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+ servings
A spoon of white gravy above a gravy boat of white gravy with a large bowl of mashed potatoes in the background

Homemade White Gravy

Learning how to make white gravy is easier than you might think, and there's no pan drippings or store-bought mixes needed! Made from a simple roux and finished with a perfect blend of seasonings, this thick and creamy white gravy is exactly what you need for mashed potatoes, biscuits, or country-fried steak.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 20 minutes
Yield:4

Equipment

  • medium saucepan
  • whisk

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup butter
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour see Notes
  • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme plus more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more to taste
  • 1 pinch cayenne pepper plus more to taste
  • 2 cups milk divided, see Notes

Instructions

  • Warm medium saucepan on stovetop over medium heat. When warm, add butter and heat until melted, occasionally tilting saucepan to move butter around.
    Melted butter in medium saucepan
  • Once butter is melted and bubbly, slowly whisk in flour, thyme, salt, pepper, and cayenne until roux forms. Let roux cook 2 minutes.
    Melted butter and flour in saucepan
  • After 2 minutes, slowly whisk in 2 tablespoons of milk. Whisk constantly until mixture is completely smooth before adding more milk. Continue adding milk in 2 tablespoon increments until full 2 cups has been incorporated.
    White gravy in medium saucepan
  • Reduce heat to low and let gravy simmer in saucepan, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes, or until thick. Taste and season with additional seasonings as desired. Serve warm.

Notes

  • Milk: Any milk will work here, but for the creamiest white gravy, use full-fat milk. If using a milk alternative, be sure it's unflavored and unsweetened, or you'll throw off the taste of the gravy.
  • Make it Dairy Free/Vegan: Use dairy-free butter and unsweetened dairy-free milk.
  • Make it Gluten Free: Use gluten-free all-purpose flour.
 
Recipe yields approximately 8 servings. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by 8. Result will be the weight of one serving.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1serving | Calories: 205cal | Protein: 5g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 735mg | Potassium: 177mg | Total Carbs: 12g | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Net Carbs: 11g | Vitamin A: 566IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 145mg | Iron: 1mg
Recipe By:Jasmine Comer