Easy Thanksgiving Gravy Recipe Without Drippings (2024)

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Last Updated on: 27th October 2023, 08:22 am

This Easy Thanksgiving Gravy Recipe Without Drippings is made with simple ingredients you may already have in your pantry. It’s perfect for your Thanksgiving dinner or anytime you want homemade gravy but, don’t have pan drippings.

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Thanksgiving is one of the most celebrated meals of the year. We look forward to eating a big, delicious, comfort food meal with the ones we love and be thankful for all of our many blessings, big and small.

The juicy turkey and cranberry relish, the sides, the Thanksgiving desserts are carefully chosen and made. You know you won’t get away without making your kid’s favorite dishes.

It’s that time of year when you eat so much you just might be headed for that comfy recliner with what may be a carb coma!

What completes a delicious turkey dinner is a creamy gravy! Your mashed potatoes need it- Your stuffing needs it-Your turkey needs it. YOU NEED IT! And, it has to be GOOD GRAVY!

Sometimes, you just don’t have meat drippings to make a drippings gravy and need it for Roasted Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes.

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Maybe your first batch of gravy turned out badly, as in you wouldn’t serve it to your dog! We’ve all been there. Trust me. That’s when this delicious gravy recipe comes in handy.

Or, you may just want to make the gravy ahead so you don’t have to fuss with it on Thanksgiving day. Nonetheless, you are going to love this easy recipe, so add it to your Thanksgiving planning.

It’s a creamy and smooth turkey gravy with good flavor and your Thanksgiving turkey needs a good homemade turkey gravy! Don’t you think?

Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you may a purchase, I’ll receive a small commission but, the price you pay is the same.

Table of Contents

How to Make Gravy without Lumps

In order to get it creamy and smooth, put the flour and dried ground seasonings in a sifter to sift it into the melting butter. Doing this and constantly stirring it so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan, is what makes a smooth gravy with no lumps.

This easy homemade gravy is good for not only turkey, but chicken and pork too. Plus, it’s perfect for mashed potatoes and stuffing (or dressing as they call it in the south) or anything you put gravy on.

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This easy gravy recipe is versatile because it can be a turkey gravy, or a chicken gravy, or even vegetarian gravy! It all depends on which canned broth you choose to use. Use vegetable broth (if that’s what you have on hand) to make a vegetarian gravy.

And yes, you could even make beef gravy with this recipe if you use beef broth. Use the same seasonings and quantities.

Of course this gravy can be used anytime you need gravy, not just for Thanksgiving. It’s great for holiday meals like Christmas and Easter too.

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Make-ahead Gravy

You can make this gravy ahead of time because you don’t need turkey drippings, or any meat drippings for that matter, to make it. Plus, sometimes there aren’t enough drippings to make gravy. That can be a real bummer when you find out at the last minute.

Now you won’t have to run out to the store to buy canned gravy.

It’s convenient to make this easy gravy recipe a day or two ahead so you don’t have to make it on Thanksgiving day. That day can feel chaotic when you’re trying to keep your side dishes warm on top of the other million things you have to do.

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Easy Thanksgiving Gravy Recipe Without Drippings

This flavorful gravy recipe is made with simple ingredients. You may have most of them in your pantry already.

*The full, printable recipe is the recipe card below.

Yields 2 cups.

Ingredients

First, put the flour, poultry seasoning, onion powder and garlic powder into a small bowl for sifting.

Then, in a medium saucepan on medium heat, melt butter and then sift the flour mixture into the melting butter while whisking it.Be sure to not let the butter brown or it’ll alter the flavor of the gravy. It will become pasty.

Then, slowly add in the turkey stock or chicken broth while stirring it. Keep stirring it so you don’t get a lumpy gravy.

Next, sift in the ground poultry seasoning and garlic powder and keep stirring it until it reaches your desired consistency.

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Then, taste test it to see how salty it is. Remember, canned broth already has a good bit of salt. Add salt to taste.

Last, taste test it and see if you think it needs more salt and pepper.

Allow the warm gravy to cool before refrigerating it.

Store leftover gravy in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.

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Substitutions

  • Use turkey stock instead of chicken broth.
  • Use vegetable stock instead of turkey or chicken broth.
  • If you have margarine, that will work in place of butter.
  • If you don’t have poultry seasoning, add 1/2 tsp of ground sage.

This flavorful gravy and simple recipe is perfect for your Thanksgiving turkey.

Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours.

You may also like:

Turkey Brine with Apple Cider Vinegar + VIDEO

Easy Slow Cooker Turkey Breast with Gravy + VIDEO

Homemade Green Bean Casserole + VIDEO

See more THANKSGIVING recipes.

I took this recipe to Weekend Potluck.

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Easy Thanksgiving Gravy Recipe Without Drippings

This versatile, easy, homemade gravy can be made with chicken, turkey, or vegetable broth. It's perfect for a Thanksgiving turkey and can be made ahead.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword Thanksgiving Gravy Recipe Without Drippings

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 69cal

Author Joanne Schweitzer

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 14.5 oz canned broth (turkey or chicken) vegetable broth can be used
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp ground poultry seasoning
  • saltand pepper to taste try it first before adding salt

Instructions

  • First, put the flour, poultry seasoning, onion powder and garlic powder into a small bowl for sifting.

  • Then, in a medium saucepan on medium heat, melt butter and then sift the flour mixture into the melting butter while whisking it.Be sure to not let the butter brown or it'll alter the flavor of the gravy. It will become pasty.

  • Then, slowly add in the turkey stock or chicken broth while stirring it. Keep stirring it to avoid lumps and until it thickens.

  • Then, taste it first and add the salt and pepper to taste. Stir it. The broth may have enough salt so adding more may make it too salty so try it first before adding.

