This easy gluten-free mushroom gravy adds savory flavor to mashed potatoes and so much more! It’s a delicious alternative to traditional gravy and so easy to make. Naturally gluten-free & vegan friendly, it’s the perfect gravy recipe to try this holiday season!
We’ve been making this easy mushroom gravy recipe since 2019! It’s made appearances at Thanksgiving dinner, Easter, Christmas, you name it! And it’s not just us–I’ve gotten so many messages and review on Pinterest saying it’s one of your favorites, too. I get it! There’s so much to love:
- It’s DELICIOUS. Browned mushrooms, savory broth, delicious herbs…it’s full of SO MUCH FLAVOR!
- It’s EASY. No fussy ingredients and no fancy skills required. This delicious gravy recipe is easy enough for beginners!
- It’s VEGAN-FRIENDLY! This makes a great vegetarian or vegan alternative to traditional gluten-free gravy at a holiday dinner! It’s my go-to gravy recipe when we’re serving vegan or vegetarian guests this time of year.
And the best part is, it starts with a simple ingredient list…
Simple Ingredients To Start
- A LITTLE FAT. This mushroom gravy recipe is SUPER flexible, but each version starts with 2 Tablespoons of fat. You can use pan drippings (from a roast, turkey, or chicken), butter, ghee, or olive oil.
- FRESH MUSHROOMS. Next, you’ll need about 4 ounces of mushrooms. I usually use white button mushrooms, baby bella mushrooms, or cremini mushrooms, but you can absolutely play with the flavor by trying or mixing different varieties.
- SHALLOT OR ONION & SOME GARLIC. This combination adds a base of savory flavor that’s a must!
- THICKENER. To thicken my mushroom gravy, i’ve used gluten-free flour, cornstarch, and arrowroot starch. All three work well, but I generally like cornstarch for a perfectly smooth, glossy gravy.
- BEEF OR VEGETABLE BROTH. This mushroom gravy is delicious when made vegan with veggie broth (and olive oil), or beef broth for a meatier flavor. Use whichever fits your dietary needs best, but be sure to use a quality broth, as it adds quite a bit of flavor.
- SALT & SIMPLE SEASONINGS. Next, we add flavor with a mix of kosher salt, black pepper, and a pinch of dried sage and dried rosemary. (Of course, you can absolutely add some dried thyme or use fresh herbs, like fresh rosemary or fresh thyme!)
- GLUTEN-FREE TAMARI. The secret ingredient to my delicious mushroom gravy recipe is tamari! This gluten-free soy sauce adds some saltiness, but the big draw is the umami flavor, which adds depth of flavor and pairs beautifully with the mushrooms.
How To Make Homemade Mushroom Gravy, Step By Step
As always, you can find the full recipe with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.
- Heat Fat. To start, add your fat (butter, drippings, or oil) to a large skillet over medium heat.
- Brown Mushrooms. Add sliced or minced mushrooms and the onion or shallot. Cook 7-10 minutes over medium heat, stirring regularly, until mushrooms are browned and the onion is softened. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- Add Flour (if using). Sprinkle mushroom mixture with flour (if using) and cook 1 minute to toast. (This removes the raw taste from the flour!)
- Build Flavor. Next, add broth and 1 Tablespoon tamari, along with the salt, pepper, sage, and rosemary. Stir to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan!
- Thicken. Stir to combine and whisk or stir over medium-low heat until the gravy thickens. This takes 5-10 minutes at a gentle simmer, depending on what thickener you use.
- Taste & Adjust seasonings as desired, adding more tamari, salt, pepper, or herbs, to taste. Serve warm over mashed potatoes, beef, etc. and store leftover gravy in an airtight container in the refrigerator 3-4 days.
To Use Cornstarch Instead of Flour
- Follow steps 1-3.
- In step 4, whisk cornstarch into the broth before adding to the pan along with tamari, salt, pepper, and seasonings. (Do not add flour)
- Continue with remaining steps, as directed.
