Vegan Gravy (with a Mushroom-Free Option!)
A flavorful vegan gravy made with mushrooms, shallots, garlic, nutritional yeast, soy sauce, flour and vegetable broth. This rich and creamy sauce is perfect served over potatoes and vegan holiday dishes. I also included mushroom-free and blender-free options.
Servings 6
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter
- 2 medium shallots, finely diced
- 2 medium garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 1 cup cremini mushrooms, sliced (see notes)
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour or corn starch
- 3 cups vegetable broth (see notes)
- 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Prepare all your ingredients. Heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the garlic and shallots. Cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the mushrooms and cook for 5-10 minutes or until the liquid released from the mushrooms has evaporated.
- Stir in the flour and let it brown for 1 minute, then add 1 cup of broth to deglaze and whisk until smooth. Scrape the bottom to remove any brown bits. Add the remaining broth plus the soy sauce and nutritional yeast.
- Bring the gravy to a low boil, then let it simmer over low-medium heat for 10-15 minutes until it reaches your desired consistency. Make sure to whisk the gravy every few minutes to prevent lumps from forming. If the gravy is too thick, add more broth. If it doesn't get thick enough to your liking, whisk 1-2 more tablespoons of flour with a small amount of water in a bowl, then add it to the gravy. Don't add more flour directly in the gravy or lumps will form.
- Serve the gravy as is or blend it until smooth. You can use a blender or an immersion blender. Serve immediately with mashed potatoes, vegan "meat" alternatives, tofu and more. Store leftovers in the fridge, covered.
Notes
Love mushrooms? You can add more! I would recommend going to 2-3 cups if you want a chunky mushroom gravy.
Don't like mushrooms? Skip the mushrooms, shallots and garlic. Just heat the butter, then stir in the flour and 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder. Add your broth gradually while whisking. It should be creamy. Add the soy sauce, nutritional yeast and salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10-15 minutes. There's no need to blend!
I used regular vegetable broth and find it salty enough with the soy sauce. If you use low-sodium broth, you will likely need more salt. You can also use mushroom broth for extra mushroom flavor.
You can make this gravy ahead of time and heat it over medium heat until warm when ready. It stays smooth and creamy when using flour. BUT use less flour (3 tablespoons- 1/4 cup, no more). I wouldn't recommend preparing it in advance with corn starch or with the amount of flour indicated in the recipe. It forms a "gel" once cold. It's still good once warm, but it doesn't look as good.