Guess what, turkey gravy doesn't have to be stressful! Especially at the holidays when you have 1000 other things to do. There is no need to wait and see if you might have enough drippings from your roast turkey to make gravy!!! You can make this one while the turkey is roasting… heck, you can even make it two days in advance!

This Turkey Gravy recipe is out-of-this-world delicious. We tested and tested until we were totally satisfied with the layers of flavor. Best part?? No dripping are required to get those layers of flavor for AMAZING Turkey Gravy.

Stress. Free. Gravy. Promise.

How To Build Layers of Flavor

There is NO skimping on flavor here! In fact, this gravy is going to have WAY more flavor than just using drippings, flour, and broth.

1. Onions are caramelized in plenty of butter to start the recipe.
2. Fresh herbs are added for flavor layer #2.
3. Better Than Bouillon Turkey Base is the perfect secret ingredient here, it punches up the flavor with no effort.
4. Use a high quality turkey broth for maximum flavor.

Flat Whisk

We love this flat whisk to make sauces and gravy. The whole balloon lays flat in the pan, ensuring a totally silky gravy!

Turkey Gravy Ingredients

Turkey Stock – Using a turkey stock is what will give this gravy it’s signature “turkey” flavor. If you are making this gravy for the holidays you will most likely be able to find turkey stock in the grocery store without any troubles!

Turkey Base – We like to use Better Than Bouillon brand for our Turkey Base. You can generally find it in the grocery store, but if not you can easily order it from Amazon. It mixes with the flour and helps thicken the gravy perfectly. It also punches up the flavor of your turkey gravy… It will take it from “this is good gravy” to “Holy Sh*t I need the recipe for this gravy asap”.

Herbs – A combo of rosemary, sage and thyme steep in the gravy and give it that extra boost of flavor. Use the combo of herbs you love.

Onion – Most of the gravies here at Mom’s Dinner start with caramelizing onions. It is the beginning of building amazing flavor! One large yellow onion is all you need.

Garlic – The garlic also steeps in the butter and starts the turkey gravy out on the right foot… building amazing flavor. You just want to crack or smash the garlic so that it will release it’s flavor into the butter, but will easily strain out of the gravy before thickening.

Salted Butter – Yep, salted butter…it’s the only butter we recognize here at Mom’s Dinner! We start by infusing the butter with the flavors of caramelized onion, garlic and herbs. Then it is mixed with the turkey base and flour to help in the gravy thickening process.

All Purpose Flour – any time you make gravy you will most likely be adding an all purpose flour to the mix. It mixes with the fat (butter and turkey base) to make a roux, which is the thickener for your gravy.

Watch The Recipe

How To Make Turkey Gravy, No Drippings

This is a quick picture overview of how to make turkey gravy without the turkey drippings. For more detailed instructions and ingredient measurements, pop down to the recipe card.

Step 1

Melt the butter in a large skillet and sauté the onions until they start to brown around the edges.

Step 2

Add the cracked garlic and herbs. Sauté another 10 minutes.

Step 3

Stir in the turkey base and then sprinkle in the flour.

Step 4

Stir around the pan for 1 minute to cook the flour.

Step 5

Pour in the turkey stock and whisk really well, all the way to the edges of the pan. Let the gravy thicken while it simmers.

Step 6

Pour the gravy through a fine mesh sieve over a bowl. Remove the solids and discard.

Step 7

Serve the gravy hot! Pour over roasted turkey, mashed potatoes and stuffing.

Making Ahead & Reheating

You can make this turkey gravy a day or two ahead of your Thanksgiving feast…. again, no waiting on those dang drippings.

To make ahead, simply prep the Turkey Gravy completely and then let it cool. Place it in an airtight container in the fridge. The gravy will congeal in the fridge, that is ok.

To reheat place in a sauce pan over low heat. Stir it often until it is liquified and warmed through. Optionally whisk in a little additional turkey stock, water, chicken stock or milk/cream to reconstitute. Taste for seasonings and then serve hot!

Turkey Gravy Troubleshooting

You and I both want your gravy to be PERFECT, and this recipe is pretty spot on… but we know things happen in the kitchen, so here are some troubleshooting tips for perfecting the texture and flavor of your turkey gravy:

• Gravy got too thick?? Whisk in some additional turkey stock, chicken stock, milk, or even water. Then re-taste for additional seasonings needed.
• Gravy didn’t thicken enough?? Keep simmering over low heat, stirring often. This will evaporate some of the liquid content and help it thicken. If that doesn’t work or you are out of time you can make a slurry of 1 tablespoon cool water and 1 tablespoon cornstarch, pour it into SIMMERING gravy, it should thicken pretty quickly. Repeat this as needed.
• The Turkey Gravy is too salty?? No problem, you just need to dilute it slightly. In this case I might recommend adding water or a low sodium broth if you have it. Milk content can also help diminish salt content, consider adding milk or half & half. Then re-taste for additional seasoning needed (poultry seasoning or dry sage will add back flavor, without adding saltiness).
• I want a little more flavor in my Turkey Gravy?? Whisk in some poultry seasoning, dried sage, and black pepper. Taste again and add more as desired.
• My Gravy got lumpy?? No problem! First run the gravy through the fine mesh sieve. If that didn’t do the trick whisk the heck out of the gravy. If that still didn’t do it, run the gravy in a blender just a couple pulses until it is smooth.

