This easy and foolproof Turkey Gravy Recipe is full of flavor and perfect for pouring over your Thanksgiving mashed potatoes. We’ll teach you how to make turkey gravy with or without drippings so you can serve it no matter what’s on the menu.
Looking for more classic Thanksgiving sides? Try our Homemade Cranberry Sauce, Cheesy Potato Casserole, Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes, or Grandma’s Thanksgiving Stuffing.
Easy Turkey Gravy Recipe
Picturing a Thanksgiving dinner without gravy is like a birthday without cake or Christmas without cookies—it’s an absolute must. But sometimes, once the turkey is out of the oven and guests are getting hungry, it can be easy to forget how exactly to make the gravy!
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This super easy turkey gravy recipe uses those sweet, sweet pan drippings along with a little turkey broth and a simple roux made from butter and flour to make the most flavorful gravy of all time. It cooks up quickly and you only need to remember a few ingredients.
Plus, if you would rather just make it ahead of time, or if you aren’t planning on serving turkey in the first place, we’ve given you instructions for making turkey gravy without the drippings! It can be made the day before or even frozen so you won’t have to worry about that minute gravy prep.
Ingredients You Will Need
- Turkey Drippings – don’t throw those turkey drippings out! Take the drippings from the pan that you used to cook your turkey and strain them into a glass measuring cup through a fine-mesh strainer. You want to remove any large pieces and excess fats.
- Turkey Broth – if you are using drippings, you will only need enough broth to get you to a total of about 3 cups. If you are making gravy without drippings, you will need 3 cups of broth.
- Butter – the butter is used to make a roux which flavors and helps to thicken the gravy.
- Flour – mix the flour with the cold water to make a slurry which will help to thicken the gravy as it cooks.
- Seasoning – if you are using pan drippings, you may only need to season with salt and pepper. If you are making gravy without drippings, however, you will want to add a bit more seasoning. I like to use onion powder and dried herbs like sage, thyme, and rosemary.
How to Make Turkey Gravy
- Strain the drippings. Strain the turkey drippings through a fine mesh strainer to remove any chunks. Place into a glass measuring cup.
- Heat the butter and flour mixture. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk together the flour and cold water, then whisk it into the melted butter. Continue to cook and whisk until the flour mixture is bubbling and begins to turn golden brown.
- Simmer with the drippings and broth. Add enough turkey broth to the turkey drippings to make 3 cups, then whisk into the pan with the butter mixture. Bring to a low simmer for one full minute. Adjust the seasoning as desired, adding more salt, pepper, onion powder, or garlic powder as needed.
- Serve. Remove from the heat and serve warm. Enjoy!
How to Make Turkey Gravy Without Drippings
- Heat the butter and flour mixture. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk together the flour and cold water, then whisk it into the melted butter. Continue to cook and whisk until the flour mixture is bubbling and begins to turn golden brown.
- Simmer with broth and seasoning. Whisk the turkey broth into the pan with the butter mixture. Bring to a low simmer for one full minute. Add seasoning as desired.
- Serve. Remove from the heat and serve warm. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! You can store your gravy in freezer bags or airtight containers for up to 2 months. I recommend freezing in smaller quantities so that you only thaw what you need.
Yes! While the flavor won’t be quite the same as gravy made from turkey drippings, you can substitute an equal amount of chicken or turkey stock and use flour to thicken it. Be sure to season a little extra since you won’t have all of the extra flavors from the roasted turkey.
My favorite seasoning for turkey gravy is herbs—thyme, sage, and rosemary are all great options.
Storing and Reheating Instructions
- Refrigerator: store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: store in freezer bags or small airtight containers in the freezer for up to 2 months. You can thaw the gravy in the refrigerator overnight.
- To reheat: place in a small saucepan over medium low and heat until warmed through. You can add a bit of stock to thin it to the desired consistency if needed.
Turkey Gravy Recipe
Ingredients
Turkey Gravy With Drippings
- Turkey Drippings
- 1-2 cups Turkey Broth, add enough turkey broth to get 3 cups liquid
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cold water
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
Turkey Gravy Without Drippings
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose-flour
- 1/4 tablespoons cold water
- 3 cups Turkey Broth
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/8 teaspoon Dried Sage Powder
- 1/8 teaspoon Dried Thyme
- 1/8 teaspoon Dried Rosemary
- salt, to taste
- black pepper
Instructions
- Strain the turkey drippings through a fine mesh strainer to remove any chunks. Place into a glass measuring cup.
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk together the flour and cold water, then whisk it into the melted butter. Continue to cook and whisk until the flour mixture is bubbling and begins to turn golden brown.
- Add enough turkey broth to the turkey drippings to make 3 cups, then whisk into the pan with the butter mixture. Bring to a low simmer for one full minute. Adjust the seasoning as desired, adding more salt, pepper, onion powder, or garlic powder as needed.
- Remove from the heat and serve warm. Enjoy!
For Turkey Gravy Without Drippings
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk together the flour and cold water, then whisk it into the melted butter. Continue to cook and whisk until the flour mixture is bubbling and begins to turn golden brown.
- Add the turkey broth and seasonings, then bring to a low simmer for one minute. Taste and adjust the seasoning by adding more salt, pepper, onion powder or garlic powder as needed.
- Remove from the heat and serve warm. Enjoy!
Nutrition
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This homemade turkey gravy is easy, flavorful, and can be made with or without pan drippings. Pour over mashed potatoes, turkey, or any of your favorite Thanksgiving sides.
