My family celebrated Thanksgiving two days late this year. On the Saturday after Thanksgiving, my parents arrived early in the day to watch their college play its big football game, and my brother and sister-in-law arrived shortly afterward. The game was nearing its end, and I was in the kitchen reheating all the food I’d prepared in advance (including a green bean casserole and a No-Fu loaf) and getting ready to cook the Brussels sprouts and warm the gravy.
With seven seconds left in the game and everything needing a few more minutes to be truly hot, the electricity went out in my entire neighborhood. A call to the power company confirmed what I knew from experience: it could be hours before the power was restored.
I was not going to let the meal get any colder. Working by candle light, I had everyone bring the food to the table and ordered my husband to get the camp stove in from the garage (panic over food makes me quite bossy). You’re not supposed to use this kind of stove in the house, but I was determined to heat the gravy. You see, everything else can be lukewarm, but hot gravy pulls the meal together.
The dinner was a success, the camp stove fumes didn’t kill us, and my parents found out that their team had won the game in a surprise upset in the 7 seconds that they missed. Oh well. We consoled ourselves with pie–Double-Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake and apple pie–by candlelight.
I think gravy is important, so important that I’m pulling my mushroom gravy recipe out from the archives where it’s been residing at the bottom of my Mushroom Timbales post. Around this time of year, I get a lot of emails from people trying to find “the gravy recipe that everyone raves about,” so I decided it needed its own page. Here it is, my Christmas gift to you:
Vegan Mushroom Gravy
Ingredients
- 1/2 large onion minced
- 10 regular-sized or 6 large mushrooms sliced or chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2 â 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary optional, crushed
- 1/4 -1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon sherry optional
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce coconut aminos, or gluten-free tamari
- 2 tablespoons unbleached flour substitute with arrowroot for gluten-free
- 1/4 cup plain non-dairy milk
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a medium-sized non-stick saucepan, saute the onion until beginning to brown, about 5-10 minutes (adding a pinch of baking soda speeds things up). Add the mushrooms and 1 tablespoon of water, and cook for another 3 minutes. Add the garlic, and cook, stirring, for another minute.
- Add the vegetable broth, herbs, nutritional yeast, sherry, and soy sauce. In a bowl, whisk or blend (with a hand blender) the âmilkâ and flour together until smooth. Add it to the saucepan and stir well. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.
Notes
Nutritional info is approximate.
Please pin and share:
May your holidays be warm and bright (with or without electricity)!
Angie
December 23, 2013 at 11:10 amThis gravy recipe should never reside in an archive – it’s too good! It’s my go to recipe now – for any recipe that requires a gravy. Thank you!
Rachel S
December 23, 2013 at 11:27 amYour gravy is now my family’s go to gravy too!! SOOOO yummy! Best gravy ever! Thank you!!
moonwatcher
December 23, 2013 at 11:48 amHi Susan,
I agree with Angie about this gravy recipe–it definitely deserves its own page! We’ve enjoyed it before and I’ll make it again tonight I think. đ I LOVE that you included the story of how the gravy saved the day. Talk about timing. Nothing like a camp stove and a bossy woman to bring a meal together in an emergency!! LOL xoxo
Chana
December 23, 2013 at 1:30 pmThis sounds so delicious! Every time I make mushroom gravy it comes out so bad I’ve pretty much given up. But ill try ONE MORE TIME with this recipe.
What type of mushrooms do you use? If I only have dehydrated, how much ( in oz) would you reccomend?
I make that No Fu Koaf all the time! It’s delicious! In fact whenever my sister comes to visit, she insists on it! ( she’s too lazy to make it herself!)
Thanks for a great site as always
Chana
Marsha
December 23, 2013 at 2:02 pmThanks for posting again–I love this recipe. It’s very similar to Whole Foods Vegan Mushroom Gravy which I also love. They add some red wine and rosemary which I think gives it an added richness.
