Made with or without pan drippings, this rich and creamy homemade white gravy recipe is easy to make with just 5 simple ingredients! Perfect for serving over biscuits, chicken fried steak, or mashed potatoes, this gravy is a staple comfort food that everyone will love.
Why We Love Homemade White Gravy
Homemade gravy is the ultimate comfort food. There’s no judging here if you want to just eat it with a spoon! But the real joy of this delicious homemade gravy is how tasty it makes the food that you pair it with, like chicken fried steak! This is one of those recipes you’ll start to know by heart. We can both whip it up without referring to the recipe at this point. Don’t you just love something that quick and effortless? Here’s why this recipe’s been in our family for years:
- Classic: Knowing how to make this recipe is a kitchen skill you’ll be thankful to have for years! It will come in handy more than you think.
- Inexpensive: There are just 5 of them and we can almost guarantee they are in your kitchen right now.
- Quick: This recipe comes together very quickly.
- Easy: P.S. – this is a great recipe for little ones to start learning their way around the kitchen!
What’s The Difference Between White Gravy and Country Gravy?
Country gravy and white gravy are actually the same things! Sometimes you can use pan drippings to add flavor, but they both are made of the same ingredients. The ingredient that sets these two gravies apart is milk.
For example, brown gravy uses stock or broth instead of milk. Which results in the brown color and meat flavor.
Country gravy is white in color, creamy, and thick. Both are equally delicious though!
Key Ingredients
Below you will find helpful notes for key ingredients used to make this white country gravy recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and exact amounts!
- Butter: Using unsalted is best so that you can control the salt level yourself.
- All-Purpose Flour: The flour is what helps the gravy thicken.
- Milk: Whole milk is suggested for the creamiest results. You can also use half & half.
How to Make Homemade White Gravy
White country gravy is easy to make in a matter of minutes. Below is a quick recipe overview, but please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full instructions.
- First, you’ll melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed pan. You’ll want to whisk the butter so that it doesn’t brown or burn.
- Then add the flour. Mixing the flour and butter creates a roux.
- Make the roux by whisking the butter and flour. A roux is what will thicken the gravy. The trick here is to 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.
- Slowly pour in the milk. Be sure to whisk it constantly so that no clumps form.
- Cook the gravy for a few minutes until it starts to thicken. Once it’s as thick and creamy as you’d like, add the salt and pepper.
Cook’s Tips & Variations
- Whisk, whisk, whisk: Don’t stop whisking, it keeps the roux from burning.
- 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.
- An easy way to add flavor: If you have leftover drippings from cooking meat make sure to use them! After frying chicken or beef don’t clean the skillet, just pour off any excess grease and make the gravy in the same skillet to get all the flavor!
- Don’t step away from the stove: This recipe moves very fast. So have the ingredients ready to go before you start.
- 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!
What To Serve with White Gravy
- Chicken Fried Steak or Chicken: This is probably one of the most popular ways that white gravy is used! We even have a chicken fried steak recipe for you.
- Homemade Sausage and Biscuits: Add sausage and whip up some biscuits and you have your very own Sausage and Biscuits recipe!
- Green Vegetables: You can certainly smother green beans, broccoli, and spinach with this delicious gravy, too.
- Mashed Potatoes: Check out sour cream mashed potatoes and garlic mashed potatoes!
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
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!
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