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BEST Onion Gravy

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No recipe collection is complete with out a truly phenomenal onion gravy.  And this one is exactly that.  This homemade onion gravy recipe features caramelized onions in a luxuriously rich, brown gravy that is sure to “wow” your dinner guests as much as it has wowed thousands of our readers!

onion gravy recipe from scratch homemade best British English

If there’s a better smell from the kitchen than the aroma of onions caramelizing in butter I don’t know what it is.  (Well, okay, that would be caramelized onions AND bacon sauteing together.)  And when you turn those caramelized onions into a rich brown onion gravy the show can just stop there as far as I’m concerned.  Because this homemade onion gravy recipe is a showstopper.

I never need an excuse to heap on the gravy in generous quantities.  There’s been a running joke in my family since I was a child:  “Kimberly would like some mashed potatoes with her gravy.”  It’s true.  I’m a gravy fanatic.  But when you have a truly amazing homemade gravy sitting in front of you, well it’s just pretty darn hard to resist.  Plus I grew up in Germany with a German mother and Oma who both excelled at gravy-making.  So I can’t help it.  Gravy’s in my blood.  Perhaps quite literally!

Today I’m sharing a recipe with you for homemade onion gravy made from scratch.  Because that’s the only way really good gravy is made.  You may already have a recipe for mushroom gravy, brown gravy, turkey gravy, chicken gravy and white gravy, but no gravy repertoire is complete without a great onion gravy. And I can promise you, this one is grrrreat!

What to Serve With Onion Gravy

Two of the most famous dishes featuring onion gravy are Bangers and Mash and Toad in the Hole which I highly recommend making (they’re two of my favorites). In addition, here are some other delicious ways to use your homemade onion gravy:

  • Mashed potatoes
  • Yorkshire Pudding
  • Hamburger or cube steak (try it with my German/Danish Frikadellen)
  • Roast chicken, pan-fried chicken, or chicken fried steak
  • Pot Roast, pork roast or lamb roast
  • Meatloaf
  • Salisbury steak
  • Pork chops
  • Schnitzel
  • Poutine
  • Meatballs
bangers and mash recipe best authentic traditional British English sausages mashed potatoes onion gravy

Storage & Advance Preparation

This homemade onion gravy will keep for up to 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container and can be reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop . It will also freeze for up to 3 months.  Cornstarch has a tendency to break down when thawed so you may simply need to re-thicken it when you reheat it on the stovetop, the same way you did the first time.

Onion Gravy Recipe

Let’s get started!

Note: This onion gravy is excellent as is but if you’re already making a roast, frying up pork chops or chicken, if you make this gravy in same pan as those meat drippings, it will boost the flavor up to an excellent+.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium high heat. Add the sliced onions and sugar and cook for about 30 minutes until caramelized (deep golden).

cooking onions

Add the red wine and herbs, bring to a rapid boil for 2 minutes, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.  Add the mustard, salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce.

adding wine and seasonings

Add the stock, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a low simmer and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.

Remove sprigs of herbs. Add the vinegar, whisk in the cornstarch and simmer another minute or two until thickened, whisking continuously. Add the cold butter and whisk until dissolved.

Add salt and pepper to taste and more mustard if desired.

adding broth and thickener

Serve the gravy as desired (see our list of recommendations above).

Enjoy!

onion gravy recipe from scratch homemade best British English

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onion gravy recipe best bangers and mash

BEST Onion Gravy

The BEST onion gravy made from scratch!
4.96 from 265 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 10

Equipment

Ingredients
 
 

Instructions
 

  • Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium high heat. Add the sliced onions and sugar and cook for about 30 minutes until caramelized (deep golden). Add the red wine and herbs, bring to a rapid boil for 2 minutes, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the stock, mustard, salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a low simmer and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
    Remove sprigs of herbs. Add the vinegar, whisk in the cornstarch and simmer another minute or two until thickened, whisking continuously. Add the cold butter and whisk until dissolved. Add salt and pepper to taste and more mustard if desired.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.25cupCalories: 82kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 1gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 396mgPotassium: 78mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 221IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 9mgIron: 1mg
Course condiment, Sauce
Cuisine American, British, European
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Originally published on The Daring Gourmet September 28, 2019

kimberly killebrew the daring gourmet

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!

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Recipe Rating




4.96 from 265 votes (124 ratings without comment)

356 Comments

  1. This is without a doubt the best recipe ive seen so far …dying to try it:-) Just a quick question ….Am able to substitute the butter with margarine? (I dont like butter!)

  2. I thought my own recipe for onion gravy was good but this beats it hands down! Full of flavour and goes with so many things.
    Well done, it’s seriously good!

  3. This sounds a great recipe. My query is, I am serving a harvest supper for up to 80 guests and dont get the meat juices until the evening of the supper, its cooked by our local butcher. Can I prepare the rest of the recipe ahead and add the beef stock/cooking juices as a last action?

    1. Hi David, you mean prepare the recipe up to the middle of Step 1 where it says to “add the red wine and herbs, bring to a rapid boil for 2 minutes, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes”? Then stop at that point, refrigerate, and then add the beef stock/juices to the onion mixture later and proceed from there as the recipe directs? Yes, I think that should be fine. Good luck with your harvest supper, I hope it’s a big success!

  4. If you are putting this on pork dishes, try cutting the sugar back and stir in a couple of teaspoons of marmalade for a tangy bite.

  5. Yeah this one is now a staple in our house. My husband and son won’t even let me try a different recipe for onion gravy. (We make an Americanized bangers and mash- homemade whipped potatoes,italian sausage and this gravy. It’s a favorite!!) Thank you SO much!

  6. It truly is a deliciously good onion gravy! I am Dutch and always wanted to know how to make it but this is more then just onion gravy, it is the ultimate and so says my English husband.

  7. My Mom was Prussian and the best home cook I knew. She used to make this gravy whenever she pan fried steaks for dinner in her electric pan. Just looking at the picture gave me the warm fuzzies as I miss my mom. She passed in 2019. This is really the King of gravies. Thank you 😊

  8. Hi, I’m cooking the gravy now, and there’s butter mentioned twice, but listed in the ingredients once. I sure hope I did this right. Smells yummy so far.

  9. This was so excellent. As an Anglophile who can go to the UK yet, I seriously missed pub food, and this was perfect with bangers and mash. Easy to make vegan, if you or your guests are so inclined. My question is whether or not it freezes well, so I can make enough to always have on hand. Thanks again! You’re a genius.

  10. As a Brit with a husband who demanded the best onion gravy for our dinner of bangers and mash I searched the web and came to this. It’s off the charts! Thanks so much for such a clear and DELICIOUS recipe! It’s printed and saved as an ultimate go-to