Easy Vegan Onion Gravy (Gluten Free)

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

4 ingredients is all you need to make this easy vegan onion gravy! It's so simple, but packed with flavor and the perfect topping for any meal. Bonus, it's gluten free too!

I use a secret ingredient that gives this vegan gravy the perfect texture without having to spend time at the stove stirring and stirring.

Fork getting a bite from a white plate of mashed potatoes and gravy

This post was originally published on November 17, 2018.

This easy vegan gravy is perfect smothered on top of my creamy vegan mashed potatoes. But it's amazing on so many other things! I love it over baked oven fries for a healthier poutine like treat!

Ingredients

I generally live in my kitchen, but when it comes to the holidays I may as well pull up a sleeping bag. So when I figured out a secret trick to making the perfect fool proof gravy without having to sit and stir until the darn thing thickened (or didn't depending on how I screwed it up), I was hooked.

A few simple ingredients is all you need:

Sweet or yellow onion
Sea salt
Veggie broth
Cooked potato

Top view of a wooden surface with a cutting board, potatoes, onion, salt and broth in a bowl.

How To Make Easy Vegan Gravy

It really is the easiest! Not to mention so dang good, I can't even stand it!

Caramelize onions in a pan.
Throw everything in a blender and blend.
Serve over all the things!

Ways to Use Gravy

Try to resist slurping this gravy up with a spoon and serve it with one of these recipes instead:

Creamy Vegan Mashed Potatoes
Gluten Free Vegan Stuffing
Loaded Baked Potato
Oven Baked Fries (try poutine style!)
Homemade Hashbrowns or Breakfast Potatoes
Biscuits
Vegan Meatloaf
Vegan Meatballs
Rice - learn How to Cook the Perfect Rice!
As a dip for Vegan Sausage Balls, Onion Rings, or Eggplant Fries

Glass pitcher filled with an onion grave on a white plate

Preparation Tips

Follow these suggestions for the best creamy vegan gravy:

Just grab the potatoes from the cooked batch you have going for those mashed potatoes, so no extra work needed!
I measured my sliced onions loosely packed.
To make this really hands off, try cooking the onions in a slow cooker on low for 10 hours. I did not try this but a reader did and said it worked great.
You can adjust the thickness of the gravy by using more or less potato.
Make this recipe oil free by using vegetable broth to sauté instead of oil.

Storage Suggestions

You can make this ahead of time, just seal in an airtight container.
Keep it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
You can also easily freeze this vegan gravy for 3 months.
Note that because potatoes are the base, this gravy will thicken as it cools.
When you are ready to eat, all you need to do is put it in a pan and reheat it so that it thins back out. You can also microwave to save time.

Common Questions

How do you thicken vegan gravy?

Traditionally, you add a thickener, usually some sort of flour or starch, and you sit and stir and stir and stir. Until it gets thick. But I have another trick.

Potatoes. Say what?! Yep, I mean we are all making mashed potatoes anyway right (see my new incredibly easy and creamy vegan mashed potatoes here)?

I have used potatoes in my vegan cheese sauces for that perfectly thick texture, so it got me thinking.
And I was right. No more flour. No more being mad that you have to stand there and stir until the darn gravy thickens or doesn't thicken right. Just throw it all into a blender and blend! This also makes this vegan gravy naturally gluten free.

Can vegans eat gravy?

Absolutely. As long as it isn't gravy made from meat drippings or broth, like the usual recipe, and as long as it doesn't use butter or dairy.
In this gravy, I get the flavor from caramelized onions. No meat or butter needed.

More Easy Vegan Recipes

Whether you need a dip, topping, or pasta sauce I've got you covered with these simple plant based recipes!