Learn how to make the best homemade turkey gravy without drippings for a simple topping for juicy roasted turkey or chicken, mashed potatoes, and more. Made in less than 30 minutes, this easy gravy is delicious enough to serve for Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner, yet simple enough to whip up for quick weeknight meals! {Gluten-free-friendly}
Easy Turkey Gravy Recipe – No Drippings!
Some common complaints I hear when it comes to gravy is that it’s either made with a bunch of processed ingredients from a packet or requires a ton of time since you have to cook the turkey first in order to get the pan drippings. Well, not anymore!
This delicious homemade turkey gravy without drippings is made with simple and wholesome ingredients for a healthy, low-sodium option perfect for Thanksgiving day, Christmas dinner, and everything in between.
My family loves it with Slow Cooker Turkey Roast and creamy mashed potatoes, and it has all that flavor you love from classic turkey gravy but with half the work. This is seriously the best way to make gravy!
For more easy flavor additions, be sure to check out my Cinnamon Orange Cranberry Sauce and Dairy-Free Pesto!
Why We Love This Healthy Turkey Gravy Recipe
- Super simple (no need to roast a whole turkey)
- Perfect for your holiday meal
- Comes together right at the last minute
- Made with simple ingredients
- Can be made ahead of time and reheated before serving
- Made from scratch
- Infused with veggies for a richer flavor and more nutrients than plain turkey broth
- Formulated by a Registered Dietitian to be lower in sodium and fat
What Are Drippings?
In most cases, the term “drippings” is used to refer to the leftover fat, juices, and small pieces of meat found in the bottom of the roasting pan that result from cooking proteins like turkey, pork, or beef. These meat drippings are often incorporated into gravy.
The good news is, with this easy recipe, you can create an equally tasty Thanksgiving gravy without turkey drippings! Here’s what you’ll need.
Ingredient Notes
- Butter: Just a small amount of butter provides that classic gravy flavor. I prefer to use unsalted butter to limit the amount of sodium in this recipe, while enhancing the flavor of the vegetables.
- Veggies: Onion, garlic, celery, and carrots form the base of the gravy, adding extra flavor and nutrients.
- Flour: I include regular all-purpose flour to help thicken the mixture. Or, a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour can also be substituted.
- Stock: I typically use a reduced-sodium chicken broth to cut down on the sodium, but homemade stock works well too. You can also sub in turkey stock, beef broth or vegetable broth.
- Flavor enhancers: Poultry seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, fresh herbs, salt, and black pepper are mixed into the gravy, making it taste like it was cooking all day.
How to Make Gravy Without Drippings – Step-by-Step
- Step 1 – Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat until it is slightly browned. Then, add in the onion, garlic halves, celery, and carrot. Cook, stirring often until the veggies are fragrant and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.
- Step 2 – Remove the skillet from the heat, and whisk in the flour. Then, place it back over the heat, and continue to cook, whisking the mixture until it is light brown in colour.
- Step 3 – Add 1/4 cup of the broth to the skillet, and stir to help deglaze the pan. Remove it from the heat once more, and whisk in the poultry seasoning.
- Step 4 – Next, whisk in the chicken broth 1/4 cup at a time, keeping the mixture smooth as you pour.
- Step 5 – Once all the broth has been added, add the chopped fresh herbs and Worchestershire sauce. Heat the gravy mixture over medium heat until it starts to simmer, stirring often.
- Step 6 – Place a fine mesh sieve or fat separator over a medium-sized bowl, and strain the gravy.
- Step 7 – Taste the gravy mixture. Stir in salt, pepper, and additional seasoning, if desired. Transfer to a small pitcher or gravy boat and serve warm.
Scroll to the recipe card below for the full printable recipe!
Tips for the Best Turkey Gravy Recipe
- To switch up the flavor profile, you could also use apple cider or white wine instead of the 1/4 cup of chicken broth to deglaze the pan.
- I added a combination of fresh herbs including fresh sage and thyme. Use whatever you have on hand.
- Be sure to keep whisking the mixture while adding the broth to ensure that the gravy stays smooth and not lumpy.
