Homemade White Gravy is a sauce worth knowing by heart! This southern staple features butter and flour that cook into a roux, then the milk stirs in slowly, and a few minutes later you have thick, creamy, peppery gravy. Serve it with biscuits or chicken fried steak!
Ellen’s Notes
This is basically second nature to me at this point. I can whip up white gravy from scratch without ever looking at a recipe! With only 5 minutes and 8 ingredients, you’ll also be a pro in no time.
The only thing that really matters in this white gravy recipe are the ratios. Equal parts butter and flour, then the milk. Too much butter and the gravy is slick, too much flour and it turns pasty. Once you get the ratios down, you’ll be able to scale up or down with ease!
Key Ingredient Notes
- Milk – Warm milk goes in easier than cold. Cold milk hitting the roux will make it seize up for a second. It’s not make or break, but slightly warming the milk will save you from added stress.
- Flour – Make sure the roux cooks long enough so the gravy doesn’t taste like raw flour.
- Butter – Whisk it frequently so it doesn’t burn. Keep a close eye on it!
How to Make White Gravy From Scratch
See the recipe card for full ingredient list and directions below.
Melt the butter. Don’t let it brown or burn!
Make the roux. Mix the flour into the butter to create a roux. Do NOT let the roux get too brown, or the gravy will be brown! You want it to be a very light brown and smell like toasted nuts. That’s when you know it’s ready.
Pour in the milk. Be sure to whisk it constantly so no clumps form.
Cook until thickened. Once it’s as thick and creamy as you’d like, add the salt and pepper.
📌 Ellen’s Recipe Tips
- You can make it thicker if you’d like. If you like really thick gravy add ½ tablespoon more flour, but this gravy is thick already!
- Don’t worry if it gets too thick. If you over-thicken your gravy accidentally, don’t stress, just add a couple of tablespoons of milk and whisk again.
- Don’t step away from the stove. This recipe moves very fast. Have the ingredients ready to go before you start.
- You can use pan drippings. If you have leftover drippings from cooking meat, like frying chicken or steak, use those for extra flavor in your gravy. If you don’t pour off excess grease, your gravy can become too greasy. After frying chicken or beef ,don’t clean the skillet, just pour off any excess grease. Then make the gravy in the same skillet. Make sure to scrape up any crispy pieces in the pan to get all the flavor!
- Add the milk slowly. If you just dump it all in there at once, you’ll end up with a lumpy gravy. Add it slowly and stir the entire time.
Storing
Let your leftover gravy fully cool to room temperature, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It’ll seem solid once chilled, which is normal. Don’t panic! Reheat it back on the stovetop with some milk or in the microwave. If using the microwave, zap it in short bursts, stirring between each interval.
Easy Homemade White Gravy Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk, or half and half
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
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Instructions
- Use a heavy bottom skillet or deep sided sauté pan. If using a pan with pan drippings from frying something (like chicken fried steak), drain any excess grease from the skillet, but leave the crispy fried pieces behind for flavor.
- Over medium heat melt butter, constantly stirring. (If using a pan with pan drippings, scrape the pan to remove the pan drippings as you melt the butter.)
- Once the butter has melted, whisk in the flour. While whisking constantly, cook the flour/butter mixture, until it turns light brown.
- Then, slowly whisk in the milk, constantly stirring the entire time.
- Cook for 2 to 3 more minutes, until gravy has thickened, whisking the entire time.
- Season to taste, with salt and pepper, and serve immediately!
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Notes
Nutrition
More of the Best Gravy Recipes
- Chicken Gravy – Rich, creamy, and so much better than anything from a packet!
- Pan Drippings Gravy – You’ll never want to toss out pan drippings ever again.
- Brown Gravy – This homemade recipe calls for just 3 ingredients.
This was an amazing meal. We made this gravy to go on tip if the chicken fried steak. It’s a must for that! Delicious 😋 My family loved it!
Any idea how to get a “sausage” flavor without sausage for people who don’t eat pork? Turkey sausage doesn’t work. 🤷♀️
Hi Mimi, maybe try adding herbs that you would find in pork sausage, fennel seeds, sage, garlic powder, and onion powder. Let us know how it works out.
Mimi,
I have been Kosher since I was born. No need for pork sausage- if you don’t eat meat at all this recipe is great with Morningstar farms veggie sausage crumbled up in it or any of the other veggie substitutes- they even have them in crumbles. If I’m going full veggie with 0 meat I also sauté mushrooms chopped fine and then the gravy has a meaty umami flavor ( I like it with fresh or dried sage in there as well)
If you’re adding meat (just not pork) chicken sausage ( no casings- they are often made from pork intestine) crumbed and sautéed with juices in the gravy is sublime! Yum
Best recipe in the world. I used spicy-medium sausage in mine. DELICIOUS