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Learn how to make the best Beef Gravy from scratch, with or without drippings. This easy recipe is perfect for mashed potatoes, roast beef, and Sunday dinners!
Mom’s Famous Beef Gravy
Growing up, Sunday dinners were our favorite meal of the week by far. Each week, our mom rotated between just two meals: Oven Roast Beef with Mashed Potatoes and Beef Gravy and Roast Turkey with Potatoes and Turkey Gravy. Her mashed potatoes and gravy (both the beef and the turkey versions) are legendary.
Even extended family members knew about these famous Sunday dinners and would purposely drop by on Sunday nights to get a taste. I’ll never forget the time one of our uncles filled his entire plate with mashed potatoes, carved out a massive well in the center, and poured in so much gravy it looked like Crater Lake. Then he just grabbed a spoon and ate it like soup. And honestly? No one blamed him. It really is that good.
🩷 Erica
Table of Contents
- Mom’s Famous Beef Gravy
- Key Ingredients
- How to Make Beef Gravy From Scratch (without Drippings)
- How to Make Beef Gravy Using Drippings
- Beef Gravy from a Roux
- Common Gravy Mistakes and Fixes
- Kick It Up a Notch
- Frequently Asked Questions
- The Best Roast Beef Recipes
- More Delicious Gravy Recipes
- Beef Gravy from Scratch Recipe
Key Ingredients
- Butter – A good beef gravy needs a good amount of fat. You can either get this from the pan drippings or if you are working from scratch you can use butter.
- Beef broth -You can use pan drippings from your roast, store-bought beef broth, or a combination of both. We usually didn’t get enough drippings from the roast because we always loaded on the gravy, so she almost always had to supplement with more broth.
- Seasonings – We usually just use beef bouillon granules, onion powder, garlic powder, and a little salt and pepper.
- Cornstarch – This is my mom’s thickener of choice. It makes the gravy nice and smooth, plus it is gluten free so even our family members with gluten allergies can enjoy it!
How to Make Beef Gravy From Scratch (without Drippings)
- In a medium saucepan, combine butter, beef broth, onion powder, and garlic powder. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to a simmer and keep the mixture warm.
- In a separate bowl, mix cornstarch and cold water until smooth.
- Slowly whisk the mixture into the simmering broth a little at a time, just until the gravy reaches your desired thickness (you may not need it all).
- Stir in beef bouillon or kosher salt and season with pepper to taste. Let it simmer for 2–3 minutes, then serve!
How to Make Beef Gravy Using Drippings
Drippings from your roast meat is ideal for the best gravy. Use that glorious broth left over from cooking your meat for your gravy. Use as much as you can and try to scrape up those little beef bits from the bottom of your roasting pan, slow cooker, or Instant Pot before turning it into gravy. Add butter as a supplement if needed if you feel like you aren’t getting enough fat from the drippings and continue with the recipe as directed below.
Beef Gravy from a Roux
Gravy made from a roux sounds fancy, but it’s actually really easy once you understand how it works. What I like about roux gravy is that it can vary in flavor and color depending on how long you cook the flour. If you like a deep, dark brown gravy, similar to gravies in Europe, you cook the flour for much longer than you would a light brown, country-style beef gravy (see image below). There is so much to know about roux, we actually dedicated an entire post to it. Read all about making the perfect roux right here.
Common Gravy Mistakes and Fixes
Even the easiest gravy can go wrong if a step is rushed or skipped. These are the most common gravy problems I’ve encountered, and I’m sharing exactly how to fix them.
Gravy is too thin
This can happen if the cornstarch slurry to broth or drippings ratio is off.
How to fix it: To thicken your gravy, add more cornstarch slurry. Mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with one tablespoon of cold water until it forms a smooth paste. Whisk the slurry into the gravy while it simmers. It takes a minute or two, so don’t panic if it doesn’t thicken instantly.
Gravy is too thick
The opposite problem! Thick gravy can happy fast, especially with cornstarch.
How to fix it: Whisk in warm beef broth a few tablespoons at a time until the gravy reaches your desired consistency. Make sure it is warmed. Cold liquid causes lumps in the gravy.
