This vegetarian gravy recipe (with easy vegan gravy option) is a favorite here in our house and with readers, some of whom have been making it for years now!

If you’re looking for a gravy that tastes as good (or better!) than traditional gravy, but made without meat drippings or meat-based stock, you’re in the right place!

pouring vegetarian gravy over mashed potatoes in a white bowl

With just 5 ingredients and less than 20 minutes to make, this thick, rich, and full-of-flavor gravy recipe is almost shockingly easy yet so, so delicious.

Table of Contents

The Story Behind the Recipe

I can’t be the only vegetarian who’s suffered the lonely and tasteless holiday dinner fate of having to eat mashed potatoes with only a bit of salt and pepper and a sorry pat of butter. While everyone around you gleefully shoves down forkfuls of gravy-heavy potatoes… it’s horrible! Just horrible!

Okay, you know I’m exaggerating. But it does kind of suck a little. Gravy’s yummy, but I just can’t bring myself to eat it because of the whole meat thing.

That is… until now.

A bowl of mashed potatoes with vegetarian gravy spooned over the top


It all started on Thanksgiving when my guy’s awesome mom whipped me up a portion of my very own vegetarian white gravy for my potatoes. Yum!

And while we were stirring the meaty gravy meant for everyone else and talking about the whole affair, I came to the realization – why not do the roux thing and then add vegetable broth?

vegetarian gravy in a white gravy boat with salt and pepper shakes in the background

Why You’ll Love This Vegetarian Gravy

  • Super simple – This vegetarian gravy recipe is super simple, and easily made with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.
  • Easily vegan – With a couple of easy swaps, it can be a fully vegan gravy recipe, too!
  • SO delicious – Adding the steps to 1) cook the onions low and slow and 2) cook the flour in a nutty, smooth roux – are both highly worth it, resulting in what my opinion is the tastiest vegetarian gravy recipe around!
A bowl of mashed potatoes with vegetarian gravy spooned over the top

Readers say …

  • “This is literally such a great recipe! It’s my go-to, I’ve made it dozens of times. It’s so easy and good. Definitely try!” – Fatima
  • “Fantastic recipe, thank you! I struggle at making gravies, but this one is foolproof and came together easily and tastes delicious.” – Kate
  • “Best vegan gravy I’ve ever found. Everyone who tries it loves it too.” – Daisa

What is a Roux and Why Use It?

A roux is a mix of fat and flour (in this case, butter and flour), cooked together then used to thicken a liquid or sauce. I use it in my macaroni and cheese recipe, too, to make the most glorious, thick, cheesy sauce.

When you take the extra 3 minutes to cook a roux for your gravy, it helps to cut down on the raw taste of the flour while adding wonderful nutty flavor. It also helps prevent lumps when you add the broth to the gravy.

It’s worth making a roux for the best-tasting vegetarian gravy!

Vegetarian Gravy Recipe Ingredients

  • Butter – This is an important part of making the roux, which helps to thicken your vegetarian gravy. Plus, it adds delicious flavor! You can sub in a vegan butter for vegan gravy or use half and half vegan butter or olive oil.
  • Onion – Some finely diced onion helps to add a ton of flavor and is the backbone of this vegetarian onion gravy. I tend to use yellow onion, but sweet onion or white onion would work, too. If you don’t have any onion on hand, you skip the sauteeing and add 1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon onion powder with the flour, depending on how much onion flavor you want.  I really like the onion in this veggie gravy – it adds depth of flavor without complicating the recipe.
  • Flour – Plain all-purpose flour is what you need here. This will help thicken your gravy into the perfect, pourable consistency.
  • Vegetable broth – Go with your favorite store-bought veggie broth, or try your hand at making your own vegetable broth in the slow cooker (it’s a game-changer!) I prefer to buy low-sodium vegetable broth so I can better control how salty I want my gravy to be. You can use vegetable stock, too.
  • Soy sauce – This is an optional ingredient, and one I added years after I published this gravy recipe. But I do recommend it – it adds a lovely touch of flavor and color. A little goes a long way.
  • Salt & pepper – If your gravy is tasting a little bland, keep adding more salt, a little at a time. It’ll get there!

