BEST Hamburger Gravy Recipe
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For a quick and easy weeknight dinner solution, it’s hard to beat this delicious, old-fashioned, BEST Hamburger Gravy recipe! This American classic is the perfect comfort food to whip up after a long day – it’s ready to serve in 25 minutes. And if you’re looking for lower calorie, low carb, or gluten-free version, I’ve got you covered.
How to Make Hamburger Gravy
This old staple of the midwest has been passed down for generations. Traditionally it was a great way to make a filling meal using an inexpensive meat that was given a flavor boost with the drippings or fat from a previous meal. Serve it over mashed potatoes, biscuits, or noodles and you’ve got an old school stick-to-your-ribs kind of mouthwatering dinner. These types of comfort dishes are among my favorites. Quick to prepare and absolutely delicious, it’s easy to see why this dish has remained an American classic.
This Hamburger gravy recipe is made with basic ingredients you likely already have in your fridge and pantry. The smell of onions and garlic sautéing will bring that warm and inviting feeling into your kitchen and have your mouth watering. Flavors of paprika, thyme, and Worcestershire sauce kick up the flavor profile. Heavy cream is used to make this recipe indulgently thick and creamy. And while they’re probably not a pantry staple, for the ultimate umami boost we highly recommend adding the dried ground porcini mushrooms. Don’t worry if you don’t like mushrooms, you won’t be able to taste the mushrooms but they will give your sauce an incredible depth of flavor!
The mix of these flavors creates a winning combination and this old fashioned hamburger gravy recipe is sure to became a favorite in your home. And it’s easy to include it in your regular rotation by simply switching up the carbs (see below). It’s regularly requested in my home!
Can I Make this Low Calorie, Low Carb and Gluten Free?
Yes, yes, and yes! Try switching out the ground beef for ground turkey or ground chicken. Replace the heavy cream with low fat milk, or skip the dairy all together and substitute with more broth. For a gluten free variation, replace the flour with a slurry of water and cornstarch at the end of the cooking time. Simmer for a minute or two until thickened. You can serve this gravy or gluten free pasta or, for a low carb option, serve it over spiralized zucchini or cauliflower rice.
Hamburger Gravy Recipe
Let’s get started!
Heat a skillet with about 1 tablespoon of oil over medium high heat. Add the ground beef, onion, and garlic and cook until there is no pink remaining. Stir in the flour and butter and cook for another 3 minutes (this will also cook off the “raw” flavor of the flour).
Stir in the thyme, sage, onion powder, salt, pepper, ground porcini mushrooms (if using), bouillon base, and Worcestershire sauce.
Add the beef broth and heavy cream and bring it to a simmer, stirring constantly to prevent lumps.
Cover and let the sauce simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve over mashed potatoes, pasta, rice or biscuits, sprinkled with some parsley.
What To Serve With Hamburger Gravy?
Everything! No really, this gravy works on any kind of starchy side, coming together to make a satisfying entree. Mashed potatoes, rice, pasta, or biscuits, even the pickiest eaters will find some way to indulge themselves. And if you’d like a quick and easy Midwestern take on beef stroganoff, you can add some mushrooms to the gravy and pour everything over wide egg noodles.
It’s also perfect if you have any leftover biscuits from last night’s dinner or breakfast. And if you’re on the hunt for perfectly fluffy, flakey, buttermilk biscuits, these are simply the BEST!
For veggies, take your pick. Steamed broccoli, carrots, beans, corn, sauteed zucchini, a leafy green salad…pretty much any vegetable will go nicely with this dish.
Storage and Freezing
Hamburger gravy can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for about 4 days. This gravy also does excellent in the freezer and reheats wonderfully in the microwave.
Enjoy!
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BEST Hamburger Gravy Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 small yellow onion , finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (gluten free: skip this and stir in a cornstarch slurry at the end: dissolve 2-3 teaspoons cornstarch in 2 tablespoons water)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 cups quality beef broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons beef bouillon base (or 2 cubes) e.g., Better Than Bouillon
- 2 teaspoons ground dried porcini mushrooms (optional but recommended for the ultimate umami boost)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon ground sage
- chopped fresh parsley for serving
Instructions
- Heat a skillet with about 1 tablespoon of oil over medium high heat. Add the ground beef, onion, and garlic and cook until there is no pink remaining. Stir in the flour and butter and cook for another 3 minutes (this will also cook off the “raw” flavor of the flour). Stir in the thyme, sage, onion powder, paprika, salt, pepper, ground porcini mushrooms (if using), bouillon base, and Worcestershire sauce. Add the beef broth and heavy cream and bring it to a simmer, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Cover and let the sauce simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add salt and pepper to taste.Serve over mashed potatoes, pasta, rice or buttermilk biscuits, sprinkled with some parsley.
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet April 7, 2021
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
I fixed this for my son and grandson last night. It was delicious. I haven’t made hamburger gravy in many years. Well, if my hamburger gravy had turned out this good I would have never waited so long to make it again. When I read your ingredients for it and I knew I had to try it. So very glad I did. This is definitely a keeper. My son kept saying this is really good all the way through until he was finished eating it.
Kimberley you took hamburger gravy to a whole new level! Thank you for this great recipe!
Oh thank you so much for the positive feedback, Sue, I really appreciate it! <3 I'm thrilled that you and your boys enjoyed!!
This was quite delicious! I will leave out the salt in the future as it was quite salty when made by this recipe. I love that I can leave the old standard cream of chicken or mushroom soup out and fix it healthier!
Thank you, Mary, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! <3
This was spectacular hamburger gravy! I never thought I’d put that adjective in a sentence with “hamburger gravy”- but, there you are. The dried porcini powder might be what took it over the top, but the flavor layering in your very clear and precise recipe contributed, I am sure!
You’ve restored my faith in the simple foods of our childhood.
Haha, AWESOME, Jalex! I know, hamburger gravy sounds about as humble as it gets, lol :) I’m so glad you enjoyed this, it’s a family favorite in our home!