Easy Gravy Recipe (No Roux, No Lumps)
This easy gravy recipe only requires 6 ingredients - no pan drippings or roux needed so no need to worry about lumps! It's flavorful and thickened so you can have gravy for chicken, turkey, or mashed potatoes!
Servings: 16
Ingredients
- ½ tbsp chicken bouillon powder
- ½ tbsp beef bouillon powder
- 2½ cups boiling water
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- ½ tsp coarse black pepper
- 1 tsp dried poultry seasoning or a combination of dried thyme, rosemary, and sage
- 2 1/2 tbsp cornstarch you can also sub with potato starch
- ¼ cup cold water
- Kosher salt to taste (bouillon powder is already very salty so be careful here)
Instructions
- In a heatproof bowl or large measuring cup, combine the chicken and beef bouillon powders. Pour in the boiling water and whisk until fully dissolved.
- In a small pot over medium-low heat, melt the butter until just sizzling. Add the black pepper and poultry seasoning and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 10-15 seconds.
- Pour the bouillon mixture into the pot, whisking as you pour. Raise the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the starch and cold water until completely smooth, with no lumps at the bottom.
- Give the slurry a quick stir (the starch settles fast), then slowly pour it into the boiling broth while whisking constantly. Keep whisking until the gravy turns thick and glossy. If using cornstarch, this will take about about 1 minute to fully thicken. If using potato starch, this will take about 30 seconds instantly, so take the pot off the heat as soon as it does.
- Taste and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Why a slurry? This is the trick my family has always used to thicken sauces! A cornstarch or potato starch slurry thickens in seconds and is nearly impossible to mess up. No roux to babysit, no raw flour taste, and no lumps.
Always use cold water. If starch hits hot liquid, it clumps right away. I always mix my slurry with cold water and give it one last stir right before pouring it in, because the starch settles to the bottom fast.
Cornstarch vs. potato starch: Both work great! I usually reach for cornstarch because it’s easy to find and holds up better if the gravy sits on the stove for a while. Potato starch gives you an extra glossy, silky gravy, but it can thin out if it boils too long, so add it at the very end and serve right away.
Want it thicker? I like my gravy thick enough to coat a spoon, so if you do too, mix 1 tsp starch with 1 tbsp cold water and whisk it in a little at a time. Go slow, because too much starch makes it gloopy!
Got pan drippings? Use them! Skim off the fat and swap some of the water for your turkey, chicken, or beef drippings. Drippings can be salty, so taste before you add any extra salt.
Gluten-free: Since there’s no flour, this gravy is naturally flour-free! Just know that some bouillon powders contain wheat, so check the label if you need it to be completely gluten-free.
Storage and reheating: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and use them within 1 to 2 days. Reheat gently, whisking often. Starch-thickened gravy can get a little thin when reheated. If that happens, whisk in a little more slurry and bring it back to a simmer. I don’t recommend freezing it, because the texture can turn spongy.
Nutrition
Calories: 17kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 0.1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 78mg | Potassium: 2mg | Fiber: 0.01g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 44IU | Vitamin C: 0.002mg | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 0.01mg