- The gravy tends to thicken the longer that it sits. If you plan to make it ahead of time, you may wish to whisk in a bit of extra broth while reheating to thin it out slightly. Or, leave it as is for a creamy and thick gravy.
Recipe FAQs
One common reason why gravy turns out lumpy is because the flour was added all at once. You’ll want to slowly pour it into the mixture, stirring continuously to even out any lumps and make sure it is well incorporated. You’ll also want to make sure to strain the gravy well to remove any last lumpy bits.
If your gravy is too thin, you can either continue to simmer it on the stove until it cooks down and thickens. Or, you can slowly stir in one more tablespoon of flour at a time, until desired thickness is achieved. Just be careful not to add too much to avoid lumpy gravy!
If your gravy is too thick, simply stir in an extra splash of stock or water until your desired consistency is reached.
Storage & Reheating Guidelines
Refrigerator: Let your gravy cool completely. Then, transfer any leftover gravy to an airtight container, and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
How to freeze gravy: Once cooled, place your turkey gravy in a freezer-safe container, and keep it frozen for up to 4 months.
How to reheat: When you’re ready to serve, simply place the gravy back in a saucepan over medium heat on the stove, frozen or thawed. Let it heat until your desired temperature has been reached, stirring occasionally.
How to Serve Gravy
I’m pretty sure there’s nothing this homemade gravy doesn’t taste incredible on.
However, for more traditional pairings, try serving it along with your Thanksgiving turkey or with any of the following:
- Air Fryer Boneless Turkey Breast
- Stuffed Turkey Breast
- Cranberry Apple Walnut Stuffing
- Mashed Potatoes with Greek Yogurt
- Green Beans with Red Peppers
Recipe Variations
- To make dairy-free/vegan: Replace the butter with vegan butter or oil, and use vegetable stock in place of chicken stock.
- To make gluten-free: Swap out the flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour alternative.
- Add extra veggies: Feel free to simmer extra veggies like mushrooms, tomatoes or peppers to the gravy for even more flavor and nutrients.
- Umami: Sautée mushrooms along with the other veggies for an umami flavor and extra plant-based protein.
- Switch up the base: Use beef stock instead of chicken stock to create an easy beef gravy recipe.
More Recipes You’ll Love
- Healthy Chicken Marinades
- Healthy Steak Marinade
- Healthy BBQ Sauce
- Healthy Stir Fry Sauce
- Roasted Garlic Spread
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a star rating and review!
Homemade Turkey Gravy Without Drippings
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small onion, roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
- 1 rib celery, roughly chopped
- 1 large carrot, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 1/4 cups reduced sodium chicken stock
- 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs (i.e. thyme, rosemary, sage, etc.)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the butter until melted and slightly brown. Add the onion, garlic halves, celery and carrot. Cook, stirring often, until fragrant and vegetables are starting to brown slightly, about 10 minutes.
- Remove pan from heat. Whisk in the flour. Place the pan back over heat, whisk and cook the flour mixture until it's lightly brown.
- Add 1/4 cup of the broth and stir to help deglaze the pan. Remove from heat once more. Whisk in the poultry seasoning.
- Next, whisk in the chicken broth 1/4 cup at a time, keeping the mixture smooth as you pour.
- Once all the broth has been added, add the chopped fresh herbs and Worchestershire sauce. Heat gravy mixture over medium heat to a simmer, stirring often.
- Place a fine mesh sieve or fat separator over a medium-sized bowl, and strain the gravy.
- Taste the gravy mixture. Stir in salt, pepper, and more poultry seasoning, if desired. Serve warm.
Notes
- To switch up the flavor profile, you could also use apple cider or white wine instead of the 1/4 cup of chicken broth to deglaze the pan.
- I added a combination of fresh herbs including fresh sage and thyme. Use whatever you have on hand.
- Be sure to keep whisking the mixture while adding the broth to ensure that the gravy stays smooth and not lumpy.
- The gravy tends to thicken the longer that it sits. If you plan to make it ahead of time, you may wish to whisk in a bit of extra broth while reheating to thin it out slightly. Or, leave it as is for a creamy and thick gravy.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted in November 2022 and was updated in November 2024 to include more helpful tips and updated photos.
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