Gravy has lumps
Lumps happen when cornstarch is added directly to the hot broth, or if the slurry is poured in too quickly. To prevent lumps always mix cornstarch with cold water first to make a smooth paste, then whisk it into the gravy slowly.
How to fix it: Remove the gravy from heat and give it a good whisk. If you still see lumps, pour the gravy through a mesh strainer or blend it briefly with an immersion blender.
Gravy tastes bland and/or is pale in color
A weak beef broth or not enough drippings can cause a lack of flavor and color.
How to fix it: Add beef bouillon a little at a time, tasting as you go, to enhance the flavor and color. A small splash of Worcestershire sauce or a pinch of onion powder can also deepen the flavor without overpowering.
Gravy is too salty
This can happen if the drippings came from a heavily seasoned roast, or too much beef bouillon was added.
How to fix it: Whisk in unsalted beef broth or water a little at a time to dilute the saltiness. A small amount of unsalted butter can also help balance the flavor.
Final Tip
Thankfully, gravy is forgiving. The trick is going slowly and adding thickeners and seasonings in small amounts at a time. Whisking them in and tasting as you go will bring you great success with gravy.
Kick It Up a Notch
Want to add some more flavor dimensions to your easy homemade brown gravy? Try adding some of these easy ingredients:
- Worcestershire sauce – adds a deep, tangy flavor to the gravy.
- Thyme or Rosemary – bring a fresh, earthy flavor to your gravy with a teaspoon of thyme or rosemary. Let it simmer until all those fresh flavors are released. Add other fresh herbs too!
- Chopped onion – sauté some finely chopped onion in a little butter before adding any other ingredients for a brighter flavor.
- Mushrooms – slice up some mushrooms and sauté in butter over medium heat before adding to the gravy.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you are making beef gravy without drippings, the answer is yes. It can be made a day or two ahead and stored in the fridge. For best results, reheat on the stovetop whisking constantly. If it thickens too much, add warm beef broth a little at a time.
The key is to reheat it slowly over medium-low heat, whisking constantly. Do not boil the gravy. If the gravy is too thick, add warm beef broth a little at a time, while whisking, until smooth.
Most traditional beef gravies are not gluten-free, since they’re often thickened with a flour-based roux and made with broths that may contain hidden gluten. However, our recipe uses cornstarch as the thickener, making it naturally gluten-free as long as you use a gluten-free broth or bouillon. Be sure to double check the labels on any broth or seasoning you use to ensure it’s certified gluten-free.
Absolutely, you can make beef gravy with a roux using butter and flour or you can thicken the gravy by mixing flour and water together until it forms a paste, then whisk it into the gravy until thickened. See our guide on How to Make a Roux.
They are similar and the terms are used interchangeably, but beef gravy is specifically made with beef broth or drippings from a beef roast. Brown gravy may be made with beef broth, chicken broth, or vegetable broth.
READ MORE: 35+ Quick and Easy to Follow Dinner Ideas
The Best Roast Beef Recipes
When making the best brown gravy recipe, it helps to start with a good recipe for roast beef. Lucky for you, we have lots of great roast beef recipes! All of these methods will give you a good amount of liquid to make a delicious roast beef gravy.
More Delicious Gravy Recipes
Once you have the method down, the possibilities of delicious gravies are endless. Give some of these a try:
- Mom’s Famous Turkey Gravy (a MUST for Thanksgiving!)
- Biscuits and Sausage Gravy
- Homemade Country Gravy
Have you tried this savory, homemade Beef Gravy? I’d love to hear what you think! Drop a comment below and let me know how you liked them. And don’t forget to take a pic and tag us on Instagram @favoritefamilyrecipes! 📸
Beef Gravy from Scratch
Video
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter, (if using beef drippings you can leave the butter out, see notes below)
- 4 cups beef broth, (or beef drippings, or combination of both)
- 3 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/3 cup water
- beef bouillon, to taste
- ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a medium-sized sauce pan, combine butter, beef broth, onion powder, and garlic powder. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and bring to a simmer.
- In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, combine cornstarch and water, stirring until well combined.
- While whisking the broth CONSTANTLY, slowly add cornstarch mixture to the saucepan. I like to pour in about a tablespoon at a time to gauge consistency. You may not need all of the cornstarch mixture, add only until desired consistency is reached.
