This vegetarian shiitake mushroom gravy is so packed with flavor from fresh shallots and rich shiitake mushrooms, no would ever guess that it's entirely plant based! This is perfect served over mashed potatoes or homemade biscuits.
I had a pretty big freak-out over this post because I realized that I didn't have a gravy boat right before I was ready to start photographing it.
In my head, I had a gravy boat. But in reality? No gravy boat. I found an article on gravy boat alternatives from The Kitchn, which was helpful, but while I could definitely serve gravy in a water pitcher, I couldn't really photograph it in one because that would be weird, right? There's nothing like a big, tall pitcher of thick, refreshing gravy. Pour me a glass, please!
So I sent my husband to Target to buy me a gravy boat. He took pictures of each one they had in the store and I picked one out. Now I have a gravy boat for all my future gravy servin' needs. Crisis averted!
So if you too are a vegetarian that does not own a gravy boat, know that you can serve your gravy in a water pitcher or, failing that, send your better half to Target.
Mashed potatoes are an important part of holiday meals like Thanksgiving. And as I always say, you just can't have mashed potatoes without gravy. It would be a Thanksgiving travesty.
This Shallot and Shiitake Gravy can be made in advance and reheated later, so if you're going to someone else's house for dinner, you can bring it with you.
Which is the second thing I always say! If you want to make sure you can eat your Thanksgiving dinner, offer to bring a vegetarian dish or two. Your host will love you! And your fellow guests will probably steal your gravy.
It's really that good.
When you cook down the mushroom stock, the flavor gets concentrated, so you end up with a gravy boat (or water pitcher) full of savory deliciousness that will rival any turkey gravy.
This is perfect for serving over mashed potatoes, but is also wonderful over homemade vegetarian biscuits.
And if you love this recipe, be sure to check out these other tasty vegetarian gravy recipes.
📖 Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 shallots, chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 3.5-ounce package fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps chopped
- ¼ cup white wine
- 2 ½ cups mushroom stock
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until browned, 7-10 minutes. Add the mushrooms and thyme and cook until the mushrooms release their juices, 2-5 minutes more. Pour in the wine and increase the heat to high. Once the wine has evaporated (1-2 minutes), pour in the mushroom stock. Bring to a boil, then continue to boil for 8-10 minutes, until the stock has reduced and thickened slightly.
- Whisk the water and flour in a small bowl. Pour the flour mixture into the gravy and reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the gravy thickens, about 2 minutes. The gravy will thicken even more as it cools. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Anele @ Success Along the Weigh says
This looks CRAZY GOOD! Is it wrong I want to bathe in it? Oops, I typed that.
Kiersten says
If loving gravy is wrong, I don't wanna be right.
esther says
LOL!
Abby@TheFrostedVegan says
I just want to jump into that boat, is that ok? Also, props to your hubby for running out to get a gravy boat..my other half would be all "A gravy WHAT?!"
Kiersten says
Ha! Chris offered about 5 times while I frantically searched for something--anything!--that I could put the gravy in without having some really bizarre photos for this post. Finally, I was like, "Okay, go get me a gravy boat!" Pretty sure his ulterior motive was stopping at Starbucks while he was at Target.
Caitlin says
i love mushroom gravy and i LOVE shallots! it's a total win over here! oh, and last year, i served gravy from a water pitcher 😉
Kiersten says
I love shallots too! Shallots don't get enough love.
Erica {Coffee & Quinoa} says
HAH gravy in a water pitcher - delicious, brown and chunky. I actually do have my mom's old gravy boat taking up space in my cabinet; I think I've used it a total of once. I love the sound of a mushroom and shallot gravy!
Kiersten says
Well, the good thing about hand-me-down gravy boats is that at least you'll have one on hand when you need it. 🙂 No water pitchers for you!
Marta @ What Should I eat for breakfast today says
Chris is a good guy but of course as a pay back he eats all the goodies 🙂
Kiersten says
Exactly! 😀
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
I want to swim in that bowl of gravy! Yum!
Amber says
This looks amazing! What could I use instead of the white wine? Any alternatives?
Kiersten says
I've used red wine too. But if you're wanting to use something non-alcoholic, I'd just omit it altogether. I really love the flavor wine adds and there's nothing that can really duplicate that flavor!
Pasi Mulvihill says
sherry cooking wine!!! =)
Dixya @ Food, Pleasure, and Health says
it seems like all of want to be in that gravy boat 😛
kl says
this looks great, but where does one get 2 1/2 cups of mushroom stock?
Kiersten says
There's a link in the ingredients to my mushroom stock recipe, but Pacific Natural Foods has a great mushroom broth that would work too.
kl says
Thank you !