Serving Suggestions
Now that you know how to make homemade mushroom gravy, let’s talk about the different ways to use it! It’s delicious on all kinds of comfort foods, but these are my favorites:
- MASHED POTATOES. Spoon this flavorful gravy over fluffy mashed potatoes–the best of the holiday side dishes! It’s the perfect topping for our Stovetop Mashed Potatoes, Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes, or Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes!
- MASHED CAULIFLOWER. Or, serve it with cauliflower mash for a lower-carb option! It’s a perfect pairing.
- ROASTED CHICKEN. Mushrooms are delicious with roasted or rotisserie chicken! (Or grilled chicken, pan-cooked chicken…you name it!)
- STEAK OR SALISBURY STEAK. Another classic pairing. The savory and umami flavors of this homemade mushroom gravy are delicious with beef.
- PORK CHOPS. These savory flavors are a great pairing!
- MEATBALLS. Pair your favorite beef or chicken meatballs with mushroom gravy and a side of mashed potatoes or rice!
FAQ + Tips And Tricks For The Best Mushroom Gravy
Make-Ahead Tips. Mushroom gravy is at its best when it’s fairly fresh, but it can be made a day in advance if needed. You’ll want to reheat your mushroom gravy gently over lower heat or medium-low heat to preserve the thickening. If you boil it over high heat, you may actually break the binding power of cornstarch or arrowroot. (If this happens, you can mix 1 Tbsp. cornstarch/arrowroot with 1 Tbsp. water and stir it into the gravy. Stir until it thickens back up. Repeat, if needed.)
Watch The Sodium. Gravy can easily get too salty if you’re not careful. I prefer using low-sodium broth and low-sodium tamari in my mushroom gravy, so I can control the salt better. It’s easy to add extra salt if you need it, but you can’t take it out if the gravy is too salty!
Choose The Right Broth. We only recommend beef broth or veggie broth for this recipe because we’re going for a rich brown color. If you use chicken broth, the gravy tends to look a bit sickly and pale.
Need A Gravy Boat? I love this one. It pours well and comes with a plate to catch drips. I use this mini ladle with it to spoon gravy over potatoes. (It’s perfect for making a little “well” to catch the gravy!)
Dietary Tips & Adjustments
- FOR DAIRY-FREE GRAVY: Use pan drippings or olive oil for the fat. All other ingredients are dairy-free!
- FOR GLUTEN-FREE GRAVY: This mushroom gravy is already 100% gluten-free as written!
- FOR PALEO & WHOLE30 GRAVY: Use drippings, ghee, or olive oil for the fat, and 2 Tablespoons arrowroot in place of the flour or cornstarch and follow the directions for cornstarch. Use coconut aminos in place of the tamari.
- FOR VEGAN GRAVY: Use olive oil for the fat and vegetable broth. All other ingredients are vegan-friendly!
- FOR VEGETARIAN GRAVY: To make vegetarian mushroom gravy, use olive oil or butter for the fat and veggie broth.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Tell me all about it! Leave a star rating below when you try our Gluten-Free Mushroom Gravy recipe. I can’t wait to hear how it goes!
Easy Mushroom Gravy (Vegan-Friendly!)
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons butter or olive oil*
- 4 ounces mushrooms thinly sliced*
- 2 Tablespoons finely minced minced shallot or onion optional
- 1 clove garlic finely minced
- 3 Tablespoons gluten-free flour or cornstarch* can use reg flour if not gluten-free!
- 2 cups vegetable broth or beef broth
- 1 Tablespoon low-sodium gluten free tamari or soy sauce, or coconut aminos
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon dried sage
- 1/8 teaspoon dried rosemary
Instructions
- Heat Fat. To start, add your fat (butter, drippings, or oil) to a large skillet over medium heat.
- Brown Mushrooms. Add sliced or minced mushrooms and the onion or shallot. Cook 7-10 minutes over medium heat, stirring regularly, until mushrooms are browned and the onion is softened. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- Add Flour (if using). Sprinkle mushroom mixture with flour (if using) and cook 1 minute to toast. (This removes the raw taste from the flour!)
