This Vegan Mushroom Gravy is life-changing. It’s one of the best gravy recipes you’ll ever taste, and it’s made without flour or butter!
Why You’ll Love It
It’s nourishing. This healthy recipe is low-fat and gluten-free, and goes perfectly over your favorite holiday dishes, like mashed potatoes, portobello mushrooms, or mashed cauliflower.
It’s delicious. Even if mushrooms aren’t your favorite, it’s hard to tell that they make up the base of this vegan gravy. It tastes better than the kind made with butter and flour!
It’s great for special diets. This mushroom gravy recipe is naturally gluten-free, nut-free, egg-free, dairy-free, and vegan, so it should work well for guests with special dietary needs.
It’s easy to make. Just simmer some veggies together, then blend until smooth! You can easily adjust the seasoning in the blender, and thin it out with extra water or broth until it reaches the consistency you like.
Ingredients You’ll Need
What’s in mushroom gravy?
- Mushrooms
- Garlic
- Onion
- Yukon gold potato
- Tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)
- Salt & black pepper
If you don’t need a gluten-free gravy, feel free to use regular soy sauce. And if you need a soy-free option, try coconut aminos as an alternative. (It tends to be slightly sweeter, so you might want to balance that out with an extra pinch of salt.)
How to Make the Best Mushroom Gravy
1. Saute the vegetables.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and saute the onion until it starts to soften, about 5 minutes.
Add in the garlic and mushrooms, and stir for 1 more minute, just until the garlic smells fragrant.
2. Simmer.
Add in the Yukon gold potato into the pan, along with the tamari and water. Bring the liquid to a gentle boil, then lower the heat and cover the pot.
Let the vegetables cook until they are fork tender, about 10 minutes.
3. Blend.
When the veggies are tender, transfer all of the contents of the pan to a high-speed blender, including all of the liquid. Add in the salt and pepper, and blend until smooth.
Safety Tip: Be sure to remove the vent from your blender’s lid, and lightly cover it with a thin towel to safely let steam escape as you blend the hot liquid.
Once the gravy is blended, you can add an extra splash of water, if you prefer a thinner consistency. Season with extra salt or pepper, as needed, and then pour the gravy into a small saucepan on the stove if you need to keep it warm until serving.
The gravy will thicken up if you heat it up for too long, so you can whisk in extra water if you need to thin it out again.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. The gravy will thicken when chilled, but you can thin it out by heating it up again.
Frequently Asked Questions
I tested this recipe with cremini, which are also called baby portobello mushrooms. You can also make it with shiitake or white button mushrooms.
If you want to add extra flavor to this vegan gravy, you can add a teaspoon of fresh thyme or rosemary when adding in the garlic. They add even more depth of flavor, but they’re not necessary when serving this gravy over other holiday sides that already have them included.
If you accidentally thin-out the gravy too much, you can thicken it up again by whisking 1 tablespoon of arrowroot or cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water in a small bowl. Once it’s well mixed, with no clumps, add it to the hot gravy simmering on the stove top and whisk until the gravy thickens up.
Yes, if you don’t need a gluten-free recipe, then regular soy sauce will work great. It adds an umami flavor to the gravy, without the need for chicken or turkey drippings.
Looking for more mushroom recipes? Be sure to try crispy Mushroom Bacon, Wild Rice & Mushroom Stuffing, and Warm Mushroom Salad.
Vegan Mushroom Gravy
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion , chopped
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 4 ounces mushrooms , sliced (1 cup loosely packed)
- 1 (4 – 6 oz.) medium Yukon gold potato , cut into 1-inch chunks
- 2 tablespoons tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and saute the onion until it starts to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Add in the garlic and mushrooms and stir for 1 or 2 minutes, just until the garlic is fragrant. Add in the potato, tamari, and water and bring the water to a boil.
- Once boiling, lower the heat to a simmer and cover the pan. Cook until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 10 minutes. (The smaller you cut the potatoes, the faster they will cook.)
- Once tender, carefully transfer the contents of the pan to a high-speed blender or food processor, and add in the salt and black pepper. Blend until smooth, using a thin towel to carefully cover the vent at the top of your machine so that the steam can escape. (And not blow the lid off your blender!)