Kim Mathis
December 23, 2013 at 2:09 pmWe cooked a primarily vegan Thanksgiving this year for the first time ourselves. My parents still needed their turkey, but I pulled off the rest of the dishes as vegan & feasted on them over the turkey for myself & my husband. I found this gravy recipe in your blog & used it with your Southern Stuffing recipe. Both of my parents raved about the stuffing & the gravy. I’ve never successfully made gravy before this myself, so I was quite proud to have pulled it off & to have made it all vegan to their approval. Thank you for keeping your recipes simple & tasty. I follow a lot of blogs, but find I actually cook your recipes more than most.
Marcia
December 23, 2013 at 2:29 pmNow that’s my kind of camping, truly getting the at home experience! Susan, you are such a trooper and I applaud your ability to pull it all together. I LOVE your mushroom gravy and will be using it to enhance our Christmas dinner. After reading your blog, I’m eyeballing the Double-Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake too!
Hope you and your family have a wonderful celebration and I wish you health and prosperity in 2014!
Marcia
pat
December 23, 2013 at 4:46 pmi’m new to vegan. please tell me how to saute onions for 10 minutes without butter or oil.
Susan Voisin
December 23, 2013 at 5:23 pmI use a good, heavy non-stick skillet and medium-high heat and just stir them periodically. Some people add a splash of water or broth, but I don’t usually find that necessary. Adding a tiny pinch of baking soda speeds up the cooking.
David
May 25, 2017 at 4:24 amI don’t use non stick cookware (being wary of them, healthwise), I mostly cook using stainless steel. A pinch of hot water usually does the trick.
kellie@foodtoglow
December 24, 2013 at 2:20 amGravy, front and centre where it should be! Great-looking recipe, Susan. Everyone needs a go-to gravy recipe in their life. I do something similar but I use white miso instead of nooch. Maybe I will live on the edge and try both! Wishing you a fabulous – and fully-electric – festive season.
Brenda
December 24, 2013 at 10:37 amHere’s another “yea … rah” for giving this FANTASTIC gravy its own page!! This is the only gravy I make!!
A shortcut I’ll use when I do not have any fresh mushrooms is to use canned ones. Since I’m someone who loves the taste of mushrooms, but can’t stand their texture, I always blend this gravy up in the blender to make a perfectly smooth gravy, and canned mushrooms seem to work just fine in that capacity.
So my “Ridiculously Easy” shortcut tip is to use an 8 ounce can of sliced mushrooms, pouring the contents of the can (mushrooms and liquid) into a 2 cup measure, adding in enough broth to bring the volume to 2 cups, pouring this and all the rest of the ingredients into the blender and processing till smooth.
Then I pour it all into a saucepan, and heat (stirring almost constantly) till bubbly and thickened (I use cornstarch instead of flour or arrowroot).
Leila Shafiq
December 24, 2013 at 1:55 pmDear Susan. I have come to depend on your expertise to keep my kitchen going. I have never really been a real good cook and after going plant based things got really exciting. However, thanks to you, Susan and fatfreevegan, we eat real good now. I just copied off the gravy recipe to do later today or tomorrow.
Susan, I also need your help to recreate a butternut squash pasta sauce that I recently found. It is from Specially Selected. (a brand marketed by ALDI) This was a ‘seasonal’ item, while quantities lasted. Had I know I would have purchased all the jars I could, but, alas… The ingredient list actually reads as a recipe but without the quantities. Here it is as listed: butternut squash, water, tomato paste, sugar, butter, red peppers, celery, onions, garlic, salt, citric actid, black pepper, red pepper.
The sauce is a very reddish orange, with small flecks of veggie pieces. You can see a pic of it on the ALDI site. Please help me Susan. I am holding the last unopened jar like it is some kind of shrine…. but this sauce is wonderful with pasta and mixed veggies! Hope you can help me. Your devoted reader. Leila Shafiq
Helon
December 24, 2013 at 2:24 pmWow, I didn’t see this post in the archive but thanks for re-posting it!
Helon from Vegandivasnyc.com
Amy
December 25, 2013 at 10:33 amDelicious!! Just made to serve with Christmas dinner. Thanks for all you do. This is my first holiday season as a vegan. I get so many great recipes from your site.
