Thanksgiving Gravy Recipes: 5 Useful Choices

Start with what will be in your kitchen: turkey pan juices, a broth-based saucepan, or vegetables. These five Thanksgiving gravy recipes give each setup a useful place at the table, with direct links to the original makers.

Preparing ahead and cooking without drippings are different promises. One turkey gravy lets you start its base early and finish with roasting juices; two other meat-based options don't depend on those juices. A sliced-mushroom gravy completes the vegetable-broth choice.

Pan drippings are the juices and fat collected while the turkey roasts. This choice earns its place when someone is keeping those drippings for gravy. If another cook is bringing the bird, agree on that detail before you buy ingredients.

All-purpose flour thickens Natasha's gravy; milk, stock, or water is the finishing liquid choice on her recipe card. Save the full page for its drippings preparation and consistency notes. The smooth version featured here keeps the focus on turkey rather than mushroom or onion pieces.

The ahead-of-time version begins with a chicken-broth base. Defatted turkey drippings, meaning pan juices with the excess fat removed, join it after roasting during reheating. Reserve that handoff in your dinner plan; preparing the base early doesn't finish the whole job.

Butter, heavy cream, and Cognac or brandy are part of this richer choice. Read Jennifer's complete ingredient list before committing if dairy or alcohol matters at your table. Her recipe page supplies the proportions, make-ahead directions, and final consistency guidance.

Bouillon cubes are concentrated stock dissolved in water. Nagi uses both chicken and beef: chicken supplies the base flavor, while beef contributes to the darker brown color. Put both on the shopping list rather than assuming any single stock will give the same result.

Butter and all-purpose flour provide the thickening base, with onion powder and black pepper in the recipe. There are no pan juices to collect for this version. Keep the maker's notes handy for the exact cube or powder choice and consistency adjustments.

Caramelizing means cooking the onions until deeply golden; those onions stay in the finished gravy. Allow room in the cooking plan for that stage. I'd choose this when the onion texture is part of the appeal, rather than treating it as an interchangeable last-minute pour.

Thyme, sage, and Worcestershire sauce are also in Kimberly's recipe, and cornstarch is its thickener. It doesn't require turkey drippings, but beef broth makes it a meat-based choice. Open the full method before shopping, especially if you need to account for red wine.

Shallot, garlic, tamari, thyme, and rosemary accompany the mushrooms. The slices remain part of the result, so this is a good fit when you want the gravy itself to add something to the plate beyond a smooth sauce.

The main recipe uses all-purpose flour, so choosing the vegetable-broth option doesn't also make it gluten-free. Jeanine and Phoebe provide a separate gluten-free variation on the original page. Check that guidance and the ingredients you'll use if a dietary requirement determines the choice.