This vegan onion gravy is light, creamy, and packed with flavor from caramelized onions and garlic. It requires just 7 ingredients and can be made in under 20 minutes. Enjoy it over some mashed potatoes for a comforting meal, or serve it as part of your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.
Want to save this post?
Enter your email below and get it sent straight to your inbox. Plus, I’ll send you budget recipes and money-saving tips every week!
The trick to getting a deep flavor in this vegan onion gravy is to caramelize the onions. It might take a little longer, but it’s worth it. Also, make sure to blend the gravy until it is super smooth for the best texture.
For more delicious holiday side dishes, try my vegan mashed potatoes with celery root, or vegan scalloped potatoes.
Jump to:
❤️ Why you’ll love it
I absolutely adore this vegan onion gravy recipe for its simplicity. It is a light, simple, and creamy gravy that requires only 7 ingredients. The best part is that it does not require any meat drippings to achieve a rich, savory flavor.
The use of simple ingredients like onion, garlic, vegetable broth, and dairy-free milk, along with the unique combination of soy sauce, brings out a depth of flavor that is simply irresistible. Plus, using corn starch instead of all-purpose flour as a thickening agent gives this gravy a velvety smooth texture that is just perfect.
I also love how easy and quick it is to make. The entire process takes just 20 minutes, making it a go-to recipe for me, especially on busy weeknights. It is a foolproof recipe that anyone, regardless of their cooking skills, can master.
Subscribe to our newsletters and download it right now.
🧾 Key ingredients
This vegan onion gravy is a simple and delicious recipe that uses easy-to-find, plant-based ingredients. You can find these ingredients at your local grocery store or even in your pantry.
Onion and garlic are the stars of this recipe, giving it a rich, savory flavor that is the perfect complement to mashed potatoes, vegan roasting, or your favorite plant-based dishes.
Cornstarch is the key to achieving a thick, lusciously smooth gravy texture, which is essential for a good onion gravy. It is a vegan-friendly and gluten-free option for thickening the gravy.
Vegetable broth and soy sauce add a depth of flavor that is both savory and satisfying. They help to achieve that classic umami flavor that is so characteristic of a good gravy.
🛒 You can find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
🥘 Equipment
To make this delicious vegan onion gravy, the most important piece of equipment you will need is a good quality saucepan. It is essential for sautéeing the onions and garlic, as well as for properly combining and heating the rest of the ingredients. I recommend using a heavy-bottom saucepan, as it distributes the heat more evenly, helping to prevent the gravy from sticking or burning.
👩🍳 Instructions
Making the vegan onion gravy
STEP 1
Start by peeling and finely chopping your onion and garlic. For a super fine chop, use a garlic press or a chopping bowl of a hand blender.
STEP 2
Heat a saucepan to medium heat and add your vegan butter. Stir until it is completely melted. Then, add the finely chopped onion and cook for two minutes.
STEP 3
Next, add the finely chopped garlic and cook for an additional minute. Now, add the cornstarch and whisk quickly to combine with the butter.
STEP 4
Gradually add the vegetable broth to the saucepan, about half a cup at a time, making sure to mix until perfectly combined to avoid lumps.
STEP 5
Then, add soy sauce or tamari and whisk again.
STEP 6
Now, add the dairy-free milk in the same manner, about half a cup at a time. Make sure to mix well after each addition. Finally, season the gravy with salt, pepper, and any optional dried ground herbs. Your vegan onion gravy is ready to serve.
💡 Expert tip
For the best vegan onion gravy, the key is to add the vegetable broth and dairy-free milk gradually, mixing thoroughly as you go. This technique helps to prevent lumps from forming, giving you a smooth, velvety gravy.
🔄 Variations
For a richer flavor, consider caramelized onions. This will add a touch of sweetness and a deeper, richer flavor to your gravy. Simply cook the onions for a longer time until they are soft, brown, and caramelized before adding the garlic and proceeding with the recipe as usual.
If you are a fan of mushrooms, why not add them to your gravy? I suggest adding finely chopped mushrooms when you sauté the onions. They will bring a unique texture and a rich, earthy flavor to the gravy.
If you prefer a smoother gravy, use an immersion blender to blend the gravy until it reaches your desired consistency. This will give you a velvety smooth gravy that is perfect for pouring over mashed potatoes or biscuits.
🥣 Serving ideas
This easy vegan onion gravy is a versatile and delicious addition to a variety of plant-based meals. It pairs beautifully with classic comfort foods and is a great way to elevate your favorite dishes.
Consider serving it with a hearty plate of vegan mashed potatoes with celeriac for a comforting and satisfying meal that is perfect for any night of the week.
It also goes well with a variety of potato dishes. Try it with some roasted potatoes, a side of potato fries for a Canadian Poutine, or even some Yorkshire pudding for a traditional British meal.