Tami@NutmegNotebook
December 26, 2013 at 4:00 pmI have never been a good gravy maker but after so many glowing reviews I will have to give this recipe at try!
Jeff
December 27, 2013 at 12:29 amThis mushroom gravy is surprisingly full of flavor. Thanks a lot for sharing and Happy Holidays!
Penny Sharp
December 27, 2013 at 3:24 amHi Susan,
I made this mushroom gravy to serve over lentils and beans and it is just delicious. It is flavorsome and extremely nourishing. As the only vegan in my household I had the privilege of indulging in this dish all on my own… My husband who has an aversion to anything slightly healthy doesn’t know what he is missing… Poor soul!
Thanks again, I will be definitely making this again… Perhaps to accompany the no-Fu loaf!
Cheers,
Penny from Australia!
Rebecca
December 29, 2013 at 5:54 pmJust leaving a comment, per your newsletter, requesting a black eye pea and greens recipe for the new year! đ
Susan Voisin
December 29, 2013 at 5:58 pmThanks, Rebecca! That’s the second vote I’ve gotten for peas and greens!
rdd
December 29, 2013 at 9:26 pmstumbled upon your carrot cashew slaw via a link from the chowhound site( the vegetarian board)
we were snowed in & had most all the ingredients in the pantry
made the slaw with almonds( no cashews avail) AND IT WAS POSITIVELY DELICIOUS!— we ate it immediately &- am making a double batch(w/ cashews) tomorrow..
i tend to make a handful of recipes at one cooking time so i will make your ff balsamic raisin vin tomorrow as well.
love your site- glad to subscribe to it!
have youever used the Grit cookbook( athens ga)???( authors jessica green and ted hafer) i worked there in the early 90s and they have a fantastic nutritional yeast gravy and a ” grit tofu” with nut/yeast and tamari- i make it once a week for the past 20 years —
am looking forward to trying out your recipes( mushroom gravy!)
thanks!
rdd
Dina
December 29, 2013 at 9:46 pm… Hi Susan … thank you for all the labor & all the sharing … love & peace to you … & a Blessed new year … God Bless …
Jen
December 29, 2013 at 9:55 pmmade this tonight and it was really good. Thanks for the recipe.
Jill
December 30, 2013 at 1:01 pmI vote for black-eyed peas recipe for the New Year
M Rai
December 30, 2013 at 3:18 pmAbsolutely divine! Made this for XMas dinner and should have doubled the recipe. The wine really added the depth that other gravies I’ve made lacked. With a little adjustment in additional veggies, I also made a mushroom gravy based soup. Tastey!
john machniak
December 30, 2013 at 4:12 pmThanks for the always fine recipes, whether on blogs or in books!! They’ve helped me a lot and I always look forward to them. Happy New Year!!
Marla
December 31, 2013 at 10:20 amThis gravy is amazing! I loved it and omnivores at Christmas loved it too! Thank you Susan
Jack Palumbo
January 11, 2014 at 6:29 amI would like to become a member . I have subscribed, but can find no place to
create a password. Also what do you mean when you ask for a website
Susan Voisin
January 11, 2014 at 8:57 amHi Jack, subscribing is different from becoming a member. If you subscribe, you get announcements of new recipes by email. If you become a member, you get to save recipes to a recipe box on the site. To become a member, check the right sidebar for a link to “register.” You will be emailed a password.
When you comment, you are allowed to enter in your own website address if you have one, but it’s not required. It’s just there for bloggers and site owners who want to let others know where to find them on the web.
Tom Halsaver
February 8, 2014 at 9:28 pmI enjoy your site very much. Lots of good recipes and good ideas. I became a vegetarian about three and a half years ago. My wife has been a vegetarian off and on for many years. Keep up the good work.
nlh110
February 18, 2014 at 11:08 pmIn the notes you should put the recipe needs to be doubled unless you want people crying at your dinner table. Had it over baked potatoes tonight, the liquid smoke was a nice touch.
Laverne
February 19, 2014 at 7:56 pmjust wishing I had a gravy recipe for my cauliflower…thanks!
Andrea Tersigni
July 7, 2016 at 6:52 pmOh my … this gravy brings cauliflower to a gourmet level. Don’t be shy đ. Try it.
