Easy Gluten-Free Gravy (Chicken or Turkey)

Our Homemade Gluten-Free Gravy Recipe is easy to make with or without drippings. It’s perfect with mashed potatoes, roast chicken, turkey, and more.

It’s time for another recipe to round out your gluten-free holiday menu! We’ve covered classics like amazing Mashed Potatoes, Cranberry Sauce, Gluten-Free Stuffing, Glazed Ham, Carrots, and more, but today, we’re talking about GRAVY.

Our homemade gluten-free gravy is easy enough for weeknight mashed potatoes, but also adds a touch of elegance to the Thanksgiving table, Sunday dinners, or holiday meals.

Besides the delicious flavor, what I love best about this homemade gravy recipe is that you can make it with all the beautiful pan juices from a Thanksgiving turkey if you have them, or you can make it without any drippings if you’re making it on a weeknight.

Here’s what you need to make our easy gluten-free gravy recipe…

Is Gravy Gluten-Free? (Usually Not!)

Many classic gravy packets or gravy recipes use all-purpose flour, wheat flour, or wheat starch to thicken them. None of these options is gluten-free or safe for people with Celiac disease, gluten intolerance, or wheat allergies.

To keep your gravy gluten-free, it’s important to use BOTH gluten-free broth AND a gluten-free thickener, such as cornstarch, arrowroot powder, tapioca starch, or even gluten-free flour. But which one is best? Let’s take a look at the ingredients we recommend for the best gluten-free gravy…

Simple Ingredients For Gluten-Free Gravy

• Chicken Broth or Turkey Broth. First, you’ll start the savory gravy base with broth. You can use chicken broth for gluten-free chicken gravy or turkey broth to make gluten-free turkey gravy. Just make sure your broth is gluten-free! We like Bonafide Provisions, Imagine, Kettle & Fire, and Pacific brands.
• A Few Herbs & Seasonings. Fresh herbs are delicious when you have them, but they’re not essential for this recipe. You’ll use a little onion powder, garlic powder, dried thyme, and a pinch of dried rosemary and sage. It mimics some of the flavors in classic poultry seasoning and tastes savory and delicious.
• Salt. Depending on how salty your chicken broth or turkey broth is, you’ll need to salt the gravy to taste. I’ve given a baseline amount to try in the recipe card below!
• Gluten-Free Tamari. Our secret ingredient! Adding gluten-free soy sauce (tamari), might sound like a strange add, but the tiny splash adds a layer of umami to this gravy that’s delicious. (I promise it won’t taste like soy sauce!)
• Cornstarch + COLD Water. Since we’re using a cornstarch slurry, you’ll need cornstarch and a little water. Cornstarch dissolves best in cold water, so don’t add it to hot gravy!
• Butter OR Pan Drippings. Then, for the most flavorful gravy, you’ll finish with a little cold butter or some pan drippings, if you’ve got them. (Dairy-free butter/vegan butter works, too!)

How Do You Thicken Gluten-Free Gravy?

There are two main techniques for thickening gravy:

1. Using a flour roux. The first is a roux made from flour and melted butter, oil, or pan drippings before adding the liquid ingredients.
2. Using a cornstarch slurry. The second is a cornstarch “slurry,” a mixture of a few Tablespoons of cornstarch and cold water added to the bubbling gravy.

I’ve made gluten-free gravy with gluten-free flour and gluten-free gravy with cornstarch, and my favorite is definitely cornstarch. I find you’re more likely to get lumps or grit with gluten-free flour. Using cornstarch, it’s easier to get the right consistency–there’s no grittiness, and it ends up smooth, beautifully thickened, and so full of savory flavor.

How To Make This Homemade Gravy, Step By Step:

1. Combine Broth Base. Start by pouring the broth into a medium saucepan. Add garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, rosemary, sage, and salt. Start bringing this mixture to a simmer over medium heat.
2. Combine Cornstarch Slurry. In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch and COLD water until smooth. (Make sure to combine this well to avoid lumpy gravy!) Set slurry aside for a moment.
3. Bring Gravy To A Simmer. When the gravy is bubbling, double check that your cornstarch slurry is smooth (it can settle if you wait to long!). Pour the cornstarch slurry into the simmering gravy.
4. Whisk To Thicken. Continue whisking the gravy over medium heat until it has thickened, 2-4 minutes. The mixture will go from looking slightly cloudy from the cornstarch slurry to looking translucent, thicker, and glossy.
5. Reduce Heat To Low. If desired, continue cooking the gravy on low heat. (The longer the gravy simmers, the more concentrated the flavor gets over time.)
6. Finish With Butter. Right before serving, whisk COLD butter into the gravy. Taste, and add additional salt or seasonings, if needed.
7. Serve or Store. Pour gravy into a gravy boat, serving bowl, or small pitcher to serve. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days. Or, freeze gravy up to 2-3 months!

To Make Your Gravy With Drippings:

To Supplement With Drippings: Add 1/4 cup of pan drippings to the saucepan along with the broth at the beginning of the recipe and skip the addition of butter at the end.

To Use All Drippings: If you prefer, you can absolutely use all chicken or turkey drippings instead of store-bought broth. Pour the pan drippings through a fine mesh sieve or strainer into a fat separator or large glass measuring cup. Let the drippings rest about 5 minutes so the fat will separate into an even layer. Skim out all but 2-3 Tablespoons of the fat and measure 2 cups of broth. (If you don’t quite have enough, you can supplement with store-bought broth or water.) 

FAQ + Tips And Tricks For The Best Gluten-Free Gravy:

Can You Make Gluten-Free Gravy In Advance? Yes! You can freeze gravy up to 2-3 months in a freezer bag or airtight container. Or, you can mix it up the day before, then reheat on the stove the day you plan to serve it.

How Do You Make Gluten-Free Gravy Without Pan Drippings? We use butter! This is known as monter au beurre in French cooking. Finishing the gravy with cold butter at the end gives it a velvety finish and adds shine, flavor, and richness to the gravy, all without drippings!

What’s The Difference Between Chicken Broth And Chicken Stock? Though these terms are often used synonymously, chicken broth tends to be seasoned with salt and vegetables, where chicken stock is usually unsalted. Either will work for our gravy recipe, but I usually use chicken bone broth. I find that it’s got a richer, deeper flavor. It makes for such flavorful gluten-free gravy!

What’s The Best Store-Bought Gluten-Free Gravy? We’ve had decent luck with Simply Organic gravy packets in a pinch. Primal kitchen also sells a grain-free option. (Our homemade gluten-free gravy definitely tastes better!)

⭐ Don’t forget to leave a star rating and comment below when you make our Gluten-Free Gravy recipe. I can’t wait to hear how it goes!

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