The BEST Turkey Gravy recipe to complete your turkey feast! For your turkey, veggies, mashed potatoes and everything in between!
Plus, my cheeky tip for how to darken gravy to make it a beautiful deep brown colour, as well as how to make gluten-free gravy. This turkey gravy recipe is for oven roasted turkey OR slow cooker turkey!
Turkey gravy recipe
When it comes to turkey, there are those in the Cranberry Sauce camp, and those in the gravy camp. Me – I’ve got a foot in both camps.
There’s nothing quite like the combination of turkey with sweet-tart cranberry sauce. But on the other hand, gravy and I are very good friends. You’d be hard pressed to find a roast on this site that doesn’t come with a gravy recipe!!
I have a regular “formula” I use for all my gravies which I also apply to turkey gravy:
How to make Turkey Gravy
Use 1.5 tbsp pan drippings or butter plus 1.5 tbsp flour for every 1 cup of broth/stock. Simmer until thickened, season to taste. Strain if required then serve.
Oven Roasted VS Slow Cooker
The best way to make turkey gravy depends on how you cooked your turkey.
Roasted turkey will have pan drippings which provides the flavour base for the turkey gravy. This method requires broth/stock to make gravy; and
Slow cooker turkey does not have pan drippings. Instead, the juices left in the slow cooker after cooking the turkey is used as the stock/broth for the gravy. Here are slow cooker turkey recipes I’ve shared: Classic Juicy Slow Cooker Turkey Breast and Slow Cooker Garlic Herb Turkey Breast.
1. Turkey gravy recipe – for OVEN ROASTED Turkey
This is how I make gravy for roasted turkey. I almost always place garlic and onion in the base of the pan as this adds terrific extra flavour to the turkey gravy. I also usually include a bunch of herbs – whatever I’m using in the turkey also goes in the pan.
Next, it’s important to add some kind of liquid into the pan, otherwise you’ll end up with a burnt mess under the turkey. I use 1.5 to 2 cups of white wine or water. I do not use chicken or turkey broth because I use broth later when making the gravy. If you use it both in the pan and when making the gravy, the savoury flavour of the gravy is too concentrated.
Proceed to roast the turkey per the recipe. Once cooked, remove the turkey and the liquid and fat left in the pan is the flavour base for the gravy – this is called drippings.
I make the gravy in the roasting pan as this ensures that none of the flavour from the drippings is wasted. It’s ideal to use a double burner but even a single burner stove is fine (which is what I use in the recipe video).
We only need 2 to 3 tablespoons of fat from the pan drippings to make gravy. With fattier cuts of meat, like roast lamb and pork, you usually need to scoop off excess fat from the drippings otherwise the gravy is too greasy. You don’t need to do this with turkey because it’s not as fatty.
Leave the onion and garlic in the pan, we’re going to extract all the flavour out of it later when we strain the gravy.
Add flour and mix, then add chicken or turkey broth. Simmer to thicken, season to taste with pepper.
Once the gravy has thickened to your taste – remember that it will thicken as it cools – strain it into a bowl then pour into a jug for serving. Tip: Keep it warm in a thermos or similar! Saves having to reheat and also prevents skin forming on top.
How to make gluten free gravy
To make gravy gluten free, skip the flour and add a cornflour / cornstarch slurry. Use:
- 2 tsp of cornflour mixed with 2 tsp water for every 1 tbsp of flour called for in a gravy recipe; or
- 2 tsp of cornflour mixed with 2 tsp water for every 1 cup of liquid used in a gravy;
Add the cornflour slurry into the liquid then simmer until thickened to taste.
2. Turkey Gravy recipe – for SLOW COOKER turkey
Here are slow cooker turkey recipes I’ve shared: Classic Juicy Slow Cooker Turkey Breast and Slow Cooker Garlic Herb Turkey Breast.
The steps depicted above for making gravy using pan drippings is the classic way to make gravy. Making gravy for slow cooker turkey is different because we do not have a pan of browned pan drippings to use as the starting point.
Instead, I either skim fat off the strained slow cooker liquids OR use butter as the starting point (if there’s not enough fat in the liquids).
Then mix in flour and use the slow cooker juices as the broth for the gravy.
How to darken gravy
Because we don’t get caramelisation in slow cookers, Slow Cooker turkey gravy is pale unless you use a gravy darkener of some sort. The taste is great, it’s just a visual thing that bothers some people (like me!).
You can buy gravy darkeners, but my cheeky tip to darken gravy as well as add seasoning is to use dark soy sauce. I know what you’re thinking – “that’s so Asian!!” 😂 And sure, I thought of this because I know Asian condiments well.
But it’s 100% effective. It darkens the gravy as well as seasons it but it does not make it taste Asiany! Soy sauce nowadays is used as a means to add salt and flavour into many non-Asian recipes. It’s a better version of salt because it has more umami (savouriness) than salt.
Try it – you’ll be converted for life!
Alternative: Worcestershire sauce can also be used but approach with caution because the flavour can overwhelm. You won’t achieve the same dark brown colour (or if you do, the gravy flavour will be dominated by Worcestershire sauce).
