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If you want silky, rich homemade Turkey Gravy that tastes like it came straight from your grandma’s table, this is it. This easy gravy starts with flavorful turkey drippings, comes together in just a few minutes, and is perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any Sunday dinner that needs a cozy finishing touch. It is delicious served over mashed potatoes, turkey, and stuffing. This is our Mom’s tried-and-true recipe and we’re excited to share her secrets with you!
5 Star Reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“This gravy is just like my mother used to make. Unfortunately, she passed away before I was old enough to learn to make it. Thank you so much for bringing back treasured memories with a recipe I will pass on to my own kids.” – Loreata
“The best gravy I’ve ever had!” – Kathryn
“This simple but well loved recipe is the one I use all the time. I’ve given it to my 2 daughters and my daughter-in-law! Gravy either is memorable or not… this recipe has become OUR family tradition.” – Robbin
Our Mom’s Famous Gravy
I grew up with this Turkey Gravy on repeat. My mom was famous for her traditional Sunday dinners, alternating roast beef and turkey every week. It honestly felt like Thanksgiving every other Sunday. The one thing everyone always remembered and always asked for was her gravy.
For years she made it completely by feel. No measurements, just taste and experience. Eventually she let us hover over her shoulder and shared a step by step method so we could recreate that same savory, creamy homemade Turkey Gravy on our own. It is the gravy I make for my family now, and it just tastes like home.
This Turkey Gravy goes with pretty much everything on a holiday table. I love it poured over:
- Roasted Turkey or Turkey Breast
- Homemade Mashed Potatoes
- Cranberry Sausage Stuffing or Bacon Stuffing
- Leftover Thanksgiving Casserole or Thanksgiving Sandwich
🩷 Erica
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Turkey Drippings: The secret to flavorful gravy! Use the drippings from your Roasted Turkey or Turkey Breast. If you’re short on drippings, add turkey stock, chicken stock, or broth.
- Gravy Packet (optional): Often included with frozen turkeys. If yours didn’t come with one, a tablespoon of dry turkey or chicken gravy mix works as a substitute.
- Chicken Bouillon: Adds depth and richness to the gravy. We love Wyler’s chicken bouillon granules, but you can use cubes or your favorite brand.
- Freshly Ground Pepper: For a hint of spice and flavor.
- Milk: Whole milk creates a creamy texture. For thicker gravy, mix in some half and half or heavy cream.
- Cornstarch or Flour: mixed with cold water for thickening.
- Salt: To taste. Use sparingly after all flavors have blended.
Ingredient Additions and Substitutions
- Gluten free Turkey Gravy: Skip the gravy packet and use cornstarch as your only thickener. Double check that your bouillon is gluten free. The method is exactly the same and you will still get a smooth, creamy gravy.
- No gravy packet available: No problem. Just leave it out and rely on the turkey drippings, bouillon, and milk. The gravy will still be full of flavor, you will just end up with about 3 cups instead of 4.
- Using flour instead of cornstarch: You can thicken this gravy with an equal amount of all purpose flour. Whisk it in cold water to make a smooth slurry before adding.
- Extra rich gravy: Swap part of the milk for half and half or a splash of heavy cream for an ultra luxurious texture.
- Boosting flavor: Stir in a splash of white wine, a pinch of poultry seasoning, or a few finely chopped fresh herbs like thyme or sage right at the end.
How to Make Turkey Gravy
- Prepare the Turkey Drippings. After roasting your turkey, transfer it to a cutting board. Keep the drippings in the roasting pan. Place the pan on medium heat and add water or broth if the drippings are less than a cup. Whisk to loosen any caramelized bits – these are packed with flavor!
- Strain the Drippings. Pour the liquid into a tempered glass measuring cup. Skim off the fat and strain out any turkey bits. Transfer the strained dripping to a saucepan.
- Add Seasonings. Add the gravy packet (optional) to the drippings. Bring the liquid to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer. Whisk in the chicken bouillon and pepper. Slowly add the milk, stirring constantly for a creamy consistency.
- Thicken the Gravy. Combine cornstarch and water to make a slurry. Gradually whisk it into the simmering gravy until you reach your desired thickness. Remember, the gravy will thicken further as it cools.
- Taste and Adjust. Taste the gravy and adjust seasonings as needed. Add salt sparingly, the bouillon and gravy packet are salty.
- Serve the Gravy. Keep the gravy warm until serving. Transfer it to a gravy boat or bowl with a ladle for easy serving.
Recipe Tips
- Make it slightly thinner than you think because it thickens as it cools on the table.
- Whisk constantly when adding the slurry so the cornstarch blends in smoothly and you avoid lumps.
