Everyone needs a good southern vegan gravy recipe, like this one that’s creamy, pepper-y, and flavorful. I don’t think there’s anything more comforting than gravy drizzled on top of your favorite dish, whether that be for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. No judgments for licking your plate.
And before you ask, YES there is a difference between brown gravy and southern gravy. Southern gravy should be creamy and white, savory and peppered. It should hit all the right taste buds, and be so delicious that you’d rather scrape every last bit from the pan than see a drop go to waste.
This is that recipe.
You can enjoy this vegan gravy recipe on top of heaping scoops of mashed potatoes, these easy air fryer biscuits or this yummy soy-free vegan turkey. It’s all gravy baby!
Jump to:
Why you’ll love this southern vegan gravy recipe
Of course, this recipe is one of my absolute favorites and I’ve been making it for years. I’ve served it over just about every meal I can think of and it always hits the spot and makes me feel good.
You’ll love this vegan gravy recipe because it’s:
- Easy. Nothing complicated about the steps!
- Quick. You can make this vegan gravy in just a few short minutes.
- Delicious. Creamy and savory, your taste buds will love the flavor.
- Comforting. I love making this vegan gravy recipe when I need some good ol’ comfort food. It’s also perfect for holidays, like Thanksgiving and Christmas.
What to serve it with
Yes, there are the classic options, like mashed potatoes or buttered toast, but here’s a few more recipes that would go great with this southern staple:
- The Best Vegan Turkey to Satisfy All Cravings
- Best Vegan Biscuits Recipe in the Air Fryer or Oven
- Amazing Vegan Cornbread Stuffing That’s Secretly Gluten-Free
- Healthy Street Corn
Ingredients + Substitutions
- Plant-based milk. I prefer unsweetened almond milk because I think it has a mild flavor, but soy, coconut, or cashew works here too. Just keep in mind it may change the taste a touch.
- Vegan bouillon. I like using Not Chicken bouillon cubes for this vegan gravy because it gives it a “meaty” flavor that is included in all good southern gravy. You can also use Not Beef or vegetable bouillon too.
- Nutritional yeast. This adds a touch of flavor + the fortified nutritional yeast adds B12.
- Cornstarch. I use non-GMO cornstarch. This helps thicken your gravy.
- Salt and black pepper. I use Himalayan sea salt. The pepper is the finishing touches for perfect southern style gravy.
How to make it
See the recipe box below for exact measurements.
- Add 1 ½ cups of the plant milk to a small sauce pot with the vegan bouillon cube and the nutritional yeast. Stir. Bring to a boil on medium-high heat. Be mindful to watch this closely because your milk can quickly bubble over.
- Meanwhile, whisk together remaining plant milk and cornstarch. Set aside.
- Once milk has come to a boil, turn heat down to medium-low and stir in the cornstarch mixture. Whisk until thickened, about 1-2 minutes.
- Once thickened, remove from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste. I like a good amount of pepper in mine!
- Enjoy on meal of choice.
Storage + Reheating
- Refrigerator: Keep this vegan gravy in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.
- Freezer: Keep this gravy in a sealed freezer bag, lay flat to freeze, and store for up to 3 months. To defrost, refrigerate overnight or run freezer bag under hot water before heating on stove/microwave.
- Reheat (stovetop): Heat leftover gravy in a small saucepan on medium-low, stirring until heated through. You may need to add a splash of plant-based milk. For frozen gravy, follow the defrosting instructions above, and then proceed with stovetop reheating.
- Reheat (microwave): Place gravy in a microwave safe dish and nuke for 1-2 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
For this vegan southern-style gravy, I use a combination of plant-based milk, vegan chicken bouillon, nutritional yeast, and salt and pepper. To thicken I use cornstarch.
Absolutely! For thicker gravy, add an extra tablespoon of cornstarch to the mix. For thinner gravy, subtract a tablespoon.
Totally! For a brown gravy variation, add 1-2 tablespoons of soy sauce and use Not Beef bouillon instead of chicken. Another great “beefy” vegan bouillon is the Better Than Bouillon brand, vegetable base.
Allergy Information & Variations
- This southern gravy is 100% vegan, meaning it is meat-free, dairy-free, and egg-free. It is also naturally gluten-free and soy-free.
- Make this gravy nut-free by swapping the almond milk for another plant-based milk of choice.
- Don’t want to use Not Chicken or Not Beef bouillon? Swap it out for a vegetable-based bouillon instead.
- Make this brown gravy by adding 1-2 tablespoons of soy sauce and using a Not Beef bouillon cube instead.
- Want more chicken-y flavor? Try adding in a teaspoon of Butlers vegan chicken seasoning.
Southern Vegan Gravy
Ingredients
- 2 cups plant-based milk, such as unsweetened almond
- 1 cube vegan bouillon, such as Not Chicken (enough bouillon for 2 cups liquid)
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper (optional, or season according to taste)
- salt, seasoned to taste (I use Himalayan pink salt)
Instructions
- Add 1½ cups of the plant milk to a small sauce pot with the vegan bouillon cubes and the nutritional yeast. Stir. Bring to a boil on medium-high heat. Be mindful to watch this closely because your milk can quickly bubble over.
- Meanwhile, whisk together remaining ½ cup of plant milk and cornstarch until smooth (no clumps!). Set aside.
- Once milk has come to a boil, turn heat down to medium-low and stir in the cornstarch mixture. Whisk until thickened, about 1-2 minutes.
- Once thickened, remove from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste. I like a good amount of pepper in mine, so the ¼ teaspoon is perfect for southern style gravy. However, you can always scale it back if you want to go light on the pepper.
Notes
- I prefer unsweetened almond milk because I think it has a mild flavor, but soy, coconut, or cashew works here too. This swap can make it nut-free too. Just keep in mind it may change the taste a touch.
- I like using Not Chicken bouillon cubes for this vegan gravy because it gives it a “meaty” flavor that is included in all good southern gravy. You can also use Not Beef or vegetable bouillon too.
- For thicker gravy, add an extra tablespoon of cornstarch to the mix. For thinner gravy, subtract a tablespoon.
- For a brown gravy variation, add 1-2 tablespoons of soy sauce and use Not Beef bouillon instead of chicken. Another great “beefy” vegan bouillon is the Better Than Bouillon brand, vegetable base.
- Want more chicken-y flavor? Try adding in a teaspoon of Butlers vegan chicken seasoning (affiliate).
- Refrigerator: Keep this vegan gravy in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.
- Freezer: Keep this gravy in a sealed freezer bag, lay flat to freeze, and store for up to 3 months. To defrost, refrigerate overnight or run freezer bag under hot water before heating on stove/microwave.
- Reheat (stovetop): Heat leftover gravy in a small saucepan on medium-low, stirring until heated through. You may need to add a splash of plant-based milk. For frozen gravy, follow the defrosting instructions above, and then proceed with stovetop reheating.
- Reheat (microwave): Place gravy in a microwave safe dish and nuke for 1-2 minutes.
Nutrition Information
Donna Biederman
This gravy is outstanding! I crumbled up a couple of your lentil sausage patties in it and served it over mashed potatoes, yum! I cannot wait to make the biscuits. 🙂
Courtney
I’ve always been afraid to make vegan gravy, but this was excellent! Thank you for sharing this fool-proof recipe. It was delicious over biscuits and your vegan lentil breakfast sausages!
Randy
Very easy and very good!