- Add beef bouillon (or Kosher salt– I just like the depth of flavor the beef bouillon adds as compared to straight up salt) and pepper to taste.
- Allow to simmer 2-3 minutes. Serve over potatoes, rice, poutine, or your favorite beef dishes.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I made your instant pot pot roast recipe and it turned out beautiful and delicious. Thank you so much. I’ve also used your brown gravy recipe. I would love to have some more of your recipes if you have time to send them. I bought myslef my instant pot for my Christmas present. Have only used it a couple times but would love some different recipes that i can cook in it.
Sincerely,
Robyn Sloan
Here is a link to all of our Instant Pot Recipes: https://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/category/recipes/cooking-method/instant-pot/
Delicious!
Very easy and delicious
I have no idea how many bouillon cubes to use. Are two enough?
You can start with one and see how you like the taste, and then add more if you want!
You can’t have mashed potatoes without this gravy! It is so, so good!! I love it over meat, too!
Love this beef gravy as a side dish and so good with mashed potatoes!
Yum! My husband is going to love this recipe! Can’t wait to give this a try!
Have you tried making this ahead? Freezing to use later?
I don’t usually have any gravy leftover, so I don’t know. However, I have heard that people freeze their gravy in ziplock bags with good results!
We loved this gravy recipe. I made it as stated except I didnt have any bouillon cubes so I used a little bit of soy sauce , maybe about 2 tsps. The best thing about this gravy is my grandson has a dairy allergy, so we have to make a separate gravy for him, but I can use this recipe and just sub his margarine for the butter. Thank you so much!
This was an ealy recipe to follow and it turned out great! Thank you!
Have been looking for this gravy solution for years…..it’s delicious AND easy to make with pantry ingredients!
THANKS
I made three other recipes before this one that tasted HORRENDOUS!! I am so happy I found this one, it is AMAZING, especially considering I didn’t use the pan drippings. It tastes better than I hoped, this will definitely be my go to. ❤️❤️
This was so easy. It turned out absolutely perfect. Thank you. My gravy is normally a flop and I feel like this was foolproof.
When making gravy – I use the broth from the roast I have cooked in a slow cooker in a pan. I then add
1 Can broth OR a jar of gravy. To thicken (if too thin) I thicken it with corn starch. I do not like
using flour as it works so much better with CS. The gravy is really great!
a good simple recipe, Thank you.
My roast did not produce many drippings so I turned to this recipe and I’m glad I did! It’s a perfect brown gravy when you have little or no drippings. For those who said this gravy was thin and watery, I’m wondering if they didn’t whisk long enough. It produced a nice thick, hearty gravy that we all enjoyed.
Used all ingredients including all 4 Tbs of corn starch still gave me a super water gravy. Idk if all these people just like that consistency or what but this was not it for me or my family. It also says serves 10 it served more like 4. Wouldn’t use this recipe again.
How much flour would I use if I didn’t want to use cornstarch?
You should use twice as much flour as you would use cornstarch.
I am not a fan of gravy usually but needed some for a roast and my husband wanted some. This was delicious even for me! The thought of using a packet for cooking foods is mostly gross to me so I’m always looking for recipes that make food from scratch.
Really good. I drained the fat from the beef broth in which the brisket cooked (with carrots and onion). Followed the Recipe with the corn starch. Added a dab of red wine and a touch of gravy master. Did not use onion or garlic powder because husband put. dry rub on it. Did it in Traeger smoker on 225 degrees. Will make a Again. I think the butter added brings it to a real homemade level!
It is Patti again. I only had two cups of beef broth and used two tbs of cornstarch. Perfect!
Oh yay! Glad it worked out!
Oh yum! I bet it was SO GOOD smoked! That is such a good idea! Thank you for sharing!
Salted or unsalted butter?
Omg I am in love with this beef gravy recipe☺️. I used this gravy recipe for my Salisbury steak. It was so delicious. My boyfriend loved it. Thank you.
Hi Paulina- I am so glad you (and your boyfriend) liked this recipe! Great idea using it for Salisbury steak! YUM!
Maybe it’s really GMO’s?