This mushroom gravy is rich, creamy, and packed with flavor from oyster mushrooms, sherry, and fresh herbs. It's the perfect vegetarian gravy to serve over mashed potatoes or even hot biscuits!
It's All Gravy
Even before I went vegetarian, turkey was always an afterthought for me on Thanksgiving. It was the gravy and mashed potatoes, the cranberries, the green bean casserole . . . those were what I really loved to pile on my plate.
The turkey was just an obstacle my mom would make me it eat in order to get to the good stuff. I'd always make sure I had two helpings of mashed potatoes, and then I would pour on the gravy - so much that it would slowly surround my cranberries and seep into my sweet potatoes.
But I didn't care too much, because I loved gravy. Cranberry gravy, sweet potato gravy, it's all good.
Of course, gravy is often overlooked when it comes to accommodating vegetarians on Thanksgiving. I'm always happy to eat mashed potatoes any way that I can get them, but a little something is missing without being able to drown them in gravy.
It's just not right! So if you're a vegetarian, maybe you should make some gravy to bring to Thanksgiving this year. I'm just trying to be helpful, you know?
Traditional gravy is made with fat and juices from meat, so if you're a vegetarian, that's not an option. But mushroom gravy is a good alternative. Mushrooms have that nice umami flavor, making them a good substitute for turkey.
To create this mushroom gravy recipe, I adapted an old recipe from Cooking Light. I replaced the button mushrooms with oyster mushrooms, but you can really use just about any kind of mushroom that you prefer.
And while the original recipe called for chicken stock, I replaced that with mushroom stock. (I like this mushroom base!) If you don't have mushroom stock on hand, vegetable broth will work just as well.
If you love this gravy, you can also serve it up as vegan biscuits and gravy. Another totally delicious comfort food!
P.S. If you're here because you're planning a Thanksgiving feast, be sure to check out my Vegan Thanksgiving Cookbook.
Recipe by me, photos by Rikki Snyder.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ¼ tsp salt
- 8 oz oyster mushrooms sliced
- ¼ cup dry sherry
- 3 cups mushroom stock or vegetable broth
- 1 ½ tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp butter or vegan margarine
- ⅛ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute 1 minute. Add thyme, salt, and mushrooms and saute about 8 minutes, or until mushrooms are browned. Add sherry and cook until liquid evaporates. Stir in broth.
- Bring to a boil and cook until gravy is reduced to about 2 cups (about 14 minutes).
- Whisk together flour and water in a small bowl. Add mixture to skillet; return to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat; stir in butter 1 tablespoon at a time and pepper.
Cassie | Bake Your Day says
This is incredible! I made some breakfast-ish mushroom gravy a while back and loved it. I can only imagine how big a hit this would be for mashed potatoes. I love it!!
Kiersten says
Mushroom gravy makes everything better. 🙂 I make poutine with mushroom gravy too!
Liz @ A Nut in a Nutshell says
I'm positive my daughter would go nuts over this!
Anele @ Success Along the Weigh says
Wow! I'm not much of a mushroom fan but this look DELISH!!! You may make a believer outta me!
Sheri says
That looks divine! I love mushroom gravy.
Pam says
I am so going to make this! It looks so good and kind of beefy and since we do not eat beef its perfect. lol
Kiersten says
Yup, it's definitely a nice, meaty gravy, sans the meat. 🙂
[email protected]'s Recipes says
I have to make this too! Looks so creamy and good.
Jackie @ Domestic Fits says
Gorgeous! Gravy is on of my favorite parts of Thanksgiving, it has to be good.
Maryann says
That looks really delicious and I love that you suggested Earth Balance - we use it because we are dairy free. I assume we could swap out the flour for corn starch - we are also gluten free.
Kiersten says
I have never used corn starch in gravy, but I know a lot of people do, so I think it would work. Arrowroot powder could substitute for flour too, I think.
Jennifer The Quirky Momma says
Alright, you need to come over to MY house! I'm obsessing over your blog because all your food looks fantastic. The items I've made are out of this world and now I'm slowing becoming a vegetarian!!!!!
