Turkey Gravy
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Take your holiday turkey up a notch with this rich turkey gravy, made from flavorful turkey drippings. It not only enhances every dish on your table but can also be prepared in advance, saving you time and stress on the big day!
This is my favorite turkey gravy recipe, and I serve it every year with my Thanksgiving turkey—in fact, it is what makes my Thanksgiving turkey (and it’s just as essential for the stuffing and mashed potatoes!). The recipe is modestly adapted from Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa Family Style cookbook and is quick and easy enough to make while your turkey rests after roasting. If you’d rather get a head start, you can prepare most of it ahead of time and simply stir in the turkey drippings when reheating.
Some recipes call for using giblets or the turkey neck to enrich the gravy, but I skip them. The drippings already provide plenty of flavor, and leaving them out keeps things simple. This is an easy turkey gravy recipe that delivers all the rich, classic Thanksgiving flavor without the fuss.
“Wow! Everyone raved about this gravy! I was thrilled that I could make it a day in advance and just add the drippings when the turkey was done…My son took the recipe home!”
What You’ll Need To Make Turkey Gravy
- Unsalted Butter: Forms the base of the roux and adds richness to the gravy.
- Yellow Onions: Provide a savory depth of flavor and a natural sweetness as they cook down.
- All-Purpose Flour: Thickens the gravy to the perfect silky consistency.
- Defatted Turkey Drippings and Chicken Broth (to make 2½ cups): The liquid base of the gravy, providing a rich, deep flavor and beautiful color. To prepare, collect the juices from the roasting pan into a fat separator while the turkey rests, and pour off the drippings, leaving the fat behind. Since the drippings alone rarely make 2½ cups, top them off with store-bought chicken broth.
- Cognac or Brandy: Adds a subtle depth and complexity.
- Heavy Cream: Makes the gravy smooth, velvety, and just a bit richer.
- Fresh Thyme, Sage, Rosemary, or Parsley): These herbs and that quintessential Thanksgiving flavor and a bit of color.
- Salt and Black Pepper: Essential for balancing the flavors; season the sauce generously to complement the turkey.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by melting the butter in a medium saucepan.
Add the onions.
Cook until very soft, about 15 minutes.
Whisk in the flour and cook for a few minutes to get rid of the raw flour taste.
Whisk in the pan drippings/chicken broth and Cognac and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the cream and fresh herbs.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remember, the gravy should be generously seasoned because turkey is bland. And always taste the gravy with a piece of meat to be sure the seasoning is right.
Make-Ahead Instructions
The gravy can be made, without the turkey drippings, up to 2 days ahead of time and refrigerated in an airtight container. Simply use 2 cups of chicken broth and then add about 1/2 cup defatted turkey drippings after roasting the turkey when you reheat the gravy. Note that the gravy will thicken up in the fridge; thin it to the desired consistency with water or chicken broth upon reheating.
“This was amazing. My family raved and said it was the best gravy they ever had. It was so helpful to make ahead and just reheat. The only problem was that I should have doubled the recipe for the leftover turkey!!”
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Turkey Gravy
Take your holiday turkey up a notch with this rich turkey gravy, made from flavorful turkey drippings. It not only enhances every dish on your table but can also be prepared in advance, saving you time and stress on the big day!
Ingredients
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1½ cups finely chopped yellow onions
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- Defatted turkey drippings plus chicken broth to make 2½ cups
- 1 tablespoon Cognac or Brandy
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs (such as thyme, sage, rosemary or parsley)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook until very soft and translucent, about 15 minutes.
- Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Whisk in the turkey drippings/chicken broth and Cognac and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cream and fresh herbs and season to taste with salt and pepper. (Gravy should be generously seasoned because turkey is pretty bland; I usually add at least ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper, but it depends on how salty your broth and drippings are.) Transfer the gravy to a gravy boat and serve.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: The gravy can be made, without the turkey drippings, up to 2 days ahead of time and refrigerated. Use 2 cups of chicken broth and add about ½ cup defatted turkey drippings after cooking the turkey when you reheat the gravy. Note that the gravy will thicken up in the fridge; thin it to the desired consistency with water or chicken broth upon reheating.
Nutrition Information
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- Serving size: 1/3 cup
- Calories: 143
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated fat: 7 g
- Carbohydrates: 7 g
- Sugar: 2 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Sodium: 357 g
- Cholesterol: 31 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I don’t want to add a extension to my browser. Please make it easier even if that means you don’t make as much from the extension app.
What is the purpose for forcing an app I do not need or want? Looking out for users of your site?
Hi, I’m not sure what you’re referring to as I don’t require an extension. Can you clarify?
Still using and enjoying your turkey gravy recipe for years! Others too. I usually cook my turkeys in the Big Easy with Cajun seasonings and save the drippings for the gravy. If I cook more than one turkey I’ll vacuum seal and freeze the gravy. Thanks for your recipes and have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Amazing. 14 yrs looking for a good gravy and this was so simple and so delicious. It was POURING rain here all day but my sweet hubby drove out to buy brandy so I could follow recipe precisely. So glad he did! Jenn, this is that “where have you been all my life?” recipe for gravy! It totally makes the turkey .. and potatoes ….and sides come alive! Thank you!
I’m very confused about making the gravy ahead of time. Do you mix everything except the turkey drippings, together and refrigerate? Then when you go to make the gravy, you war it up in your pot and add 1/2 cup of drippings? Thank you so much and Happy Thanksgiving!
Yep that’s what I do. Enjoy!
This turkey gravy is absolutely delicious and super easy. Over the years I have tried multiple recipes with no luck. Jenn’s additional instructions on how to make it a couple days ahead and just add the turkey drippings right before you serve is so very helpful when you are hosting Thanksgiving. Thank you again for another fail-proof and absolutely delicious recipe!
How much salt roughly? Kosher or table? Thank you!
I usually add at least 1/2 teaspoon (table/regular) salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, but it depends on how salty your broth and drippings are.
Help! We don’t drink alcohol….is there a substitute for the brandy?
Hi Connie, It’s fine to leave it out. If it needs a little something, a bit of lemon juice will work.
Dear Jenn,
If I double the recipe, how do I make sure I have enough turkey drippings? I don’t want my gravy to be diluted. Thanks- Bonnie
Hi Bonnie, if you double the recipe there’s not a whole lot you can do about the turkey drippings, you’ll just need to use more broth. (It will still be good!)
I typically make my own gravy every year, but came across this recipe and thought it would be nice to try something different. I always use corn starch as a thickener, can I sub this instead of the flour? It also needs to be GF and I’m not a fan of the GF flours.
LOVE your recipes, I’ve impressed my guests with them many times. Thank you!!!
Hi Tammy, so glad you like the recipes! I’ve never made this with cornstarch but I think it can work. You’ll need significantly less than the flour and I’d make a cornstarch/water slurry and add it at the end. Hope that helps and that you enjoy!
Can I make this a week ahead and freeze?
Sure, I think that should work. 🙂
Hi Jen,
Is it okay to use turkey stock instead of chicken broth?
Can’t wait to make the gravy at Thanksgiving. Glad to have found a no fuss recipe. Thanks for sharing. Your recipes are delicious and easy to follow.
Sure (and glad you like the recipes)!