This vegan mushroom gravy recipe uses the hearty flavor of mushrooms and spices to make an aromatic and flavorful plant based gravy everyone loves.
recipe originally published November 15, 2013
TABLE OF CONTENTS - Jump to any section:
- Savory Vegan Mushroom Gravy
- How to make vegan gravy
- Flourless gravy instructions
- Easy make ahead gravy
- More recipes to pour gravy on
- Vegan Mushroom Gravy Recipe
Dried mushrooms bring great flavor
This vegan mushroom gravy recipe has been our standard for years. It has incredible flavor, and gets great gravy reviews. (Good gravy!)
The dried shiitake mushrooms really are the star in this recipe. Dried mushrooms have such a concentrated flavor, even after rehydrating.
If you watch the how to video and then also see the process photos, you'll notice I prep the mushrooms differently. Sometimes I grate the dried mushrooms to a dust (or whir them up in the food processor for the same result). Other times I break up the dry mushrooms into pieces and then rehydrate in hot water.
Both methods yield the same delicious umami flavor. I still end up using the stick blender to make a smooth gravy, so if you are looking for the quicker and easier prep, I'd suggest break or chop and rehydrate.
How to make this recipe
We've already talked about the dried mushroom prep. The rest of the ingredients are basic, and making your own vegan mushroom gravy is very easy, and pretty quick.
The recipe beings with a basic sauté of onion and celery - to me, the aroma of the holidays! Then you add veggie broth and carefully selected spices (fennel, for the win), thicken with one of the two ingredients we alternate between, and that's it!
Serve immediately or cool completely and refrigerate if you are prepping ahead.
No flour option
To make from scratch gravy without flour, this recipe has the option of cashews.
I grew up with the flour as thickener method, and was taught this in school. When I first wrote this recipe years ago, I added cashews as a thickener instead. I still use them sometimes, I love the rich flavor cashews bring.
About half of my readers back then wanted the traditional flour option for this recipe, so I added one! And it is the recipe I make just as often as the cashew thickened method.
To use cashews as a thickener in place of flour slurry:
- Add ½ cup cashews to the bowl of rehydrating mushrooms.
- Add soaked cashews when you add the mushrooms.
Meal prep this recipe!
If you are planning ahead for a holiday dinner or just meal planning a normal week, this is a make ahead gravy recipe! This gravy tastes great for about a week in the refrigerator, when stored in an airtight container.
Making a holiday cooking schedule? See our event planning tips.
Vegan recipes to pour gravy over
- Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Cauliflower Steak, roasted or breaded
- Portobello Wellington
- Mashed Cauliflower
- White Bean Veggie Burgers
- Crispy Stuffed Potato Balls
- Epic Leftovers Sandwich
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Yield: 6 cups / 12 servings (½ cup)
Vegan Mushroom Gravy
this vegan mushroom gravy recipe uses the hearty flavor of mushrooms and spices to make an aromatic and flavorful plant based gravy everyone loves.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 ounces dried shiitake mushrooms, chopped or grated
- 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and diced
- 2 stalks celery, trimmed and diced
- 5 cups vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon gluten free tamari (or soy sauce if not gluten free)
- 2 stalks rosemary, stemmed and minced
- ½ teaspoon ground fennel
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon Himalayan sea salt
- ⅓ cup gluten free all purpose flour
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Chop or carefully grate dried mushrooms. If chopping, fill a bowl with hot water and add the chopped mushrooms to rehydrate. Set aside. (If grating, set aside.)
- Peel, trim, and dice onion, celery, and rosemary.
- Add olive oil (or broth) to a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, celery and rosemary. Sauté until onion and celery soften.
- Add fresh cracked black pepper, fennel, paprika, onion and garlic powder, sea salt to the onion and celery, stirring to combine. Add rehydrated mushrooms (or grated mushroom dust).
- Pour in 5 cups vegetable broth and 2 teaspoons tamari, increase heat to bring to a boil. Boil for a minute or two while stirring, and reduce to a simmer.
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour and water. Add this to the simmering gravy, whisking as it thickens.
- Using a hand blender or carefully pouring batches into a blender, blend until smooth. Taste and add seasoning if needed (salt, pepper, or tamari).
Notes
No flour option
To use cashews as a thickener in place of flour slurry:
- Add ½ cup cashews to the bowl of rehydrating mushrooms.
- Add soaked cashews when you add the mushrooms.
This gravy tastes great for about a week in the refrigerator, when stored in an airtight container.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
⅓ cup
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 32Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0.3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 239mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 1gSugar: 0.8gProtein: 3g
nutrition calculations results vary by calculator, are for informational purposes only, and are not intended to replace medical advice or treatment.
about Kristina:
Kristina is spabettie! She found cooking at an early age, and created spabettie in 2010 to share vegan recipes. Kristina turned her culinary training into sharing vibrant vegan food! Read more...
spabettie / Kristina Sloggett is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