Here’s a comparison of the two gravies. On the left is the gravy for Juicy Roast Turkey made using the pan drippings. A natural deep brown colour.
And on the right is the gravy from the Slow Cooker Garlic Herb Turkey Breast I shared recently.
Both are delicious!
While the two methods are different, both yield an intensely savoury, can’t-stop-mopping-it-up delicious gravy that you’ll want to pour over everything!
Enjoy! – Nagi x
PS All my turkey recipes come with a gravy recipe, but in case you’re wanting to browse, here’s a list of them. 🙂
TURKEY RECIPES
- Juicy Roast Turkey: the most practical way to brine a whole turkey AND you can do it while it’s still defrosting
- GARLIC HERB Butter Slow Cooker Turkey Breast – the bursting with garlic herb flavours!
- Garlic Herb Butter ROAST Turkey Breast – the oven roasted version of the above
- Classic JUICY Slow Cooker Turkey Breast – the original, a huge reader favourite!
- One Pan Cajun Roast Turkey Breast and Dressing: Epic reader recipe! Cajun rubbed turkey baked in the same pan as a fabulous sausage dressing (stuffing).
Turkey Gravy recipe
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Video tutorial for how to make turkey gravy for ROASTED Turkey (see below for SLOW COOKER turkey):
Video tutorial for how to make turkey gravy for SLOW COOKER Turkey:
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Turkey Gravy – for ROASTED Turkey
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp drippings in turkey roasting pan (Note 2)
- 6 tbsp flour , plain / all purpose
- 4 cups chicken broth / stock , low sodium
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Place the roasting pan on the stove over medium heat. Single burner is fine, but ideal if it fits across two. Leave garlic, onion etc and other flavourings things in the pan (Note 1)
- When it starts sizzling/bubbling, add flour. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Gradually pour the liquid in, mixing constantly. Once it’s all in, it should be lump free. If not, use a whisk – whisk around the onion etc.
- Simmer until it thickens to taste – gravy will thicken more as it cools. Adjust salt and pepper to taste right at the end.
- Strain into a bowl, pressing the juices out of the onion, garlic etc. then discard them.
- Pour gravy into jug and serve with turkey. Tip: To keep gravy warm, store in a thermos!
Recipe Notes:
– Gravy is a pale colour: means the drippings weren’t caramelised enough. Add a touch of dark soy sauce or a very small amount of Worcestershire sauce.
– Too salty: Can happen if pan drippings were excessively salty (ie too much salt used in roast turkey recipe), if you use full salt broth instead of low sodium etc. To fix, melt 1.5 tbsp / 20g unsalted butter (or even oil), mix in 1.5 tbsp flour, cook 1 min, add 1 cup water. Mix until lump free, then add into gravy. Note: If you use my Juicy Roast Turkey recipe, the gravy will not be too salty!
– Too thin: cook more to reduce down to thicken.
– Too thick: Add water.
– My rules of thumb:
1.5 tbsp flour per 1 cup liquid
3 tbsp flour per 2 cups of liquid
4 tbsp = 2.5 cups liquid
5 tbsp = 4 cups liquid 5. Storage – gravy will keep for 5 days in the fridge or freezer for 3 months. It firms up like jelly, but will thin about when reheated.
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Turkey Gravy for SLOW COOKER Turkey
Ingredients
Broth for Gravy:
- All juices from slow cooker
- Turkey or chicken broth/stock – for topping up (low sodium),
Gravy:
- 2 cups Broth for Gravy
- 50g / 4 tbsp unsalted butter OR skim fat off surface of slow cooker juices (Note 1)
- 1/4 cup flour , plain/all purpose
- 1/4 tsp dark soy sauce or store bought gravy colouring (Note 1)
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
Broth for Gravy:
- Strain all the juices from the slow cooker into a bowl. If you have less than 2 cups (500ml), top up with store bought broth (chicken or turkey). I have never had to do this.
- If you have more, use all the slow cooker juices (just needs to reduce longer to thicken).
Turkey Gravy:
- Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook for 1 minute.
- Slow add broth, stirring constantly. Mix until lump free – switch to whisk if required.
- Simmer for a few minutes until it thickens to desired consistency.
- Add dark soy sauce (or gravy darkener) to achieve desired colour without affecting taste. Start with the amount per ingredients, then add more if you want to darken.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour into jug and serve. TIP: Keep gravy warm in a thermos until required.
Recipe Notes:
LIFE OF DOZER
This is how I typed up this post….
I made this gravy today with the drippings from the roasted turkey. I followed the recipe exactly and it was perfect! So delicious! Thank you!
Looking forward to trying this! Just wondering, is there an advantage to using soy sauce over gravy browning? Or….is gravy browning just a British thing?!
I think soy is the Asian version of that! N x
Just fed the family Christmas dinner and the Turkey turned out PERFECT! Your recipes have been my saviour this year and have blessed us for the year ahead. I made your homemade cranberry sauce and your stuffing recipe alongside the Turkey and it’s been the best Christmas dinner yet!
