You will want to pour this vegan mushroom gravy on everything! Made with portobello mushrooms and red wine, it is rich and deep in flavor. Gluten-free adaptable for a delicious and inclusive choice for holiday dinners.
This post was originally published on 11/4/2016.
Look no further for a perfect vegan gravy for the holidays! This rich mushroom gravy recipe is luscious with its bold flavors and silky texture.
It uses dry red wine and the perfect blend of festive spices and aromatics to create a taste everyone will love- even if they aren’t vegan! Plus, you can easily adjust this recipe to make it gluten free so no one is left out this holiday season.
This mushroom gravy pairs so well with everything! You’ll love adding this to your mashed potatoes, vegan meatloaf, and Thanksgiving stuffing.
You're going to love it!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Best yet, this gravy is super quick to make! It can be made in just about 10 minutes with only a handful of easy-to-find ingredients.
Here is everything you need.
Ingredient Notes
- Mushrooms – I like to use portobello mushrooms for this recipe as they are bold and rich in flavor. However, any type of mushroom will work.
- Flour – For a gluten free option, replace the flour with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch.
- Dry Red Wine - I recommend using either a cabernet sauvignon or pinot noir. Sherry can work too but will change the flavor slightly. You can also omit the wine and replace it with an additional ½ cup of vegetable broth.
- Sage - You can either use dried or fresh. If using fresh, replace with 2 teaspoons.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step One - Sauté the Onions and Garlic
In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic to the skillet and sauté for about 2 to 3 minutes until the onions are translucent and fragrant. Keep stirring to make sure you don’t burn the garlic.
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When the onions are fragrant, stir in the flour or cornstarch. Continue to cook for about 2 minutes while stirring constantly. They will stick to the bottom and burn if you don’t keep stirring. As they cook, they will get thick.
Pro Tip: Make sure the onions are fully coated in the flour mixture to ensure that your gravy will thicken properly.
Step Two - Add Remaining Ingredients
After about two minutes of stirring the flour, you should have a very thick mixture of onions and garlic.
Add in the mushrooms, vegetable broth, red wine, and spices. Stir it all together and bring the ingredients to a boil. Once the boiling starts, stir it constantly for about 5 to 7 minutes or until the gravy has started to thicken.
Taste test the gravy and add more salt or pepper if needed. If the gravy is too thick, you can add in a small amount of vegetable stock, about a tablespoon at a time, to loosen it a bit.
If you like a smooth gravy, use an immersion blender or food processor to smooth it out. Otherwise, serve hot over your favorite veggies, rolls, or other entrees!
Serving and Storing
Serving - Serve this gravy immediately. You can serve mushroom gravy with lots of different savory dishes. It goes great over rolls or biscuits. You can serve it with roasted butternut squash, roasted veggies, or mashed cauliflower.
Storing - This gravy is best served hot and fresh, but you can also make it ahead of time or store leftovers. To do this, I recommend allowing it to cool completely and then place the gravy in an airtight container. You can store the gravy for about 1 to 2 days in the refrigerator. You could also freeze the gravy for up to 6 months. Place the gravy in a freezer safe container and leave a little bit of room at the top so it can expand some when frozen. When you are ready to serve it, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight.
Reheating - To reheat, you can either place the gravy in the microwave for about 1 to 2 minutes or until hot. Or you can reheat it on the stovetop over low heat. If the gravy is too thick, you can add a bit more vegetable broth to thin it out a bit.
Tips and Tricks
- Don’t add more flour to the gravy as it boils, this will cause lumps to form in the gravy. If your gravy is too thin, you can combine 1 tablespoon of water and 1 tablespoon of flour in a small bowl. Mix it very well and then stir it into the gravy. You should notice the gravy start to thicken quickly.
- If you need to thin the gravy a bit, add small amounts of liquid at a time and stir it in before adding more. Do not add more than 2 tablespoons at a time.
- Once you start cooking the flour or cornstarch, don’t stop stirring! This will cause the flour to burn and stick to the bottom of your pan.
Frequently Asked Questions
I use flour in this recipe, but you can easily substitute half (½) amount of cornstarch for the flour to make this gluten free.
When possible, I recommend fresh gravy, but you can definitely make it a day or two ahead of time if you need to. Just make sure you store it in an airtight container and reheat either on the stove over low heat or in the microwave.
If your gravy does not thicken, you can combine 1 tablespoon of water and 1 tablespoon of flour in a small bowl. Mix it very well and then stir it into the gravy. You should notice the gravy start to thicken quickly.
More Vegan Condiments
Are you looking for other vegan condiment ideas? Here are a few of my favorites.
- The Easiest 5-Minute Vegan Pesto
- Homemade Pumpkin Butter
- Easy Homemade BBQ Sauce
- Thai Peanut Sauce
- Cinnamon Orange Cranberry Sauce
If you are getting ready for the holidays, check out all my vegan Thanksgiving recipes. You are sure to find some great recipes to serve to your family this holiday season!
Vegan Mushroom Gravy
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups baby portobellos, thinly sliced
- ½ large yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- ½ cup dry red wine
- ½ teaspoon dried sage
- ⅛ teaspoon allspice
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté for about 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and fragrant.
- Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. It will be very thick and want to stick to the bottom; keep stirring to prevent the flour from burning.
- Add mushrooms, vegetable broth, red wine, and spices and stir together. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, stir constantly for 5-7 minutes, until gravy begins to thicken. Taste and adjust seasoning. If the gravy is too thick, add a bit of extra vegetable broth. If your gravy is too thin, you can combine 1 tablespoon of water and 1 tablespoon of flour in a small bowl. Mix it very well and then stir it into the gravy.
- For a smooth gravy, you can blend it in a food processor or with an immersion blender. If you prefer having some texture, serve your gravy straight from the saucepot.
Notes
- Don’t add more flour to the gravy as it boils, this will cause lumps to form in the gravy. If your gravy is too thin, you can combine 1 tablespoon of water and 1 tablespoon of flour in a small bowl. Mix it very well and then stir it into the gravy. You should notice the gravy start to thicken quickly.
- If you need to thin the gravy a bit, add small amounts of liquid at a time and stir it in before adding more. Do not add more than 2 tablespoons at a time.
- Once you start cooking the flour or cornstarch, don’t stop stirring! This will cause the flour to burn and stick to the bottom of your pan.
Hi, I’m Sarah. I’m a 14-year (and counting) vegan, professionally trained photographer, former pastry chef, founder of My Darling Vegan, and author of the