Homemade Brown Gravy

Looking for the perfect homemade brown gravy to drizzle over mashed potatoes? This easy recipe shows you how to make it without pan drippings!

When it comes to a home cooked meal, nothing says “comfort food” quite like a plate of creamy mashed potatoes with a savory, thick gravy drizzled over the top. I don’t know about you, but I could (and have on several occasions), make an entire meal out of them. 

I kid you not, when I was a kid, my BFF and I would make mashed potatoes (the boxed kind) and brown gravy just like my favorite diner (from a mix) and that would be our afternoon snack. Oh to have the metabolism of a kid again! 

As I got older and a little more comfortable cooking, I ditched the instant mashed potatoes began making my own Creamy Mashed Potatoes and have now ditched, the brown gravy mix and make my own homemade version. And with this recipe you can make this diner style brown gravy at home too!

What do you need to make brown gravy without pan drippings?

• BUTTER: When you use “pan drippings” it’s basically the fat that cooks off while the meat cooks. We still need that so we use butter here. 
• FLOUR: To thicken the gravy. 
• CHICKEN AND BEEF BROTH: I have made this recipe with only chicken broth and only beef broth. The combination of the two really works the best! 
• BEEF BOUILLON CUBE: Adds more intense beef flavor. 
• WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE: Don’t skip this! It adds a rich, deep umami flavor to the gravy and is a must. 
• GRANULATED GARLIC (OR POWDER)/ POWDERED ONION
• BROWNING SAUCE: This is the one thing that you might not readily keep in your pantry but I use it here to add more depth of flavor as well as a darker color. A little goes a long way so be careful! 

How do you make homemade brown gravy?

It’s pretty easy, actually! Check out these step by step photos to see it come together. 

• STEP #1: Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. 
• STEP #2: Whisk flour into the butter. Cook 1 – 2 minutes or until the flour starts to brown slightly. 
• STEP #3: Slowly whisk in the chicken and beef broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook  3 – 5 minutes or until it starts to chicken. 
• STEP #4: Add in remaining ingredients. Whisk together. Simmer another 5 minutes or until it coats the back of a spoon. 

See! How easy is that? This has quickly become one of our favorite gravies to serve when we don’t have pan drippings handy. 

Storing leftovers: 

Brown gravy will last a couple days in the refrigerator. It will thicken as it sits so you may need to add a bit more water or broth to thin it out when you reheat it.  

If you love this brown gravy recipe, check out these other gravy recipes: 

• Foolproof Gravy Recipe
• Buttermilk Fried Chicken with Pan Gravy
• Dutch Oven Pot Roast with Mushroom Gravy

If you want even more comfort food recipes, you’ve got to check these out: 

• Brined Fried Chicken  
• Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe 
• Southern Style Green Beans with Bacon 
• Southern Fried Pork Chops