Recipe Tips to Remember

• Use salted butter to start your gravy.
• Make sure the onions caramelize a little on the edges before moving on with the recipe.
• Use fresh herbs for the best flavor.
• Don’t skip the turkey base, it adds a lot to this gravy.
• Use a turkey STOCK, not broth, for the most flavor.
• Make sure you whisk all the way to the edges of the pan, that flour mixture can tend to get stuck in the corners of your skillet.
• Don’t forget to put a bowl under the sieve to strain the solids (I have heard of people accidentally straining the gravy into the sink 🥲)

A Full Thanksgiving Menu

Make an unforgettable Thanksgiving meal that everyone will rave about for years to come. This article includes a full menu, with printable recipes.

Get the recipes

More Gravy Recipes

We take our gravy very seriously here at Mom’s Dinner. You can make any one of these with the confidence it will turn out over-the-top flavorful!

Turkey Gravy Recipe without Drippings + Video

An over-the-top flavorful turkey gravy that won't have you waiting on the drippings from roast turkey! This is the stress free Thanksgiving gravy recipe you have been looking for.

Easily double or triple this recipe for a larger crowd; use the +/- button on the servings and the ingredient amounts will change for you.

5 from 7 votes

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Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 3.5 cups

Calories: 380kcal

Author: Susie Weinrich

Ingredients

• ▢ 8 tablespoon Salted Butter
• ▢ 1 large yellow onion - sliced
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic - smashed
• ▢ 2 sprigs fresh rosemary - leave whole, don't chop
• ▢ 2 sprigs thyme - leave whole, don't chop
• ▢ 1 stem fresh sage - leave whole, don't chop
• ▢ 2 teaspoon turkey base - Better Than Bouillon is great
• ▢ ⅓ cup (heaping) all purpose flour
• ▢ 3 ½ cups turkey stock
• ▢ kosher salt and pepper - to taste

Instructions

 

• In a large skillet over medium-low heat melt the butter, I use a stainless steel skillet.
  8 tablespoon Salted Butter
• Once the butter melts add the onions and simmer, stirring occasionally until the onions begin to brown around the edges, about 15 minutes.
  1 large yellow onion
• Stir in the cracked garlic and herbs. Continue to simmer until the onions are a deep caramel color, about 10 more minutes.
  3 cloves garlic, 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, 2 sprigs thyme, 1 stem fresh sage
  
• Mix in the turkey base until it melts into the onion mixture.
  2 teaspoon turkey base
• Add the heaping ⅓ cup flour into the onion/butter mixture, stir constantly for 1 minute.
  ⅓ cup (heaping) all purpose flour
  
• Pour in a little of the turkey stock and scrape up bits from the bottom of the pan. Then whisk the rest of the turkey stock into the flour/onion mixture, making sure to get all the flour from the edges of the pan whisked in.
  3 ½ cups turkey stock
  
• Increase the heat to medium and simmer the gravy, it will thicken as it cooks.
• Taste for seasoning. Give the gravy a taste and see if you want to add some kosher salt & pepper.
  kosher salt and pepper
  
• Strain the gravy. Place a fine mesh sieve over a bowl and pour the gravy through the sieve. Use the whisk to stir the solids making sure you get all the flavor and gravy through the sieve. Discard the solids.
  
• Serve the gravy hot!

MAKE AHEAD OPTION – can be made a day or two ahead.

• Prepare the gravy completely and let it cool.
• Pour into an air tight container and pop in the fridge. The gravy will congeal in the fridge, that is ok.
• To reheat place the gravy in a sauce pan over low heat, stirring frequently, until it is liquified.
• Taste for seasoning. You can also add a little extra broth, stock, or milk if it is too thick.
• Serve Hot

Recipe Tips and Notes:

TURKEY GRAVY TROUBLESHOOTING

• Gravy got too thick?? Whisk in some additional turkey stock, chicken stock, milk, or even water. Then re-taste for additional seasonings needed.
• Gravy didn’t thicken enough?? Keep simmering over low heat, stirring often. This will evaporate some of the liquid content and help it thicken. If that doesn’t work or you are out of time you can make a slurry of 1 tablespoon cool water and 1 tablespoon cornstarch, pour it into SIMMERING gravy, it should thicken pretty quickly. Repeat this as needed.
• The Turkey Gravy is too salty?? No problem, you just need to dilute it slightly. In this case I might recommend adding water or a low sodium broth if you have it. Milk content can also help diminish salt content, consider adding milk or half & half. Then re-taste for additional seasoning needed (poultry seasoning or dry sage will add back flavor, without adding saltiness).
• I want a little more flavor in my Turkey Gravy?? Whisk in some poultry seasoning, dried sage, and black pepper. Taste again and add more as desired.
• My Gravy got lumpy?? No problem! First run the gravy through the fine mesh sieve. If that didn’t do the trick whisk the heck out of the gravy. If that still didn’t do it, run the gravy in a blender just a couple pulses until it is smooth.

Did you make this recipe?Connect with me and let me know by commenting below!

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Serving: 1serving | Calories: 380kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 557mg | Potassium: 348mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 837IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1mg