Our 9 Best Thanksgiving Gravy Recipes of All Time Will Dress Up Your Holiday Meal

Chef John's Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy

Good news! Chef John's top-rated gravy can be made ahead and stored in the freezer until Thanksgiving. It's made with roasted turkey wings and vegetables, and has a little kick from his usual pinch of cayenne pepper. "This make-ahead turkey gravy frees up valuable kitchen time for Thanksgiving, plus it will look and taste even better than those frantic, last-minute versions," says Chef John.

Vegetarian Gravy

This meatless gravy is made with vegetable broth, soy sauce, nutritional yeast, and spices. Reviewers say this gravy will even impress the meat-lovers at your Thanksgiving table. "This gravy is absolutely amazing. It has such a hearty taste…simply wonderful! You will not be disappointed," says reviewer Dora.

Turkey Mushroom Gravy

"I am typically gravy challenged but this worked great for me. I didn't have as much celery on hand as the recipe called for, which was a bummer, but it was still mighty tasty. This is really good and will be my go-to for turkey gravy," says Allrecipes Allstar Soup Loving Nicole.

Rich Turkey Gravy

With only four ingredients, this is the easiest gravy you can make this Thanksgiving. All you need is flour, water, chicken bouillon cubes, and the pan drippings from your turkey. It's a great last-minute option and is ready in 30 minutes.

Giblet Gravy

This old-fashioned gravy has turkey giblets, chicken broth, carrots, white wine, turkey drippings, celery, and spices. "It is delicious with turkey and mashed potatoes. Start making this while the turkey is cooking since it requires about two hours of simmering," says recipe creator Tikeren.

The Best Turkey Gravy

This classic gravy recipe uses the giblets and neck from the turkey plus chicken broth, turkey drippings, and two packages of turkey gravy mix. "I made this for Thanksgiving, best gravy ever. I made all except the final step the day before. Added drippings and thickening once the turkey was done. Perfect. Definitely a crowd-pleaser," says reviewer DB.

Special Turkey Gravy

This easy turkey gravy uses a package of turkey gravy mix. With the addition of the turkey drippings, the gravy becomes a flavorful addition to your Thanksgiving table. "Despite the simplicity of this recipe, it turns out a gravy which is lump-free, rich, golden brown in appearance, and most importantly, delicious. I was skeptical that a recipe with so few ingredients would be worthwhile, but not to worry, it was excellent in every regard," says home cook Curt McLey.

Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy

A 5-star favorite, this make-ahead gravy doubles up on the roasted turkey wings and takes under three hours to make. Freeze it for up to three months ahead of time. Some reviewers made the roux with turkey fat instead of butter to deepen the roast turkey flavor. You can whisk in the pan juices from your roast turkey to give it yet another layer of flavor.

Homemade Turkey Gravy

If you prefer to make your Thanksgiving gravy right after the turkey comes out of the oven, this 4-ingredient recipe is for you. While the turkey is resting, you'll cook the flour in the fat from the dripping to make your roux, then whisk in the turkey juices along with chicken broth until the gravy is the thickness you want. Season with salt and pepper to finish.

More Inspiration

• 19 Fool-Proof Thanksgiving Recipes for Beginner Cooks
• Our 25 Best New Thanksgiving Recipes for 2021
• More Thanksgiving Gravy Recipes