Simple Gravy Recipe Without Milk - Elevate your meal with this dairy-free gravy recipe made from pan drippings. This old-fashioned gravy recipe is made with simple ingredients and can be ready in 5 minutes. It's an easy recipe for the most delicious gravy your whole family will love.
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It's super tasty and great to serve with anything you want to pour it over, like beef, chicken, Thanksgiving turkey, pork chops, meatballs, or biscuits. You name it! So good, it's sure to become a family favorite recipe.
This simple pan gravy recipe is the perfect thing to serve with oven roasted turkey breast, or Sunday's pot roast, and is delicious poured over creamy mashed potatoes. Be sure to check out our other main dish recipes for more pairing ideas.
Simple Gravy Recipe Without Milk
This old fashioned gravy recipe made from pan drippings and a slurry of water and corn starch has been passed down in my family for generations. It's a foolproof gravy recipe and so easy to make following these simple instructions.
What Is Dairy?
This is a Dairy-Free recipe, as defined by the USDA.
"The Dairy Group includes milk, yogurt, cheese, lactose-free milk and fortified soy milk and yogurt. It does not include foods made from milk that have little calcium and a high fat content, such as cream cheese, sour cream, cream, and butter."
USDA - MyPlate.gov
This simple recipe is dairy-free, which means it doesn't contain milk or other dairy products. However, it may contain foods made from milk, like butter from the pan drippings, depending on the meat recipe used.
Notes on Ingredients
- pan drippings - The perfect base for homemade gravies because it provides a richer flavor then just using broth. This simple recipe works great with all kinds of meat drippings, like turkey drippings, roast chicken, roast beef, among others.
The amount of drippings you get will vary. But no worries, it's the drippings:water ratio of 0.5:1 (½ cup to 1 cup) that you're looking for. Just estimate the amount of drippings in the bottom of the pan and add broth to make it a full half cup. - water, cold - The water must be cold in order to dissolve the corn starch. Note: Hot water will make the corn starch clump in the water and cause lumps.
Substitution Suggestion - May substitute broth or bouillon. Match choice to the type of meat being cooked. Chicken broth will work for most recipes. However, use beef bouillon or broth for beef recipes. - corn starch - Corn starch is the thickening agent. Add too much, and the it will be too thick. Add too little and the it will be too thin.
Pro Tip
Rotisserie Chicken Gravy - Save the pan juices from the bottom of the rotisserie container and use them to make homemade gravy.
Freeze these chicken drippings in little individual containers or in ice cube trays. We recommend using those little plastic condiment containers you get with take out orders. They're just the right size. Pop them in the freezer until you need them. Then use them in this recipe!
When you're ready to use one, just run the bottom of the plastic container under warm water. The container will become just warm enough to be able to pop out the frozen drippings.
Equipment
- Large Cast Iron Skillet or another pan, like this Le Creuset Pan with Glass Lid
- Sauce Whisk - Any whisk will work. However, a sauce whisk has a flat, wide shape that works perfectly in shallow pans where you are whisking with a back and forth motion instead of a circular motion.
- Liquid Measuring Cup
- Measuring Spoons
- Small Fine Mesh Strainer - For straining.
- Gravy Boat - Convenient for serving and reheating.
Step By Step Instructions
- Make Slurry. Put cold water into a liquid measuring cup and whisk in corn starch (thickening agent) until it dissolves completely.
- Add Slurry to Pan Drippings. Bring the pan drippings up to a simmer over medium heat or medium-high heat in a large skillet. Once the drippings begin to bubble, add the slurry and begin whisking to combine.
Continue to whisk as the it begins to thicken. The corn starch will reach its full thickening potential once it reaches a boil.
Once it has reached the desired consistency, turn the heat down to low and continue to let it simmer slowly. Lowering the temperature will prevent it from separating or breaking.
- Correct Seasonings. Do a taste test here to check the seasonings.
Rarely, it might be necessary to correct the seasonings. Add a pinch of salt and some black pepper only if necessary.
Pan drippings have highly concentrated flavor and it might not need any additional seasoning, especially if you have substituted broth for the water.
- Strain The Gravy. Serve it warm, as is, or make it smooth by running it through a strainer.
