Vegetarian gravy is a rich, savory sauce that offers all the comforting flavors of traditional gravy without any meat-based ingredients. It’s perfect for those following a vegetarian or plant-based diet, but delicious enough for everyone to enjoy. The key to a great vegetarian gravy is creating depth of flavor from vegetable stock, herbs, and seasonings, combined with a roux (flour and butter) to achieve that smooth, thick consistency.
To make vegetarian gravy, start by creating a roux by cooking flour and butter (or olive oil for a dairy-free version) in a saucepan until it forms a golden paste. Then, gradually whisk in vegetable broth or stock, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Add in your choice of seasonings- soy sauce or tamari for umami, garlic powder, onion powder, and a pinch of thyme or sage for an earthy, herby flavor. A splash of nutritional yeast can also be added for a cheesy depth, while a bit of black pepper or chili flakes can give it a mild kick.
Simmer the gravy for a few minutes to let the flavors meld together and allow it to thicken. If the gravy gets too thick, simply add more vegetable stock until you reach the desired consistency. For extra richness, you can stir in a little plant-based milk, such as almond or homemade oat milk, toward the end of cooking.
This vegetarian gravy is perfect over mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, or even a meatless loaf or nut roast. It’s also a great topping for veggie-friendly stuffing, biscuits, or even as a dip for fries. Whether you’re making a full vegetarian feast or just looking for a delicious, plant-based alternative, this gravy is sure to be a hit.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter or a plant-based alternative
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour use gluten-free if needed
- 2 cups vegetable broth low-sodium preferred
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- to taste salt
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute.
- Gradually whisk in the vegetable broth, ensuring there are no lumps.
- Add the soy sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 5-7 minutes.
- Season with salt to taste and adjust other seasonings if necessary.
- Serve warm over your favorite dishes.
Nutrition
This gravy is sooo good! I didn’t think vegetarian could taste this good. My family loved it!
I’m so glad to hear that! Who knew veggie gravy could be this amazing? Will definitely try it out!
Vegetarian gravy? Sounds weird. Can it really be that good? I mean, it’s just gravy, right?
Not bad, but felt like I was missing something. Maybe more spices?
I think adding some herbs like thyme or rosemary could really jazz it up!
Gravy was good, but next time I’ll try some garlic salt, I bet it will spice it up!
Perfect for Thanksgiving! I used it on mashed potatoes, yum!
Yuk! This tastes weird. I wouldn’t recommend. Just stick to real gravy!
I followed the recipe but it turned out too thick and kinda bland. Might try adding more spices next time. Not sure if I’ll make it again.
I had the same problem! Adding more spices really helped when I made it again. Just experiment a bit!
Why would you make gravy vegetarian? Gravy should have meat! I think I’ll stick with traditional recipes.
Easy to make, but mine turned out too runny. I guess I added too much broth. Will try again!
It was ok, but I’ve had better gravies. Kind of bland for my taste.
This is a cool recipe! Even my picky brother ate it and asked for more! Thank you!
That’s awesome! I’m glad to hear it! Gravy can be a game changer for picky eaters. 🥳
This gravy is amazing! I used it over mashed potatoes and it was a hit at dinner. Totally recommend!
I don’t have soy sauce, can I just use more broth instead? 🤔
Veggie gravy? Really? Who would eat that? Meat is better.
I actually think veggie gravy can be really flavorful! Just need to spice it up a bit. 🤷♀️
Meat is the best but I’m curious about this recipe. Can it really taste good without it? 🤔
I used a vegan butter and it was so good, I can’t stop making it!
I was skeptical at first, I mean how can vegetarian gravy taste good? But it really does!
Idk, how can it be real gravy without meat? Just sounds weird to me. I’ll stick to my beef gravy, thanks.
Glad to hear you liked it! I was worried it won’t be flavorful enough, but now I gotta try it!
This gravy is amazing! I used it on mashed potatoes and it was a hit!
