Gluten-Free Turkey Gravy (Dairy-Free)

Gluten-free turkey gravy made either from drippings or without drippings in just 8 minutes. It requires only 5 ingredients and is also dairy-free. The result is a smooth and delicious gravy that will pair quite well with this Instant Pot turkey breast and roast turkey.

Thanksgiving is around the corner! Prep some of the sides ahead will free your kitchen for the main dish, Mr. Turkey, and desserts.

Our turkey gravy recipe can be made ahead and kept chilled in the fridge for the big day. It will take less than 10 minutes of your time and will save your stovetop for other foods.

If you are not on a gluten-free or dairy-free diet, no worries! You can use regular butter and flour for making this gravy recipe.   

Gluten-Free Gravy Recipe

This gluten-free gravy recipe only requires 5 ingredients:

• Butter – For a dairy-free gravy, use dairy-free butter or vegan butter. But you can use regular butter if you prefer. A good-quality butter will make your gravy taste much better. I usually use Irish butter that doesn’t contain water.
• Flour – For a gluten-free gravy, use gluten-free all-purpose flour or cornstarch. Use the same amount of gluten-free flour called regular flour. The ratio of flour to cornstarch is 2:1. If you are on a keto diet, xanthan gum makes a great replacement for flour. There is no specific ratio but most recipes use ¼ teaspoon of xanthan gum for every cup of flour. Although our gravy recipe calls for 4 tablespoons of flour (or ¼ cup of flour), you can use 1/8 tsp of xanthan gum for every cup of broth. Some alternative thickeners: sweet rice flour, arrowroot powder, or wheat flour
• Broth and/or turkey drippings – Our recipe calls for chicken broth (either homemade or store-bought). But if you made your turkey and saved some of the drippings, you can prepare the gravy using them only (strain them first though) or a mixture of the drippings with chicken stock/broth. It’s up to you! As for the store-bought broth, I prefer to use Knorr chicken bouillon (cubes dissolved in hot water or powder dissolved in cold water). It is richer and better seasoned than the broth or stocks in cartons. Another alternative is to use part chicken broth and part beef broth for a rich, brown gravy.  Of course, you can use beef, chicken, turkey, pork, or vegetable broth in your gluten-free turkey gravy. It is up to you!
• Seasonings – Basically salt and pepper. The amount of each will depend on your taste and if you used regular or low sodium chicken broth.
• Worcestershire sauce – It is optional but it gives the traditional gravy a richer flavor. You can add garlic powder and onion powder, paprika, and/or cayenne to your gravy depending on how well seasoned you like yours.

All you have to do is melt the butter over medium heat. Then whisk in the flour until forming a roux or thick paste. Add the broth/drippings little by little, whisking often, until thickened.

Test the thickness (it has to cover the back of a spoon) and stir in the seasonings and Worcestershire sauce.

This process takes around 8 minutes and renders a rich and delish gravy that is also perfect to serve as a dip for fried chicken or fried chicken wings.

Making dairy-free gravy

To make dairy-free gravy, simply use dairy-free butter and also don’t add milk, heavy cream, or half-and-half to the gravy sauce.  

The recipe follows the same steps as ours.

Turkey Gravy from Drippings

To make gravy from drippings or pan juices, you use the turkey broth or liquids accumulated in the pan after cooking your turkey. After straining the liquids, add them combined or in replacement with chicken broth or stock.

It makes for a dark, richer gluten-free turkey gravy that will require fewer seasonings.   

Turkey Grave without Drippings

This is the quicker and simpler way to make gravy. You will need chicken broth or stock to make white gravy in just 8 minutes by combining it with the roux.  

No need to cook turkey first. Just use a store-bought bouillon or a thawed homemade broth.

How to make gluten-free gravy

1. In a medium pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add the flour, whisking until forming a thick paste (roux). It takes around 2 minutes for a blond roux or 3-3 ½ minutes for a brown roux. It depends on how dark and rich you want your gravy to be.
2. Then pour in the broth slowly, whisking constantly after each addition to not get clumpy. It takes about 5 minutes to thicken. Make sure it is smooth as well.
3. Test its thickness. It has to cover the back of a spoon. Lastly, stir in Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper to taste.
4. Remove from the heat and cool to the desired temperature before serving. Serve our gluten-free turkey gravy over sliced Thanksgiving turkey or mashed potatoes, with biscuits, roast beef, or anything else.

Can I use xanthan gum to make keto gravy?

Yes! Just make sure to dissolve xanthan gum in cold broth or turkey drippings in order to not clump up in the gravy.  

You won’t be making a roux, you will dissolve it in cold liquid before adding it to the pan. The ratio is 1/4 teaspoon of xanthan gum for every cup of liquid.

Tips for making Gluten-Free Turkey Gravy

To make smooth and delicious homemade gluten-free gravy, there are a few things you have to do as follows:

• Make the roux (mixture of butter and flour turn into a thick paste).
• Cook over medium heat (or medium-low heat).
• Add the cold broth or drippings to the pan slowly while whisking well in order to not clump up.
• Adjust the seasonings. It depends not only on your taste and dietary needs (e.g. low sodium diet) but also if you used salted or unsalted butter or regular or low sodium broth.
• All broth options work(chicken, turkey, veggie, beef, or a combination of two broths).
• If using turkey pan drippings, make sure to strain it first. You don’t want a smooth gravy after all! In addition, you can dissolve it in water or combine it with broth depending on your taste.
• Either regular or dairy-free butter works well. The same goes for regular or gluten-free flour.

How to fix lumpy gravy

If you wind up with a clumpy gravy, do not fret!

Place a strainer over a medium to a large bowl and pour the gravy into the strainer. Use a spoon to help the gravy pass through the strainer in order to remove the clumps.

Then discard the clumps and use the strained gluten-free turkey gravy.

My gravy is thin. How can I make it thicker?

It is simple! Dissolve 2 tbsp of flour with 2-4 tbsp of water or cold broth/drippings and add to the gravy, whisking well until thickened.

How to make gluten free gravy without flour

Simply replace flour with cornstarch. The ratio is 2:1. This means if the recipe calls for 2 tbsp of flour, replace it with 1 tbsp of cornstarch.  

Can I make gravy ahead?

You can make the gravy ahead of time by up to 4 days. Let it cool and chill it in an airtight container in the fridge.

Storing and reheating leftover gluten-free gravy

Before serving the leftover gravy, place it in a medium-size heavy-bottom saucepan and reheat over medium-low heat, whisking often, until it’s liquified and heated through. If needed, add a small amount of broth to dilute it if needed.

You can also reheat it in the microwave. But avoid high power; otherwise, your gluten-free turkey gravy will splatter all over.

Other gluten-free recipes to serve with gravy:

• Baked Chicken Thighs
• Baked Chicken Breast
• Air Fryer Chicken Legs
• Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
• Instant Pot Whole Chicken

PIN & ENJOY!