Brown Onion Gravy Recipe

Here is an easy Brown Onion Gravy Recipe just in time for the holiday feasts. No need for a dry mix, this homemade gravy has loads of flavor and is simple to prepare. Serve this beef gravy over meatloaf, mashed potatoes or meatballs.

mashed potatoes topped with gravy and chopped parsleyPin

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Homemade Brown Gravy

Making gravy from scratch does not need to be complicated and it tastes so much better than the dry mix gravy. This brown gravy recipe is full of onions for extra flavor. So it is not necessary to use meat drippings.

BUT, if you are cooking meat to serve this gravy with you definitely want to use the pan used to sear the meat in or at least incorporate some of the drippings. This will make the gravy so much more flavorful, complex and darker. You can see the difference between this gravy made just as directed and this Meatballs with Gravy and Onions Recipe.

This Brown Onion Gravy is great to serve alongside a holiday feast, especially if taters are involved.

How Do You Thicken Onion Gravy

We are building a roux for this particular recipe which is gradually cooking butter and flour to build a paste. There are other ways to thicken gravy, good to keep in mind if you accidentally add too much liquid.

To thicken gravy that is a bit too thin, mix flour or cornstarch with water until it’s smooth. Gradually add mixture to gravy until thickened.

light brown gravy in sauce pan with wooden spoonPin

Ingredients Needed For Onion Gravy (screenshot for grocery list)

  • Sweet Onions
  • Oil
  • Butter
  • All Purpose Flour
  • Beef Broth (low sodium)
  • Worcestershire Sauce
  • Fresh Rosemary
  • Garlic Powder
  • Salt/Pepper

How To Make Homemade Gravy From Scratch

  1. Slowly sauté onions in oil over medium/high heat in a large sauté pan. Cook until onions are tender, this takes approximately 25 minutes. If you want caramelized onion gravy cook onions at a lower temp for a longer period of time until dark brown.
  2. Reduce heat to medium. Melt butter with onions then slowly sprinkle flour over onions, stirring between each addition. Cook and stir for 2 minutes.
  3. Gradually add broth, stir between each addition to prevent clumps. Add Worcestershire sauce, rosemary sprig and garlic powder.
  4. Once gravy begins to bubble reduce heat to medium/low and gently simmer until thickened. (5-10 minutes)
  5. Remove rosemary, salt/pepper to taste and serve.

Can You Freeze Onion Gravy

Yes, you can freeze this gravy. Just reheat slowly in a pot when ready to serve.

What To Serve This Gravy With

Dutch Oven Pot RoastGarlic Rosemary MeatballsGarlic Mashed PotatoesBrown Butter Mashed PotatoesEasy Pork Roast In Oven

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mashed potatoes topped with gravy and chopped parsley

Brown Onion Gravy Recipe

Here is an easy Brown Onion Gravy Recipe just in time for the holiday feasts. No need for a dry mix, this homemade gravy has loads of flavor and is simple to prepare. Serve this beef gravy over meatloaf, mashed potatoes or meatballs.
4 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Holidays
Cuisine: American
Keyword: brown gravy, gravy recipe, holiday recipe, onion gravy
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 3
Calories: 220kcal

Ingredients

  • 4-5 Large Sweet Onions - peeled sliced
  • 4 Tablespoons Oil
  • 4 Tablespoons Butter
  • 1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour
  • 32 ounces Beef Broth low sodium
  • 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1 Sprig Fresh rosemary
  • 2 teaspoons Garlic Powder
  • Salt/Pepper - to taste

Instructions

  • Slowly sauté onions in oil over medium/high heat in a large sauté pan. Cook until onions are tender, this takes approximately 25 minutes. If you want caramelized onion gravy cook onions at a lower temp for a longer period of time until dark brown.
  • Reduce heat to medium. Melt butter with onions then slowly sprinkle flour over onions, stirring between each addition. Cook and stir for 2 minutes.
  • Gradually add broth, stir between each addition to prevent clumps. Add Worcestershire sauce, rosemary sprig and garlic powder.
  • Once gravy begins to bubble reduce heat to medium/low and gently simmer until thickened. (5-10 minutes)
  • Remove rosemary, salt/pepper to taste and serve.

Notes

This recipe yields approximately 3 cups of gravy. (depending on how long you cook/reduce the gravy)

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 220kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 578mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 11g
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Welcome!

Nicole Harris is the recipe creator behind WonkyWonderful, sharing fast, budget-friendly meals for busy families. Since 2012 she’s been developing 30-minute dinners, kid-approved favorites, and holiday dishes with flair - all with real ingredients and no fuss. She grew up stretching simple pantry staples into something delicious, and that shows up in every recipe: easy, affordable, and full of flavor. Read more...

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