My best
Andrea
lisa
February 20, 2014 at 6:37 pmLove this!! Is a serving apx 1/3 cup Susan?
Susan Voisin
February 20, 2014 at 7:00 pmLisa, I would guess somewhere between 1/3 and 1/2 a cup is a serving. Glad to hear you liked it!
Susan Voisin
February 20, 2014 at 7:04 pmI wanted to add that a serving size depends a lot on how long you cook it and how much of the broth boils off. That’s why I don’t give serving sizes, even though people write me all the time asking me to add that to the recipes. Everyone cooks a little bit differently, every “large” onion is slightly different in size, and the final amount you come out with can vary greatly. So I tell how many servings and leave it to the individual cook to divide it up appropriately. đ
lisa
February 21, 2014 at 5:16 amThanks Susan! After cooking ect I measured out almost exactly 2 cups of gravy. So I diveded by 6 servings – and got 1/3 cup. It helps so much with portion control to understand what a serving is – we as Americans I think have a skewed idea because of everything sold to us as “super sized” . I think knowing what a real portion is is important. đ as we retrain our brains to normal eating again! Listing the serving size does help Susan – we all love you for all your yummy recipes and hard work and dedication to good health and plant based eating!
kdali
April 20, 2014 at 10:15 pmI hate mushrooms and he hates gravy, but we love this! I had to change up a few things: no thyme, subbed TJ’s chopped onions/garlic/scallions for the garlic and onion, added worchestershire and used white zinfandel instead of sherry.
Thank you for the post and for adding up the nutritional info!
Denise
June 26, 2014 at 10:28 amVery delicious. Even my really-no-vegan-or-vegetarian family member loved it! Thanks a lot for sharing!
jane
June 27, 2014 at 5:56 amSusan, thanks for the recipe, but why would someone making a Vegan mushroom sauce be looking for a bacony-flavored gravy? Seems a bit contradictory.
Susan Voisin
June 27, 2014 at 6:08 amPeople don’t generally go vegan because they dislike the flavor of bacon or other animal products; they go vegan because they don’t want to contribute to animal suffering. Adding a smoky flavor to gravy harms no animals, so it doesn’t seem contradictory to me at all.
Hannah
October 30, 2014 at 12:57 pmThis is SO, SO, good
Debbie
November 24, 2014 at 4:18 amHi Susan,
Thanks for your lovely recipe!
We did find it a touch salty………where did I go wrong?
I used 1 whole massel “no added salt” vegetable stock cube in the 2 cups of water, and didn’t add rosemary, sage, sherry or salt.
I wonder if the sweetness of the sherry might have balanced out the salt. Could I add some sugar instead? How much?
Thanks so much,
Debbie.
Heather Rennie
November 24, 2014 at 9:52 pmthis looks excellent! what type of mushrooms do you use?? thanks!
Susan Voisin
November 24, 2014 at 10:18 pmI use either regular white mushrooms or baby bella’s.
artistviv
November 28, 2014 at 12:46 pmSusan, this mushroom gravy is incredibly good! I brought it to my omni family’s Thanksgiving celebration so I’d have a vegan gravy for my vegan meal that I brought (with plenty to share) and, they ignored their turkey gravy and went crazy for this mushroom gravy. By the way, I made your green bean casserole last year and they begged me to bring it agin this year- a real hit! Thanks for all you do.
Laura M.
November 30, 2014 at 11:59 amThis gravy was a hit!… thank you for sharing your recipe, it’s a keeper for the years to come. I followed your instructions to the letter, but I added a tbsp of olive oil and used the optional spice. Terrific!
Jem
December 25, 2014 at 7:20 pmHi Susan,
I made this gravy today for our Christmas Day lunch and the children loved it. I think I put a bit too much rosemary but it didn’t affect the taste. Thanks so much for sharing it.
jd
January 2, 2015 at 10:51 pmBest to you for 2015!
Thank you very much!!
The Vegan Junction
April 3, 2015 at 6:25 pmVegan mushroom gravy = yumm! And oil-free and low-fat too. đ