Non-meat-eaters rejoice! Finally, a Vegan-FriendlyHearty Mushroom Gravy that boasts tons of flavor and can compete with any meat-based gravy. Pour over biscuits, mashed potatoes, veggies, fish—you name it!
That earthy umami taste is what keeps me coming back for more of this liquid gold. And the addition of garlic, shallots, and red wine vinegar gives this stuff that extra burst of flavor that honestly, kinda makes me miss this gravy when it’s not on my plate.
As an environmental scientist, I’m always looking for ways to make eco-friendly produce shine! Mushrooms are not only delicious but considered sustainable food.
They have a relatively small environmental footprint as they take little water and energy to grow and emit little CO2.
Green tip: Organic farms rely on biodiversity to generate rich soil, avoiding the use of pesticides and fertilizers, which means no toxic runoff. Consider organic mushrooms for this recipe!
Vegan Friendly Mushroom Gravy Tips and Tricks
Gather Your Ingredients
Here’s everything you’ll need:
Cook Down Your Mushrooms First
You’ll start by cooking the mushrooms in oil to release their liquid, intensifying their rich flavor. From there, it’s the job of every other ingredient to amplify the natural flavor of the mushrooms.
Once you feel the mushrooms are ready (it should only take about 5-8 minutes), you’ll add the shallots, 1 tablespoon of butter, salt, and pepper, and allow them to cook together.
This step will season the vegetables, but also help to release excess liquid.
Next Comes The Roux
The roux is key to getting a thick and hearty gravy.
Simply add the rest of the butter and the flour and stir. It’s important to make sure that there are no lumps of flour left behind.
Add Your Vermouth Next
Next, you’ll add the Vermouth, which is infused with herbs and botanicals, and really kicks up the flavor. I like to use Dry Vermouth because it’s less sweet. You could also use white wine here.
It’s important to do this step before adding the other ingredients so the alcohol can easily cook off. Cooking with alcohol intensifies your flavors because it binds to fat molecules, bringing their flavor to the forefront of the dish.
Add the Vermouth and give it just a couple of stirs so it is combined with your roux.
Now Your Cookin’
Finally, allowing time for all your flavors to meld together is what really makes this gravy shine.
Add your vegetable broth, red wine vinegar, and garlic and stir to combine. Allow it to simmer on low, uncovered, for at least 20 minutes.
While 20 minutes is enough time to make a delicious gravy, if you have more time, let it simmer for a while.
The longer you allow for the ingredients to dance around in the pot together, the cozier they’ll get with each other.
Add Your Instant Gravy Mix Last
Once you’ve allowed all your flavors to mingle, add your instant gravy mix. This will thicken and season your Vegan-Friendly Mushroom Gravy.
I use the Bisto instant gravy granules that you can find in the International Section at your grocery store.
Even though it’s marketed to use as beef or chicken gravy, the ingredients are actually vegan. My husband always has this on hand, and it works really well in this recipe.
Should You Have Leftovers
This Hearty Mushroom Gravy will last 3-5 days in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. You can also opt to freeze it for up to 5 months.
To reheat, simply add it back to a pot over low heat, stirring occasionally until it’s heated through.
You can also microwave it in a microwave-safe bowl covered on high in 45-second intervals, stirring in between.
If the gravy gets too thick upon reheating, add vegetable broth as needed to loosen it.
Green tip: Did you know that of the billions of pounds of food wasted annually, it is estimated that 50% of it happens in our homes? It’s always best to avoid food waste as much as you can!
What To Serve this Mushroom Gravy With
Enjoy this family favorite with the ultimate Marley’s Menu dinner. Pile your plate high with Salmon, Asparagus, and Mashed Potatoes, and smother it with this gravy.
And maybe wear your sweatpants while you consume it.
Just a friendly suggestion from someone who may have had to unbutton her jeans last time she delighted in this combo.
Or for something slightly lighter try it over this Butternut Squash Sweet Potato Mash.
Why You Should Make This Vegan-Friendly Mushroom Gravy
- It’s flavorful. Bewtween the fresh vegetables, vermouth, red wine vinegar, and veggie broth, this mushroom gravy is absolutely brimming with flavor.
- The consistency! Nice and thick with chunks of mushrooms.
- It will lower your ecological footprint. Compared to meaty gravy, mushroom gravy has a much lower environmental impact.
If you’re loving this Vegan-Friendly Mushroom Gravy and want more mushroom recipes, check out these Crispy Fried Oyster Mushrooms and Mushroom Stew with Potatoes.
Hearty Mushroom Gravy (Vegan Friendly!)
PRINT PIN RATEIngredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 oz baby bell or white mushrooms
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (vegan butter works well!)
- 2 large shallots
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 tablespoons vermouth
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon instant gravy mix
Instructions
- Chop mushrooms and cook them in a medium-sized pot over medium heat in olive oil until the juices of the mushrooms release (about 5 minutes).
- Add chopped shallots, 1 tablespoon butter, salt, and pepper to the pot and simmer another 5 minutes.
- Add remaining butter and flour, and stir to form a roux.
- Pour in the Vermouth and stir a couple of times until integrated. Add broth, minced garlic, and red wine vinegar. Stir together and simmer 20 minutes until thickened.
- Add instant gravy mix and stir for about 1 minute. It should be a nice, thick consistency. If it’s thinner than you would like, let it simmer a little longer. Serve hot over veggies, fish, mashed potatoes, biscuits—whatever you fancy!
Pro Tips
- I use the Bisto instant gravy granules that you can find in the International Section at your grocery store. Even though it’s marketed to use as beef or chicken gravy, the ingredients are actually vegan. My husband always has this on hand, and it works really well in this recipe!
- I generally use a low sodium veggie broth, but if you’re using homemade or a broth that may have a little more salt, you may need to adjust the amount of salt you use.
- White wine can be used instead of Vermouth to accomplish a similar taste.
- This dish is a classic holiday recipe. For more like this, check out my comprehensive list of the best Thanksgiving recipes.
The Inspiration Behind This Hearty Mushroom Gravy
My husband LOVES his gravy! Is that a British thing or a Rob thing? Anyway, he always made it for his meat and vegetables, and I would get jealous because it wasn’t something I could eat – at least not the way he made it.
Last Holiday season, I decided enough is enough! Meat eaters aren’t the only ones who can enjoy gravy! That’s when I started researching what makes gravy so delicious and trying to emulate it in a pescatarian-safe version.
I literally felt like a witch over a cauldron making a potion when I was thinking this up! 😂 A little bit of this, a little bit of that, tasting and smelling every step of the way. And after testing this recipe several times and with several different meals… voila! This Hearty Mushroom Gravy was born!
Even Rob admits this recipe is just as good if not better than meaty versions! Enjoy it on biscuits, mashed potatoes, vegetables, fish, or even meat! Whatever you fancy, this is sure to add flavor and moisture and bring your meal to the next level.
Cheers!
1 thought on “Hearty Mushroom Gravy (Vegan-Friendly!)”
This sounds delicious. I have a huge container of mushrooms from Sam’s Club that I was wondering how to use up!