How to Make the Best Turkey Gravy
This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our privacy policy for details.
This is simply the most perfect gravy for your Thanksgiving turkey using pan drippings! So rich, so smooth and so easy!
Featured Comment
I promised you a gravy recipe, didn’t I? I always keep my promises. Plus, this isn’t just any ordinary turkey gravy recipe.
Nope. This is the world’s easiest, quickest, less-than-2o-minute recipe conveniently using the pan drippings from your foolproof turkey.
Which means, hello, this is also a foolproof gravy!
You just can’t go wrong here. All you have to do is strain your pan drippings and combine it with some butter, flour and fresh herbs.
Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and boom. You’re done.
Ingredients
Pan drippings
Using pan drippings from your bird is key here! It will add so much flavor to your gravy.
Chicken or turkey stock
Good quality chicken or turkey stock is highly recommended if you do not have (or have enough) pan drippings.
Unsalted butter
This will help create the roux – the combination of flour and fat (butter) – which is the foundation of a lovely gravy.
Flour
All-purpose is best but gluten-free flour can also be substituted in a 1:1 ratio.
Thyme
Herbs – dried or fresh – are great to add flavor. Add as much or as little as desired. Rosemary, sage and oregano can also be added here.
Salt and pepper
Season to taste as your pan drippings will already be seasoned quite a bit.
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR SUCCESS
- Pan drippings. Gravy can be made with or without pan drippings, but we highly recommend using pan drippings for optimal flavor.
- Use good quality stock. If you do not have enough pan drippings from your turkey, you can use chicken or turkey stock to make up for the difference but your gravy is as good as your stock. Use homemade or good quality stock, if using.
- Whisk constantly. Whisking constantly is key here for lump-free gravy.
Tools For This Recipe
Saucepan
How to Make the Best Turkey Gravy: Frequently Asked Questions
You can use all of the pan drippings from the easiest Thanksgiving turkey recipe.
Unsalted butter allows you to add as much salt (or as little) salt in your dish. It allows for more control and consistency.
You can replace unsalted butter with salted butter in a pinch, reducing the amount of salt indicated in the recipe, and adding to taste.
Absolutely! But because dried herbs are often more potent/concentrated than fresh herbs, you need less when using dry. The correct ratio is 1 tablespoon fresh herbs to 1 teaspoon dried herbs.
Yes! You can follow the recipe below, substituting chicken or turkey stock for the pan drippings, and adding in minced garlic, diced shallots and additional seasonings (ex. sage, rosemary and poultry seasoning), to taste.
Gravy freezes very well (or at least this one does)! Once cooled completely, you can freeze the leftover gravy in individual freezer bags (or ice cube trays), thaw overnight, and reheat on the stovetop. (Gravy recipes with milk or cream will not freeze well as it will tend to separate when frozen.)
How to Make the Best Turkey Gravy
Ingredients
- Pan drippings from Easy Thanksgiving Turkey
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Equipment
Instructions
- Strain pan drippings through a fine-mesh sieve; discard solids and reserve 2 1/2 cups pan drippings; set aside.
- Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and thyme until lightly browned, about 1 minute.
- Gradually whisk in reserved pan drippings. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 5-10 minutes. Stir in parsley; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve warm.
Video
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @damn_delicious on Instagram and hashtag it #damndelicious!
First time ever making gravy of any type. Made it for Thanksgiving for 13 people. Not only was it extremely easy, but it tasted GREAT. Everyone loved it. I had just enough juice to make a double batch. Definitely keeping this in my wheelhouse. Thank you for posting this.
This turned out the best Turkey gravy I’ve ever eaten. We spatchcock our turkey. I don’t know if that makes a difference in the amount of drippings we get, but we get nowhere near two cups. I ended up making a broth with the giblets and the back my husband pulled out. We cooked those down to about two cups, then added our drippings and followed the rest of the recipe. It. Was. Amazing. 10/10 will use this again!
Will there be enough liquid for gravy with a
10lb turkey breast? How long do you think it will take to get to 165?
