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    Home » Recipes » Vegan Condiment and Sauce Recipes

    Vegan Onion Gravy

    By: Amy Katz · Published: Oct 17, 2022 · Last modified: Oct 17, 2022 · This post may contain affiliate links. · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to Recipe - Print - Pin
    Special diet: gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free, vegan
    Dinner plate with mashed potatoes topped with gravy and gravy boat with text overlay Vegan Onion Gravy.

    Vegan Onion Gravy is easy to make from scratch with only 6 ingredients in 30 minutes. Perfect for Thanksgiving and holiday dinners.

    Serving bowl of gravy and dinner plate with mashed potatoes topped with gravy.

    It simply isn't Thanksgiving without mashed potatoes and gravy. And if you're preparing a meatless version for the first time, great news! It doesn't get much easier than making Vegan Onion Gravy.

    Inspired by my recipe for mushroom gravy, this version is also loaded with savory flavor while requiring minimal time and ingredients. Plus you can make it in advance and reheat it so your holiday dinner preparation is less stressful.

    Jump to:
    • Why you'll love this recipe
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Amy's tip
    • Variations
    • Serving suggestions
    • Storing and freezing
    • FAQ
    • More Thanksgiving recipes
    • 📋 Recipe

    Why you'll love this recipe

    • It's full of flavor yet only requires 6 ingredients (plus salt and pepper).
    • You can make it in half an hour.
    • It's the perfect complement to comfort food favorites like mashed potatoes and vegan roast.

    Ingredients

    Box of vegetable broth, container of cornstarch, yellow onions, dried thyme, bottle of tamari, bottle of olive oil, and salt and pepper grinders.

    Onions: While I typically use yellow, you can use also use white or red to make this vegan onion gravy.

    Olive oil: Instead of vegan butter, this recipe is made Mediterranean-diet style with olive oil for cooking the onions.

    For the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

    Instructions

    Recipe steps: 1, stirring together the broth, tamari, and cornstarch in a glass measuring cup, 2, sauteing diced onion in a skillet, 3, adding the thyme to the onions, and 4, stirring the simmering gravy.
    1. Whisk together the vegetable broth, tamari and cornstarch. Set aside while the onions cook.
    2. Saute the onions in olive oil over low heat until very tender.
    3. Stir in the thyme.
    4. Give the broth mixture a stir and slowly add it to the onions. Stir often until the gravy has thickened. Taste and add salt and pepper.

    Amy's tip

    Vegan Onion Gravy can be prepared a couple of days in advance and reheated on the stove. If the gravy is too thick, thin it out with a little water or vegetable broth, then add additional seasonings, if needed.

    Variations

    Vegan onion gravy is easy to customize to suit your taste. Start with the basic recipe and go from there.

    • Combine the onions with garlic and shallots.
    • Add nutritional yeast or miso for additional umami flavor.
    • Include other herbs with the thyme like sage and rosemary.
    • Use fresh herbs in place of dried.
    • Stir in a splash of balsamic vinegar.
    • Prefer a smooth gravy? Use an immersion blender or carefully transfer it to a regular blender and blend it before serving.

    Serving suggestions

    Pouring onion gravy over mashed potatoes on a dinner plate with roasted vegetables and tofu meatballs.
    Vegan Onion Gravy served with Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes, Tofu Meatballs, and Roasted Butternut Squash and Brussels Sprouts.

    Enjoy your favorite holiday main dishes served with generous drizzles of this onion gravy. It goes well with lentil meatloaf, tofu meatballs, and store-bought vegan sausages and roasts.

    And of course it's best friends with all sorts of potato dishes from mashed potatoes to home fries to wedges.

    Storing and freezing

    Store leftover gravy in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months. 

    FAQ

    What can I use instead of cornstarch?

    An equal amount of potato starch or arrowroot powder can be used in place of cornstarch. You can also use tapioca flour, but you will need to double the amount.

    Is tamari the same as soy sauce?

    Tamari is similar to soy sauce but is made with only soybeans and no wheat, making it gluten-free.

    How do you make gravy smoother?

    If you prefer a smoother gravy without chunks of onions, you can blend part or all of the gravy using an immersion blender. Or carefully transfer it to a regular blender and blend until smooth.

    More Thanksgiving recipes

    • Stuffing in a casserole dish with a serving spoon.
      Mediterranean Sourdough Stuffing Recipe
    • Bowl of roasted vegetables with serving spoon in it.
      Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Carrots
    • Stuffed squash on a platter.
      Vegan Stuffed Acorn Squash
    • Bowl of cranberry sauce garnished with fresh raspberries.
      Cranberry Raspberry Sauce

    And for even more recipes, join the Vegan Mediterranean Diet Recipes Facebook group for support, inspiration, and fun.

    If you love this recipe, please give it 5 stars! ★★★★★

    📋 Recipe

    Gravy boat filled with brown gravy and dinner plate on the side with mashed potatoes and gravy.

    Vegan Onion Gravy

    Vegan Onion Gravy is easy to make from scratch with only 6 ingredients in 30 minutes. Perfect for Thanksgiving and holiday dinners.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin SaveSaved! Rate Email recipe + ingredient list
    Special diet: gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free, vegan
    Course: Condiment
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 57kcal
    Author: Amy Katz

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups vegetable broth
    • 1 Tablespoon tamari
    • 2 Tablespoons cornstarch, or arrowroot powder
    • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
    • 2 cups yellow onions, finely chopped
    • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
    • salt and pepper, to taste
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    Instructions

    • Add the tamari and cornstarch to the vegetable broth and stir to combine. Set aside.
    • Heat the olive oil over low heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring often, until very tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.
    • Stir in the thyme.
    • Give the vegetable broth mixture a good stir and slowly add it to the onions. Stir often until the gravy has thickened to your desired consistency. Add salt and pepper, to taste, and serve.

    Notes

    Store leftover gravy in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months. 
    If the gravy is too thick when reheating it on the stove, thin it out with a little water or vegetable broth, then add additional seasonings, if needed.
    Prefer a smooth gravy? Use an immersion blender or carefully transfer it to a regular blender and blend it before serving.
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    Nutrition

    Calories: 57kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 0.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 129mg | Potassium: 53mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 5IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 0.3mg

    Nutritional information is an estimation only.

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    About Amy

    Amy Katz is a vegan recipe developer, photographer, and Certified Vegan Nutrition Health Coach. She loves sharing delicious plant-based Mediterranean diet recipes that home cooks of all levels can enjoy. Her easy vegan recipes have been featured on HuffPost, LIVESTRONG, Healthline, Parade, VegNews, BuzzFeed, MSN, Greatist, Country Living, Insider, Brit+Co, Well+Good, and more. She lives in Orange County, California with the love of her life, Brad, and their adorable black cat, Ozzy.

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    Hi, I'm Amy! As a Certified Vegan Nutrition Health Coach, my passion is creating vegan Mediterranean diet recipes to inspire everyone to choose plant-based meals more often. At Veggies Save The Day you'll find simple delicious recipes that are easy to make any night of the week.

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