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This Vegan Mushroom Gravy is made with hearty cremini mushrooms, fresh herbs and thickened with a fool-proof roux. You won’t be able to resist drizzling this buttery smooth gravy on everything. Vegan, Nut-Free, Soy-Free, Gluten-Free option.
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The flavor in this velvety Vegan Mushroom Gravy will absolutely wow your dinner guests this holiday season! It’s chalked full of good-for-you mushrooms, allowing you to get an additional serving of veggies in without compromising flavor.
For All Your Drizzling Needs
It wouldn’t be the holidays without a delicious vegan gravy to smother your mashed potatoes and vegan roast with! Most of the gravy recipes we’re familiar with today have origins tied back to 17th century French cuisine and are derived from the French word “gravé”. Since, variations of gravy have been made across nations, but mushroom gravy is most popular in North America around holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Ingredients for Vegan Mushroom Gravy
Making vegan gravy from scratch couldn’t be simpler. All you need is 10 ingredients (many of which I bet are in your kitchen right now) and 1 pan. It’s both quick prep and quick clean up – ideal for fuss-free holidays and seasonal dinner parties.
Plus, what most people love about traditional gravy is it’s bursting with savory, umami flavor. By using a combination of ingredients like fresh cremini mushrooms, herbs, vegan butter and tamari, we can achieve a similar umami-packed gravy that is 100% plant-based.
How to Make Vegan Mushroom Gravy
- Sauté the shallots for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally until fragrant.
- Add the vegan butter and mushrooms to the pan, and coat evenly. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring infrequently.
- Mix in the herbs and spices and sauté for an additional two minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and mix well to combine.
- Add vegetable broth and water to the pan and bring to a boil. Simmer until reduced and thickened, stirring occasionally.
- Season and serve warm as desired.
Caitlin’s Cooking Tips
- Use a large pan vs. pot: A large pan will give you increased surface area, making it easier to cook the mushrooms evenly and speed up the cook time for the gravy.
- Different mushroom types have different flavors: I used cremini because they have more flavor than white button mushrooms and are budget friendly. Feel free to use a mix of different kinds of mushrooms for an even stronger depth of flavor.
- Use freshly cracked black pepper: Once I started incorporating fresh black pepper, I never went back. The flavor comparison is unparalleled.
- Grate the shallot as finely as possible! This will make the gravy extra smooth and velvety in texture.
Serving Suggestions
Just like with my Tahini Gravy recipe, this mushroom gravy pairs well with just about any holiday recipe. Here’s a few of my top favorites:
- Homemade Vegan Holiday Roast
- Vegan Stuffed Acorn Squash with Mushrooms
- Portobello Mushroom Steaks
- Vegan Lentil Loaf
- Crispy Romesco Smashed Potatoes
- Vegan Stovetop Stuffing
Additionally, if you’re looking for more Vegan Thanksgiving recipes, you’ll also love this Vegan Shepherd’s Pie and this Healthy Cranberry Sauce!
How to Store Mushroom Gravy
Homemade mushroom gravy will last for up to 5 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer, when stored in an airtight container.
To reheat, warm the gravy through on the stovetop or in a microwave safe bowl, stirring occasionally as needed.
Substitutions & Variations
- Low-sodium tamari can be swapped 1:1 for low-sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos.
- Olive oil can be substituted with vegan butter, or vice-versa. Or, use another oil like avocado oil, vegetable oil or refined coconut oil.
- Low-sodium vegetable broth can be substituted with vegan chicken broth or vegan beef broth. Note that vegan chicken broth and vegan beef broth are significantly more salty, so additional salt to taste may not be needed.
- Cremini mushrooms are my mushroom of choice, but a blend of any brown mushrooms like chopped portobello, shiitake, and porcini mushrooms will all work well, too.
Recipe FAQs
Gravy is traditionally made from pan drippings made from cooking turkey or other meats and is thickened with flour and butter into a pourable sauce. Therefore, traditional gravy is neither vegetarian or vegan-friendly.
Yes! Omit the flour from this recipe and follow the instructions as written until step 4. Then, dissolve 1 tablespoon of cornstarch or arrowroot starch powder with 2 tablespoons of water and add to the gravy in the final 10 minutes of simmering.
I have not tested an oil-free version of this gravy, but try my oil-free tahini gravy!
Enjoy! If you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I would also love it if you could leave a comment below with a recipe rating! Thank you for the support 😊
Vegan Mushroom Gravy
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 shallot finely grated
- 2 tbsp salted vegan butter or sub more oil
- 16 ounces cremini mushrooms
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1/2 tsp black pepper plus more to taste
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp low-sodium tamari
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
- 2 cup water
- salt, to taste
Instructions
- Aromatics: Warm the oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add the shallot and sauté for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Cook the Mushrooms: Add the butter to the pan, then add the mushrooms once it’s melted. Stir the mushrooms so they are all evenly coated in butter, then let sit for ~1 minute before stirring again; this encourages browning and gives more depth of flavor. Repeat this process 3 to 4 more times, until the mushrooms have shrunk in size.
- Herbs & Spices: add the thyme, black pepper, smoked paprika, and tamari to the pan. Mix well and sauté for 2 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and mix well until evenly distributed.
- Make the Gravy: Add the vegetable broth and water to the pan and mix well. Increase the heat to high and bring the gravy to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the gravy has reduced and thickened.
- Serve: season with additional black pepper and salt, if necessary. Serve warm, as desired. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Recipe Notes
- Olive oil can be subbed for all butter, or vice-versa
- Gluten-Free: omit the flour from this recipe, but follow the remaining instructions as written until step 4. Dissolve 1 tablespoon of cornstarch or arrowroot powder in 2 tablespoons of water and add to the gravy in the final 10 minutes of simmering. Mix well; if the gravy is too thin for your liking, dissolve and add additional cornstarch to the gravy in 1 teaspoon increments.
This gravy looks delicious and I will definitely be trying it! Seems like the flour might work better than some other recipes I’ve tried with corn starch that get sort of gelatinous, especially as a leftover.
Maybe an odd question but I wasn’t finding it anywhere obvious on your blog or YouTube channel, but what plug in burner do you use in your videos? I’ve been looking to get one and wanted to see what some of my favorite food blogs use!
Thank you, I hope you enjoy the gravy!
I use this burner, but I have it in white https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RPPKD6Y/ref=cm_sw_r_as_gl_undefined?linkCode=ml1&tag=frommybowl-20&th=1
Excellent. Made it for Thanksgiving and all of the non-vegan family members raved over it and chose it over the traditional gravy!
We love hearing that! Thank you, Michael.
So delicious! Made this tonight and served over homemade mashed potatoes. Definitely a keeper–my husband is still talking about it hours later 🤎
That’s great, Donia! We’re happy you and your husband loved the recipe!
Yummy!
Thank you
You’re welcome, Suzie!
Thanks for the recipe, I make a gravy that’s practically identical except I don’t use smoked paprika. Will definitely try this now. I also add nutritional yeast for that nutty flavour (and B vitamins of course 😄)
You are so welcome, Gerry!