White Gravy – Decadent, well-seasoned, and pure comfort food, this homemade white gravy recipe will save the day with its simplicity. Butter, flour, milk, broth, and 15 minutes will give the most luscious gravy. Besides, it’s an awesome sauce for chicken and biscuits.
Have you ever wondered how to ramp up the flavor factor in an ordinary meal? Gravy for the win! How I love to smother my fried chicken in this decadent white gravy.
While the packets for instant gravy work in a pinch, nothing beats the incredible homemade flavor. And you can customize it to suit your palate. So ditch the packets and see how easy and tasty it is to make your own homemade white gravy.
What Is White Gravy?
White gravy (not to be confused with country gravy) is a staple sauce for many Southern dishes. Butter gives it an extra rich flavor, flour makes the roux, and milk or heavy cream makes it white. While the traditional recipe doesn’t use chicken broth, I couldn’t help Immafying it with a neutral-colored broth for more flavor.😉
Recipe Ingredients
- Butter – This delicious ingredient makes the perfect roux for your gravy. You can replace it with bacon or sausage drippings for a country-style gravy. Yum!
- Liquids – Milk and chicken broth make the base. The milk gives it its whiteness, and the broth amps up the taste.
- Flour – The base thickener that makes a perfect roux. Your favorite all-purpose gluten-free flour mix (NOT self-rising) can replace the flour for a gluten-free gravy. A cornstarch slurry will also do a suitable job.
- Seasonings – Gravy is already pretty flavorful on its own. But garlic powder, onion powder, ground black pepper, salt, and a pinch of cayenne make this classic even better.
How to Make White Gravy
- Melt Butter – Melt unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Make the Roux – Once the butter has melted, add flour and whisk continuously until the mixture has a toasty aroma and becomes lightly golden, 2-3 minutes. (Photos 1-2)
- Whisk in Liquids – Slowly add the milk, ½ cup at a time, whisking each time until no lumps are left. The mixture will seize up at first, but don’t worry. Just keep adding the milk slowly and whisking constantly—it will become smooth and creamy. Next, add chicken broth and continue whisking. (Photo 3)
- Season – Finally, add garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, salt, and black pepper. Whisk to combine. (Photo 4)
- Simmer – Bring to a simmer, continue whisking, and continue simmering until it thickens to the desired consistency, 3-5 minutes. Taste, then season with more kosher salt and black pepper as needed.
- Serve warm over biscuits, chicken-fried steak, or fried chicken!
Recipe Variations
- Bacon Grease – Stick to the traditional country gravy recipe and use bacon fat drippings instead. It’s cheaper and just as savory.
- Vegetarian White Gravy – Replace chicken broth with vegetable broth or more milk for a meat-free version. If you want a dairy-free version, replace the butter and milk with a plant-based substitute. Oat milk makes a creamier gravy than other plant-based milks.
- Spice it Up – Add chili powder, red pepper flakes, or both if you want extra spicy gravy. Oooh!
Tips and Tricks
- Use a whisk, and stir the mixture constantly. It tends to clump if not mixed continuously.
- Adjust the consistency with a splash of milk or gravy if it gets too thick.
- You can use fresh garlic and onion instead of the powder. However, mince them and saute them to release their flavor before adding the liquid.
- Heavy cream instead of milk gives you a creamier, richer sauce.
Make-Ahead Instructions
Simply cook the gravy as instructed and let it cool. Transfer into an airtight container or freezer-safe resealable bag, refrigerate for 2-3 days, or freeze it for up to six months. When reheating, a splash of milk will make it easier.
Serving and Storage Instructions
White pepper gravy is best served warm and perfect for a wide variety of dishes, from biscuits to chicken steak.
Leftover white gravy can be refrigerated for 3-4 days and frozen for 4-5 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. Reheat in a saucepan on medium-low. Then add milk or broth to get the desired consistency.
FAQs
White gravy has roux (butter and flour), milk and water for the liquid, and seasonings, especially ground pepper. Replacing the water with chicken broth makes gravy more flavorful without altering the color too much.
It’s a thick béchamel-style sauce made with flour, butter, and milk and served with chicken or sausage and biscuits. It’s also wonderful over mashed potatoes or rice and steak.
They’re all very similar: flour goes in the roux, and milk is the liquid. White gravy uses butter as the fat, but country gravy uses bacon or sausage drippings (no meat). Sawmill gravy (a staple breakfast ingredient in Appalachia for the sawmill workers) has more black pepper and can be white or light brown. But you can use the recipes interchangeably.
What to Serve With White Gravy
- Roast Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Fried Chicken Wings
- Potato Croquettes
- Bacon-Wrapped Green Beans
- Oven Baked Pork Chops
More Savory Gravy Recipes to Try
- Biscuits and Sausage Gravy
- Giblet Gravy
- Brown Gravy
- Hamburger Steak and Gravy
- Biscuits and Gravy Casserole
Conclusion
A simple yet hearty gravy makes such a versatile flavor enhancer for sausage, chicken, or beef. Have you tried this recipe? Leave a comment below. ❤️
Watch How to Make It
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White Gravy
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter (½ stick)
- ¼ cup (31.5g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (473ml) milk
- ½ cup (118ml) chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon (1.5g) garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon (1g) onion powder
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon (3g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Melt unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Once the butter has melted, add flour and whisk continuously until the mixture has a toasty aroma and becomes lightly golden, 2-3 minutes.
- Slowly add the milk, ½ cup at a time, whisking each time until no lumps are left. The mixture will seize up at first, but don't worry. Just keep adding the milk slowly and whisking constantly—it will become smooth and creamy. Next, add chicken broth and continue whisking.
- Finally, add garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, salt, and black pepper. Whisk to combine.
- Bring to a simmer, continue whisking, and continue simmering until it thickens to the desired consistency, 3-5 minutes. Taste, then season with more kosher salt and black pepper as needed.
- Serve warm over biscuits, chicken-fried steak, or fried chicken!
Tips & Notes:
- Use a whisk, and stir the mixture constantly. It tends to clump if not mixed continuously.
- Adjust the consistency with a splash of milk or gravy if it gets too thick.
- You can use fresh garlic and onion instead of the powder. However, mince them and saute them to release their flavor before adding the liquid.
- Heavy cream instead of milk gives you a creamier, richer sauce.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
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