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This White Gravy Recipe brings back memories of growing up having delicious gravy. I cannot resist delicious white gravy served over mashed potatoes or biscuits for breakfast. It is the top of my list as my favorite comfort food.
This cream gravy is perfect for a quick and easy breakfast recipe. These steps will have you enjoying this delicious gravy any day of the week. White gravy is a favorite Southern dishes called Béchamel sauce with nutmeg and onion. Milk Gravy is the ultimate comfort food.
If you love this easy white gravy recipe, check out this biscuits and sausage casserole recipe.
What's in this post: White Gravy Recipe
Why This Recipe Works
You only need 5 ingredients to make this delicious and easy homemade white gravy and they are all pantry basics so I bet you already have them in your cabinets.
That means this homemade white gravy is much more frugal than the packets at the store. So you can enjoy a delicious white gravy and save money too. Plus you know exactly the ingredients you are using.
It really does take less than 10 minutes to make, more like 6 minutes to be honest. Next time you are in the mood for some good ‘ol country white gravy save money by making your own.
Ingredients
- All Purpose Flour and Unsalted Butter – The combination of the two make the roux. Feel free to substitute with gluten free flour.
- Whole Milk – We like the flavor of whole milk but you can also use 2% milk
Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe and ingredients in the recipe card.
Variations Ideas
Here are a few substitutions that you can use in case you’re missing an ingredient for this recipe.
- Butter – Bacon grease is a great option if you’re all out of butter. I love using bacon grease to make delicious sawmill gravy.
- Pan Drippings – If you are making fried chicken or any other recipe with drippings, you can use those meat drippings instead of butter to make a southern gravy. Especially when making fried chicken or chicken friend steak.
- Milk – You can used heavy whipping cream or half and half. Also, chicken stock is a good substitution if you need a diary free option.
- Sausage Gravy – If we cook sausage, I will crumble up a few pieces to use to mix in with white gravy. This is my family’s prefer way of eating biscuits and gravy.
- Seasoning – You can easily add in seasoning to this homemade sausage gravy recipe. For an extra kick of flavor, add in a teaspoon of cayenne pepper. You can even add in garlic powder or a seasoning or your choice.
How to Make Gravy from Scratch
Step 1 – First heat the butter in a medium sauce pan over medium heat until the butter melts.
Step 2 – Then add in flour and whisk it into the melted butter and the flour turns a light brown which makes the roux and you no longer have the raw flour taste. You may need to use a wooden spoon to break up any lumps.
Step 3 – Once the butter and flour are combined, slowly stir in milk until smooth and creamy over medium-low heat.
Step 4 – Continue adding milk and whisk to make sure that there are no lumps in the flour mixture. Heat while stirring constantly. Add in your salt and Pepper.
- Step 5 – Then allow the gravy to simmer for approximately 3-5 minutes or until the gravy thickens to your desire consistency.
- Step 6 – Once finished, you will want to test your white sauce gravy and add more salt if needed. I personally like more sauce than others. You may also want to add more black pepper.
Recipe Tip
- Serving – Serve the gravy immediately while it’s still warm and enjoy.
- Thicker Consistency – If the gravy becomes too thick, add ½ tablespoon of milk at a time. You may need add up to another cup of milk depending on how you prefer your gravy.
- Thin Consistency – If the gravy is too thin, allow it to simmer longer until it thickens more.
- Skillet – Feel free to use any type of large skillet to make this recipe. We love to make it in a cast iron skillet for the best homemade white country gravy recipe.
How to Use White Gravy
There are different types of gravy that you can serve. It all depends on what your main dish is. Here are a few of our favorite ways to use White Gravy:
- Chicken Fried Steak
- Serve over Homemade Hot Biscuits (Try Biscuits and Gravy)
- Instant Pot Mash Potatoes
- Pork Chops
- Fried Chicken
- Dipping sauce for your French Fries or Chicken Tenders
- Hashbrowns
As you can see the options are endless. Try it for breakfast, lunch or dinner. We know that you will find that this recipe and the ingredients are so easy that you can probably make it right now.
Frequently Asked Questions
This white pepper gravy is great heated up as leftovers as well. I store any that is left in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 5-7 days. There is nothing better than left over biscuits and homemade white gravy to enjoy throughout the week or as a late night snack.
