Quick Turkey Gravy Recipe
Add Preferred SourceYou don’t need a roasted turkey or a pan of drippings to make this quick turkey gravy. It starts with stock and a simple butter roux, so it works whether you’re roasting a whole bird, cooking a single breast, or just want something to pour over weeknight mashed potatoes.
I make mine with chicken or turkey stock and keep a batch in the freezer, since it reheats as well as it cooks fresh. The one thing that matters is adding the stock slowly and whisking the whole time, which keeps it smooth instead of lumpy.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- No drippings needed, so you can make it any day, not only after you’ve roasted a turkey.
- It’s ready in about 35 minutes from pantry staples: butter, flour, onion, garlic, herbs, and stock.
- The onion, garlic, thyme, and rosemary build a savory base, so it tastes like more than flour and stock.
- It makes about 2 cups and freezes well, so you can make it ahead and keep the leftovers.
- One pan and one whisk; the roux does the thickening, so there’s no cream to curdle or packet to open.
Ingredients You’ll Need
A few notes on the ingredients; the full list with quantities is in the printable card below.
- Butter and flour: cooked together they make the roux, which thickens the gravy and gives it a smooth body without any cream.
- Chicken or turkey stock: this is the backbone of the flavor. Turkey stock leans more savory, and good chicken stock works just as well, so pan drippings aren’t required for a rich gravy.
- Onion and garlic: softened slowly, they bring the depth that drippings usually would. Chop the onion finely so it melts into the sauce.
- Fresh rosemary and dried thyme: the rosemary goes in fresh and finely chopped, while the thyme is dried. Add them just before the flour so they stay fragrant instead of scorching.
How to Make Turkey Gravy
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Melt the butter
In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter until it’s smooth and ready for the next ingredients.
Sauté onion and garlic
Cook them low and slow for about 10 minutes, until the onion is soft and golden. This is where the onion and garlic turn sweet and mellow, so don’t rush it.
Add the herbs
Stir in the thyme and fresh rosemary, letting them cook for about a minute. This infuses the gravy with a fresh, fragrant flavor.
Make the roux
Sprinkle in the flour and stir constantly for a minute or two, which cooks out the raw-flour taste and forms a thick paste, or roux. This step keeps your gravy smooth and lump-free.
Slowly add the stock
Add the stock gradually, 2 to 3 cups depending on how thick you want it, whisking the whole time so it stays smooth
Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, until it thickens. If it goes too thick, whisk in a little more stock until it’s right.
Recipe Notes and Expert Tips
- Add the stock slowly: pour it in a little at a time while whisking. Adding it all at once is the main reason gravy turns lumpy. If lumps do form, pour the gravy through a fine sieve or blend it smooth with an immersion blender.
- Cook the roux first: give the flour a minute or two in the butter before the liquid goes in, or the gravy can taste pasty.
- Season in stages: stocks vary in saltiness, so taste as you go and adjust the seasoning near the end rather than all at once.
- Fix the consistency as you go: if it’s too thin, keep simmering a few more minutes; if it’s too thick, a splash of stock loosens it back up.
Recipe Variations
- For a gluten-free option, skip the flour roux and thicken at the end with a cornstarch slurry instead. I haven’t tested that swap here, so add it a little at a time until the texture looks right.
- If you’ve roasted a turkey, stir a few spoonfuls of skimmed drippings in at the end for deeper, roasted flavor. I do this whenever I have them, and tested that way it rounds out the gravy.
- Dried rosemary can stand in for fresh if that’s what you have. Use less than the recipe calls for, since dried is more concentrated, and taste before adding more.
- For a more classic holiday flavor, add a pinch of dried sage or poultry seasoning alongside the thyme. I haven’t tested this in this gravy, so start small and taste as you go.
How to Store Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months and thaw in the fridge before reheating. Get the gravy into the fridge within two hours of cooking rather than leaving the pan out to cool.
It thickens as it chills, so warm it gently on the stove, bring it up to a boil before serving, and whisk in a splash of stock if it needs loosening.
What to Serve With Quick Turkey Gravy
Turkey gravy belongs over roasted turkey and a mound of creamy mashed potatoes, which is where most of mine ends up. Spoon it over stuffing, or pour it alongside green bean casserole for a plate that covers the whole holiday table. Leftovers are worth saving for a turkey pot pie or shepherd’s pie later in the week.
FAQs
Yes. Between the stock, the roux, and the aromatics, there’s plenty of flavor without them, so drippings are a bonus rather than a requirement. That’s what makes this one handy when you’re cooking a turkey breast or not roasting a bird at all.
Yes, either works here, so use whatever you have. Chicken stock is easier to keep on hand, and the onion, garlic, and herbs carry the flavor either way.
As written, no. The flour roux contains gluten. The variations above include a cornstarch slurry option, but it’s untested, so use it with that in mind.
More Family-Style Dinner Recipes
If you’re building out the rest of the meal, here’s where I’d start.
- Maple Glazed Turkey Breast for when you’d rather not roast a whole bird; a smaller main for a smaller gathering.
- Turkey Casserole, a good home for leftover turkey and leftover gravy both.
- Funeral Potatoes, a make-ahead potato side that holds up well on a crowded table.
- Homemade Mac and Cheese, the familiar side the kids want next to the turkey.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup onion finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary finely chopped
- ¼ cup flour
- 3 cups chicken or turkey stock
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat until it’s smooth. Add the finely chopped onion and minced garlic, stirring to combine. Cook for about 10 minutes on low heat, letting the onion soften and the garlic release its flavor.3 tablespoons butter, ¼ cup onion, 3 garlic cloves
- Next, stir in the dried thyme and fresh rosemary, cooking for about a minute until fragrant. Sprinkle the flour over the onion and garlic mixture, stirring constantly to form a thick paste, or “roux.”1 teaspoon dried thyme, ¼ cup flour, 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary
- Then gradually whisk in 2-3 cups of stock. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat slightly and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes.3 cups chicken or turkey stock
- If the gravy is too thick, add more stock to smooth.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months and thaw in the fridge before reheating.
- Add the stock gradually while whisking to keep the gravy smooth; if lumps form, strain or blend it.
- Cook the flour in the butter for a minute or two before adding stock so the gravy doesn’t taste pasty.
- Taste before adding seasoning, since stocks vary in saltiness.
- Stir in a few spoonfuls of skimmed turkey drippings at the end for deeper flavor, if you have them.