To make smooth gravy, set a fine mesh strainer over a liquid measuring cup and carefully pour it into a serving dish. The strainer will remove any bits and pieces of meat drippings leaving it smooth and lump free.
- Serve. Serve the it warm. We recommend serving it in a microwave-safe container like this gravy boat, so that you can reheat it, if necessary.
5 Gravy Troubleshooting Tips
Gravy Too Thick? - Thin it out by adding a little more water or broth as it simmers until you reach the desired consistency.
How To Make Gravy Thicker - Thicken it by adding a little more of the corn starch and water slurry. Start by whisking together a mixture of 1 teaspoon of corn starch and ½ cup of cold water.
Note: Hot water will make the corn starch clump in the water and cause lumps.
Then bring it up to a low boil and whisk in the mixture a little at a time. Allow it to thicken before you add any more. Keep adding and checking until it reaches the desired consistency.
Gravy Too Salty? - Adjust the saltiness by adding a little more water or slurry (if it gets too thin) while it simmers.
Gravy Too Greasy? - Fastest way is to simply skim off the grease that has floated to the top. If you have time, refrigerate it until it solidifies. The grease will float to the top and form a solid layer that can be easily removed. Alternatively, follow the instructions below on how to fix a broken gravy.
How To Fix Separated Gravy - In a separate pan, make a roux of 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of flour. Let that bubble for 3 minutes to eliminate the taste of the flour. Lower the heat to a simmer. Then add the broken gravy to the roux a little at a time, whisking the two together as you go. The result should be smooth and emulsified.
Note: Gravy or sauce will break if it reaches too high a temperature. So, lower the heat!
⚖️ Automatic Recipe Scaler ⚖️
Want to make more or less of this recipe? Change the number of servings and the automatic recipe scaler will change the ingredient amounts for you! Simply, hover over the highlighted number of servings in the recipe card and a slider will appear. Click on the white vertical line on the slider and drag it to the number of desired servings. The recipe scaler will automatically change the amounts of ingredients accordingly.
Can I Freeze Gravy?
You can absolutely freeze leftover gravy in an airtight container, or resealable bag. We recommend freezing it right with the other leftovers in these handy restaurant storage containers. Another great trick is to freeze it in ice cube trays and then transfer them to a resealable bag for convenient use later.
Be sure to check out our "Can I Freeze Gravy?" post for full detailed instructions.
How To Reheat Gravy
You can reheat gravy 3 different ways. For best results, be careful not to let it come to a boil or it will break and separate. See note above on How To Fix A Separated Gravy.
- Microwave Oven - Place it in a microwave-safe container. Put it in the microwave and reheat it on high for 1 minute increments, stirring in between.
- Stovetop - Put it into a small saucepan covered with a lid and reheat it on medium-low heat. Stir as it slowly comes up to temperature.
- Oven - Reheat in an ovenproof dish at 375°F.
There you have it. Simple Gravy Recipe Without Milk is as easy as that to make! We hope you enjoy our old-fashioned gravy recipe. Try it and let us know how you like it. We'd love to hear from you!
xo ~ Seanna
Serve It With
- Thanksgiving Turkey
- Oven Roasted Turkey Breast - Tender & juicy with a savory garlic & lemon-infused herb butter that is easy to make and so delicious.
- Easy Pot Roast - Fork tender slow cooked beef, with a rich, garlicky au-jus. Super easy dinner recipe full of savory flavor. The ultimate comfort food with mashed potatoes and gravy.
- Mashed Potatoes - A tasty side dish everyone will love. Prep in 30 min, ready in an hour. So Delish.
- Homemade Biscuits
- Flaky Biscuits
- Pork Chops
- Meatballs
- Chicken Tenders
- Fried Chicken
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📖 Recipe
Simple Gravy Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup water cold
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- ½ cup pan drippings
Instructions
- Make Slurry. Put cold water into a liquid measuring cup and whisk in corn starch (thickening agent) until it dissolves completely.1 cup water, 1 tablespoon corn starch
- Add Slurry to Pan Drippings. Bring the pan drippings up to a simmer over medium-low heat. Once the drippings begin to bubble, add the slurry and begin whisking to combine. Continue to whisk as it begins to thicken. The corn starch will reach its full thickening potential once it reaches a boil. Once it has reached the desired consistency, turn the heat down to low and continue to let it simmer slowly. See Notes for gravy troubleshooting tips.½ cup pan drippings
- Correct Seasonings. Do a taste test here to check the seasonings. Pan drippings have highly concentrated flavor and it might not need any additional seasoning, especially if you have substituted broth for the water. Rarely, it might be necessary to correct the seasonings. Add a pinch of salt only if necessary.