You can even toast some bread, so an easy snack.
Did you know that you can make homemade gravy ahead of time? I love to save time in the kitchen, so when I am meal prepping for the week and gravy is on the menu, it is very easy to make a batch.
Once you have the gravy made, refrigerate the gravy in a airtight container. The gravy will get extra think. Reheating is easy by placing the gravy in a saucepan and place on the stovetop or reheat on the microwave. Add in a little milk to your desire consistency and now it is ready to serve. Now your family can have gravy anytime of the week.
Yes, this white gravy can be placed in the freezer once it has cooled to room temperature for an easy storage option. Place in a freezer safe container or ziplock bag and freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw and reheat to enjoy gravy again.
More Gravy Recipes
Easy Stove Top
Brown Gravy Recipe
Quick and Easy Breakfast
Sausage Gravy Recipe
Easy Stove Top
How to Make Turkey Gravy
We love hearing from you. If you make this white gravy from scratch, please leave us a comment or a star review.
White Gravy Recipe
Instructions
- In a medium sauce pan, combine butter and flour.
- Heat over medium heat until butter melts.
- Once butter and flour is cooked, pour in milk.
- Continue to pour in milk and whisk to make sure there are no lumps.
- Allow the gravy to simmer for about 3-5 minutes or until thick.
- If it is too thick, add more milk. You may need up to another cup of milk.
- If it is to thin, allow it to simmer longer.
- Taste and add more salt if needed.
- Serve immediately.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Facts
So tasty!
Our kids love this white gravy recipe on these mashed potatoes!
Amazing gravy!
Amazing recipe!!
Wow — this was even better than I expected! It came out perfect on the first try. The instructions were clear and easy to follow. A new family favorite!
Delicious recipe and so easy to make!
Love it!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it – Thank you for the positive review Ed!
Have you ever made white gravy like this with Coco Powder? I have a friend who said his Aunt made biscuits and chocolate gravy like this and no one has ever duplicated it from his family so I love a challenge. My thought is to use your recipe with Coco Powder, but not sure how much to use. Ever heard of this or recommend how much Coco powder to use? Thank you!
Chris – Yes, I have a delicious recipe for Chocolate Gravy. It is similar to this recipe and made with cocoa powder. I hope you try it out and let me know what you think!
I made this exactly as it says to go over biscuits. It’s so quick and easy and tastes great.
This sounds like a wonderful recipe ! Just wondering if I could use condensed milk instead?
Normally condensed milk is sweetened so I wouldn’t use that in this recipe. Evaporated milk would work though.
Sounds simple enough and sounds amazing going to try it tonight
What’s the difference between this and just plain white sauce?
I believe they are the same just a different names for it. Thank you!
Oh my lord, I have made this since I was a wee kid, however, never new the name or that you can have it plain! We added onion for onion sauce (perfect with silverside) or cheese for an easy Mac and cheese! Awesome recipes!
That sounds delicious!
For best Southern Biscuits and Gravy – use bacon grease or sausage grease in place of butter. Make per the above instructions – if using sausage grease add crumbled sausage back in once gravy starts to thicken. YUM and truly a bit of the south.
That sounds delicious! Thanks for the tip!
How big is a serving?
The entire recipe serves 6 so 1 serving is 1/6 of the entire amount. It’s hard to put an exact measurement on the serving as each batch is different. Thank you!
This is how it was passed down from my grandmother. Fry bacon in the pan first, then tomato slices dredged in flour with salt and pepper using bacon drippings; then make your white gravy in the same pan. It will pick up the flavor of the bacon and tomatoes. Put the tomato slices over hot biscuits and pour the white sauce over top of that. Eat the slices of bacon as a side. It was known in my family as “fried tow-mats and rabbit gravy”. Very southern and one of my favorites!
Made for the first time tonight. It was super easy and delicious. I often buy packaged gravy. My husband said no more packaged stuff, please. Make it like this always.
Great recipe. I used Earth Balance and almond milk. It turned out perfectly. Best white gravy I have had in a very long time
By far the easiest, least messy an tastiest!!
Thank you I’m trying this in the morning!!