'm so glad you liked our recipe 🙂
Chris says
Fantastic tasting gravy. Almost meaty. Thanks.
Iosune Robles says
Thank you so much Chris! 🙂
Thea says
This was delicious and so very easy. I used vegan butter instead of oil, and just ran out of soy sauce, so I used 1 1/2 tsp vegan Worchestershire sauce instead. It came out just perfectly and wasn't too salty at all, like many other recipes I've tried.
Iosune Robles says
Hi! Thanks for your kind comment 🙂 I'm glad you liked it!
Naomi Jensen says
This recipe is so darn good and EASY!!!
Iosune Robles says
Hi Naomi! Thank you so much 🙂
Jared W. says
This was very good. A lil too thin for my taste, if you like it super thick, add extra flour while you're making the roux at the beginning (heating the butter).
Btw, mine never turned into a roux (it stayed clumpy until I added the milk), I would also suggest adding more butter.
Better than Bouillon made it just a lil too salty, use a lil less than you normally would or omit the soy sauce.
If you struggle with sweetness from the milk, slowly incorporate apple cider vinegar to taste. We used almond milk and it was fine though!
I'm saving this recipe! A brown gravy go to!
Iosune Robles says
Thanks for the advice 🙂 Have a nice day!
Shayla says
I was super thrilled to find a vegan recipe that didn't require me to go get yeast! I used the better than bullion too, so I left out the salt and seasoned afterwards cause my flavor of bullion was just very flavorful, and I wanted a thicker gravy so I just omitted the soy milk. It was a great texture and consistency! I'll be using the recipe many times in the future.
Iosune Robles says
Thanks for your kind comment, Shayla 🙂 Have a nice day!
Anna Daniels says
other than it being a lil too salty, this was wonderful! I'll just use less soy sauce next time.
Iosune Robles says
Hi Anna! That's good 🙂 I'm glad you enjoyed it!