This quick and easy homemade vegan brown gravy recipe can be made in minutes with just a few simple ingredients!  All the savory comforting flavors of classic gravy that you love made without meat or dairy!

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Why make this recipe

Brown gravy is traditionally made from beef drippings.  That is what gives it the brown color and meaty flavor, however, it’s easy to make it vegan by replicating the flavors with a beef-flavored vegan broth and some soy sauce to give it an extra savory flavor.

I use these flavors in my vegan beef, vegan ground beef crumbles, and vegan beef stew recipes too and it works perfectly.

Best vegan gravy I have ever made and soooo easy.

—Jennifer

This plant-based brown gravy is perfect to serve for holiday meals like Thanksgiving or Christmas. It’s so easy to make, you can serve it with your savory weeknight meals, pour it over vegan biscuits, vegan meatloaf, or even French fries.

Ingredients and substitutions

  • Broth – beef-flavored vegan broth works best.  Not Beef brand makes a great one or you can just use standard vegetable broth if you can’t find the beef-flavored variety. 
  • Soy Sauce – for more of a beefy savory flavor.  You can also use Bragg’s Liquid Aminos or Tamari to make it gluten-free.
  • Flour or starch – to thicken the gravy.  I prefer potato starch, but you can also use arrowroot or corn starch, or just plain white flour if you don’t need it to be gluten-free.
  • Nutritional Yeast – to give it a rich umami flavor. (optional)
  • Herbs – for flavor.  You can use fresh herbs like sage, oregano, and thyme if you would like.  Italian herb mix also works well if you don’t have individual herbs.
  • Onion Powder – for flavor.  You can also use garlic powder.
  • Vegan Butter – (optional) for a more decadent gravy.  You can also use coconut oil or any other neutral-flavored oil or simply omit it for oil-free gravy.
  • Salt and Pepper – to taste, but the soy sauce should make the gravy salty enough.
A white gravy boat filled with vegan brown gravy.

How to make vegan brown gravy

Step 1 – Put all of the ingredients except for the vegan butter into a saucepan.  (The broth should be cold or add cold water and a bouillon cube).

Step 2 – Whisk until the starch dissolves.

Step 3 – Turn on the stovetop to medium heat and frequently stir until it starts to boil.

Step 4 – Stir constantly for 30 seconds then turn off the heat.

Step 5 – Add the vegan butter or oil if you choose and stir until it’s incorporated. 

How to make mushroom brown gravy

If you want to turn this into a vegan mushroom gravy, saute sliced mushrooms of choice in a separate pan in a little olive oil. Sprinkle with a dash of salt and cook for about 5-7 minutes until tender, then pour the vegan gravy mixture over the mushrooms and stir well.

Vegan brown gravy pouring off a gravy spoon into a white gravy boat.

How to thicken gravy

You can use many things to thicken your gravy.  All-purpose flour, cornstarch, potato starch, and arrowroot all work well.  White flour is easy if you don’t need it to be gluten-free. 

Personally, I prefer to use potato starch.  I feel that it gives it the best flavor and texture and it doesn’t get gloppy and thick when it begins to cool as other methods do.  I even prefer it over wheat flour for its great consistency and flavor!

See my post on vegan gravy for more gravy varieties or try my vegan chicken a la king.

How to store gravy

The brown gravy will keep well in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge or store leftovers for up to 3 months in the freezer.

A white bowl filled with mashed potatoes with brown gravy poured over top.

What to serve with brown gravy

Vegan brown gravy recipe

A close up of vegan brown gravy being poured over mashed potatoes.
5 from 10 rating

Vegan Brown Gravy

Yield: 8
Prep: 2 minutes
Cook: 3 minutes
Total: 5 minutes
Author: Monica Davis
A quick easy way to make brown gravy without dairy or meat.
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Ingredients

  • 2 cups Not beef broth, or any other vegan broth
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce, (or Bragg's Liquid Aminos or Tamari)
  • 2 tablespoons potato starch, or 1/4 cup flour
  • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast, (optional but recommended for flavor)
  • 1 teaspoons herbs of choice, like oregano, thyme, sage, or Italian herbs
  • 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 2 tablespoons vegan butter

Equipment

Instructions
 

  • Put all of the ingredients except for the vegan butter into a saucepan.  (The broth should be cold or add cold water and a bouillon cube).
  • Stir until the starch dissolves.
  • Turn on heat to medium and stir frequently until it starts to boil.
  • Stir constantly for 30 seconds then turn off the heat.
  • Add the vegan butter or oil if you choose and stir until it’s incorporated.

Notes

  • You can also use corn starch, arrowroot in equal part in place of the potato starch.
  • You can also thicken the gravy with 1/4 cup of flour instead of the 2 tablespoons of potato starch. 
Serving: 0.25cups, Calories: 37kcal, Carbohydrates: 3g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 2g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 149mg, Potassium: 44mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 134IU, Calcium: 1mg, Iron: 1mg
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