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Gravy and mashed potatoes with a pat of butter in a bowl.
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Seriously Good Vegan Gravy

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Servings: 10
Calories: 77kcal
Author: Nisha Vora

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons (42g) vegan butter (or extra virgin olive oil), divided
  • 1 cup (120g) diced yellow onion (or shallots, see Note 1)
  • Kosher salt + freshly cracked black pepper
  • 16 ounces (454g) cremini and/or shiitake mushrooms, sliced (see Note 2)
  • 5 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped (or 1 tsp dried thyme)
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves, (or 1 tsp dried rosemary, crumbled with hands)
  • 2 ¼ cups (540) low-sodium vegetable broth, separated (see Note 3)
  • ½ cup (120 mL) dry red wine (such as Pinot Noir, Malbec, or Merlot) (see Note 4)
  • 2 tablespoons (34g) soy sauce or tamari
  • 2 tablespoons (10g) nutritional yeast
  • 2 tablespoons (16g) cornstarch (or arrowroot powder)
  • 1 tablespoon (17g) white miso
  • ¼ to ½ teaspoon balsamic vinegar (or red wine vinegar)

Instructions

  • Measure out the miso and let sit at room temperature.
  • Heat a large, wide frying pan over medium heat. Add 1 ½ tablespoons (21g) of the butter (or olive oil). Once melted or hot, add the diced onions with a pinch of salt. Sauté until translucent and golden, about 5 minutes.
  • Cook the mushrooms: Increase the heat to medium-high and add the mushrooms, spreading them out as much as you can. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until they release their liquid and soften (stir more frequently if not using a non-stick pan).
    Add the remaining 1 ½ tablespoons (21g) butter (or olive oil) and stir well to coat the mushrooms. Stir frequently until mushrooms are somewhat browned, about 3 minutes.
    Multitasking: While the mushrooms cook: (a) in a large measuring cup or bowl, combine 2 cups (480 mL) of the broth, the red wine, and soy sauce; (b) make the “roux”: in a separate glass, whisk together the remaining ¼ cup (60 mL) broth, the nutritional yeast, and cornstarch
  • To the pan, add the garlic, thyme, rosemary, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, and several cracks of pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring almost constantly, or until very fragrant.
  • Pour in some of the red wine mixture and scrape up any browned bits, then pour the entire mixture in. Bring to a boil and boil for 3 to 4 minutes to cook off the wine, stirring occasionally.
  • Re-whisk the “roux” to combine, then add to the pan. Whisk constantly for 2 minutes to dissolve and thicken, lowering the heat if it bubbles vigorously.
  • Reduce the heat to medium and add in the miso. Stir very well to incorporate, breaking it up with your spatula. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring very frequently, until the gravy has thickened.
  • Remove from the heat. Stir in ¼ teaspoon balsamic vinegar, then taste, adding more as needed. Season with black pepper to taste.
    NOTE: For a smoother consistency, scoop out 2 ladles of gravy into a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Add the blended gravy back to the pan and mix together.

Video

Notes

  1. This is about 1 small onion or ½ medium; or 3 to 4 shallots.
  2. I like using a mix of cremini (which are inexpensive) and shiitake, which are bold and meaty-flavored, but you can use just cremini. If using shiitake, remove any tough stems first.
  3. Make sure to use low-sodium broth to avoid over-salting the gravy.
  4. The wine adds a complex, rich depth of flavor, but if you don’t consume alcohol, skip the wine, use ~ ½ tablespoon red wine vinegar.