For a lighter option, this gravy is a delicious addition to roasted cauliflower. The rich, savory flavor of the gravy perfectly complements the nutty, caramelized flavors of the cauliflower, making for a truly delicious dish.
And don’t forget about the main dishes. It is a perfect accompaniment to a variety of vegan meat substitutes. Consider serving it with a lentil loaf, shepherd’s pie, meatballs, nut roast, or sausages for a hearty and satisfying meal.
❄️ Storing tips
Storing and reheating this vegan onion gravy is simple, and the best part is that the flavors continue to meld and intensify, making it even more delicious with time.
To store the leftovers, allow the gravy to come to room temperature after cooking. Once cooled, transfer it to an airtight and place it in the refrigerator. It should stay fresh for about 3 to 4 days.
I do not recommend freezing this particular recipe, as the texture of the onions and the consistency of the gravy can be compromised once it is thawed. However, you can always make a larger batch and store the extra portions in the refrigerator for a few days.
To reheat, simply transfer the gravy to a saucepan and place it over medium heat. Stir it occasionally as it heats to ensure that it warms evenly. If you prefer, you can also reheat it in the microwave. Just be sure to stir it every minute or so to prevent it from developing any cold spots.
🤔 FAQs
Can I use all-purpose flour instead of cornstarch?
Yes, you can. If you don’t need the recipe to be gluten-free, all-purpose flour is a great alternative to corn starch. Just keep in mind that it may take a bit longer to thicken the gravy, so you will need to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
What can I use instead of vegan butter?
If you don’t have vegan butter on hand, you can use sunflower oil, coconut oil, or another neutral-tasting shortening. These will all help to give your gravy that rich, creamy texture. However, if you want to mimic the buttery flavor, you can add a little bit of nutritional yeast to the gravy.
What can I use instead of soy sauce or tamari?
If you are allergic to soy or simply don’t like the flavor of soy sauce, you can use coconut aminos instead. Coconut aminos are made from the sap of the coconut tree and have a similar salty flavor to soy sauce. Alternatively, you can use a bit of miso paste or just season the gravy with salt to your liking.
More condiment and sauce recipes
You can browse through our vegan condiment recipes or check out
THANK YOU so much for visiting our website. Please comment below if you have tried this recipe. We LOVE hearing from you! If you loved the recipe, please don’t forget to give us a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ RATING. We appreciate all of our readers.
⇒ GET OUR FREE 7-DAY VEGAN MEAL PLAN E-BOOK NOW! OR CHECK OUT ALL VEGAN MEAL PLAN RECIPES! ⇐
Light Vegan Onion Gravy
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp Vegan butter
- 1 Onion (medium)
- 1 clove Garlic
- 2 Tbsp Corn starch or all-purpose flour
- 1 cup Vegetable broth
- 1 Tbsp Soy sauce or tamari
- 1 cup Dairy-free milk (homemade cashew milk)
- ½ tsp Salt
- ⅛ tsp Black pepper
Instructions
Prepare the ingredients
- Peel and finely chop onion and garlic. You can use a knife, but if you want super fine here is what we recommend using a simple garlic press and a chopping bowl of a hand blender.
Make vegan gravy
- Take a saucepan and heat it up to medium heat. When it is hot, add the vegan butter. Stir until it is melted completely.
- First, add the finely chopped onion. Stir and cook for 2 minutes.
- Then, add the finely chopped garlic. Stir and cook for a minute.
- Now, add the corn starch and use a whisk to mix them quickly and thoroughly.
- No need to wait here. After the corn starch and the butter are combined, you can add the vegetable broth in 2 or 3 parts – at most ½ cup at a time. Mix until perfectly combined before adding more to avoid lumps.
- Add soy sauce or tamari and whisk again.
- The last one to add is the dairy-free milk also in 2 or 3 parts – at most ½ cup at a time.
- Season at the end with salt, pepper and optional dried ground herbs like rosemary, thyme or sage. The vegan gravy is ready if it thickened to the desired consistency.
Notes
- How to mince finely? – Have you preferred using powders only because you were afraid that the gravy will be lumpy if you cannot chop the ingredients finely enough? Well, here is what we recommend. For the garlic, we use this simple garlic press that makes it super easy to have finely minced garlic. For the onion, we use the chopping bowl of our hand blender. It chops the onion so finely that it is practically pureed.
- Add liquid in batches – To avoid lumps, make sure that you add any liquid ingredient ½ cup at a time and mix thoroughly before adding more.
- Warm veggie broth – To avoid lumps, add warm veggie broth instead of room temperature or cold.
- Thickening the gravy – Start with 2 Tbsp of flour or starch and repeat if needed. Please note that the gravy thickens further while it is cooling. If you need to thicken it further, make a slurry in a separate bowl by mixing 1 Tablespoon of starch with 1-2 Tablespoons of cold water. Add it and reheat the gravy.
Leave a comment