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Home » Food » By Type of Dish » Sauces, Seasonings and Condiments » BEST Mushroom Gravy

BEST Mushroom Gravy

December 12, 2021 by Kimberly Killebrew · 296 Comments

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For the best mushroom gravy recipe, look no further!  Easy to make with an incredible depth of flavor, enjoy this versatile gravy over roasts, steaks, meatloaf, roast chicken, potatoes, schnitzel, Yorkshire puddings, vegetables and more!

mushroom gravy recipe best homemade from scratch brown sauce

Absolutely nothing beats homemade when it comes to gravy and there is no reason whatsoever to resort to the packaged stuff because one, homemade is easy enough to make; two, the packaged stuff is full of junk ingredients; and three, packaged doesn’t come anywhere close to the flavor of made-from-scratch gravy!

Tips for Making the Best Mushroom Gravy

For a mushroom gravy with great depth of flavor, here are a few tips:  Butter is a great option for sauteing the onions and mushrooms, but for even more flavor use beef drippings, lard or bacon grease.  Then cook the onions until they’re nicely golden brown, which is key to the flavor of the gravy.  Do the same with the mushrooms, caramelizing them for optimal flavor.  While cornstarch can be used for thickening, flour is the best choice for flavor.  Add some extra butter to the caramelized onions and mushrooms, then add the flour and cook it for a few minutes.  This roux-like method of browning the flour is absolutely key to the flavor of the gravy.

Last but not least, for the ultimate flavor we’re adding our “secret ingredient”:  Ground dried porcini mushrooms.  These are like mushrooms on steroids and are my most favorite mushroom.  They contribute such an incredible depth of flavor and “umami” element that we STRONGLY recommend you making the effort to source this amazing ingredient.  Most well-stocked grocery stores carry them or you can find them here on Amazon.

If you’d like to make a creamy version of this brown mushroom gravy, simply stir in a few tablespoons of heavy cream at the end.

How to Serve Mushroom Gravy

This mushroom gravy is deliciously versatile. Serve it over roasts, steaks, meatloaf, roast chicken, potatoes, German Jägerschnitzel, Yorkshire puddings, vegetables and more!

Can I Make Gluten Free Mushroom Gravy?

Absolutely!   Simply omit the step of adding the flour and then, at the very end after you’ve added the broth and seasonings, stir in a cornstarch slurry made with one tablespoon of cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons of water and simmer for a minute until thickened.

mushroom gravy recipe best homemade from scratch brown sauce

Mushroom Gravy Recipe

Let’s get started!

Melt the butter (or beef drippings, lard or bacon grease) in a pan over medium-high heat and fry the onions until beginning to brown, 5-7 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook another minute.

Add the mushrooms and cook 7-8 minutes or until golden and the liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated.

cooking onions and mushrooms in skillet

Add the ground porcini mushrooms and cook another minute.

adding ground porcini to skillet

Add the butter and melt.  Add the flour, stir to combine and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.  This will cook off the flour flavor and brown the flour to create more depth of flavor in the gravy.

adding butter and flour

Add the beef broth, thyme, salt and pepper.  Whisk continually until the gravy is thickened.  Cover and simmer on low, stirring occasionally, for 5-10 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  If you prefer the gravy thinner add a little more water.

Note:  For a gluten free version omit the flour earlier on and instead stir in a tablespoon of cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons of water at the very end and simmer for a minute until thickened.

adding broth and seasonings mushroom gravy

Enjoy!

mushroom gravy recipe best homemade from scratch brown sauce

For more delicious homemade gravy recipes be sure to try our:

  • Onion Gravy
  • Turkey Gravy
  • Hamburger Gravy
  • Sausage Gravy
mushroom gravy recipe best homemade from scratch brown sauce

BEST Mushroom Gravy

Kimberly Killebrew
This mushroom gravy has an incredible depth of flavor and is delicious served over roasts, steaks, meatloaf, roast chicken, potatoes, Yorkshire puddings, vegetables and more!
Print Recipe
4.88 from 150 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 30 minutes mins
Course condiment, Gravy, Sauce
Cuisine Gravy
Servings 6 servings
Calories 151 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 2 tablespoons butter, bacon grease, lard or beef drippings
  • 1 yellow onion ,finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic ,minced
  • 16 ounces fresh mushrooms of choice (I used button mushrooms in the photos) ,cleaned and sliced
  • 1 tablespoon ground dried porcini mushrooms (if using dried porcini pieces grind them in a coffee/spice grinder or pound with a mallet in a ziplock bag)
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups strong beef broth
  • 1 teaspoon dark balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt plus more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Optional: For a creamy gravy, add a few tablespoons of heavy cream at the end

Instructions
 

  • Melt the butter (or bacon grease, lard or beef drippings - any of these will yield the most flavor) in a pan over medium-high heat and fry the onions until beginning to brown.  Add the garlic and cook another minute.
  • Add the mushrooms and cook 7-8 minutes or until golden and the liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated. Add the ground porcini mushrooms and cook for another minute.
  • Add the butter and melt.  Add the flour, stir to combine and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring continually. This will cook off the flour flavor and brown the flour to create more depth of flavor in the gravy.
  • Add the beef broth, vinegar, thyme, sugar, salt and pepper.  Whisk continually until the gravy is thickened.  Cover and simmer on low, stirring occasionally, for 5-10 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  If you prefer the gravy thinner add a little more water (or heavy cream if using).
    Note: To make this gluten free simply omit the step of adding the flour and then, at the very end after you've added the broth and seasonings, stir in a cornstarch slurry made with one tablespoon of cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons of water and simmer for a minute until thickened.  

