The Best Mushroom Gravy

Savory, meaty mushrooms are combined with fresh thyme, fragrant poultry seasoning, and the secret ingredient: nori. Nutritional yeast and flour or corn starch thicken to create a gravy that rivals any meat-based gravy. Oil-free and vegan, this "secret ingredient" gravy is a healthy addition to any bowl of mashed potatoes.

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Yield: 6

Author: Courtney Crary- Not Like Mama

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The Best Mushroom Gravy

Prep time: 5 MCook time: 15 MTotal time: 20 M

Savory, meaty mushrooms are combined with fresh thyme, fragrant poultry seasoning, and the secret ingredient: nori. Nutritional yeast and flour or corn starch thicken to create a gravy that rivals any meat-based gravy. Oil-free and vegan, this "secret ingredient" gravy is a healthy addition to any bowl of mashed potatoes.

Ingredients:

8 oz cremini mushrooms, diced
1 yellow onion, minced
3 cups vegetable broth
1/2 Tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
1 large sprig of fresh thyme, plus more for garnish
1/2 sheet nori
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1/8th tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp flour or corn starch
salt

Instructions:

Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat.
Add the diced onion, diced mushrooms, thyme, and bay leaves with a pinch of salt. Saute until the onions become translucent and begin to brown.
Add the flour or corn starch, stirring to coat evenly. Saute for an additional 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Use about 1/2 cup of vegetable broth to deglaze the pan.
Add the remaining vegetable broth and the remaining ingredients. Stir to combine and simmer for 5 minutes.
Carefully remove the bay leaf, thyme, and nori.
Transfer half of the contents of the pan to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour back into the saucepan and stir to combine. This will yield a gravy that is smooth, but still has some texture.
Continue to simmer until the mixture reaches your desired consistency.
Add salt to taste.
Serve over your favorite mashed potatoes with an additional garnish of thyme.

Notes:

You can put the entire 1/2 sheet of nori into the sauce pan. The nori is my secret ingredient and is a GAME CHANGER for vegan gravy, giving it a hefty dose of umami.

Calories

55.50

Fat (grams)

0.73

Sat. Fat (grams)

0.21

Carbs (grams)

9.47

Fiber (grams)

2.10

Net carbs

7.36

Sugar (grams)

2.19

Protein (grams)

4.36

Sodium (milligrams)

450.91

Cholesterol (grams)

0.11

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About the recipe:

I was never a gravy fan. My mom never made it on holidays and the thought of mixing turkey fat with flour and broth did not seem at all appetizing. My mashed potatoes were always naked and I was fine with that.

That is, until I ate a meal at Modern Love, a well-reviewed vegan dinner and brunch spot with upscale comfort food in Brooklyn. I got their Hen of the Woods Bowl: Breaded and lightly fried Hen of the Woods mushroom with mashed potatoes and gravy. OMG. That gravy blew my mind. It had a slight tangy, was rich and creamy and flavorful, and ADDED to the potatoes rather than distracting from them.

I couldn’t stop thinking about that gravy, so I attempted to make my own.

The tricky thing with vegan gravy is…you’re trying to mimic something that is pure umami. It’s thickened, seasoned animal fat. How can you make a gravy without animal fat equally savory?

The keys in this recipe are a host of umami bombs: mushrooms, nutritional yeast, nori, and vegan Worcestershire sauce. Combined, they leave your mouth thinking “there’s got to be some sort of meat in this.” When partially blended, it yields a gravy that is creamy and smooth, with just a bit of texture to keep it interesting.

RECIPE NOTES:

If you’re gluten-free, use corn starch instead of flour.
My preferred vegan Worcestershire sauce brand is “Mary’s” and should be available in your local health food store (most Worcestershire sauce contains fermented anchovies…gross).
When adding the nori to the mixture, there’s no need to break it up. Put the entire half-sheet in the broth. It will infuse flavor into the pan like a tea bag. Remove before blending.
It is absolutely NOT necessary to blend this gravy. I like to blend half of it to create a creamier texture. You can blend all of it or choose not to blend it at all.
If you want the gravy to have a slight tang, try adding the juice of 1/2 lemon.

Click here for the recipe for my MASHED POTATO AND MUSHROOM GRAVY BOWL WITH LEMONY BUTTER BEANS (pictured above).

Did you make this recipe? I want to know! Tag me on Instagram @notlikemama. I love to see your versions of my recipes!

If you enjoyed this recipe, consider leaving a comment below! It will make me feel warm and fuzzy AND will help other readers. Win win!

Rain or shine, it’s never a bad time for mashed potatoes! I hope this gravy with help you enjoy them even more :)

Happy Cooking,

Courtney