It is incredibly easy to make homemade sausage gravy. This classic recipe is made with sausage, milk, and a few special ingredients that make this the BEST Sausage Gravy ever! And it will be on the table in less than 30 minutes.
Sausage Gravy is a classic southern breakfast recipe that is best served over homemade biscuits fresh out of the skillet for a hearty, comforting breakfast.
Biscuits and Gravy is stick to your ribs comfort food.
It is rich, decadent, yet incredibly easy to make at home. In fact, it is better made at home!
Not only can you control the quality of ingredients, and level of spice, but sausage gravy is best served immediately hot out of the skillet.
Key Ingredients
- Sausage: Use homemade breakfast sausage or any ground savory breakfast sausage you like. Avoid maple-flavored breakfast sausage for an authentic version of sausage gravy.
- Fat: To form a roux with flour to thicken the gravy, there must be fat. For this recipe, there needs to be about 3-4 tablespoons of fat. The rendered fat from the sausage is most often enough, but if using a leaner sausage, you may need to add in 1-2 tablespoons of butter or bacon grease to achieve the right ratio.
- Flour: The flour will work with the fat to form a roux to perfectly thicken up the sausage gravy. I have tried 1:1 Gluten-Free flour blend with success in the past for gluten-free sausage gravy.
- Milk: Whole milk is recommended for the richest results. However, any fat percentage will work.
- Seasonings: Adding garlic powder, onion powder, and a bit of freshly grated nutmeg are key to making this recipe for sausage gravy stand out. Just a little bit of extra flavor really helps to elevate and balance out the flavors. Just be sure to use freshly grated nutmeg, not ground nutmeg for the best flavor. If I have it on hand, I do add in Worcestershire sauce to add depth of flavor to this recipe.
How to Make Sausage Gravy
This is a simple dish to prepare but there a few key tips to keep in mind.
- Be sure to fully brown the sausage before adding the flour. This way the sausage can not only develop texture, but it also allows the sausage to fully render out it's fat.
- Cook the flour! After adding the flour into the skillet, be sure to cook for 1-2 minutes before beginning to add in the milk. This allows the raw taste of the flour to disappear, resulting in a much richer tasting sausage gravy.
- Whisk Constantly. Add in the milk in ½ cup portions, whisking to incorporate. Once the milk has been added to the sausage, lower the heat and whisk continually until the gravy has thickened up. This will keep the sausage gravy from being lumpy and prevents the milk from scalding.
- Add more milk--well, maybe! Some people like thin sausage gravy, some like super thick sausage gravy. By making this at home, you get to decide the thickness. Start by adding 2 cups of milk and then up to 1 cup more depending upon consistency desired.
- Serve. Of course, sausage gravy is classically served over biscuits for Biscuits and gravy. But it is also delicious served over grits, toast, mashed potatoes, oatmeal, or hash browns.
More Classic Breakfast Recipes
When you are in the mood for a rich, decadent breakfast or brunch, this recipe for Homemade Sausage Gravy is perfect to make--it is quick to prepare, requires minimal ingredients, and is downright delicious.
Sausage Gravy
A classic recipe for sausage gravy that is perfect for serving over biscuits, grits, or potatoes.
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Servings: 6
Calories: 197kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pound breakfast sausage
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ¼ cup flour
- 2-3 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon Worchestershire sauce optional
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add in sausage, onion powder, and garlic powder, to the skillet. Break into small chunks as the sausage cooks until it is browned and no longer pink.
- Add in butter and melt.
- Sprinkle flour evenly over sausage and stir to evenly coat sausage and distribute flour through rendered fat. Cook for 1-2 minutes to remove the raw taste of flour.
- Slowly whisk in 2 cups of milk, ½ cup at a time, whisking constantly. Bring to a gentle bubble and then reduce heat to medium-low. Add in nutmeg and pepper, and cook until thickened--about 8-10 minutes. Note: If you would like thinner sausage gravy, add in up to 1 cup of additional milk, adding only ¼ cup at a time until desired consistency is achieved.
- Once sausage gravy is thickened, turn off the heat and taste to see if salt or pepper is needed. Add in a dash of Worchestershire sauce if you have on hand if desired.
Equipment Needed
Notes
Milk: Whole milk is recommended for the richest results. However, any fat percentage will work.
Nutmeg: Be sure to use freshly grated nutmeg, not ground nutmeg. The tiny bit of nutmeg will help to balance out the white gravy.
Sausage: Use any savory ground breakfast sausage you desire, keeping in mind you may need to add in up to 1 additional tablespoon of butter if you use lean chicken or turkey sausage. The fat is needed to thicken to form the roux and thicken the gravy.
Leftover Sausage Gravy: Store cooled, leftover sausage gravy in an airtight container for 3-4 days. To reheat, place in a dry skillet over low heat, adding milk to thin if needed. Taste and adjust seasonings before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 197kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 513mg | Potassium: 365mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 323IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 139mg | Iron: 1mg
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Christ
I am going to make a double bath of this and freeze it. I love the idea of adding on top of oatmeal!
Kristen Chidsey
It is so unique and unconventional on oatmeal, but I love it!It will be so nice to have extra on hand! Enjoy!
Sophie Heath
This gravy was so good! So glad I tried it!
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you enjoyed Sophie!