Dairy-Free Mushroom Gravy
A savory dairy-free mushroom gravy made with browned cremini mushrooms, garlic, thyme, dairy-free butter, flour, broth, tamari, and Dijon for deep, rounded flavor without milk or cream.
Recipe by Non Dairy Dude
Good gravy is mostly about patience with the mushrooms. Rush the browning and you get pale, squeaky mushrooms floating in beige liquid. Let them sit in the pan until they're genuinely dark and a little stuck, and you get something that tastes like it spent all day on the stove.
The dairy-free part is actually not complicated here. Traditional brown gravy doesn't lean on milk or cream the way white gravy does, so the swap is mostly olive oil and dairy-free butter standing in for regular butter in the roux. Tamari adds the umami punch you'd otherwise miss from drippings, and a small hit of Dijon rounds everything out without tasting like mustard. It works.
This goes on pretty much everything. It's the obvious call over dairy-free mashed potatoes at any holiday table. It also works straight into a dairy-free shepherd's pie filling, or ladled over a weeknight plate of rice and roasted vegetables when you want something that actually tastes like dinner.
Ingredients
Mushrooms
- 16 ozCremini or baby bella mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 1 tbspOlive oil
Roux
- 4 tbspDairy-free butter, divided
- ¼ cupAll-purpose flour
Aromatics
- 1 smallYellow onion, finely diced
- 3 clovesGarlic cloves, minced
Seasoning
- 1 tspFresh thyme leaves
- ½ tspFreshly ground black pepper
- ½ tspFine salt, plus more to taste
Liquid
- 3 cupsLow-sodium vegetable broth or chicken broth
Finish
- 1 tbspTamari or soy sauce
- ½ tspDijon mustard
- 1 tspApple cider vinegar or sherry vinegar
- 1 tbspFresh parsley, chopped, optional
Instructions
- 1
Heat a large skillet or saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the dairy-free butter.
- 2
Add the mushrooms in an even layer and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they release their liquid, the liquid evaporates, and the mushrooms are browned. Do not rush this step; browned mushrooms are the backbone of the gravy.
- 3
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion, thyme, black pepper, and salt. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until the onion softens and starts to turn golden.
- 4
Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons dairy-free butter and let it melt.
- 5
Sprinkle the flour over the mushroom mixture and stir constantly for 2 minutes, until no dry flour remains and the mixture looks thick and pasty.
- 6
Slowly whisk in the broth, about 1/2 cup at a time at first, scraping up browned bits from the pan. Once the gravy is smooth, whisk in the remaining broth.
- 7
Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until the gravy thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- 8
Stir in the tamari, Dijon mustard, and vinegar. Taste and adjust with more salt, pepper, vinegar, or a splash of broth if the gravy is too thick.
- 9
Serve hot, finished with parsley if using. The gravy will thicken as it cools, so loosen leftovers with broth or water when reheating.
How we make it dairy-free
- Butter (roux) → A combination of olive oil and dairy-free butter builds the roux. Dairy-free butter alone can scorch faster, so splitting it with olive oil gives you more control over the heat.
- Milk or cream → There's none here. This is a brown gravy, and the body comes from the roux plus broth. The mushrooms do the rest.
- Pan drippings → Tamari stands in for the savory depth that meat drippings usually provide. It doesn't make the gravy taste like soy sauce. A little Dijon and a splash of apple cider vinegar keep the flavor from going flat.
If you're using this over a meat dish that has its own drippings, you can deglaze the pan with a splash of broth first and stir that into the gravy at the end.
Tips & Variations
Brown the mushrooms: The gravy gets its depth from mushrooms that have actually browned after their liquid cooks off. If they are pale and wet, keep cooking.
Use a wide pan: Crowded mushrooms steam instead of brown. A wide skillet gives the mushrooms room to develop flavor.
Choose your broth by menu: Vegetable broth keeps the gravy vegetarian. Chicken broth makes it taste more like classic poultry gravy for turkey, chicken pot pie, or holiday plates.
Tamari is the shortcut to depth: It adds salt and umami without making the gravy taste like soy sauce. Start with the listed amount, then adjust after simmering.
Keep the roux moving: Stir the flour into the fat and mushrooms for a full 2 minutes so the finished gravy does not taste floury.
Make it smoother: For a smoother gravy, blend half of it with an immersion blender, or blend all of it if you prefer a mushroom gravy without visible mushroom pieces.
Make ahead: Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat gently, whisking in broth or water a splash at a time until it returns to a pourable texture.
Not gluten-free as written: This recipe uses all-purpose flour and tamari or soy sauce. Use a trusted 1:1 gluten-free flour and certified gluten-free tamari only if you specifically need that variation.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make dairy-free mushroom gravy ahead of time?⌄
Yes. It holds well in the fridge for up to four days. Reheat it on the stove over medium-low heat with a splash of broth or water to loosen it back up, stirring as it warms.
What mushrooms work best for this gravy?⌄
Cremini or baby bella mushrooms are the call here. They have more flavor than white button mushrooms and brown better. You could use a mix that includes shiitakes for extra depth, but cremini alone gets the job done.
Is tamari gluten-free?⌄
Most tamari is gluten-free, but check the label. San-J and Kikkoman both make certified gluten-free tamari. If gluten isn't a concern, regular soy sauce works as a straight swap.
Why is my gravy lumpy?⌄
Lumps usually happen when the liquid goes in too fast or the roux is too hot. Add the broth in two or three additions and whisk constantly as you pour. If you still get lumps, a quick pass through a fine mesh strainer fixes it.
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