The BEST Gluten-Free Turkey Gravy
Yes, you can make a delicious, flavorful gravy without any flour or added oil. Don’t believe me? Give this gluten-free turkey gravy a try this Thanksgiving. It’s the perfect flavor boost for your roasted turkey, creamy mashed potatoes, and sausage stuffing. Check out my step-by-step pictures below!
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You Don’t Need a Roux To Make Good Gravy
I know that sounds crazy, but it’s true. You can make a decadent, delicious, rich gravy without any added oils or flour.
Most gravies start with a roux, which is the result of slowly sautéing flour in butter until it turns a deep golden brown color and smells nutty. This adds a deep level of flavor to dishes like gumbo, macaroni and cheese, and, of course, gravy. And there’s nothing wrong with a roux! It’s a beautiful thing. But, let’s be real. hosting Thanksgiving is a LOT of work, and if you can make a 5-star gravy in half the time and with half the work, why wouldn’t you?
The secret to this recipe? Save all of your roasted turkey drippings and veggies. You’ll end up blending all of these together along with some fresh herbs to make the most scrumptious puree-like gravy that will pair perfectly with the roasted turkey meat, creamy mashed potatoes, sausage stuffing, and rolls on your Thanksgiving table.
This gravy is surprisingly healthy! It is loaded with tons of veggies and bone broth and is gluten free!
Key Ingredients for Gluten-Free Turkey Gravy
Arguably the best part of roasting your own Thanksgiving turkey is all of the drippings that pool in the bottom of the pan while it cooks that you can use to make homemade gravy. Mmm, talk about flavor!
These drippings are essential for making the most delicious, richest, savory homemade turkey gravy. And let’s be real, you can’t have a Thanksgiving meal without gravy. And the best part? This recipe is gluten-free, so you can have your gravy and eat it too this Thanksgiving with no shame!
All you need are the following ingredients:
- Roasted turkey drippings: Reserve 2 cups of the juices from your cooked bird with the fat skimmed off. If you have extra liquid, skim the fat and pop it in your freezer. Don’t toss it! That’s liquid gold. You can also supplement the two cups of dripping with chicken stock, if needed.
- Roasted vegetables: Save all of the leftover cooked vegetables — carrots, celery and onion— from the pan that you roasted along with your turkey. These will be the thickening agent for your gravy. (If you are adding the vegetables separately, sauté 1 whole onion, 2 ribs celery and 2 medium carrots until tender, 4-5 minutes then make the recipe as directed.)
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Fresh herbs: Thyme and chopped parsley work beautifully in this gravy, but rosemary and sage would be good, too. Really anything that would compliment the herb butter used to roast your turkey would work here.
How To Make the Best Gluten-Free Turkey Gravy
To make the turkey gravy, just follow these three simple steps:
- Skim the fat off of the turkey drippings.
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Blend the roasted vegetables from the turkey. Pulse for 1 minute, or until the vegetables are smooth and all of the vegetables have been pureed.
- Add the turkey drippings, pureed veggies, thyme, and parsley to a medium saucepan, and whisk to combine. Bring to a simmer, and cook until warmed through and thickened, approx. 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
That’s it! This roasted turkey gravy is all flavor and no waste.
Tips
- Make this gravy early in the day while you’re preparing the rest of your menu. The longer it simmers, the better it will taste.
- Add chicken stock if it gets too thick and you want to thin it out.
- Add a teaspoon of cornstarch at a time if you need to thicken up your gravy.
Storage, Reheating, and Freezing Your Gluten-Free Turkey Gravy
- Store in an airtight container in your fridge for up to five days.
- Reheat in the microwave at 30-second intervals or over low-medium heat in a nonstick skillet until desired temperature is achieved.
- Freeze in a freezer-safe Ziplock bag for up to 6 months. You could also freeze into cubes using an ice cube tray to better measure out the gravy for future use to add to soups, stocks, or sauces. It’s a flavor bomb that goes with pretty much anything!
More Thanksgiving Recipes
Complete your from-scratch holiday meal with these side dishes and deserts:
- Creamy Mashed Potatoes
- Sweet Potato Casserole
- Green Bean Casserole
- Homemade Cranberry Sauce
- Corn Pudding
- Honey Roasted Carrots
- Pumpkin Coffee Cake
- Pecan Pie Bars
Gluten-Free Turkey Gravy
Yes, you can make a delicious, flavorful gravy without any flour or added oil. Don't believe me? Give this gluten-free turkey gravy a try this Thanksgiving. It's the perfect flavor boost for your roasted turkey, creamy mashed potatoes, and sausage stuffing. Check out my step-by-step pictures below!
Ingredients
- 2 cups leftover drippings from turkey, skimmed of fat, can add extra chicken stock to bring it up to 2 cups if needed
- leftover roasted vegetables from roasted turkey, If you are adding the vegetables separately, sauté 1 whole onion, 2 ribs celery and 2 medium carrots until tender, 4-5 minutes then make the recipe as directed
- salt and pepper
- 1 tsp fresh thyme
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Start by skimming the fat off of the turkey drippings. Note if you did not roast a turkey or save drippings simply substitute 2 cups chicken stock.
- Add the roasted vegetables from the turkey and place into a blender.
- Pulse for 1 minute or until the vegetables are smooth and all of the vegetables have been pureed. If you have a hard time pureeing the vegetables add 1-2 tablespoons of turkey drippings to the blender.
- Add the turkey drippings, pureed veggies, thyme and parsley to a medium saucepan and whisk to combine. Bring to a simmer and cook until warmed through and thickened, 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately!