Variations/Adaptations

Vegan Gravy Option

Substitute Earth Balance, Melt, or another vegan butter for the butter. I also like to use half olive oil and half Earth Balance. I don’t recommend 100% olive oil – I’ve tested this vegetarian gravy recipe that way and it just didn’t taste great. One reader reported using coconut oil with success.

Gluten-Free Vegetarian Gravy

Readers have reported luck with using 1-to-1 gluten-free flour in place of the all-purpose flour. One reader specifically mentioned Bob’s Red Mill brand. Another reader uses almond flour with success. You’ll also want to use Tamari instead of the soy sauce, which has gluten, or leave that out.

Flavor Variations

  • Herby vegetarian gravy: Add fresh herbs (sage, thyme, parsley, rosemary, or another favorite) with the broth. One reader reports that she uses a whole onion and also adds both sage and thyme and her guests thought it was better than turkey gravy. Another reader reports adding poultry seasoning, which would be perfect to add with the onions to help “awaken” the spices for max flavor.
  • Add nutritional yeast: Some readers have reported adding nutritional yeast for added “umami” flavor. I suggest about a tablespoon.
  • Smoky vegetarian gravy: Add a couple of drops of liquid smoke.
  • Vegetarian gravy with garlic: Finely mince a clove of garlic and add it to the onion in the last minute or to of sauteing. 
  • Vegetarian white gravy: Substitute milk (or unsweetened plant-based milk of your choice, oat would be excellent) for some or all of the broth.

How to Make Vegetarian Gravy without Drippings

  1. Melt the butter in a saucepan, then add the onions. Sweat them over low heat for several minutes, until translucent but not browned.
  2. Add the flour and cook, stirring frequently, for three minutes. This helps to remove any raw taste, adds nutty flavor, and makes for a smooth, no-lump, gravy.
  3. Then, drizzle in your veggie broth, stir and cook until thick and rich.
  4. Add in additional flavorings (I usually keep it simple and just add soy sauce here).
  5. Season with salt and pepper until it tastes perfect, though, depending on the veggie broth you used and if you used soy sauce, you may only need pepper.

Jump to full recipe

Onion, flour, and butter are mixed together in a pan to form a roux for vegetarian gravy. A wooden spoon is used to stir. A blue and white striped towel is in the background.

Tips for Gravy Success

  • Chop the onions pretty finely for a smoother gravy. I like it either way, but you may prefer less added texture, so I thought I’d mention it!
  • Cook the onions low and slow. You want to sweat the onions, not brown them! Cook them low and slow just until translucent. Otherwise, when you cook them with the roux, they’ll burn.
Vegetarian gravy in a stainless steel pot, being stirred with a silver whisk.

Can I Freeze Vegetarian Gravy?

Yes! This gravy can be made ahead of time and frozen! Which is super convenient, especially for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Just let it cool and transfer it to an airtight container or freezer bag for up to one month ahead of time.

To reheat it, allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight, then pour it into a saucepan and heat it gently over the stove. It does separate when freezing, so it’ll need to be mixed well, but once it is heated and mixed, it’ll come together beautifully.

If it’s thicker than you like, just thin it with a bit of broth until it’s your desired consistency.

cooking vegetarian gravy

Serve it With …

More Vegetarian & Vegan Gravy Recipes

This stuff is truly really really good. And way easier than I ever thought it would be. So of course, I have to share.