- Do not boil hard after thickening or the texture can turn a bit gummy. A gentle simmer is perfect.
- Taste before adding salt since drippings, bouillon, and gravy packets all contain salt already.
- Use a fat separator if you prefer a very lean gravy. It quickly removes fat from the drippings.
- Warm your gravy boat with hot water, then dry it before filling. This helps keep the gravy hot longer.
- Double the recipe if you have a big crowd or want plenty of leftovers for sandwiches and casseroles.
- Avoid placing an aluminum roasting pan directly on the stovetop. Instead, transfer to a large sauce pan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. For gluten free Turkey Gravy, simply leave out the gravy packet and use cornstarch instead of flour as your thickener. Be sure your bouillon and any seasoning blends are certified gluten free.
You can boost the flavor with chicken bouillon, a tablespoon or two of dry turkey gravy mix, fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme or sage. Always taste as you go and add salt last.
If your gravy ends up lumpy, do not panic. Pour it through a fine mesh strainer into a clean pot and whisk well. Most lumps will be left behind, and you will be left with a smooth gravy.
Yes, but it won’t be quite as flavorful. Use butter and turkey or chicken broth in place of drippings. Melt butter in a saucepan, whisk in a bit of flour or cornstarch, then slowly add broth and seasonings until you reach your desired flavor and consistency. The drippings do add amazing flavor, but this is a good backup.
Make Ahead and Storage
Freezer storage: Cool completely, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat slowly. Add more liquid as needed to smooth it back out.
Make ahead: Make the gravy up to 2 days before serving. Let it cool, then refrigerate in an airtight container. Reheat gently over low heat, whisking in a splash of milk or broth to bring it back to a pourable consistency.
Refrigerator storage: Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave, stirring every 20 to 30 seconds until hot.
More Delicious Gravy Recipes
No matter what you’re serving, there’s a scrumptious, savory gravy to go with it. For a step-by-step guide for making gravies and sauces, see our post on How to Make a Roux.
This Turkey Gravy is more than just a sauce – it’s a family tradition. We hope it brings the same warmth and love to your holiday table as it does to ours. Don’t forget to check out our complete Thanksgiving Dinner Guide for more delicious recipes and tips! If you make this gravy I’d love to hear how it went. Rate the recipe and drop your variations in the comments so others can try them too! 💛
Turkey Gravy Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- ½ to 1 cup turkey drippings from cooked turkey
- 1 gravy packet, (included with the frozen turkey or turkey breast)*
- 1 tablespoon Wyler’s chicken bouillon granules
- pepper, to taste
- 2 cups milk
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 cup water
- salt, to taste
Instructions
- After roasting a turkey or turkey breast in the oven, remove the turkey and leave the drippings in the roasting pan. Place the pan on the largest stove top burner on medium heat. If there is less than one cup of liquid in the pan, add enough water to make about one cup. Whisk up any little browned bits that may have cooked to the roasting pan. This adds delicious flavor to the gravy. The heat from the stove helps loosen the browned bits on the sides of the pan. If you've used an aluminum pan to cook the turkey, don't place it on the stove after removing the turkey. Add water to the drippings to make one cup. Use a whisk or spoon to loosen the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Pour the liquid from the pan into a 2 cup or larger tempered glass measuring cup or glass bowl. The fat from the drippings will rise to the surface. Skim off the fat with a spoon. Pour the remaining liquid through a wire strainer into a medium-sized saucepan. This will remove any turkey bits or fat and make a smooth, creamy gravy.
- If a gravy packet was included with the turkey, add it to the saucepan (if you want a gluten free gravy, don't add the packet). Bring the liquid to a boil over medium-high heat, then simmer. Stir in the bouillon granules and pepper. Gradually whisk in the milk and bring back to a simmer. At this point, taste the gravy. Add more bouillon and pepper if needed for flavor. Do not add salt at this time.
- In a separate, small bowl, combine cornstarch and water. Stir until there are no lumps. It should be nice and smooth.
- Whisking the gravy constantly, slowly add cornstarch mixture a little at a time until the gravy is thickened to the consistency you desire.
- Make the gravy slightly thinner than what you prefer because it will thicken a little as it cools. Taste the gravy again. If needed, add a little salt for flavor.
- Pour into a gravy boat and serve.
Notes
- Gravy will thicken as it cools, so leave it a little thinner than your final desired consistency.
- For gluten free Turkey Gravy, omit the gravy packet and use cornstarch only; check that your bouillon is gluten free.
- Using the gravy packet makes about 4 cups; without the packet you will have about 3 cups.
