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Homemade Turkey Gravy 4.7 ★

An icon representing a clock 15 min | easy
Creamy tan turkey gravy in a white gravy boat on a gray linen napkin atop a whitewashed wooden table, with a browned dinner roll blurred in the background.
Published Jun 24, 2025
Prep Time Cook Time Total Time
5 min 10 min 15 min
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Introduction

This homemade turkey gravy is rich, silky, and packed with cozy holiday flavor, thanks to a simple butter and flour roux.

Chicken stock, poultry seasoning, and classic pantry spices make it taste like it simmered all day with the turkey drippings.

It’s perfect for Thanksgiving, Sunday dinners, or anytime you want an easy, comforting gravy for turkey, mashed potatoes, or stuffing.

Ingredients  (6 servings)

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Ingredients

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White ceramic gravy boat filled with smooth brown turkey gravy, sitting on a matching saucer on a rustic whitewashed wooden table.

How to Make Homemade Turkey Gravy

  1. Measure and warm the stock

    Measure the chicken stock into a liquid measuring cup and warm it in the microwave or a small saucepan.

  2. Make a smooth roux

    Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until it looks foamy but has not started browning. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture smells nutty and looks pale golden, about 2 minutes.

  3. Whisk in the stock

    Slowly pour in the warm stock while whisking constantly to avoid lumps and create a smooth base. Keep whisking until everything is fully combined and the gravy looks glossy and uniform.

  4. Season and simmer

    Stir in the salt, black pepper, poultry seasoning, garlic powder, and onion powder. Bring the gravy to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring often, until nicely thickened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Taste and add a pinch more salt or pepper if you like a bolder flavor.

  5. Serve the gravy

    Serve the turkey gravy warm in a small pitcher or gravy boat so it stays easy to pour. If it gets too thick as it sits, whisk in a splash of warm stock to loosen the texture again.

Creamy tan turkey gravy with flecks of pepper in a white gravy boat on a gray linen napkin, set on a white wood table with a dinner roll and a blurred pitcher in the background.

Substitutions

Use turkey stock instead of chicken stock
Turkey stock gives the gravy a deeper, more traditional turkey flavor and makes the whole dish taste extra savory.
Swap all-purpose flour with cornstarch slurry (gluten-free)
For a gluten-free gravy, use cornstarch instead of flour, whisked with cold stock to make a smooth slurry. Stir it into simmering stock and you will get a glossy, slightly lighter gravy with a very clean flavor.
Use browned butter instead of regular butter
Browning the butter first adds toasty caramel notes that make the gravy taste complex, almost like it simmered for hours. Watch closely so the butter turns deep golden, not dark brown, or the gravy can taste slightly burnt.
White gravy boat pours thick brown turkey gravy over sliced roast turkey on a plate with mashed potatoes; a whole roasted turkey sits blurred in the background.

Tips

Control the thickness
If the gravy is too thick, whisk in warm stock a tablespoon at a time until it looks just right. If it is too thin, simmer a little longer, stirring often, until it clings lightly to your spoon.
Avoid lumpy gravy
Warming the stock and adding it slowly while whisking helps keep the starch suspended and prevents stubborn lumps. If lumps still form, push the gravy through a fine mesh strainer into a clean saucepan before serving.
Season at the end
Always taste the gravy right before serving because stock brands and seasonings can vary in saltiness. Add small pinches of salt and pepper, then taste again, so you never oversalt the batch.
Make it ahead
You can cook the gravy a day ahead, cool it, and keep it covered in the fridge. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of stock, whisking until smooth and piping hot.

Nutrition Facts *

Energy 95 kcal
Protein 2 g
Total Fat 8 g
Carbohydrates 5 g
Dietary Fiber 0 g

* Approximate, per serving.
Data source: USDA FoodData Central.

FAQ

How do I keep the gravy from tasting floury?
Make sure you cook the butter and flour together for at least two minutes before adding stock. This step toasts the flour slightly so the raw taste disappears and the gravy tastes rich instead.
Can I use pan drippings from roast turkey?
Yes, you can swap part of the butter and stock for strained pan drippings from your roasted turkey. Use less salt at first, because drippings are often salty, then adjust to taste at the end.
What if my gravy breaks or looks greasy on top?
If the gravy separates, whisk it vigorously over low heat to bring the butter and liquid back together. You can also whisk in a spoonful of hot stock, which often smooths out the texture again.
Can I double this recipe for a crowd?
Yes, this gravy doubles or even triples easily as long as you use a large enough saucepan. Increase the ingredients proportionally and allow a few extra minutes of simmering so the larger batch thickens properly.

Serving Suggestions

This cozy turkey gravy is perfect over mashed potatoes, stuffing, or open-faced turkey sandwiches the next day.

For a special dinner, finish it with a knob of butter and fresh thyme leaves for shine and herbal aroma.

A splash of white wine or dry sherry in the pan adds light acidity and makes the flavors taste brighter.

Profile picture of Eunice

Recipe by Eunice.
“I learned to cook by standing in my grandma’s kitchen, watching her turn simple ingredients into meals that fed our entire family. That’s where it started. Today, I create recipes for real life, real kitchens, and anyone who wants good food without overthinking it.” Read more.

Main Pairings

These main dishes are a great match for this recipe.

Reviews

Rated 4.7 ★ (out of 5) based on 3 reviews.

Post your review and pictures below! ⬇︎

  • Christine Vargas, Grande Prairie: I'm rating simply for the other reviews. I'll make this next weekend. As for answering the questions from the FAQ - keeping it from tasting floury _ yes just cook the butter and flour a good 2 minutes first. As for using pan drippings - can't say for sure, depends how salty they are. I don't usually have enough drippings to mess with. What I do is make the full batch with stock, then taste and add a little more pepper and seasoning at the end. I pour it into a little pitcher and keep it warm on the stove. If it thickens up too much as it sits 🥄 I just whisk in a splash of warm stock and it's good again 😊 — 5 ★

    Eunice: Christine, your notes are spot on: giving the roux a solid 2 minutes takes care of any raw flour taste, and warming stock before whisking makes it smoother. Keeping it warm on the stove and loosening with a splash of warm stock is exactly how I handle thickening too. Hope it treats you well next weekend!

  • Anna, Tucson, AZ: This is a great recipe! 😊 My family loves home made gravy, so I thought I'd try this one, and it turned out really good! 😊 I'm very happy with the end results! — 5 ★

    Eunice: Happy it was a hit, Anna!

  • Louise: When you say 2 cups of chicken stock, does that equal to 16oz of stock? I have access to boxed stock and its in ounces. Do I use 16? — 4 ★

    Eunice: Yes, 2 cups equals 16 fluid ounces. Use 16 oz of boxed stock (and if you want it a bit thinner, whisk in a splash more stock at the end).

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