Psst: My carnivorous guy enthusiastically approves of this vegetarian gravy – apparently it’s great on, well…  meat.

pouring vegetarian gravy over mashed potatoes in a white bowl
4.92 from 87 votes

Easy Vegetarian Gravy Recipe

Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 19 minutes
Author: Kare
Yield: 6
Vegetarians and vegans, rejoice! This vegetarian gravy with easy vegan gravy option is exactly what you've been missing on Thanksgiving. It's so easy to whip up a batch. Just keep those saucy carnivorous mitts away from the gravy boat – meat eaters may prefer it over their own.
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Ingredients

  • 5 tablespoons butter*
  • 1/2 cup finely diced yellow onion
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 tablespoon Tamari or soy sauce (optional)
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (+ more to taste**)
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (+ more to taste)

Instructions

  • In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the butter.
  • Add the onion and a pinch of salt. Sweat the onions, stirring occasionally, until tender, 8-10 minutes. If they start to turn brown, turn down the heat – you’re looking for translucent and tender, not golden.
  • Increase heat to medium. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring frequently, for three minutes.
  • Gradually stir in the vegetable broth, Tamari or soy sauce if using, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Continue stirring, over medium heat, until thickened to a gravy consistency, about 3 – 4 minutes.
  • Taste and add more salt and pepper until the vegetarian gravy is to your liking.

Notes

Storage Info

Refrigerator: Store any leftover gravy in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in a small pan over the stove, splashing in more broth to thicken if needed.
Freezer: You can also freeze this gravy, which is so nice for prepping ahead. Let it cool, then transfer to an airtight container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to 1 month. Allow to thaw overnight in the fridge then reheat gently over the stove. Mix it well to allow for any separation and add a splash or two of broth until it’s the thickness you desire.

*Vegan option:

Substitute Earth Balance, Melt, or another vegan butter for the butter. I also like to use half olive oil and half Earth Balance. I don’t recommend 100% olive oil – I’ve tested this vegetarian gravy recipe that way and it just didn’t taste great. One reader reported using coconut oil with success.

Gluten-Free Option:

Readers have reported luck with using 1-to-1 gluten-free flour in place of the all-purpose flour. One reader specifically mentioned Bob’s Red Mill brand. Another reader uses almond flour with success. You’ll also want to use Tamari instead of the soy sauce, which has gluten, or leave that out.

Flavor Variations

    • Herby vegetarian gravy: Add fresh herbs (sage, thyme, parsley, rosemary, or another favorite) with the broth. One reader reports that she uses a whole onion and also adds both sage and thyme and her guests thought it was better than turkey gravy. Another reader reports adding poultry seasoning, which would be perfect to add with the onions to help “awaken” the spices for max flavor.
    • Add nutritional yeast: Some readers have reported adding nutritional yeast for added “umami” flavor. I suggest about a tablespoon.
    • Smoky vegetarian gravy: Add a couple of drops of liquid smoke or 1/4 teaspoon of smoked paprika.
    • Vegetarian gravy with garlic: Finely mince a clove of garlic and add it to the onion in the last minute or to of sauteing. 
    • Vegetarian white gravy: Substitute milk (or unsweetened plant-based milk of your choice, oat would be excellent) for some or all of the broth.

Recipe updates:

11/25/2025: I’ve changed “salt and pepper to taste” to include suggested quantities to start with (1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper). I usually use about 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon salt per batch, but with the variations in saltiness of broth and Tamari/soy sauce, I like to suggest starting out with a smaller amount then adding more until it’s to your liking. 
11/17/2015: I’ve recently started adding a splash of Tamari to the mix, and I really like the additional flavor (and color) it adds! So I thought I’d revise the recipe to include that option.
11/13/2019: I’ve simplified the recipe by changing the instructions a bit. Before, I suggested sautéing the onion then removing them and setting them aside. The removal was to help keep the onions from getting too brown once they were cooked with the flour. I’ve since learned that simply sweating the onions and not letting them brown while cooking them means they don’t overcook during the remainder of the process – so no need for removing them. Much simpler!

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 115kcal, Carbohydrates: 6g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 25mg, Sodium: 252mg, Potassium: 26mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 292IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 6mg, Iron: 1mg

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