- Build Flavor. Next, add broth and 1 Tablespoon tamari, along with the salt, pepper, sage, and rosemary. Stir to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan!
- Thicken. Stir to combine and whisk or stir constantly over medium-low heat until the gravy thickens. This takes 5-10 minutes at a gentle simmer, depending on what thickener you use.
- Taste & Adjust seasonings as desired, adding more tamari, salt, pepper, or herbs, to taste. Serve warm over mashed potatoes, beef, etc. and store leftover gravy in an airtight container in the refrigerator 3-4 days.
*IF USING CORNSTARCH OR ARROWROOT INSTEAD OF FLOUR:
- Follow steps 1-3 above.
- In step 4, whisk cornstarch into the broth before adding to the pan along with tamari, salt, pepper, and seasonings. (Do not add flour)
- Continue with remaining steps, as directed.
Notes
- Fat. You can use butter, pan drippings from a roast, ghee (clarified butter), or olive oil. Use olive oil for vegan or vegetarian!
- Mushrooms. We usually use white button mushrooms, baby bella mushrooms, or cremini mushrooms. Wipe them with a paper towel (don’t rinse!), then thinly slice. If you prefer a finer texture, you can mince the mushrooms instead of slice them.
- Choose The Right Broth. We only recommend beef broth or veggie broth for this recipe because we’re going for a rich brown color. If you use chicken broth, the gravy tends to look a bit sickly and pale. If making this gravy vegan or vegetarian, use vegetable broth only.
- Watch The Sodium. Gravy can easily get too salty if you’re not careful. I prefer using low-sodium broth and low-sodium tamari in my mushroom gravy, so I can control the salt better. It’s easy to add extra salt if you need it, but you can’t take it out if the gravy is too salty!
- Make-Ahead Tips. Mushroom gravy is at its best when it’s fairly fresh, but it can be made a day in advance if needed. You’ll want to reheat your mushroom gravy gently over lower heat or medium-low heat to preserve the thickening. If you boil it over high heat, you may actually break the binding power of cornstarch or arrowroot. (If this happens, you can mix 1 Tbsp. cornstarch/arrowroot with 1 Tbsp. water and stir it into the gravy. Stir until it thickens back up. Repeat, if needed.)
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are an estimate only and will vary based on brands and amounts used.
Find it Online:
https://www.onelovelylife.com/easy-mushroom-gravy/
Is there anything that could be used in place of tamari, soy or coconut aminos? Aside from gluten, soy and coconut.
Hi, Julie! The main idea here is to add umami and savoriness that comes in these fermented soy-sauce-type sauces. If you can’t have soy, gluten, or coconut, you’ll probably just have to skip out on that flavor.
I don’t usually like mushrooms, but this gravy is beyond good. It brings out all the best mushroom flavor has to offer
This was delicious and super easy to make! I needed some soft foods after an oral surgery and was planning to make mashed potatoes but, I really wanted some gravy. I haven’t had gravy since I had to go GF and gravy always seems like a lot of effort, not this one!
I browned some ground chicken in a little olive oil, sprinkled some salt and some low sodium all purpose. I took that out and melted a little butter and made the gravy. It was so yummy! After putting the gravy into a container, I reheated the pan, added a little more olive oil to saute leftover onions and garlic and put the ground chicken back in. It made a great complimentary meat to go with the gravy and potatoes without having to dirty extra pans!
Thank you again! Can’t wait to make this again!!
I’m SO GLAD it was a win for you. Love the idea of adding chicken for some extra protein! Hope you feel better soon!
This was excellent! Thank you for sharing!
I’m SO glad! Thank you so much for your review.
I made this tonight to go over baked potatoes – as a ‘Test Run’ for possibly using it for Thanksgiving. It is my new favorite gravy – and I don’t usually like gravy! 😋
Yaaaaaaay!!! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I love the flavors.
Made this gravy for a veggie at Xmas, everybody loved it
Will definitely make again this year for everyone!!!
Oh yay! We made a batch over the weekend to go with a roast and it was SO yummy. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review!
Perfection.
I’m so glad to hear it! We absolutely LOVE this gravy!