Thanks you for inspiring me!
Kiersten says
Thank you! I think a lot of people associate vegetarian food with being bland, boring, and tasteless, so I love helping people see that that doesn't have to be the case at all. 🙂
Kare @ Kitchen Treaty says
This must be so unbelievably tasty - thyme, oyster mushrooms, sherry - yum. I made my vegetarian onion gravy this past weekend and tried adding a touch of soy sauce for a little umami action. Didn't really make a difference. 😉 Yay for vegetarian gravys! Naked mashed potatoes can be a very sad sight on a Thanksgiving plate.
Kiersten says
Ooh, onion gravy! I hope you post that one. 🙂
HilLesha says
That looks really good. 🙂
Meg @ Beard and Bonnet says
This makes me want to eat mushrooms! Which happens almost as often as eating raw tomatoes, which is almost NEVER. So, me saying that this looks amazing and is making me want to eat mushrooms is kind of a huge deal.
Kiersten says
Ha! Why do mushrooms have so many haters?! They are delicious!
Stephanie @ henry happened says
Ok, first let me just say, gorgeous! Now I have to admit that we NEVER have gravy at Thanksgiving. And I have no idea why! I should make this for all the vegesaurases in my family because mushrooms would be amazing.
Kiersten says
REALLY!? But you have mashed potatoes?! Without gravy?! Okay, you need to make gravy this year! 😀
Brenda Williams says
I love gravy and this looks and sounds so good!
Sara says
I'll have to try this--I love mushrooms!!
Kelly @ A Girl Worth Saving says
I would do a mushroom gravy back in my veggie days. I haven't tried oyster mushrooms yet though as they just look intimating. The stuffing looks divine too! I love how you have cheese in it.
Kiersten says
Oyster mushrooms are so fun! But then again, I'm a fan of just about any kind of mushroom. 🙂
Robin says
Oh how yummy! This would go perfectly over some mashed potatoes and stuffing.
Mumseword says
Mushrooms! the ultimate yummy replacement food for veggie days!
Kiersten says
It really does make a fabulous stand-in for meat!
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com says
I bet this gravy would be great on pasta! Mmmm...
Rachel says
Yum. I love gravy. The more the better. I love mushrooms. So this is a win win that no one else in the house would eat. Thus leaving more for me!
Kiersten says
Don't you love it when it works out that way?
Lisa @ Je suis alimentageuse says
I totally agree! When I first went vegetarian, I was distraught, heart-broken even, to think that I would never be able to eat poutine again. When I heard about vegetarian gravy served at certain poutine stands, I was ecstatic. Beautiful recipe and photos! Makes me want mashed potatoes right now ><
Kiersten says
I make poutine with mushroom gravy too! 🙂 It might not be very authentic, but it sure tastes good.
Anna @ hiddenponies says
Gravy is a pretty crucial part of Thanksgiving, for sure - this looks so rich and flavourful!
Courtney Rae Jones says
That is one fantastic looking gravy! I've been trying to experiment with making gravy lately and found that rosemary really adds a nice touch. I'm excited to try your mushroom gravy with some veggie meatballs. I bet it's delicious! 🙂
Kiersten says
Rosemary is a great idea! I like sage in it too. Just a little bit so you don't overpower it. 🙂 I'm making this gravy with meatballs tonight! I'm working on a meatball recipe, so fingers crossed, I'll be posting that soon...
Mary @ Fit and Fed says
We make vegetarian gravy for Thanksgiving, too. We have stuffing (made in a baking pan), mashed potatoes with cranberry sauce and vegetarian gravy and lots of other dishes. My younger set includes two mushroom haters, so mushroom gravy has never been an option, but with enough onions, vegetable stock, time, and a little flour and nutri-yeast we get a gravy made that seems to please everyone.
Kiersten says
I can never get enough mushrooms (they might just be one of my favorite veggies), but I need to experiment a little with other kinds of gravy. Yours sounds delicious!
Kelly @ Texas Type A Mom says
This sounds so much better than plain, old regular brown gravy. I'm curious to see how the family would take a new change and the addition of a new, interesting flavor!