Make this super easy Gluten Free Turkey Gravy this Christmas or Thanksgiving. It’s rich and full of flavour, with options to make it with or without drippings!
Apart from my personal favourite – pigs in blankets – nothing pulls a Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner together like lashings of gravy. You’ll love this gluten-free turkey gravy poured over roast turkey or chicken and crispy roast potatoes - pure heaven!
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I will show you how to make it in advance, with or without drippings (although if you can, I highly recommend using drippings; you can’t beat the flavour!) & my secret ingredient to a smooth, velvety gravy!
Jump to:
- 🤔 What Are Drippings?
- 🥘 Ingredients You Will Need
- 🥜 How Can I Make This Dish Allergy Friendly?
- 🤔 What Can I Use To Thicken The Gravy Instead Of Rice Flour?
- ✏️ How to Make Gluten Free Turkey Gravy
- 🤔 Can I Make Gravy Without Drippings?
- 💡 Lauren’s Tips
- 🥡 Storage / Reheating / Freezing
- 🍴 How To Serve
- 💬 Recipe FAQs
- ⚡ More Roast Dinner Side Dishes
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
🤔 What Are Drippings?
Drippings are the flavourful juices and fat that gather at the bottom of the roasting tin while cooking meat, like turkey or chicken. These are perfect for making rich, savoury gravy, as they carry all those lovely roasted flavours from the meat.
When roasting a chicken or turkey, even if you aren’t making gravy at that time, save the juices, they are like liquid gold! Cool them, then freeze them in a freezer-safe container until you’re ready to use them.
🥘 Ingredients You Will Need
Here is a brief overview of the ingredients you will need to make this gluten-free turkey gravy. To find out how to make it suitable for other allergies, simply scroll down to the section below this one.
✋ Double check all packaging for allergens ✋
- Drippings - This is the fat and juices that are left at the bottom of your roasting tin when cooking a turkey or chicken. This is what brings a lovely rich, meaty flavour to your gravy.
- Stock - You can either use a shop-bought chicken or turkey stock or make your own. We also add the turkey juices to the stock for extra flavour.
- Rice Flour - This is my secret ingredient! It blends smoothly & has a neutral taste. If you don’t have rice flour, scroll down to find out what you can use instead.
- Onion - Onion adds a rich, slightly caramelised taste to the gravy.
- Seasoning - Salt & black pepper is added to lift the flavour of the gravy. You don’t need too much salt though as most stocks usually contain a lot of salt.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
🥜 How Can I Make This Dish Allergy Friendly?
This recipe is gluten-free as written, but here are some ways to make it free from other allergies.
- ✔️ Celery-Free: Check the packaging to make sure the stock you are using is celery-free.
- ✔️ Dairy-Free: Again, check to make sure the stock you are using is dairy-free. If you don’t have any meat drippings, use a dairy-free spread instead.
🤔 What Can I Use To Thicken The Gravy Instead Of Rice Flour?
If you can use rice flour, I would really recommend it to make a perfectly smooth, velvety gravy. You can buy it in most major supermarkets. I managed to buy this Doves Farms gluten-free rice flour in Tesco.
But if you prefer to make it another way, I have a couple of options for you.
- ✔️ Use Cornflour/Cornstarch: This would be your next best option if you can’t find rice flour. Instead of adding it directly to the pan, mix 2.5 tablespoon with 3 tablespoon cold water in a separate smooth bowl, then pour it into the gravy mixture after you have added the stock. Stir to thicken.
- ✔️ Use Gluten-Free Plain Flour: Although it doesn’t have as light a texture as rice flour, you can use gluten-free plain flour in its place. You will just need to constantly whisk the gravy to avoid any lumps. Make sure your flour doesn’t contain xanthan gum, as this can make the gravy very clumpy & lumpy.
✏️ How to Make Gluten Free Turkey Gravy
⬇️ Here you will find an overview of how to make the recipe. For full information on ingredients and quantities please see the recipe card at the bottom of the page ⬇️
Step 1: To begin, you’ll need to separate the fat from the juices in the turkey or chicken drippings. After roasting, pour the pan drippings from the roasting tin through a sieve into a clear measuring jug or a bowl.
Let them sit for a few minutes so the fat naturally rises to the top, forming a layer above the juices.
Use a spoon to carefully skim the fat off the top. Don’t discard it, as you’ll be using it shortly. Set the remaining juices aside to add later.
Step 2: Next, finely dice one onion. In the roasting tin or a saucepan, melt 50g of the reserved turkey fat (or butter, if you prefer) over a low to medium heat.