Simple and quick! Perfect for my weeknight dinners. Thanks!
This gravy is amazing! I made it for my family and they loved it.
Gravy without meat? 😂 No thanks, I’m not convinced. But my wife loved it!
I was skeptical at first too, but honestly, this gravy is better than I expected! You should give it a try, it might surprise you.
Meatless gravy? Sounds like a scam 😂. But hey, if your wife liked it, maybe I should reconsider!
Why do ppl always add soy sauce? I feel like it ruins gravy.
This gravy goes well with everything! Even on rice.
Not sure if it was supposed to taste this bland. I added more spices but it didn’t help. 🤷♂️
I had the same problem! Maybe it just needs more seasoning? I threw in some thyme and it tasted way better! 🍃
Bland? Really? I thought it was fine. Maybe different brands of broth make a difference? I don’t know. 🤔
So simple but soooo good! I added some mushrooms and it was delish!
Easy to make! I used coconut oil instead of butter, and it worked fine.
Is this really vegetarian? Like, where’s the meat? LOL
I dunno, maybe I did something wrong but it was kinda bland?
This recipe was super easy to make! Love the flavor!
Gravy?? More like a sad sauce. Never again! #disappointed
Totally gonna try this, but do you think it would taste good on pizza?
I added mushrooms to this and it was the best ever! 🌟
Tried this and it turned out kinda thin. Not sure what I did wrong… maybe too much broth?
Quick and easy! Perfect for a busy weeknight.
Instructions were easy to follow but I messed up the whisking part.
Good but why is it called gravy if there’s no meat? 🤷♂️
My fam loved it! I served it with mashed potatoes, and it was a hit!
Kinda tasted funny. Maybe the broth was off, idk. Could use some tweaking.
Waste of flour. Did not thicken for me at all, just soupy.
Sorry to hear that! Maybe your flour wasn’t mixed well with the butter? A good whisk can help with lumps!
I found it thickened just fine for me. Maybe try cooking it longer next time? Just saying!
I never thought I could make gravy without meat. This is a game changer! Thank you!
Too salty for my taste. I will skip the soy sauce next time.
Easy and tasty, but we added mushrooms for extra flavor. Yum!!
I don’t like vegan food. This just tasted like brown water to me.
I get that not everyone likes vegan stuff, but this gravy is really versatile! Have you tried it with mashed potatoes? It helps a lot!
It was too salty for my taste. I’d recommend cutting back on the soy sauce.
This gravy is amazing! So easy to make and full of flavor. I used vegan butter and loved it!
I tried this recipe too and it was great! I used regular butter but still turned out awesome!
Not so good. It was kinda bland and didn’t thickin well.
I totally agree, it could use more spices! Maybe add some rosemary or thyme next time?
I dunno, I thought it was fine. Maybe you just didn’t let it simmer long enough.
Y’all this is just like the real thing! My meat-eatin’ family loved it!
That’s awesome to hear! I can’t wait to try it for my family too. Thanks for sharing!
Really? Do you think it tastes like real gravy? I’m skeptical about vegetarian stuff sometimes.
Great gravy but too salty for my taste. I think I added too much salt. 🤔
I used coconut flour instead, it was a disaster LOL! Don’t recommend.
I’ve heard coconut flour can be tricky! Stick to the all-purpose for a smoother gravy. 😅
Didn’t have onion powder so I used a whole onion. Still turned out yummy!
Vegetarian?? Can you actually make gravy without meat? This is odd…
I dunno, but I made this and it tasted way too salty. Used low-sodium broth too. Weird.
Not a big fan of the flavors. It was okay but lacked something. Maybe more spices?
I followed the recipe but it came out too thick. What did I do wrong? 😩
Maybe you added too much flour? It can happen. Just try adding more broth next time!
This gravy is the bomb! So tasty and easy to make. Will definitely make it again.
Loved this! I added mushrooms and it gave it an extra kick! 🍄
Gravy good! Yum!