Puja @ Indiaphile.info says
I love mushroom gravy! Yours looks delicious! 🙂
Alissa N (GirlMakesFood) says
That is so funny about the gravy boat because after I decided to make gravy I realized that I didn't have a gravy boat!! I just went with small bowls that looked like maybe if you used your imagination they resemble a gravy boat. Your pictures look awesome though, totally worth it!!
Kiersten says
I thought about going the bowl route too, but I didn't have a bowl that felt right. 🙂 I think gravy boats are one of those things you don't realize you need until you're in the midst of making it!
Holly says
Oh yum. I like that this can be made ahead of time. I always fuss around with the turkey gravy and am disappointed with the results. This year I'll make this ahead of time and have nothing but smiles! I wonder if a mason jar could stand in for a gravy boat? In a pinch it just might!
Kiersten says
A mason jar would definitely work! Really, if it was just for me and my husband and not my food blog too, I probably would have kept it in the saucepan and just spooned it onto our potatoes. That's what I did the first time I tested the recipe. 🙂
Kristin says
The first thing I feel with this post is RELIEF! It's so difficult to find decent, vegetarian Thanksgiving gravy!
HURRAY!!
Thank you for all that you do!
Pinned!
K-
Kiersten says
Yes, I think gravy is often overlooked when it comes to vegetarian dishes for Thanksgiving! Thanks for the pin. 🙂
Hannah @ CleanEatingVeggieGirl says
I love finding gravy recipes that are not meat-based. This sounds SO perfect for Thanksgiving!
Katy says
LOL I saw that gravy boat alternatives post on the kitchn, but I also saw one on huff post taste that was something like "most wacky gravy boats". There's some really funny ones there. I've never tried making my own gravy (just used packages) but I definitely want to, and this mushroom one sounds awesome!
Kiersten says
I need to go Google that post. 🙂 My mom used to always make vegetarian gravy for me and my brother from those packages too!
Grace @ Earthy Feast says
Now I want a gravy boat! I'm definitely gonna make that gravy (it looks amazing!) so I have to have one - right?!
Kiersten says
Well, you could always use a water pitcher! 😀
Anne|Craving Something Healthy says
Yum. That gravy looks so good, I probably COULD drink a glass of it. I think mushroom stock is the best secret ingredient 🙂
Kiersten says
Homemade mushroom stock is my secret ingredient in a lot of recipes. 😀 It's good stuff!
Joy //For the Love of Leaves says
I've totally done that before! Thinking I have something when I don't...I've even done the reverse of thinking I don't have something, going out and buying it only to find one in a cupboard a week or so later...but most importantly, this gravy looks awesome!
Kiersten says
Yes, I have done the reverse too! 🙂 I think my problem is that I have my kitchen stuff in so many different rooms (small kitchen!), it's hard to remember what I have!
Natalie @ Once Upon a Cutting Board says
I don't have a gravy boat either but I never make gravy .. I've been craving gravy and mashed potatoes so much lately though so I might have to make this soon! Also that's so cute that Chris took different pictures of the gravy boats for you to choose - so thoughtful!
Kiersten says
He knows I take my food props seriously! 🙂
dishing up the dirt says
I love that Target saves the day. This gravy sounds fantastic!
Kiersten says
What would we do without Target?!
Mindi says
Packaged shiitake mushrooms. Are you referring to dried shiitakes or something else? It looks wonderful.
Kiersten says
Fresh shiitake mushrooms. Unless you're buying them in bulk, they're usually sold in 3.5 ounce packages. I'll clarify that in the ingredient list right now!
Robyn B | Modern Day Missus says
Mashed potato and gravy... drool....
Jeanette | Jeanette's Healthy Living says
Love how rich this gravy looks - no one would ever guess it's made with just veggies! Mushrooms are my go-to to add meatiness to any dish.
Kiersten says
Mushrooms are one of my favorite meat subs too. I love that savory flavor!
Jodi | Dancing Carrots says
This gravy looks absolutely divine! What a great idea for Thanksgiving.
Genevieve says
Haha, I had the same problem the one time I made gravy for my blog...I tried to look for a substitute dish to serve it in, but really nothing else would seem right so I picked up a cheap one from the dollar store! I didn't bother bringing vegetarian gravy to Thanksgiving this year, but that's because we didn't have mashed potatoes so I would have had nothing to eat it with! Although a rich, savory version like this could probably be eaten with a spoon 🙂
Kiersten says
Yeah, I could definitely eat this with a spoon. 🙂 I loooove gravy!