Add the diced onion and let it cook gently for around 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onion has softened but not browned.
Step 3: Once the onion has softened, sprinkle in the rice flour. Stir the mixture constantly to form a paste, which helps thicken the gravy.
Let the paste cook for a minute or so.
Step 4: Gradually pour in the reserved juices and stock (made up to 900ml), a little at a time, whisking as you go. Whisking continuously will help to avoid lumpy gravy!
Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and let it cook for a few minutes until it thickens to your preferred consistency.
Step 5: Finally, strain the gravy through a sieve into a jug or gravy boat to remove the onions and any bits, leaving you with a smooth, rich sauce.
Serve hot over your roast dinner and enjoy!
🤔 Can I Make Gravy Without Drippings?
The easiest way is to use butter (or a dairy-free spread) and stock instead of the drippings.
Simply add the same amount of butter to the pan where you'd normally add the turkey fat, and use the full amount of stock as listed in the recipe, instead of using the turkey juices.
💡 Lauren’s Tips
- ✔️ Scrape The Roasting Tin: If you are using a saucepan to make the gravy, when pouring the turkey juices into the measuring jug, scrape the bottom of the roasting tin and add any of these bits to the juices too, they are full of flavour! Otherwise, if using the tin make sure you scrape the bottom of the pan when adding the onions to get all that extra flavour.
- ✔️ Add Extra Flavour With Herbs: For added depth of flavour, try adding a sprig of thyme or rosemary to the gravy while it simmers. Just remember to remove them before serving.
- ✔️ Strain For Smoothness: Always strain the gravy through a sieve before serving. This removes any bits of onion or flour and helps to achieve that silky-smooth gravy.
🥡 Storage / Reheating / Freezing
- ✔️ In the Fridge: Cool the gravy and transfer it to an airtight container, where it will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- ✔️ In The Freezer: Once cool, transfer to a freezer safe container. The gravy can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- ✔️ Reheating From Fresh: Place the gravy in a saucepan and heat through until it boils. You can also reheat it in the microwave until piping hot.
- ✔️ Reheating From Frozen: You can either thaw the frozen gravy in the fridge overnight or use the defrost setting on the microwave and heat until melted. Then follow the reheating instructions above.
🍴 How To Serve
To serve turkey gravy, pour it into a warm gravy boat or a jug for easy pouring at the table. This makes it easy for everyone to help themselves.
When serving, drizzle the gravy over your roasted turkey, chicken, or any other meats you’re serving. It's also perfect for pouring over roast potatoes, mashed potatoes, air fried parsnips, stuffing balls, Yorkshire puddings (gluten-free!), bread sauce and vegetables like Brussels sprouts with hot honey.
💬 Recipe FAQs
Rice flour is a great gluten-free thickener for gravy because it helps create a smooth, velvety texture without changing the flavour. It’s light and neutral, so it thickens the gravy perfectly without making it too heavy or starchy.
If your gravy is too thin, you can simmer it for a little longer to reduce it. Alternatively, you can add a bit more rice flour or cornflour to thicken it. Just be sure to whisk the gravy well to avoid any lumps.
If your gravy is too thick, simply add more stock, water, or turkey juices, a little at a time, while stirring. Simmer for a minute or two to reach your desired consistency.
Yes, you can make this gravy ahead of time! If you have drippings from a previous roast chicken that you've frozen, simply thaw them and use them as the base for your gravy. If you don’t have drippings, you can make the gravy with just butter & stock. The gravy can be made up to 2 days in advance and kept in the fridge until ready to heat.
⚡ More Roast Dinner Side Dishes
If you loved this recipe, please leave me a 5🌟 rating or comment below. I really do appreciate it. 😊
📖 Recipe
Gluten Free Turkey Gravy
Ingredients
- turkey/chicken drippings (Fat and Juice) or 50g dairy free butter
- 900 ml ( 4 cups) liquid made up of pan juices & turkey/chicken stock
- 50 g (⅓ cup) rice flour
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- salt & pepper to season
Instructions
- To start, separate the fat from the juices in the turkey or chicken drippings: pour the drippings through a sieve into a measuring jug, let them settle, then skim off the fat from the top (but keep it aside!). Save the juices for later.
- Finely dice the onion. In a saucepan, melt 50g of the reserved turkey fat or butter over a low to medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until it softens.
- Add the rice flour and stir to form a paste.
- Gradually pour in the reserved juices and stock (made up to 900ml), whisking as you go. Bring it to a simmer and cook until the gravy thickens to your liking.
- Strain the gravy through a sieve and serve.
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