Easy Mushroom Gravy

This Easy Mushroom Gravy is a rich and flavorful 20-minute sauce that belongs on every plate of mashed potatoes or holiday dinner menu. A generous drizzle makes every meal better!

Whether it’s steak, chicken, mashed potatoes, or pasta, this hassle-free mushroom gravy recipe pairs perfectly. If you’re looking for more elevated homemade gravy recipes, I highly recommend checking out my Easy Homemade Gravy and Beef Gravy. 

Mushroom Gravy

To me, mushroom gravy is the underrated cousin to its meat-drippings-based counterpart. Caramelized mushrooms turn this classic comfort food into an unforgettable umami bomb, and add more vegetables. It doesn’t hurt that it pairs well with everything, too.

My mushroom gravy recipe combines sautéed baby Bella and button mushrooms with a savory-sweet mix of shallots and garlic. They’re simmered together in a buttery, smooth, white wine-infused broth that’s thickened with a velvety roux. Fresh parsley adds the perfect finishing touch to the gravy, brightening up every spoonful.

Whether drizzled over roasted garlic mashed potatoes, served atop a hearty meatloaf, or spooned over homemade pasta, this easy mushroom gravy makes any meal feel extra special and comforting. 

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Mushrooms — For a well-rounded gravy with crowd-pleasing flavors, use a mix of robust baby bella mushrooms (also known as cremini) and mild, slightly sweet button mushrooms. If you love the earthy and meaty mushroom flavors, you could substitute portobello, shiitake, or oyster mushrooms (chopped into smaller pieces). 
• Oil – I used olive oil to sauté the mushrooms. You can substitute avocado oil here with a high smoke point and a neutral flavor. 
• Butter – I sautéed the shallots and garlic in unsalted butter to give them a rich flavor, then added an extra tablespoon at the end for just the right amount of body. Clarified butter and rendered lard are other excellent alternatives.
• Aromatics – Sautéed garlic cloves and shallots bring the gravy delicate, sweet, and savory flavors. Other aromatics you can use are red or yellow onions, leeks, or celery.
• White wine — Deglazing the pan with a good-quality dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio adds bright acidity and enhances the gravy’s overall complexity. If you prefer not to use wine, you can substitute it with an equal amount of extra stock. 
• Flour – All-purpose flour is used to create the thickening roux. For a gluten-free version, substitute gluten-free all-purpose flour or use a cornstarch slurry (mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water before adding to the gravy).
• Stock – I used beef stock for the rich, savory base. Feel free to substitute vegetable stock or, for a richer flavor, homemade brodo. 
• Herbs – Fresh parsley adds a pop of fresh flavor. If you don’t have fresh parsley, use 1 teaspoon of dried parsley flakes, although the flavor won’t be as vibrant.

How to Make Mushroom Gravy

Use a damp paper towel to wipe the mushrooms clean gently. Slice them thinly. Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat until it smokes lightly.

Add the sliced mushrooms to the skillet and season them with salt. 

Sauté until they’re well browned and have shrunk in size (this means they’ve released most of their moisture). 

Push the mushrooms to one side of the pan. On the other side, place the shallots, garlic, and 2 tablespoons of butter. 

Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots and garlic are lightly browned and fragrant.

Deglaze the pan with the white wine. Use a wooden spoon to scrape any stuck brown bits from the bottom. 

Simmer until the wine mostly evaporates, leaving just 1 or 2 tablespoons of liquid in the pan.

Reduce the heat to medium. Sprinkle the flour over the mushroom mixture and stir well to create the roux. 

Gradually pour in the beef stock while stirring continuously, heating the mixture to a boil. 

Once it’s boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer until the gravy thickens to your liking.

Stir in the parsley, remaining tablespoon of butter, salt, and pepper, and mix until the butter is melted and everything is well combined. 

Drizzle the gravy over the bottom of a round roast, seared steak, roast chicken, turkey, schnitzel, mashed potatoes, rice pilaf, buttermilk biscuits, and more.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make-Ahead: You can make this mushroom gravy up to 3 days in advance. Let it cool completely after cooking, then transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator until it’s time to serve.

