Get ready to elevate your holiday feast with our easy homemade Turkey Gravy recipe, made right from flavorful drippings! This smooth, rich gravy, made with just a handful of simple ingredients, is the perfect finishing touch for your turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing — and since it’s such a quick recipe (it only takes about 15 minutes!), you’ll have this easy, velvety gravy ready in nearly no time.
Table of Contents
What Are Drippings?
When cooking, drippings are the juices that gather at the bottom of a pan when you fry, sauté, or roast meat. However, you will also sometimes see the words drippings being used to describe other foods that secrete flavorful liquid when cooked.
The drippings from meat are extremely flavorful and can be combined with other ingredients to create sauces and gravies like this easy turkey gravy!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Believe it or not, making homemade gravy is actually really simple and requires just a few ingredients you likely already have on hand!
- Turkey Drippings – Save the leftover drippings and fat from your Thanksgiving (or any day) turkey to make the drippings-based roux.
- All-Purpose Flour – If needed, a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour can be substituted.
- Broth – Use homemade or store-bought chicken broth or vegetable broth. If you’re already roasting a turkey, it’s easy to make turkey broth with the bones! Using low-sodium broth means you control the saltiness. But if you do wind up with a too-salty gravy, just add a little unsalted stock, squeeze in some lemon, or add a bit of vinegar to taste.
- Salt and Black Pepper – Adjust to taste.
Variations
- Omit the drippings. If you don’t have leftover turkey drippings, use butter and stock instead. We recommend adding seasonings like herbs and garlic to make up for the lost flavor!
- Adjust the seasonings. If you want an extra flavorful gravy, feel free to include any herbs and spices you like best. For instance, poultry seasoning, sage, thyme, rosemary, or parsley would all taste great.
- Make it Gluten-Free. Use a cornstarch slurry or substitute the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free 1:1 alternative.
- Different Roux. If you want maximum thickening, go for a white or blond roux. But if you want to impart a little nutty flavor, take it a bit further to a light brown roux.
- Herbs. Feel like your turkey gravy is too bland for your palate? Boost the flavor of your gravy with herbs that complement turkey. Sage, parsley, and thyme all work well.
- Balance. Balance out the flavor of the gravy with a little citrus — just a splash of lemon juice or white wine will brighten it, while a bit of soy sauce or Worcestershire will add umami.
- Stock. If you don’t have chicken or turkey stock on hand, you can easily swap vegetable or beef stock and adjust to taste. Or, create a stock by simmering the neck and giblets. For bold flavor, include the liver and for a milder taste leave it out.
How to Make Turkey Gravy From Drippings
- Save the drippings. After roasting your turkey, remove it from the pan. Pour the drippings and reserved fat through a fine-mesh strainer for an ultra-smooth consistency.
- Make a roux. In a saucepan, heat the reserved fat over medium-low heat. Add the flour, and whisk continuously to combine until you have a light to medium roux.
- Add the remaining ingredients. Slowly whisk in the turkey drippings and broth over medium heat, continuing to stir until the mixture thickens and begins to simmer — it should coat the back of a spoon. Season to taste.
*Pro-tip: If your gravy turns out greasy, skim the fat off or add more stock and continue to simmer.
Make Ahead and Storage
- Store: Once cooled, leftover gravy can be transferred to an airtight container and stored in the refrigerator for up to three to four days.
- Freeze: Pour the gravy into a container, or freeze it in an ice cube tray. It will stay fresh for four to six months.
- Reheat: Thaw leftovers in the fridge overnight. Then, warm them in a saucepan over medium-low heat or in the microwave. Add a splash of broth as needed to thin it back out.
Ways to Use Your Homemade Turkey Gravy
There are endless ways to use this easy turkey recipe! Some of our favorite pairings include:
- Drizzled over herb butter turkey or chicken
- Over biscuits
- In leftover Thanksgiving sandwiches
- With stuffing
- Over cheesy mashed potatoes or Greek-inspired mashed potatoes
- Whether you serve the gravy over protein or starches, cranberry sauce is an amazing tart and slightly sweet side that always complements these savory dishes covered with gravy!
