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This Biscuits and Gravy recipe brings classic Southern comfort food to your table easily and quickly. You’ll love the flaky biscuits and thick sausage gravy!
Featured with this recipe
Biscuits and Gravy is the ultimate comfort breakfast food, especially popular in the South, but always requested at our Idaho breakfast table. Warm, spicy, rich, and filling, this recipe really sticks to your ribs, making it a hearty breakfast or dinner.
My girls ask for this breakfast recipe every year on their birthdays, and I happily oblige. We make a huge batch of fluffy buttermilk biscuits and smother them with the rich, creamy gravy for breakfast, sometimes for lunch, and even dinner. We like to add a tiny bit of cayenne or red pepper flakes for some heat. Red pepper flakes are a personal preference. That’s the beauty of this recipe; you can make it as mild or as spicy as you like. Serve it with a simple side of fruit or a smoothie, and you have a glorious breakfast that everyone will love! These will become a staple in your home!
Ingredients in Biscuits and Gravy
Our recipe for Biscuits and Gravy is simple, yet delicious. The ingredients are simple and easy to find.
- Biscuits – Try our Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits recipe or store bought biscuit dough.
- Ground sausage – uncooked
- All purpose flour
- Milk (some use heavy cream but I think milk is fine)
- Kosher Salt and black pepper
- Cayenne or red pepper flakes
- Optional: some people like to add a little minced garlic
- Optional: garnish with a little sprinkle of parsley
Supplies
If making biscuits from scratch you will need a few more supplies.
- large bowl
- pastry cutter
- bakings sheets
- parchment paper
What Kind of Sausage Should I Use?
Generally we like to use a Jimmy Dean All Natural Pork Sausage Roll for this recipe, but you could use any kind of ground pork sausage you like. I’ve made it with spicy Italian sausage which adds a real kick. Try sweet Italian sausage too! Any flavor of ground sausage will work. You could also omit sausage altogether and opt for bacon pieces.
Suggestions for Cooking
- You can make homemade biscuits if you like, or use a biscuit mix like Bisquik. I usually bake them up while whisking together the gravy. But if you want to keep it even more simple, pop open a can of refrigerated biscuit dough and call it good. I like the flaky layered biscuits, but any kind will work perfectly.
- Opt for whole milk for this recipe. You’ll want to keep things as creamy and rich as possible, and I find that using whole milk helps to make the most decadent biscuits and gravy ever.
- Save the grease from browning the sausage for the gravy. It adds a real depth of flavor that just can’t be beat!
Frequently Asked Questions
People typically use breakfast sausage for this recipe, but you could use any kind of pork sausage you like. Spicy Italian sausage also works and adds a real kick. You can also try sweet Italian sausage, as well. Any flavor of ground sausage will work. Or, you can bypass the sausage and try little bacon pieces instead. Either way is great added protein.
Because biscuits and gravy tends to be on the creamier, richer, heavier side of breakfast, so you could try and balance it out with fresh fruit- strawberries, melon, orange slices, whatever your preference! You could also serve it with some refreshing smoothies for a splash of flavor, color, and a boost of Vitamin C and fiber from the fruits (and maybe even veggies)! I especially like it with a side of potatoes like hash browns or diced and roasted potatoes with peppers and onions.
It’s all in the way you prepare them. This recipe is not vegetarian because it is a sausage gravy. However, you can make a milk gravy (also known as white gravy) out of butter, flour, milk, salt, and pepper, and have yourself a deliciously vegetarian breakfast (or anytime) gravy.
Yes, biscuits and gravy is believed to have originated in the southern United States in the late 1800’s. It’s popularity has spread throughout the U.S. It’s common to find biscuits and gravy on the breakfast menu of most restaurants.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I like to have the biscuits and gravy in separate airtight containers.
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What to Serve with Biscuits and Gravy
Because this recipe is rich and creamy, we like to serve it with a light dish of fresh fruit, berries, melon or grapes. Or create a breakfast feast and include a simple egg dish on the side.
How to Make Biscuits and Gravy
Biscuits and Gravy
Video
Equipment
- Stove Top
- Fry Pan/Skillet
Ingredients
- 6 biscuits homemade or pre-made (Buttermilk Biscuit Recipe)
- 1 pound sausage uncooked
- 1/2 cup flour I like to use Wondra Flour
- 3 to 4 cups milk
- salt and pepper
- cayenne powder optional
- red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- Cook sausage in large skillet over medium to medium-high heat until browned and no longer pink. Remove from pan and pat off excess grease with a paper towel.
- Return the sausage to the pan and add flour, stir to coat the sausage in the flour.
- Gradually add milk to the sausage and flour mixture while cooking on medium heat. Cook and add milk until sauce mixture is desired thickness.
- Add salt, pepper, cayenne, and or red pepper flakes to taste.
Notes
Cooking Tips
- You can make homemade biscuits if you like, or use a biscuit mix like Bisquik. I usually pop them on a baking sheet and bake them in the oven while whisking together the gravy. But if you want to keep it even more simple (and save a mixing bowl), open a can of refrigerated biscuit dough and call it good. I like the golden brown, flaky layered biscuits, but any kind will work perfectly.
- Opt for whole milk for this recipe. You’ll want to keep things as creamy and rich as possible, and I find that using whole milk helps to make the most decadent biscuits and gravy ever.
- Save the grease from browning the sausage for the gravy. It adds a real depth of flavor that just can’t be beat!
Can I add a chopped onion
Of course! I would sauté the onion and then add the sausage to cook in with it once the onions are transparent. It will be delicious!