The 3-Ingredient Gravy You Can Whip Up at a Moment’s Notice

I remember one Thanksgiving when my mom couldn’t salvage any turkey drippings to make gravy. Don’t ask about what happened to that turkey, but let’s just say I’ve never seen her sweat so much in my life. I watched as she raced around the kitchen, pulling out ingredients, all while cursing our oven (the burnt turkey was our oven’s fault, of course).

She needed something to ease the dryness of the turkey we were about to face, and that meant she needed gravy or something that resembled it. That’s when I first witnessed her kitchen prowess as she turned three ingredients into gravy.

My mom cooked a lot, and because of that, she was able to pivot when things went awry. Since she couldn’t use burnt turkey pieces for gravy, she had to problem-solve. Luckily she’d seen enough episodes of Julia Child’s cooking show that she knew how to make a roux, that magical butter-flour mixture that’s the beginning of many French sauces. She also knew that the longer she cooked the roux, the more flavor she could develop, so she got to work.

Her first step was melting a bunch of butter in a pot. Next, she added an equal amount of flour and cooked it until it was deeply golden and aromatic. The last step was adding chicken broth, bringing it to a simmer to thicken things up before serving. She garnished hers with fresh herbs she had from roasting the turkey, and everyone raved.

You can use my mom’s trick, too, and you don’t have to wait to try it until something goes wrong. The key to success is making sure you cook your roux long enough and that you use the highest quality broth or chicken base.

Tips for Making 3-Ingredient Gravy

• Cook the roux. The longer you cook the flour and butter mixture, the darker in color it will get. This not only gives the gravy its golden hue, but it also adds flavor, so be patient. The goal for this gravy is at least a blonde or golden brown roux, which means you’ll need to cook it for at least 5 minutes and up to 15.
• Choose your base. You can use broth, but I find that this Roasted Chicken Base packs more flavor, which you’ll want for this gravy. It’s also easy to have on hand at all times. I recommend the low-sodium version so that the salt level isn’t overpowering. If you go for broth or stock, you’ll need two cups.
• Set expectations. Please understand this will not taste like your usual turkey gravy. Nothing beats the homemade stuff made from turkey drippings. It’ll be good, but just not the same, and that’s okay.
• Add some drippings. If you have any cooked meat drippings, add those at the end to give the gravy the best possible flavor.
• Add some herbs. There’s a good chance you have dried or fresh herbs lying around in your kitchen. If you do, add some to boost flavor. You’ll only need about 1/4 teaspoon of dried herbs (think thyme, parsley, or sage) or about 1 teaspoon of fresh.

How To Make My 3-Ingredient Gravy

For a little over 2 cups, you’ll need:

• 1 teaspoon roasted chicken soup base
• 2 cups warm water
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cubed
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• Salt, as needed

Combine the soup base and hot water in a 2-cup measuring cup. Set aside. Alternatively, you can use 2 cups of chicken or turkey broth.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan set over medium-low heat. Once melted, add the flour and whisk until the roux reaches a smooth consistency. Continue to cook and stir until the roux changes from very light in color to golden or golden-brown in color, 5 to 10 minutes. 

Gradually add the soup base mixture or broth, whisking to combine. Bring to a simmer and cook to allow the flavor to develop, about 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning, then serve.