- Taste before adding salt, since drippings, bouillon, and the gravy packet are already salty.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months; thin with milk or broth when reheating if needed.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Perfect recipe and great tips! It’s our new favorite for the holidays.
Was looking for turkey gravy and came across this. It’s perfect!
I’ve made this twice now and it’s simply phenomenal. Two thumbs up!!
I will definitely try this…but wondering if you could help me ,,,at Thanksgiving last year, we deep fried our turkey…of course we all want gravy! any suggestions on how to make gravy without pan drippings ????
Sometimes the turkey will come with a packet of drippings, if you can find one that includes the drippings in a separate pack, that is definitely the way to go! Otherwise you will probably be best off getting a packet of turkey gravy if you are frying the turkey. I’m not sure how you can make a true homemade turkey without drippings. :/
Hi Erica!
Happy Thanksgiving! I just picked up one of these vintage Magnalite roasters (the 21″!) and for the price my husband is expecting his Thanksgiving dinner to be amazing. Could you help me out with a few questions I have about it?
-How do you monitor the temp of the meat inside the pot? Seems like if I keep opening the oven and the pot to take the temp, it will really throw the temp off.
-Would the small wire from a remote meat thermometer disrupt the seal of the lid enough to affect the roasting or could I use one?
-Any idea approximately how long I might cook a 20 lb. turkey? I have read by some that these cook much faster than normal and I would like all of my food to come out about the same time.
Thank you in advance!
Jennifer
Great questions.. as a rule of thumb they say 20 minutes per pound of turkey(at 350-degrees) but that can vary because you are using the magnate. A small wire from a remote meat thermometer shouldn’t disrupt the seal of the lid… If you are worried about it you can place some aluminum foil around were the wire is to keep the good seal– but really, it should be ok. 🙂 The meat thermometer is definitely the best way to go to make sure it isn’t over/under done. Hope this helps! Let us know how it turns out.
We love that roasting pan– sometimes the turkey we get is too big to fit the lid over the top so we just cover the pan it with foil as best we can and place the lid on top of the turkey. You just want to trap in that heat/moisture as much as you can.
What great advice! Thank you so much!
I can’t seem to find the gravy recipe…. Only the turkey recipe. Desperately wanting to try this.
Hi Jennifer– Thank you for pointing out that is was missing! I was able to fix the problem.. it should be there now 🙂
Oh wow! I MUST try this gravy! My girlfriend’s mother in law had the best gravy recipe ever but she passed away without ever passing it on and we’ve been searching for a replacement ever since. Nothing measures up! But, if you can eat this by the spoonful then I must give this a try!
I know you don’t do measurements but can you possibly give me any idea at all as to how many cups of turkey drippings you’re talking about? I always make a 20 pound turkey so I am not sure how many cups of drippings a “small” turkey makes! Please help because I am definitely trying this on Thanksgiving this year!
Thanks so much!
Jenn
For a small turkey, I only keep about a cup or two– which is usually all of the drippings available. If it seems like there is excess drippings I will discard some but usually I use as much of the drippings as I can because it adds the best flavor. I hope this helps! Let us know if it turns out like your girlfriend’s mother-in-law’s!
In the recipe for the turkey is that for fresh or dried herbs?
Dried… if you use fresh, you will want to use at least twice as much. Hope this helps!
This is probably a dumb question, but I should NOT be using ground herbs/spices? Looking forward to making this! 🙂
You can definitely use the ground spices if you want. They will also taste great. When I use ground spices instead of fresh, I rub them between my hands before adding them to the gravy. This will bring out more of the flavors of the spices. Thanks for asking!
You rub the powder between your hands?
You rub the spices (parsley, sage, rosemary) between your fingers to break them up a little. This releases more of the flavor of the spice.
I’d heard of breaking up dried herbs and spices to release more flavor, but not the already-ground-into-powder ones. I learn something new all the time! 🙂 Happy Thanksgiving!
Do you take the grease out of the drippings before making the gravy?
If there is excess grease, we will take it out but if there’s just a little bit we will leave it in… It adds a great flavor!
Hi. I am using my mother’s Magnalite roasterfor full 17 lb Turkey. Do you leave the cover on until almost the end of the cooking time and then uncover to brown the turkey? Connie
Hi Connie– aren’t Magnalites the best? Yes, we will cover it for most of the time and then uncover to brown it for 15 minutes or so. It just holds in those juices beautifully! Sometimes the large turkeys don’t fit so we will cover tightly with foil and then place the lid over the top (because sometimes it shrinks and then the lid will fit in place as it is cooking). Hope this helps!