How to Store: Keep the gravy in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw the frozen gravy in the fridge overnight before reheating. Remember that the sauce will thicken and possibly break as it cools.

How to Reheat: Reheat your desired amount of mushroom gravy in a saucepan and heat over low to medium heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of broth or water to loosen it up. 

Chef Notes + Tips

• Use a carbon steel, cast iron, or stainless steel skillet to make the gravy.
• If you’re making this specifically for Thanksgiving, add 2 to 3 fresh sage leaves, rosemary sprigs, and/or thyme sprigs when you pour in the stock. Remove and discard the herbs at the end.
• Never soak the mushrooms in water. They’re like sponges and absorb any extra liquid, making them waterlogged and soggy. Clean the mushrooms by wiping them with a damp paper towel.
• Deglazing adds liquid (like wine) to a hot pan to loosen the flavorful browned bits stuck to the bottom. This adds depth to your gravy, so don’t skip this step.
• The roux is a mixture of flour and fat cooked to thicken the sauce. You can also thicken the gravy with a slurry or beurre manié.
• Add a little extra flour or simmer it for a thicker gravy.

More Sauce Recipes

• Hollandaise Sauce 
• Spaghetti Sauce
• Enchilada Sauce 
• BBQ Sauce
• Pizza Sauce

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Easy Mushroom Gravy Recipe

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5 from 1 vote

This Easy Mushroom Gravy is a rich and flavorful 20-minute sauce that belongs on every plate of mashed potatoes or holiday dinner menu.

Servings: 6

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

• 1 pint of baby bella mushrooms
• 1 pint of button mushrooms
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 finely minced garlic cloves
• 1 peeled thinly sliced shallot
• ¾ cup of dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 4 cups beef stock
• 2 tablespoons of finely minced fresh Italian flat leaf parsley
• Coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste

Instructions

• Using a damp paper towel, remove any unwanted particles from the mushrooms, and then thinly slice them.
• In a large carbon steel, cast iron, or stainless steel skillet, add the oil and heat over high heat until it begins to smoke lightly.
• Add the mushrooms, gently season with salt, and sauté for 10 to 12 minutes or until they are well browned.
• Scoot the mushrooms to 1 side of the pan, and in the other, the shallots, garlic, and 2 tablespoons of butter.
• Cook the shallots and garlic on that side of the pan for 1 to 2 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Mix all the ingredients in the pan together, deglaze with the white wine, and cook until there is only 1 or 2 tablespoons remaining.
• Turn the heat down to medium and mix in the flour to make a roux.
• Pour in the beef stock and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling turn the heat down to low and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Finish with parsley, remaining 1 tablespoon of butter, salt, and pepper, and mix. Serve.

Notes

Make-Ahead: You can make this mushroom gravy up to 3 days in advance. Let it cool completely after cooking, then transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator until it’s time to serve.

How to Store: Keep the gravy in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw the frozen gravy in the fridge overnight before reheating. Remember that the sauce will thicken and possibly break as it cools.

How to Reheat: Reheat your desired mushroom gravy in a saucepan and heat over low to medium heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of broth or water to loosen it up.

Use a carbon steel, cast iron, or stainless steel skillet to make the gravy.

If you’re making this specifically for Thanksgiving, add 2 to 3 fresh sage leaves, rosemary sprigs, and/or thyme sprigs when you pour in the stock. Remove and discard the herbs at the end.

Never soak the mushrooms in water. They’re like sponges and absorb any extra liquid, making them waterlogged and soggy. Clean the mushrooms by wiping them with a damp paper towel.

Deglazing adds liquid (like wine) to a hot pan to loosen the flavorful browned bits stuck to the bottom. This adds depth to your gravy, so don’t skip this step.

The roux is a mixture of flour and fat cooked to thicken the sauce. You can also thicken the gravy with a slurry or beurre manié.

Add a little extra flour or simmer it for a thicker gravy.

 

Nutrition

Calories: 208kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 8gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 330mgPotassium: 955mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 288IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 41mgIron: 2mg

Course: sauce, Side Dish

Cuisine: english, French

Author: Chef Billy Parisi