Learn how to make delicious Turkey Gravy without drippings! This creamy, rich and utterly satisfying gravy with elevate your Christmas or Thanksgiving meal. Ready in 10 minutes.
If there's one thing that can make or break your Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner, it's the gravy. Am I right?
A good gravy has the power to transform the simplest meal into a culinary masterpiece.
But what if you don't have turkey drippings to work with? Fear not, because today, I'm sharing a game-changing recipe for Homemade Turkey Gravy without Drippings. Plus, it's ready in just 10 minutes.
I love to get ahead of the business of Thanksgiving cooking by making this gravy the week before, then freezing it, or making it a few days ahead and keeping it in the refrigerator.
Make it super simple with store bought turkey stock (or chicken stock) or make your own turkey broth with a drumstick. I've dropped the recipe for that too - just scroll down for it.
This gravy is the perfect accompaniment to your Thanksgiving turkey, roasted chicken, or even mashed potatoes.
Plus, it's budget-friendly and can be made in a snap, saving you time and stress in the kitchen.
Try it on Garlic Butter Roasted Turkey Legs, Breaded Turkey Cutlets or Truffle Mashed Potatoes!
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Elevate your holiday meals: A good gravy takes your turkey or chicken dishes to the next level.
- No drippings? No problem: You can enjoy rich, flavorful gravy without the need for turkey drippings.
- Budget-friendly: Skip expensive ingredients and make restaurant-quality gravy at home.
- Versatile: This gravy pairs well with various dishes, making it a kitchen staple.
- Time-efficient: Whip up this gravy in minutes, saving you precious time on busy cooking days.
Ingredients
You only need simple pantry ingredients for this turkey gravy recipe!
- Butter: Adds a rich, creamy base to the roux for the gravy.
- All-purpose flour: Thickens the gravy to the perfect consistency.
- Poultry seasoning (optional): Elevates the flavor with a hint of herbs and spices.
- Dried thyme (optional): Adds a subtle earthy note.
- Dried sage (optional): Provides a savory, herbaceous flavor.
- Salt and black pepper: Season the gravy to taste.
- Chicken or turkey broth: The star ingredient that infuses the gravy with flavor.
See the recipe card for quantities and method.
Substitutions
- If you don't have poultry seasoning, you can use a mix of dried herbs like rosemary, oregano, and marjoram. Or make your own chicken seasoning.
- Fresh herbs like thyme and sage can be used instead of dried, adjusting the quantities to your taste.
- For a gluten-free option, swap the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend.
How to make turkey gravy without drippings
Follow these step-by-step instructions, then scroll down for the full ingredients list and method.
In a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat, then whisk in the all-purpose flour. Cook the roux for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly.
Whisk in the poultry seasoning, dried thyme, dried sage, salt and pepper and continue to whisk gently for an additional minute.
Slowly pour in the broth while whisking continuously to avoid lumps.
Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Let it simmer for 5-7 minutes, or until it thickens to your desired consistency. Whisk occasionally to prevent sticking and scorching.
Scroll down for the full ingredients list and method.
Serving Suggestions
This Homemade Turkey Gravy without Drippings is incredibly versatile and pairs beautifully with a variety of dishes:
- Drizzle over roast turkey or chicken.
- Serve alongside mashed potatoes or stuffing.
- Pour over biscuits or Yorkshire pudding.
- Use as a dipping sauce for fried or grilled chicken.
- Elevate your Thanksgiving leftovers by smothering them in this flavorful gravy.
Storage Advice
This gravy can be made ahead and stored for later use. Allow it to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container.
It can be refrigerated for up to 3-4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
When reheating, gently warm it on the stovetop, adding a little extra broth if needed to reach your desired consistency.
More Thanksgiving Side Dishes
Recipe Tips
- Whisk Vigorously: When adding the broth to the roux, whisk continuously to avoid lumps and ensure a smooth, velvety texture.
- Adjust Consistency: If your gravy is too thick, add a bit more broth to thin it out. For a thicker gravy, let it simmer a bit longer.
- Season Gradually: Start with a pinch of salt and pepper, then adjust the seasoning to your taste as the gravy simmers.
- Customize Flavors: Don't be afraid to get creative with your spices and herbs. Customize the gravy to match your meal's flavors.
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📖 Recipe
Turkey Gravy Without Drippings
Equipment
- Pot
Ingredients
For the Turkey Gravy
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning optional
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme optional
- ¼ teaspoon dried sage optional
- ¼ teaspoon each salt and black pepper
- 2 ½ cups chicken or turkey broth* store bought or recipe below
For the Turkey Broth (optional)
- turkey carcass leftover turkey bones (with some meat still attached), or raw turkey drumstick
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 carrots chopped
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 8 cups of water
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
For the Turkey Gravy
- In a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat, then whisk in the all-purpose flour. Cook the roux for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Whisk in the poultry seasoning, dried thyme, dried sage, salt and pepper and continue to whisk gently for an additional minute.
- Slowly pour in the broth while whisking continuously to avoid lumps.
- Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Let it simmer for 5-7 minutes, or until it thickens to your desired consistency. Whisk occasionally to prevent sticking and scorching.
For the Turkey Stock (optional)
- In a large stockpot, add the turkey (carcass, bones or drumstick), chopped onion, carrots, celery, and bay leaves.
- Pour enough cold water over the ingredients to cover everything in the pot, usually around 8-10 cups of water. Make sure the water level is about 1-2 inches above the ingredients.
- Place the pot on the stovetop over medium-high heat and bring it to a boil, then, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with a lid, and let it simmer gently for at least 2-3 hours.
- After simmering, remove the pot from the heat and allow it to cool slightly.
- Carefully strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth over a bowl and discard the solids (bones, vegetables, etc.).
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.
Kim
Making the gravy ahead of time is a super smart idea. I'm always scrambling at the end of the meal to get the drippings and make the gravy while I slice the turkey..such a mess!
Kathleen
This is a game changer not having to use drippings to make fabulous Turkey gravy.Made it for out rather late family Canadian thanksgiving (made it a few days ahead of time) and it was a hit!
Chelsea
I served it on an open faced turkey sandwich. Turkey is easy enough to come by in the deli, but the jarred gravy is gross. This was absolutely genius and I will be making it again for Thanksgiving.
gunjan
so good and so flavorful. Our dinner was so nice and coxy yesterday with this turkey gravy as one of the dishes. This recipe is easy and excellent.
Casey
This was so tasty you'd never know that it wasn't made from real gravy drippings. I added a splash of white cooking wine to it to make it even more Thanksgiving-like and it was amazing!