Notes

Store leftover gravy in the refrigerator for up to five days.

If making ahead, allow the warm gravy to cool before refrigerating it.

In order to get it creamy and smooth, put the flour and dried ground seasonings in a sifter to sift it into the melting butter. This and stirring it so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan, is what makes gravy smooth with no lumps.

Nutrition

Calories: 69cal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 236mg | Potassium: 18mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 182IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 0.3mg

Easy Thanksgiving Gravy Recipe Without Drippings (2024)

FAQs

What to do if turkey has no drippings? ›

So how do you make turkey gravy without drippings? It's all about finding a replacement for the browned, complex meaty flavor the drippings offer. For a no-drippings gravy, aromatics such as onions, celery, carrot, bell pepper, and/or garlic, can help, as can umami-rich elements like mushrooms.

What is the secret to good gravy? ›

Here are my principles for making great gravy without fear:
  • Make it ahead. This is the most important one. ...
  • Make a really good homemade turkey stock first. Don't skimp on this crucial first step. ...
  • Reinforce the stock's flavor. ...
  • Simmer, simmer, simmer. ...
  • Strain and cool. ...
  • Reduce. ...
  • Hot liquids only.
Nov 5, 2021

Can I use water instead of stock for gravy? ›

Originally Answered: How to make gravy without broth? You don't need a meat broth to make gravy. You can use water, milk, or cream to make a gravy. Brown flour in hot drippings or other fat, then slowly add the liquid while stirring.

How to make gravy if you don't have flour or cornstarch? ›

Another way to thicken gravy without flour is to roast vegetables like carrots, onions or shallots, celery, whole garlic and red bell peppers with the meat. Strain the juices and puree the vegetables and add it to the de-fatted meat juices, wine and some stock. Reduce the liquid to a thick gravy then strain and serve.

What sauce is good for turkey not gravy? ›

As Mark Bittman has pointed out, gravy is but one of many sauces that can bring flavor and moisture to a plate of turkey and stuffing, like parsley purée, eggless béarnaise or bourbon barbecue sauce. There's homemade cranberry ketchup, or cherry ketchup, tangy and sweet.

Why is there no juices coming out of my turkey? ›

A turkey in a roasting bag will show built up juices earliest, but even with a bag it won't happen until the turkey is pretty far into the cooking process. If the turkey is stuffed, juices will take longer to appear, because the turkey will take longer to cook and some of the juices will be absorbed by the stuffing.

What are the 4 basic gravy? ›

Hariyali Gravy.
  1. Onion Tomato Masala: This is also known as brown onion gravy or onion tomato gravy. ...
  2. Makhni Gravy: This is a very popular gravy from north India and is used for many preparations such as murgh makhni, paneer makhni, etc. ...
  3. White Gravy: This gravy is white to blonde in colour. ...
  4. Hariyali Gravy:

What can you add to homemade gravy to make it taste better? ›

Boost the flavor of gravy by simmering it over low heat with fresh herbs, like thyme, sage, parsley, or bay leaf. Strain the gravy before serving.

Is gravy just flour and water? ›

At the most basic level, gravy is a simple pan sauce that requires liquid and a thickener. Traditional turkey gravy usually has fat, flour, and stock. You can make excellent turkey gravy with just those ingredients, plus salt and pepper for seasoning.

Is chicken stock or broth better for gravy? ›

A good broth is the secret to the very best soup, such as chicken soup and beef and barley, while a rich stock is the foundation for superior braises, stews and sauces, including French classics like demi-glace and sauce Espagnole, as well as the very best turkey gravy.

Is chicken stock or chicken broth better for gravy? ›

Because stock is made of bones, it tends to have a slightly thicker consistency, due to the collagen and natural gelatin in the bones, and you will find that good stocks may gel when chilled. This makes stocks wonderful for use in sauces and gravies and stews where the texture can really help with the consistency.

Does gravy taste better with flour or cornstarch? ›

Browning adds more flavor to the gravy and gets rid of the raw flour taste. You're basically making a roux. We find that a flour-based gravy holds up better and reheats better later, which is why we tend to prefer using flour over cornstarch to make gravy unless we have a guest who is eating gluten-free.

Can pancake mix be used to make gravy? ›

In nonstick pan over medium heat, toast ¼ cup of All-Purpose Flour Artisan Blend, Bread Mix, or Baking & Pancake Mix, whisking constantly until it colors from white to tan, 5 to 10 minutes. Melt butter in pan, add the toasted flour, and mix well. Add stock, whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming.

How do you thicken turkey gravy? ›

If your gravy is on the skimpy side, you can thicken it quickly with flour or cornstarch. But don't add your thickener directly to the gravy, which will create lumps. Instead, try stirring in three or four tablespoons of flour or cornstarch into a small amount of cold water until you have a smooth paste.

How do I get more turkey drippings? ›

To collect the drippings, place a large drip pan filled with a liter of water, beer, wine, or juice underneath the turkey while it is cooking. You will want to make sure that they turkey is not sitting in the pan, you can put the pan below the grate or use a roast holder for the turkey.

Is turkey done when juices run clear? ›

"When the juices run clear, and no longer reddish or pink in color, it's a good indication that your turkey is done."

Should I put liquid in with my turkey? ›

You can pour a little of water in the bottom of the roasting pan, but keep in mind the turkey will release drippings as well as it cooks. However, if you're making gravy, it's best to add about a cup of water to the roasting pan.

How to make turkey baste without juice? ›

Then use a baster (or a spoon, but more on that below) to drench the breast meat in the cooking liquid. Place the roasting pan back into the oven. In the last hour of cooking, you can baste the turkey in additional melted butter or olive oil instead of the pan juices to really make sure that skin turns golden brown.

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