Common Questions About This Easy Turkey Gravy Recipe
Absolutely! You can make turkey gravy without drippings—it’s easier than you might think. Just start with butter (or a neutral oil if you want it to be dairy-free) and flour to create a quick roux, then whisk in turkey or chicken stock for that rich, savory flavor. Using low-sodium stock is best so that you can control the saltiness.
Add a splash of cream or milk for extra smoothness, and season it with salt, pepper, sauteed garlic or shallots, sage, rosemary, or even a dash of poultry seasoning to mimic that just-roasted taste. You’ll end up with a silky, flavorful gravy that pairs perfectly with turkey, mashed potatoes, and all your favorite sides—no drippings required!
Both flour and cornstarch work beautifully for thickening turkey gravy—it really comes down to the texture you love most! Flour creates a rich, classic gravy with a slightly opaque finish and deep, savory flavor.
Cornstarch, on the other hand, gives you a glossy, smooth gravy that’s a bit lighter in texture and naturally gluten-free. If you prefer that traditional, hearty consistency, go with flour. If you’re after something silky and shiny, cornstarch is your go-to. Either way, you’ll end up with a gravy worth pouring over everything on your plate!
Tip: Never add either ingredient on its own. Be sure to create a slurry with a 1:1 ratio of either cornstarch or flour to water.
No worries—lumpy gravy happens to the best of us! If you spot lumps forming, grab a whisk and go to town while the gravy is still warm. A few minutes of steady whisking usually smooths things right out.
If that doesn’t do the trick, pour the gravy through a fine-mesh strainer or blend it with an immersion blender until silky. To prevent lumps next time, make sure to whisk constantly when adding liquid to your roux so everything blends smoothly from the start!
If your gravy turned out too thin, don’t worry—you can fix it fast! Just whisk together a little flour or cornstarch with cold water to make a slurry, then slowly pour it into the simmering gravy while whisking. Keep it on low heat until it thickens to your liking.
On the flip side, if your gravy is too thick, simply stir in a bit of warm broth or milk, a splash at a time, until it reaches that perfectly pourable consistency. Gravy is super forgiving—you’ve got this!
More Holiday Recipes
We absolutely adore loading up our tables with flavorful foods for the holidays! If you’re looking for simple sides or an addition to your dessert spread, take a peek at home of our favorites.
- Easy Baked Carrots Recipe
- Sweet Potato Salad with Chickpeas
- The BEST Mashed Potatoes
- Easy Pecan Pie Bars Recipe
- Homemade Cranberry Sauce
How to Make Turkey Gravy from Drippings
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Ingredients
- 1/4 cup turkey drippings and reserved fat from the roasted turkey
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups turkey or chicken broth homemade or store-bought
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- After roasting the turkey, remove it from the roasting pan. Pour the turkey drippings and reserved fat through a fine-mesh strainer into a separate container or measuring cup. This will separate the fat from the drippings.1/4 cup turkey drippings and reserved fat
- In a saucepan, heat the reserved turkey fat over medium-low heat. Add the all-purpose flour and whisk continuously to combine the fat and flour. Cook the roux for 1-2 minutes, being careful not to let it brown too much.1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- Gradually whisk in the turkey drippings and the turkey or chicken broth into the roux. Continue to whisk until the mixture thickens and begins to simmer. This should take about 5-10 minutes. Add more broth for a thinner gravy.2 cups turkey or chicken broth
- Season the gravy with salt and pepper to taste. Remember to taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. The amount of seasoning required will depend on the saltiness of the turkey drippings and broth. (See notes)Salt to taste, Black pepper to taste
- Once the gravy has reached the desired consistency and flavor, remove it from the heat. Pour it into a gravy boat or a serving dish, and it’s ready to be served alongside the roast turkey, mashed potatoes, and other Thanksgiving side dishes!
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
