I feel like you either are or aren’t a sauce person, starting at birth. It’s science! Me, I consider starch to be mostly just a carrier for sauce. So this easy vegan mushroom gravy (just 8 simple ingredients!) is giving me all the excuse I need to roast, mash or bake potatoes right now. It’s gluten free too.

vegan mushroom gravy and rosemary on potatoes with fork and knife

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Gravy can be many things. But all too often, I’ve eaten vegan gravy is usually an over-gelled, flavourless mass…so I wanted to create a gravy that is both super flavourful and packed with powerful plants. Which pretty much sums up my philosophy as a dietitian in a nut shell: food can taste really good AND offer your body some nourishment at the same time.

Despite the extra salt (you’ve gotta live!!) there are plenty of good things to say about what goes into this gravy.

Mushrooms are packed with immune-supportive polysaccharides and the shallots and garlic contain anti-inflammatory and immune-supportive sulfur-based phytochemicals. Mushrooms, garlic and shallots also contain prebiotic fibres to help feed beneficial bacteria in the gut. Speaking of the gut, it’s also gluten free (just like all of the recipes in Eat More Plants Cookbook) in case you have celiac disease!

vegan mushroom gravy ingredients

What you’ll need to make this easy vegan mushroom gravy

I’ve actually simplified this recipe from the original version, because I wanted to reduce the amount of ingredients you need so you can get to the good sauce, faster! So gather up these 8 ingredients, and in just 30 minutes (including cleaning and chopping!) you’ll have a rich, flavourful mushroom gravy that is just as good on mashed potatoes as it is on a roasted tofu or a holiday nut loaf.

  • 1/2 pound of mixed mushrooms, such as crimini (brown button), shiitake and oyster mushrooms
  • 1 small shallot
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • garlic powder
  • corn starch
  • extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
  • vegan butter
  • Vegetarian ‘beef’ better than bouillon concentrate

The vegetarian beef bouillon concentrate is kinda non-negotiable…and it’s what allowed me to simplify the recipe! It’s my favourite new trick for creating really flavourful bases for soups and sauces. It’s pretty easy to find online if you’re local supermarket doesn’t have it! FYI, this post is not sponsored at all..and I’ve also got a hack for you below if you need a substitution.

Tips, tricks and substitutions for a flavourful vegan mushroom gravy

This gravy is an excellent addition to any festive meal, or my favourite…vegan poutine! I typically add fried mushrooms to my poutine so this recipe may have been specifically designed to help me win #funfoodfriday.

  • Don’t have better than bouillon? Swap the water for an equal amount of store-bought mushroom broth and add a tablespoon of soy sauce or tamari (plus maybe a bit more garlic powder) to add extra umami!
  • There are two different ways you can enjoy this gravy: as a ‘brown gravy’ style with tons of sliced mushrooms, or a creamy gravy where you puree most of the mushrooms into the gravy base, depending on what you love most!
  • This gravy is easy to make ahead, so go ahead and make it the day before! Just warm on medium low on the stove when ready to use.
  • Gravy not thick enough for you? Scoop out a couple of tablespoons into a small dish. Whisk in another tablespoon of cornstarch until smooth and then add the cornstarch mixture back to the gravy. Whisk and simmer until thickened to desired consistency. Of course, opting for the blended creamy gravy will thicken it up too!
  • Celiac? Better than bouillon is gluten friendly but not suitable for those with celiac disease. Opt for a gluten free mushroom broth with gluten free soy sauce for a celiac-friendly recipe!

Looking for more healthyish vegan sauces?

vegan mushroom gravy on potatoes with fork and knife

Vegan Mushroom Gravy

2 cups
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
This make-ahead vegan mushroom gravy is packed with immune-supportive mushrooms and garlic. A serious upgrade on your usual brown mushroom gravy. It makes a huge amount for holiday feasts so feel free to cut the recipe in half for everyday entertaining, or freeze the rest!
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Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
  • ½ pound mixed mushrooms, I used shiitake, crimini and baby bella
  • 2 tablespoons vegan butter, I used Melt Organic
  • 1 small shallot, finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon vegetarian beef better than bouillon, see note for celiac-friendly option
  • 2 cups water, divided
  • salt and pepper , to taste

Equipment

  • handheld immersion blender

Instructions 

  • Before you start, whisk up cornstarch and ¼ water in a small bowl, set aside.
  • Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook mushrooms until they start to brown and most of the moisture from the mushrooms has evaporated, about 7-10 minutes. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper and place mushrooms on a plate.
  • Place the hot pan back on the element and turn heat to medium. Add butter, shallot and garlic, stirring constantly for one minute.
  • Add remaining 1 ¾ water, garlic powder and bouillon concentrate to pan and whisk to combine. Let come to a boil on medium, then add cornstarch slurry to pan and whisk.
  • Let gently bubble until mixture reaches desired thickness, about 5 minutes. Turning heat to medium low if boil gets too furious. Add in mushrooms to reheat and then you're ready to serve, if a brown gravy with lots of sliced mushrooms is what you're after!
  • Looking for a creamy gravy? Turn off heat. Add half to all of the sliced mushrooms into the gravy (depending on if you want some sliced mushrooms left in the gravy) and then blend with an immersion blender and serve.
  • Serve warm or refrigerate for up to three to four days. You could also freeze for up to one month. Reheat on medium low heat, add a tablespoon or two of water, and stir occasionally until warmed through.

Notes

Don’t want to fuss with an immersion blender? A high speed blender will puree the gravy to a silky smooth texture, with no straining! Just take extra care – place at towel over the lid of the blender – as blending hot liquids can be dangerous.
Celiac disease? Use gluten free mushroom broth with 2 tablespoons of gluten free tamari to add umami.
Cuisine: American
Course: Sauces
Author: Desiree Nielsen, RD

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