How To Make The Best Vegan Mushroom Gravy for a Plant-Based Thanksgiving
It’s not Thanksgiving without gravy, but it’s often not gravy without animal-based ingredients. The operative word here is “often” — with a few simple substitutions and additions, a plant-based mushroom gravy is well within reach.
Tips for mouth-watering vegan mushroom gravy
Swaps like veggie broth and plant-based butter make for a great vegan mushroom gravy. We also recommend choosing the right mushrooms and even considering other swaps, like gluten-free bread, to include more folks around your table.
Swap chicken or beef broth for vegetable broth
This simple substitution knocks out one of the major animal-based products in gravy while still punching up the flavor. Choose standard four-cup cartons of veggie broth for convenience, or opt for vegetable bouillon paste or cubes for more flavor with just a tiny extra step.
Ditch dairy butter for plant-based butter
Yes, it’s really that simple. Use plant-based butter, which is readily available at grocery stores, in place of dairy butter at a one-to-one ratio in your recipe. Pay close attention to whether your recipe calls for salted or unsalted butter, and compare the salt content of your plant-based butter with the amount in salted or unsalted butter. From there, adjust how much salt you add to your recipe.
Make it gluten-free to accommodate more folks
You’re already swapping animal-based ingredients for plant-based ones, so why not take an extra step to be even more welcoming of all dietary needs? Flour, the traditional thickening agent in mushroom gravy, contains gluten, which people with celiac disease, a gluten allergy, or a gluten intolerance can’t eat.
Thicken your gravy with cornstarch instead, though avoid brands that process their cornstarch in the same facility or on the same equipment as gluten products. If the brand does so, it will state this on its packaging.
Mix all your other ingredients together before adding cornstarch in place of flour. Then measure how many cups your mixture is, and use one tablespoon of cornstarch for every 1½ to two cups of gravy.
Add some umami flavor
If you’re using vegetable broth specifically in place of beef broth, you’ll want to add an extra ingredient that levels up the umami lost by ditching beef. Soy sauce is the most umami-forward option, but it’s not gluten-free, so use coconut aminos or tamari instead. Other options include miso, nutritional yeast, or an umami seasoning blend.
Choose the right types of mushrooms
Only a few of the many mushrooms you might use for cooking mushroom meat suit gravy recipes. The simpler, the better — think white button, shiitake, or cremini (baby bella) mushrooms. Dried porcini mushrooms, if you can find them, also work great since their flavor seeps into the stock as they rehydrate during cooking.
Cook your gravy with herbs
Salt and pepper are great, but they’re not quite enough for a gravy that’ll keep those cousins you haven’t seen in years going for seconds. At the same time, you don’t have to go absolutely crazy with additional flavor since broth, mushrooms, and umami add-ins carry plenty.
A pinch of thyme leaves or a few chopped sprigs of rosemary might be all you need. Never skip minced garlic, though. Just a couple cloves should do the trick unless you’re a big-time garlic lover. No matter what, have fun with it. Don’t be afraid to take a little risk with your herb choices!
How to make vegan mushroom gravy
Once you’ve gathered all the ingredients above, use this rough plant-based mushroom gravy recipe below for a side dish you’ll want to serve every Thanksgiving.
Cook your mushrooms.
Melt a couple of tablespoons of plant-based butter in a large saucepan on medium-high heat. Then add a pound of mushrooms and leave them untouched for 10 minutes. During this time, their liquid should evaporate, and they should get all nice and golden. For best results, arrange the mushrooms in one layer to avoid overcrowding.
Add the garlic and herbs.
Drop some more vegan butter in (around four tablespoons) alongside your herbs and minced garlic, then stir frequently for about a minute. You want your garlic fragrant and your butter completely melted.
Mix the flour in with the mushrooms and garlic.
Add half a cup of flour, stirring as you add it so that lumps don’t form. Then add half a cup of vegetable broth as you continue to stir. For a thicker gravy, add an extra tablespoon or two of flour.
Add more broth.
Pour two and a half cups more broth into your saucepan alongside any umami add-ins you’re using, and keep stirring until everything is fully combined. Turn the heat all the way up so that the mix begins to boil.
Let it simmer, and watch the texture.
Turn the heat down to medium-low and let your gravy simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Stir frequently, but not constantly, during this time.
The longer you simmer your gravy for, the thicker it’ll get. If it gets too thick, add some boiling water to thin it back out. Notably, gravy gets thicker as it cools after cooking, so you should cook it until it’s slightly thinner than your ideal texture.
Taste and adjust.
Once your gravy has gotten thick enough for your liking, taste it, then add salt and pepper until you get it to your personal sweet spot. At that point, it’s ready for serving. And if it’s already perfect, there’s no need to add more salt or pepper.
What to put vegan mushroom gravy on
From the classics to some unexpected twists, here’s what you can top gravy with at Thanksgiving and long after. These options include plant-based Thanksgiving sides and plant-based Thanksgiving main dishes alike:
- Mashed potatoes: The usual suspect. Nothing wrong with sticking to the tried and true!
- Plant-based meatloaf: The best plant-based meatloaf recipes are even better when you add some mushroom gravy on top.
- Plant-based steaks: Chunk Steak could absolutely convince an omnivore even without any additions, and pouring plenty of mushroom gravy on top only helps your case.
- Biscuits: A biscuit with some of your leftover gravy lovingly slathered on top is a culinary experience you’ll want again the next day.
- Vegetables: A side of steamed broccoli or roasted Brussels sprouts can be great on its own, but it’s even better when doused in your plant-based mushroom gravy.
- Sandwiches: Add leftover plant-based mushroom gravy from the holidays to your favorite sandwich for a little taste of Thanksgiving at lunch. Mushroom gravy pairs especially well with our Maple Seitan Roast Sandwiches.
- Grain or legume bowls. Make that fancy dressing come even more to life with some gravy atop your rice and chickpeas. Plant-based mushroom gravy was all but born to amp up our already bright and nutty Tahini Chickpea Bowls.
How to store vegan mushroom gravy
Plant-based mushroom gravy lasts up to four days in the fridge in an airtight container. After two days of storage, before eating your gravy, you should reheat it in a saucepan on the stove until it has boiled for three minutes.
For longer-term storage (up to four months), the freezer is best, especially if you have silicone soup trays for storage. You may want to run your gravy through a blender immediately before storing it to minimize the chances of separation upon thawing. Some sources also say that using a bit less butter than your original recipe calls for may help your gravy maintain its texture after thawing.
Speaking of which, you should thaw frozen gravy overnight in the fridge before serving it. It’s also best to reheated thawed gravy gradually in a saucepan on medium-low heat while stirring constantly to avoid lumps. If you notice any separation, a little water and extra-vigorous stirring can go a long way.
Serve your plant-based mushroom gravy with Purple Carrot
Once you’ve made your mushroom gravy, serve it with Chunk Steak from the Purple Carrot grocery store or our savory, Thanksgiving-friendly meal kits. Our groceries and meal kits are 100% plant-based, and chefs and dietitians collaborate on our recipes. What’s more, our meal kits take roughly 30 minutes to transform into delicious dishes whether you’re new to cooking or a seasoned pro. Shop Purple Carrot now for $100 off your first month of deliveries.