- Adjust any seasoning to taste and serve warm over your favorite side dish or main course. Leftover gravy can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days in the fridge. It will thicken in the fridge, but will thin-out when reheated. You can always add an extra splash of water to thin it out even more, if needed, but don't add the water until the gravy is warm first.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
If you try this Mushroom Gravy recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like it!
This made my mouth water just reading the recipe! Can’t wait to make it!
Thank you! I can’t wait to try this. When I’ve made meatless gravy in the past I liked adding Bell’s seasoning which has some nice flavors of sage, rosemary, marjoram and some other natural spices.
This recipe turned out delicious. This recipe is exactly what I was looking for. I used shiitake mushrooms and coconut aminos. I used my ninja blender. I had to transfer it to the ninja bullet container which I typically use for smoothies. Once I blended it in there the gravy turned out perfectly smooth versus lumpy. Thank you for sharing this phenomenal recipe.
Can you tell me what spices are sprinkled on top in the photo? I see green. And is that just extra crushed black pepper on top also?
It’s fresh thyme leaves and black pepper. Perfect Thanksgiving flavors!
Do you think this would freeze ok?
I have this simmering on the stove as I type!!! I doubled the recipe – can wait to pour this over yummy “smashed” veggies!!!!
Absolutely by far the best tasting gravy I’ve ever had. I made it last night and 100%…two thumbs up!!!
YAY!! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
Can you freeze it? I’m thinking about making it ahead
I don’t see why not! I’d freeze it in ice cube trays for easy reheating later.
i did make this and will again today. Last time i had extra I put it in freezer and stirred it into some soup. It added great flavor!
This looks amazing. This will be our thanksgiving gravy this year!
This was soooooo delicious! Instead of just adding tamari, I added the leftover marinade for your baked portobello receipe, with the sage and thyme and garlic. This gravy recipe was amazing and made a lot! Well done!!
this looks great! do you think it would taste as good being made a day or two ahead and reheated?
Yes, I think it would work fine! We reheated it a day later and it was still great.
What is a good substitute for the tamari? My daughter is celiac with soy intolerance.
Try coconut aminos! It is a little less salty in flavor (and even a tad sweet) so you might need to add a little extra salt to compensate for that.
THIS GRAVY IS SO DELICIOUS AND EASY TO MAKE! I ADDED A FEW CARROTS FOR SOME EXTRA SWEETNESS AND IT TASTES LIKE REAL GRAVY! THANKS!
Yay! I’m so glad to hear that. Thanks for sharing your carrot tip!
This gravy is absolutely delicious. I followed it exactly as written until the blending step. I did add a little water to thin it out a bit. It was perfect with mashed winter squash. Definitely a gravy anyone will enjoy.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for letting me know! 🙂
Just made this today for thanksgiving tomorrow. Sooo good. I don’t usually even like gravy, probably because of what it is. I am all about the vegan version though! Thank you for this. I love the complex savory flavors. Thanks!
I am not vegan but I am Paleo, and can’t eat grains (they upset my belly). I made this recipe using chicken broth instead of water and it was AMAZING! Finally! Gravy!!! Thank you for such a delicious recipe!
This is the best gravy I have ever tasted! I used low sodium veggie broth instead of water. It was a little on the salty side (not in a bad way) so I could have reduced the salt to 1/4 teaspoon. Thank you for the recipe!
This gravy is amazing!!! So delicious I think people ate it more than the turkey gravy!
YAY!!! I’m so glad to hear that! Thanks for reporting back. 🙂
It worked perfectly. thanks for sharing!
This was SO easy and delicious. Made it a second time and doubled it. Amazing it had no flour (and I didn’t use oil). Thanks…our new favorite recipe for low-fat starched based meal planning
This was So good.I have been missing gravy, since becoming Vegan. This is Much better, than some of the other recipes, I’ve tried. Thank you for sharing.
I have found my new addiction!!
Thank you Megan for making healthy food delicious 🙂
Made this for Easter. I’m AIP so I modified to meet AIP standards but it was excellent! A little nomato sauce added for more savory. Thank you so much! Meets my daughters’ need for vegan and mine for grain free.
This will probably sound funny but I really don’t care much for mushrooms or onions, however this gravy ROCKS! Cooked, blended and seasoned these foods I normally avoid make a gravy that is simply amazing. Not sure how that works exactly, it must be the magic of food chemistry.
Thank you for this incredible recipe!