- Strain The Gravy. Serve it warm, as is, or make it smooth by running it through a strainer. To make smooth gravy, set a fine mesh strainer over a liquid measuring cup and carefully pour it into it. The strainer will remove any bits and pieces of drippings leaving it smooth and lump free.
- Serve. Serve it warm. We recommend serving it in a microwave-safe container like this gravy boat, so that you can reheat it, if necessary.
Notes
What is Dairy Free?
This is a Dairy-Free recipe, as defined by the USDA - MyPlate.gov.Ingredient Notes
- ½ cup pan drippings - The perfect base for homemade gravies because it provides a richer flavor then just using broth. This simple recipe works great with all kinds of meat drippings, like turkey drippings, roast chicken, roast beef, among others.
The amount of drippings you get will vary. But no worries, it's the drippings:water ratio of 0.5:1 that you're looking for. Just estimate the amount of drippings in the bottom of the pan and add broth to make it a full half cup. - 1 cup water, cold - The water must be cold in order to dissolve the corn starch.
Substitution Suggestion - May substitute broth or bouillon. Match choice to the type of meat being cooked. Chicken broth will work for most recipes. However, use beef broth or bouillon for beef recipes. - 1 teaspoon corn starch - Corn starch is the thickening agent for the gravy. Add too much, and the gravy will be too thick. Add too little and the gravy will be too thin.
Pro Tip
Rotisserie Chicken Gravy - Save the pan juices from the bottom of the rotisserie container and use them to make homemade gravy.5 Gravy Troubleshooting Tips
- Gravy Too Thick? - Thin it out by adding a little more water or broth as it simmers until you reach the desired consistency.
- How To Make Gravy Thicker - Thicken it by adding a little more of the corn starch and water slurry. Start by whisking together a mixture of ½ teaspoon of corn starch and ½ cup of cold water.
Note: Hot water will make the corn starch clump in the water and cause lumps.
Then bring it up to a low boil and whisk in the mixture a little at a time. Allow it to thicken before you add any more. Keep adding and checking until it reaches the desired consistency. - Gravy Too Salty? - Adjust the saltiness by adding a little more water or slurry (if it gets too thin) while it simmers.
- Gravy Too Greasy? - Fastest way is to simply skim off the grease that has floated to the top. If you have time, refrigerate it until it solidifies. The grease will float to the top and form a solid layer that can be easily removed. Alternatively, follow the instructions below on how to fix a broken gravy.
- How To Fix Separated Gravy - In a separate pan, make a roux of 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of flour. Let that bubble for 3 minutes to eliminate the taste of the flour. Lower the heat to a simmer. Then add the broken gravy to the roux a little at a time, whisking the two together as you go. The result should be a smooth, emulsified gravy.
Can I Freeze Gravy?
You can absolutely freeze leftovers in an airtight container, or resealable bag. We recommend freezing it right with the other leftovers in these handy restaurant storage containers. Another great trick is to freeze it in ice cube trays and then transfer them to a resealable bag for convenient use later.How To Reheat Gravy
You can reheat gravy 3 different ways. For best results, be careful not to let it come to a boil or it will break and separate. See note above on How To Fix A Separated Gravy.- Microwave Oven - Place it in a microwave-safe container. Put it in the microwave and reheat it on high for 1 minute increments, stirring in between.
- Stovetop - Put it into a small saucepan covered with a lid and reheat it on medium-low heat. Stir as it slowly comes up to temperature.
- Oven - Reheat in an ovenproof dish at 375°F.
Nutrition
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Jessica Robinson
My mom used a gravy measuring cup separator to help skim off excess fat. This is such a great and well-laid out instructions and details on making homemade gravy! Love your detailed images and a visual for steps.
Seanna Borrows
That's a great suggestion! Thanks so much, Jessica!
Russ B
Awesome on turkey and potatoes!
Seanna Borrows
Thanks Russ. It's the easiest thing ever to make. And so delicious!