We discovered last minute that no one had been assigned gravy. We did not have fresh thyme or even dried thyme, but the result was still the best turkey gravy I have ever had! I feel like if your name is on the recipe it is a sure bet. Thank you for sharing another great recipe
Excellent !!
Delicious!
Google
I used your recipe for this year’s Thanksgiving dinner. Everyone loved it. The wives even asked me to email the recipe’s URL to them.
Thank you for this simple but yet delicious recipe
Your recipe just made my Thanksgiving a lot happier. How something so delicious be so easy to make? Thank you! Now if I could just master a non-lumpy roux.
Non-lumpy roux=sift your flower and whisk whisk whisk. Also, pull your pot off the heat while you whisk in your flower if it seems too hot. I got a simple flower sifter from the Dollar Tree.
I have always delegated the responsibility of making the gravy to others because I was intimidated. This year, I had to make it myself, and I’m so glad I found this recipe! It came out perfectly and was delicious!
Thanks! Easy and delicious.
Just made it I added a couple of fat pinches of bell’s seasoning for extra measure! Fantastic!!!!
I have so many gluten free family members. Can I substitute cornstarch for the flour? If so, how much do I use? So excited to try this! My daughter in law says you cannot go wrong with your recipe!
You can try almond flour for the roux. Have not tried myself but I have seen several keto based recipes that call for the substitution of almond for wheat flour. You can also use your cooked turkey veg (carrots, celery, onion) and puree with a food processor. Add to gravy to thicken, no need for roux. Good luck and happy holidays!
Yes I make GF. GF all purpose flour is best. You could gradually add a cornstarch slurry but sometimes you get a pasty taste.
This is late info, but you can use ground arrowroot to substitute for flour or cornstarch. It’s gluten free! I prefer it over cornstarch or masa when called for in sauces, chili, etc. I find that when using masa especially, that a flavor is introduced that changes the flavor profile to something less desirable, IMHO. I also use arrowroot when I either don’t have time or don’t feel like making a roux with flour.
Wondra is a great substitute, some places sell the double 0 flour which also works great.
Wow!! This is amazing!! Thank you for sharing!!
You can try almond flour for the roux. Have not tried myself but I have seen several keto based recipes that call for the substitution of almond for wheat flour. You can also use your cooked turkey veg (carrots, celery, onion) and puree with a food processor. Add to gravy to thicken, no need for roux. Good luck and happy holidays!
Made this last year and it was delicious! I have never been good at making gravy but this recipe will be my forever go-to. Super easy and very tasty! Thank you!
Delicious, quick and easy!
Omg simple yet DELICIOUS!! Was perfect for what I needed yields 3 cups and that’s what made me try it and will always remember and use it!!
Do you have a video on this one??
Plan to make this for Thanksgiving. Sounds terrific & most impressive reviews.
QUESTION…..Can you make ahead & refrigerate?
I’m late, but in case you’d like to know for next year, you can definitely make this ahead of time and refrigerate it(I did). Just make sure to let it fully cool before refrigerating and reheat it very slowly on the stovetop while stirring frequently.
I don’t get that much of drippings. But, I do the same and add water or turkey broth now
I make turkey broth by simmering the gizzard in water for 2 hours or while cooking turkey. I use this broth to make the gravy.
Can I use dried herbs instead of fresh?
You can but the general rule of thumb is to use HALF the amount if you’re using dried herbs since the flavor is much stronger than fresh. So (obviously) if the recipe calls for 2 tsp fresh, use 1 tsp dried.
how do you manage to get 2 and 1\2 cups of dripping I never even have a cup with a 20 lb turkey
Did you put any water in the bottom of the pan? You must have the driest turkeys in the world! Lol
it depends on how you make your Turkey. I use Oilless fryer and the turkey is super jucy. I get about a cup maybe slightly more of drippings. Not everyone bakes it in the oven
You are so incredibly rude.
This recipe calls for using their turkey recipe which calls for 1/2 cup of butter plus 2 cups of liquid added to the roasting pan. I was surprised to see the 2 cups of drippings also but that would come from the added liquid. It doesn’t mention anything about removing any of the fat either. Maybe Steve knows