Looking for an easy homemade Brown Gravy Recipe to elevate your meals? Put down the packet and close the jar! This rich, homemade brown gravy is perfect served over creamy mashed potatoes, classic Southern meatloaf, or Southern smothered pork chops. It also works great with chicken fried steak or served over rice with slow-cooked meats. Best of all, this gravy can be made in under ten minutes with simple pantry ingredients.
If you’re looking for more Southern comfort food and homemade dinner recipes, you can browse all of my recipes here.
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Updated March 2026: This post has been updated with additional serving suggestions and internal links to help you build the perfect Southern comfort food meal.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
When I made this particular recipe, I wanted something quick and easy, with a ton of flavor, and reminiscent of old-school Kentucky Fried Chicken or Cafeteria-Style brown gravy to top off creamy Southern mashed potatoes. That's exactly what we have here, and you're going to Love It!
Ingredients
Liquids: I like to use chicken stock for the liquid in this recipe. But the key is mixing in Beef Better than Bouillon for a beefy flavor and savory chicken stock.
Seasonings and Spices: All you need here is Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, and Black Pepper. There is no need for added salt due to the sodium levels in the chicken stock and beef bouillon.
Other: The only remaining ingredients for this Brown Gravy Recipe are Butter and Flour.
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Begin by boiling the chicken stock in one medium saucepan.
Step 2: Add the beef better than bouillon, stirring to ensure it's fully dissolved. Once the bouillon has dissolved, turn the chicken stock low and allow it to simmer.
Step 3: Melt the butter in a second medium saucepan over medium-low heat.
Step 4: Add the flour, onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper. Stir this together until a roux begins to form.
Step 5: Pour the chicken stock mixture into the butter mixture.
Step 6: Whisk over low heat until the Gravy thickens.
Expert Tips
- 1. Be sure not to cook the Butter and Seasoning mix too long or too hot. Just enough to brown and start bubbling.
- 2. Whisking should only take about 2 minutes but work fast and vigorously to ensure no clumps.
- 3. Two separate pots are essential for texture and seasoning. The browning of the butter and seasoning will provide the richness of this gravy recipe.
- 4. Try serving this Brown Gravy over Italian Sausage Stuffing for a perfect Thanksgiving side dish.
What to Serve with Brown Gravy
Brown gravy is a classic comfort food staple that goes with a wide variety of Southern dishes. It’s especially good served over creamy mashed potatoes, chicken fried steak, classic Southern meatloaf, or Southern smothered pork chops.
For a full comfort food meal, serve brown gravy with buttermilk biscuits, Southern baked mac and cheese, or even over rice with Southern oxtails.
Recipe FAQs
Gravy is a sauce made from cooked meat juices and thickened with flour. However, it's not necessary to have the meat itself. Chicken or Beef Stock, as well as bouillon, will provide a ton of flavor when thickened with flour and seasoned with other spices.
Based on the ingredients listed on the KFC Website, the ingredients for KFC Gravy are as follows: Water, wheat flour, modified corn starch, dextrose, potassium chloride, monosodium glutamate, salt, onion powder,
high monounsaturated sunflower seed oil (manufacturing aid), autolyzed yeast extract, spices, hydrolyzed corn and
soy protein, caramel, torula yeast. Made with KFC Original Recipe Chicken.
Contains: Wheat, Soy.
People refer to Brown Gravy by many names, such as Beef Gravy, Dark Gravy, Beef Stock Gravy, and even Brown Sauce.
Flour is best used when making a roux, giving rich brown gravy its flavors. However, cornstarch may be the answer if you're looking for a gluten-free version. Just know that it may not reheat as well and could be thicker than when using flour.
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📖 Recipe
Brown Gravy
Ingredients
- 1 tsp. Beef Better than Bouillon
- 2 ¼ Cups Chicken Stock
- 4 Tbsp. Salted Butter
- 4 Tbsp. All Purpose Flour
- ½ tsp. Onion Powder
- ½ tsp. Garlic Powder
- ¼ tsp. Black Pepper
Instructions
- Begin by boiling the chicken stock in one medium saucepan and add the beef better than bouillon, stirring to make sure it is fully dissolved.
- Once the bouillon has dissolved, turn the mixture down to low and allow it to simmer.
- In a second medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter and add the flour, onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper. Stir this together until a roux begins to form. Not too long or too hot as you don't want to burn the mixture.
- Pour the chicken stock mixture into the butter mixture and whisk over low heat until the gravy thickens. This should only take about 2 minutes.
Video
Notes
- Be sure not to cook the Butter and Seasoning mix too long or too hot. Just enough to brown and start bubbling.
- Whisking should only take about 2 minutes but work fast and vigorously to ensure no clumps.
- Two separate pots are essential for texture and seasoning. The browning of the butter and seasoning will provide the richness of this gravy recipe.
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