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!
And for another absolutely phenomenal, must-make gravy be sure to try our Onion Gravy!
I used to despise mushrooms as a kid. That lasted through my teenage years and it wasn’t until I was an adult that I came to appreciate the amazing thing that mushrooms are and how much flavor and umami they impart to anything you add them to. Though I missed out on them for many years I’ve since made up for lost time – even when mushrooms aren’t a featured ingredient, I find ways to add mushroom powder to many of my gravies, sauces and stews for that added depth of flavor.
Today’s dish features mushrooms front and center in all their glory is this phenomenal mushroom gravy. 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!
How to Make 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
- Pork Chops
- Meatloaf
- Roast Chicken
- Potatoes
- Pasta
- Rice
- Buttermilk Biscuits
- German Jägerschnitzel
- Yorkshire puddings
- Vegetables
and anything else your heart desires!
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.
Can I Make This Vegan?
Yes you can! Substitute oil for the butter and use vegetable broth instead of beef broth.
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.
Add the ground porcini mushrooms and cook another minute.
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.
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:Â 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.
Enjoy!
For more delicious homemade gravy recipes be sure to try our:
BEST Mushroom Gravy
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. Â
Ben says
You’re right, the BEST mushroom gravy. I shared this recipe with my Facebook grilling group it is so good. Thanks for sharing with us.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you, Ben, I’m happy you enjoyed it, and thank you for posting my link in your group!
Tammy Clifford says
Husband wanted “Hamburger Helper” for dinner and I couldn’t bring myself to buy the “box”! Made this verbatim and added ground beef and cooked pasta! Absolutely wonderful!! Thank you for sharing!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Perfect, Tammy! Great idea and I’m so glad it was a hit, thank you!
Pamela R. says
I made this recipe for the BEST BROWN MUSHROOM GRAVY last night to go with homemade Wiener Schnitzel, mashed potatoes and cooked carrots, and it was PERFECTION! The flavor was incredible, and really highlighted the mushrooms rather than other sauce components. The texture was also exactly right, too! I’ve made many different gravy variations over the years, but now I finally have my go-to mushroom gravy recipe!! I intentionally left out the vinegar and sugar, since it was so delicious before adding them. Thank you for a brilliant recipe :)
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so thrilled that you enjoyed it, Pamela, thank you very much! <3
Natalie R says
Tonight I made meatloaf and mashed potatoes and needed a gravy recipe. Made yours and it was so delicious. I substituted red wine for about half of the broth. Definitely will make this again.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Natalie, thank you!
Dawn Gilbert says
I had mushrooms that I didn’t want to go bad, so I found your recipe and made it. Wonderful! I halved all the ingredients since I only had 8 oz. of mushrooms. Made it exactly as specified, and added heavy cream at the end. Fabulous flavor! Will cook this recipe again. Thanks!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you so much, Dawn, I’m glad you enjoyed it!
John W Dupree says
My wife and I have both lived in Germany, and Jägerschnitzel is one of our favorite meals from the old country. It’s hard to get this kind of food in California, so I wanted to give this a try. This recipe is completely aces! Perfectly seasoned, rich, and does the schnitzel justice. Next time I want to experiment with maybe a half cup of sour cream for just a little bite, but either way, this recipe will go into my permanent library. Vielen Dank!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks so much, John, I’m happy it was a hit!
Jan says
Made this gravy for schnitzel. Amazing! Making it again tonight.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks so much, Jan!
John says
Gravy was delicious, lots of rich flavour! My son wanted the recipe.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you so much, John!
Vonnie says
I made this Mushroom Gravy and think it is the best ever. I served it as part of the Jaegerschnitzel but also with dumplings. I used 2T butter, Better-Than-Bouillion Beef Base 2t/2cups water to make sure the broth was strong enough and did add the thyme and Balsamic Vinegar which gave nice flavor. I sifted the flour over the the mushroom mixture to minimize clumping. I and my family think this is a delicious recipe.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so glad it was a family hit, Vonnie, thank so much!
Theresa says
I decided to try altering the recipe for a plant-based diet. It was incredible!
I substituted olive oil for the butter, whole wheat flour for the flour, and vegetable broth for the beef broth. Very delicious!!
Nancy says
This is absolutely delicious! I did add cream and a few other spices. Thank you for sharing!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so glad you enjoyed, Nancy, thank you!
Marian Boykin says
The BEST brown mushroom gravy I have EVER made!!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you so much, Marian!
Daniel Carman says
Can You some red wine to this recipe
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Daniel, yes you can.
Anonymous says
Delicious!
Tim Hagger says
Wonderful, love your site and the manner in which you explain!!