Vegan Gravy

This Vegan Gravy is the perfect plant-based version of the classic holiday sauce! Made with just a few simple ingredients, it's rich, savory, and easy to make. It's delicious over mashed potatoes or a vegan roast and a must-have for any holiday spread!

This simple vegan gravy is rich, flavorful, and incredibly easy to make.

It's the perfect addition to your Thanksgiving table, pairing beautifully with a vegan roast, almond milk mashed potatoes, stuffing, and roasted vegetables.

It comes together quickly, and the best part is you can make it a day ahead or freeze it to save time on the big day.

Once you try it, this savory gravy will quickly become a staple on your holiday table!

Ingredients

With just a few simple ingredients like vegetable broth, soy sauce, nutritional yeast, flour, and fresh herbs, this vegan gravy is rich, savory, and is perfect for cozy dinners or holiday gatherings!

Vegan butter: Adds a rich, buttery flavor. I prefer it over oil, but olive oil will also work.

Onion and garlic: Adds a lot of flavor! They are simmered and then strained out for a smooth and flavorful gravy.

Flour: Acts as a thickener!

Nutritional Yeast: Brings a savory umami note that really elevates the flavor. It can be left out but it's better with it!

Fresh Herbs: My favorite herbs for this gravy are the classic holiday trio: rosemary, sage, and thyme. You can use any combination, two or all three, to add extra flavor.

Low-Sodium Soy Sauce: Umami and a deeper color. If gluten-free, use tamari!

Vegetable Broth: The base of our gravy! Make sure you pick a broth that you enjoy. I use the reduced sodium vegetable base from Better than Bouillon.

See recipe card for quantities.

Helpful Equipment

You'll need a slotted spoon for removing herbs, onion, and garlic while keeping the gravy smooth.

How to Make This Recipe

This brown vegan gravy is a must-have for any holiday table!

The full written recipe can be found in the recipe card below.

Step 1: Melt the vegan butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the thick-sliced onion and whole garlic cloves and sauté for 2-3 minutes.

Step 2: Sprinkle in the flour and stir until fully incorporated and no raw flour remains. Then, add the fresh herbs, nutritional yeast, and black pepper.

Step 3: Slowly pour in the vegetable broth and soy sauce while whisking to prevent lumps, then continue whisking until fully combined.

Step 4: Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the gravy has thickened.

Step 5: Use a slotted spoon or fine mesh strainer to remove the herbs, onion, and garlic from the gravy.

Note: Adjust seasoning gradually to avoid over-salting.

Substitutions & Variations

Make it gluten-free: Use cornstarch in place of flour. Stir 2 tablespoons into a bit of broth to make a slurry, whisk it into the pot, and finish the recipe as written. Be sure to use tamari instead of soy sauce too.

If you love mushrooms, toss in some sliced ones to turn this into a cozy mushroom gravy.

Don't be shy with the herbs! Use as much rosemary, sage, and thyme as you enjoy.

Serving Ideas

You can use this vegetarian gravy anywhere you'd use traditional gravy.

Mashed potatoes simply aren't complete without gravy! Pour this vegan gravy over a big scoop of mashed potatoes and serve it as part of your Thanksgiving spread or any classic comfort-food dinner.

Serve over your Holiday main! It's delicious over vegan turkey (my favorite is the Gardein roast!) or a meatless lentil loaf.

More sides that pair beautifully with this gravy include roasted vegetables, vegan stuffing, biscuits, and roasted potatoes.

Tips & Tricks

To keep your gravy lump-free, pour in the broth a little at a time, whisking well after each addition. And stirring occasionally while it simmers will help maintain a smooth texture!

Want a chunkier gravy? No worries! Dice the onion and garlic and leave them in there. 

Taste before adding extra salt. Depending on the vegetable broth and soy sauce you use, you may not need any additional salt. I used low-sodium broth and added just a touch of kosher salt to enhance the flavor.

Nutritional yeast can sometimes leave a slightly flaky appearance in your gravy, but it won't affect the texture once cooked and stirred in. Use an immersion blender to pulse the gravy a few times until smooth, keeping all the savory flavor without any visible flakes.

Storage

Thanksgiving Day is busy enough, so take one thing off your plate by making this gravy ahead of time!

Store: After it cools, store it in the fridge in an airtight container or jar for up to 3 days.

Reheat: Simply reheat it on the stovetop until hot.

Freeze: The gravy freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight.

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