Notes

**If using this gravy for German Jägerschnitzel and you prefer a more basic, traditional gravy, omit the balsamic vinegar and thyme.

Nutrition

Calories: 151kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 530mg | Potassium: 310mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 350IU | Vitamin C: 3.1mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 0.8mg
Keyword Mushroom Gravy
Tried this recipe? Mention @daringgourmet or hashtag #daringgourmet
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet on November 17, 2017
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296 Comments →

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296 Responses

  1. Ronda E says

    May 17, 2023 at 7:51 am

    The best beef mushroom gravy recipe ever! My family loved it. I used Trader Joe’s frozen mushroom mixture and it turned out wonderful. It will be my go-to recipe from now on!

    Reply
    • Kimberly Killebrew says

      May 17, 2023 at 6:28 pm

      Fantastic, Ronda, thank you so much!!

      Reply
  2. Mary March Barsantti says

    April 30, 2023 at 11:44 am

    Made exactly by the recipe with a little splash of Madeira at the end. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Kimberly Killebrew says

      April 30, 2023 at 3:32 pm

      Thank you, Mary, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  3. Phil Taylor says

    April 8, 2023 at 9:31 pm

    I made this exactly as described and it came out perfectly. I was a soldier in Germany a long long time ago, and this brought back so many good memories. I now live in Thailand and made Jägerschnitzel your way for my Thai lady. She devoured it and has made me promise to cook it again for her family and grandchildren. That’s a promise I am happy to keep!!

    Reply
    • Kimberly Killebrew says

      April 10, 2023 at 8:56 pm

      Thank you so much, Phil, I’m thrilled that you both enjoyed it and this also brought back fond memories of your time in Germany!

      Reply
  4. Anonymous says

    March 7, 2023 at 7:32 am

    DELICIOUS!! I left out the balsamic vinegar, sugar, and thyme as I didn’t want it to be too sweet or tangy. I did add about a tblsp of heavy cream at the end. I’ll be using this recipe from now on!

    Reply
  5. Anonymous says

    February 5, 2023 at 4:34 pm

    This was delicious I did use a stick of butter though, half at the start wit the onions and garlic and the other half when I added the flour. I poured it over lightly fried gnocchi and it tasted perfecto

    Reply
  6. Kember says

    January 15, 2023 at 6:19 pm

    It was a good brown gravy, but the balsamic was too overpowering for my taste (I don’tlike wine sauces either). The jägerschnitzel recipe I usually use has carrots and celery in it and is much lighter, but all my recipe books are in storage for the moment, so I searched the internet for an alternative.

    I’ll probably try it again, but cut the balsamic in half or more.

    Reply
  7. Cristina says

    November 24, 2022 at 6:42 pm

    Absolutely delicious – melts in your mouth. I made it with corn starch instead of flour, and chicken stock instead of beef as that is what we had on hand. Lovely recipe, thank you!

    Reply
    • Kimberly Killebrew says

      November 25, 2022 at 7:26 pm

      Thank you so much, Cristina!

      Reply
  8. Darrell Cober says

    November 22, 2022 at 3:25 pm

    Well now that’s an awesome gravy or brown sauce if you want. I will definitely be making this again and again.

    Reply
    • Kimberly Killebrew says

      November 23, 2022 at 8:33 am

      Fabulous, Darrell, thanks so much!

      Reply
  9. Tiffany says

    November 20, 2022 at 4:21 pm

    This gravy is great. I love to make large batches and freeze it. Thank you

    Reply
    • Kimberly Killebrew says

      November 23, 2022 at 9:15 am

      Thanks so much, Tiffany!

      Reply
  10. beth says

    November 19, 2022 at 12:53 pm

    can this be frozen and then used a few days later?

    Reply
    • Kimberly Killebrew says

      November 23, 2022 at 9:30 am

      Hi Beth, yes it can!

      Reply
  11. Ann Davis-Rowe says

    October 29, 2022 at 6:04 pm

    We have been needing a house gravy recipe and this is it! Used beef fat to start the mushrooms and as we were out of dried mushrooms, some Trader Joe’s umami powder and Worcestershire. 100% coming back to this for anytime we have random mushrooms to use up or want to shake up any protein.

    Reply
    • Kimberly Killebrew says

      October 30, 2022 at 5:49 pm

      Awesome, Ann, thanks so much for the feedback, I’m thrilled you enjoyed it!

      Reply
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kimberly killebrew the daring gourmet

Welcome!  I’m Kimberly and I share delicious originals, revitalized classics and authentic dishes from around the world.  Come travel the world through your taste buds!

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