Sounds good. Thank you
Please make sure you get the right roaster. The name ‘Magnalite’. Is now owned by a different company than the company who owns the formula for materials used in original cookware! Please research! The http://www.wagnerware.com site is the correct manufacturer to receive cookware equivalent to the original. I am a careful consumer, no way connected to the company mentioned. I found Amazon.com reviews concerning this cookware will confirm this and provide further information. Be careful before you buy. Good luck. 🙂
Hi
I came across your blog from Pinterest and was hooked! Went to EBay and bought the Magnalite 12 Q pot. Tonight I made your turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy. OMGosh!!! Best meal ever! I have been making those for 20+ years and have never had it turn out so perfect. I “might” have even had a couple of spoonfuls of the gravy by itself! Thank you SOOOO much!
I am SO happy to hear that you liked it!!!! I hear ya about the gravy.. I am frequently “tasting” spoonfuls of the gravy at a time! LOL I should seriously be a spokesperson for Magnalite because I can’t live without their roaster! So glad you found us! Please keep coming back for more recipes!
OH MY GOODNESS!!! My mom and I were trying to find something new and different for our thanksgiving dinner this year and so a couple of weeks ago, we tried this recipe, your rasp. cranberries, and your Island Pecan Pie. We were blown away! Now you have to know, we cook a lot and normally our thanksgiving food is pretty darn good, but this time, (I know we aren’t supposed to brag on ourselves) I believe this was one of the best meals I have EVER eaten. We have always used Magnalite roasters on our roasts and ham, and I have always wondered if you could do a turkey in one (we have always done ours in a bag) we just never have. Well we will never use a bag again! We passed on our knowledge from our attempt a few weeks ago to our extended family and they used the recipes yesterday too and everyone was raving about their dinners. You guys are A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! We also made your fruit salad recipe, the one with the pistachio pudding, and also your coconut cream pie and we now have the perfect Thanksgiving meal! Thank you,thank you, thank you for making this the best Thanksgiving EVER! ( Tell your mom hello from Sister Reary (my mom). Have a Merry Christmas, here is hoping you can make my Christmas as good or better than my Thanksgiving!! 🙂
Janelle– Thank you so much for commenting! I am so glad that your Thanksgiving dinner turned out so great… and that you used so many of our recipes! I told my mom “hello” from your mom and she said “Oh I LOVE her! They are such a wonderful wonderful family”… then went on to tell me what a talented and amazing family you have! Sounds like our two families need to get together and have a huge feast of some sort! Promise me that next year you will add our cranberry-sausage stuffing to the mix.. it is life changing. 🙂 I am dying that you have never used your roasting pan for turkey before! We seriously don’t make turkey without it! I am glad we helped you to find another use for it! We even use it on the stove-top to make stews and soups when serving a lot of people. It just has such good, even heating. Sheesh, look at me… I should just be a spokesperson for Magnalite. Anyway– Merry Christmas to your family as well! Tell your mom that OUR mom says “hi” back 🙂
Oh my Gosh!!! I know this is an older post but I’m hoping you see this. I was looking for a turkey gravy recipe and was confused by the “magic pot” comment. So reading on I discovered (I think) that you’re referring to the Magnalite roaster! Well my parents always had the large18” one and ALWAYS Cooked the turkey in it, my sister “borrowed “ it one year (as I ended up with it)
And wouldn’t give it back!! So my MIL. Bought us one. Now my SIL loves it and cooked a large turkey stock in it (which I never did)
Also my grandmother. Always made the pistachio fruit salad and I have never heard of that anywhere else until just now! How funny that those two things (which are not well known) are things we have in common as family recipes!!!
Anyway just wanted to write that and thank you for sharing!
I have one of those roasters-it’s the size of a VW. Barely fits in my oven. But it is fantastic and they come in different sizes.
What size is your “Magic Pot”? I’ve been looking into buying one on eBay! I’m guessing the 18″ would be best for turkey baking.
Mine is the 15″ which is perfect for a turkey breast (we have a smaller family)… when my kids get older I will definitely be upgrading to the 18″ or bigger!
Hi Erica, it’s your Cars Fast Pass line pal 🙂 I love your blog, what size of magic pot or Dutch oven should I get?
Hey!! I am emailing you right now! 🙂
Does it matter if it is whole milk or 2%?
Nope! We usually just use skim!
Where do you buy the magnalite roasters?
I’m interested in the “magic pot”. Can you buy it locally or is it online? Also what size of pot is yours? Thanks!
I have only found them online. I will post a link to where you can buy them in this post in the next little bit…
This all sounds wonderful! What kind of bullion? Beef, chicken, another kind? Thanks!
Whoops! Glad you said something! I fixed it on the recipe… it’s chicken bouillon..