I really like this gravy. I didn’t REALLY expect to like it, but I did. It’s even better the second day. I’ve been looking for a wheatless gravy so my dad will eat it. I used the option of another 4 oz potato instead of the mushrooms and I cooked the onion in water rather than oil. I also used about 1/2 the salt called for in the recipe… and added about a 1/2 tsp of prepared yellow mustard. It’s great on mashed potatoes with a little parsley on top for color.
Really yummy!!
I made this for thanksgiving the night before the big meal. I found the consistency way too thick so I slowly added more water and Tamar I until it was a bit thinner. This was absolutely delicious. So surprising that these ingredients came together to make a gravy! I will DRFINITELY make this again.
Great recipe. Thank you! My vegetarian relatives loved it. I used vegetable stock instead of water because I had it and used mostly shiitake mushrooms because they seem a little meatier.
This gravy far exceeded my expectations, and even non-vegans will love it!!
This has bumped out my other favorite vegan gravy (made from Nootch) to grab the #1 spot! I can’t get over how delicious this is. I made it for the first time last night, used vegetable broth and a mix of shitake and portobella. I used Herbamare for my salt and a dash or two of various other spices (red pepper flakes, turmeric, etc.). I could drink this stuff!
This recipe is the best gravy I have tried that is gluten-free, and I made it oil free as well. Delicious!
I have made this a few times and it’s very good. The recipe makes a generous serving for 4 people.
I just made this as a “test run” for Thanksgiving. It’s the best gravy I have ever had… let alone made… SO GOOD! I also used veggie broth in place of water and made it fat-free by using water instead of oil… added 1/2 tsp dried thyme. YUM! Can’t wait to make it again on Thanksgiving. THANK YOU for another amazing recipe!
Can this be frozen?
Made it exactly as directed. Added a smidge of fresh rosemary, thyme and sage. Very delicious and simple.First time I have made gravy.
I made this for Thanksgiving with a few tweaks. I did use chicken stock so it’s not vegan. I added a little sherry and mustard too. Amazing! It was so nice not to use flour.
Thanks so much! This is how I made gravy now!
Can I use different potato in this recipe, please? I don’t have a Yukon potato at the moment. What I have is a sweet potato/yum and red potato.
I LOVE this recipe!!! I make it all the time. Thank you!
Made this as written for Thanksgiving dinner and everyone loved it! Will definitely make again. Thanks so much for sharing 😊
Absolutely delicious and so easy!! Will be using this recipe for Thanksgiving this year!!
Made this with chicken, potatoes and steamed broccoli for dinner tonight. All four of us had to kick the plate! Loving this gravy!! Thank you so much for all your recipes. 💕💕
this recipe turned out so well!
i am making it again for thanksgiving and sub’ing miso for the tamari.
thanks for a terrific vegan gravy.
😋
Best gravy I’ve ever made!!! Thank you!
This recipe is brilliant. I can’t wait to try it on Thanksgiving!
I’m going to make this for this Thanksgiving. I am gluten-free and vegan, my children are vegetarian. I have tried to use gf flour for thickening gravy and it is gluey and bitter. I’m so glad I found this recipe. I’ll come back to let you know how it went. Thank you. Have a lovely Thanksgiving.
It’s thanksgiving morning & I only have russet potatoes 🥔… would this work?
I think one of those should work, too! You might just need to add a little extra liquid to compensate, since russet potatoes are drier than Yukon gold potatoes.
Just prepared this for Thanksgiving 2020 and it was a real hit! No one in our immediate family is vegan or gluten intolerant, but I’m always on the lookout for tasty and healthier options. Several of us are trying to watch carbs, so this recipe was tasty, healthier and low carb-a winner all around! I do have a niece that is gluten intolerant and I’m going to pass it on to her. Thanks for a super easy healthier gravy recipe! We also enjoyed the instant pot mashed potatoes- so easy and delicious! Next time, we’re going to try them with the garlic. Thanks again for your delicious recipes!!
Wow! This gravy is going to be a staple in my kitchen for years to com! Thank you so much for showing cups, grams and ounces.. that makes it super easy to follow. 🙏
It really is the best gravy!!
This gravy is amazing! So rich and flavorful, noone will suspect its vegan and healthy! Let’s keep that our secret,
My daughter has dietary restrictions due to food sensitivities. We’ve made this twice, once with the onions and once without the onion. It was delicious either way! Thank you for this tasty and healthy alternative.