Maybe you’ve already answered this dilemma, but do you have a recipe for those of us with husbands who insist on grilling/smoking or deep frying the turkey? No drippings or broth or anything. 🙁
Vonda, save out the neck, wing tips and even the tail. Roast these in a hot oven with some onion, celery and carrot till dark brown. Move the pan to the stove top and add broth or water and stir up browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let this simmer with more broth or water and you’ll get a nice flavorful base for your gravy.
I don’t just yet Vonda! Feel free to pop it on my recipe request page though!
I never made gravy this way. But aren’t you suppose to separate the drippings from the oil. Then make the roux with specific amount of oil (depending how much gravy you want to make)?
You can do it that way – this way is much easier though ☺️
I LOVED the recipe. I made the roast turkey, potatoes and gravy for christmas. They turned out perfect.
Hi Nagi I’m new to your site and very anxious to try your recipes. I became interested while looking for a soft oatmeal raisin cookie recipe and your was by far the most interesting, I love the idea of soaking the raisin, one question is can I increase the amount of butter, my gùy loves them extra buttery, and 2nd question is about your Turkey gravy we love to deep fry ours but the down side is no gravy, any suggestionwould be great! I love to read everyone comments and I cant wait to try a few recipes. Thanks and happy cooking, Wendy
Hi Nagi, Somehow I was taken off your e-mail list and so miss getting your weekly recipes. Please reinstate me. Thanks, Arleen Carramusa p.s. Love to
Dozer
Hi Arleen! That doesnt sound right, they aren’t hitting your spam folder are they?
I love your new format Nagi!
But, I’m an avid fan of yours and look forward to your e-mails each week! Continue with your great adventures and stories. But, most of all continue your great work with your recipes! Hugs to both you and Dozer!! Merry Christmas Nagi and may God Bless you and your family this upcoming year!! Love from Canada! Marty
What a lovely thing to read Marty! Wishing you a very happy holidays in Canada! ❤️
OMG. Just OMG. This gravy recipe was phenomenal! I was so nervous about putting so much garlic in there (two heads!) but it was just right for my 14.5 Ibs turkey. I don’t even think I needed to add salt or pepper; it tasted great with just the garlic, onion, herbs, and juices. This will be my turkey gravy recipe from now on. Thank you, Nagi!
That’s so great to hear Cynthia! Thanks for sharing your feedback – N x
Ugh…I just realized i don’t have any broth!!! What to do ??!
Do you have boullion cubes or stock powder??? If so, use that with hot water (ratios on the packet). If you have wine, add 1 cup into the heat pan drippings and simmer until mostly evaporated, then proceed with recipe using just water in place of broth. Use white if you have it, OR red. If you don’t have wine either, make this with just water! Add salt for flavour and a small dash of Worcestershire sauce. It will still be tasty 🙂
Nagi,
I loved your tip about keeping the finished gravy in a thermos. This was the best idea. After the Thanksgiving feast, I just poured out what was left in the second thermos (I made a double batch), and it was still quite warm. And no skim on top! It is a snap to refill the gravy boat with fresh hot gravy this way–no more running back to the stove or barely tolerating cooling gravy.
I hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful.
Suzy
my mouth is watering, looking at these recipes, thanks for thinking of us here in USA, Dozer looks adorable
You’re so welcome Ellen! It’s a pleasure making recipes to celebrate holidays from all over! 🙂 N x
You have the very best photos of food on the web!
I follow a few other cooks who have some great recipes,
but, their photos are lacking and could REALLY use your touch.
Thank you for such fabulous recipes Nagi, I cannot wait to make this gravy for the big day!!!!!!
Thank you Christina! I’m very flattered. Happy Thanksgiving to you!! N xx
Love your recipes ! Very easy to follow. Dozer is so sweet and looks as spoiled as my rescue ! Lol
Thank you and look forward to your emails.
Aww he/she’s so lucky to have you!! In all honesty I tried to adopt a Goldie and I got rejected by the rescue organisation!!
What a beautiful, thorough guide to making turkey gravy! We have people in our family who seem to love it more than the turkey or mashed potatoes they’re pouring it over… I love that you’ve given many specifics, but left room for everyone to make it their own.
Umm…. you can add me to that list! 😂 Thank you for the compliment Marissa! N x
I make my gravy identically to yours – have always used and love the flavour that the soy sauce adds. The only difference is that I make mine ahead ( a day or two) and then add the pan drippings when I warm the gravy up to serve. It saves some time when everything is coming together at once.
Dozer is such a sweet boy, he just needs a little more attention…..
That’s a great tip Fran! I should add that into the notes! N x
Should you include a warning about saltiness? IE, broth and any browning products are very salty, one needs to be wary of this when seasoning with salt. It’s a pretty well-known fact, I’d hate to see gravy newbies ruin a perfect gravy not knowing how very salty the ingredients, combined, will be, even using low/reduced salt items. Roux on! 😉
I even added my tip for what to do if it’s too salty 🙂 N x
That’s a great point Holly, thanks! I’ll add it!