Gravy is a delicious, savory sauce that enhances the flavor of various dishes, from mashed potatoes to roasted meats.
With so many types of gravy available, each offering a unique taste and texture, there’s a gravy to suit every palate and dish.
Whether you prefer the rich taste of beef gravy or the creamy goodness of country gravy, understanding the different types can help you choose the perfect sauce for your meal.
This blog will explore 30 types of gravy, highlighting their key ingredients and best uses.
List of Different Types of Gravy
1. Brown Gravy
Brown gravy is a classic sauce made from the drippings of roasted meat, typically beef or pork, thickened with flour or cornstarch.
It has a rich, savory flavor and is commonly served with roasted meats, mashed potatoes, and stuffing.
- Base: Meat drippings
- Best For: Roasted meats, mashed potatoes
- Features: Rich, savory flavor
2. Country Gravy
Country gravy, or white gravy, is a creamy sauce made from milk, flour, and butter.
It’s often seasoned with black pepper and served over biscuits, fried chicken, or chicken-fried steak.
- Base: Milk, flour, butter
- Best For: Biscuits, fried chicken
- Features: Creamy, peppery
3. Sausage Gravy
Sausage gravy is a variation of country gravy that includes cooked, crumbled sausage.
It’s a hearty, flavorful sauce often served over biscuits for a classic Southern breakfast.
- Base: Sausage, milk, flour
- Best For: Biscuits, breakfast dishes
- Features: Hearty, savory
4. Mushroom Gravy
Mushroom gravy is a vegetarian-friendly sauce made from sautéed mushrooms, vegetable broth, and a thickening agent like flour or cornstarch.
It has a deep, earthy flavor and pairs well with roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes, and meatloaf.
- Base: Sautéed mushrooms, vegetable broth
- Best For: Vegetables, mashed potatoes
- Features: Earthy, rich
5. Onion Gravy
Onion gravy is made by caramelizing onions and combining them with beef or vegetable broth.
The slow-cooked onions add a sweet, deep flavor to the gravy, perfect for pairing with sausages, mashed potatoes, or roast beef.
- Base: Caramelized onions, broth
- Best For: Sausages, roast beef
- Features: Sweet, rich
6. Turkey Gravy
Turkey gravy is made from roasted turkey drippings, thickened with flour or cornstarch. It’s a staple of holiday meals, particularly Thanksgiving, and is often served with turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes.
- Base: Turkey drippings
- Best For: Turkey, holiday meals
- Features: Rich, savory
7. Beef Gravy
Beef gravy is made from beef drippings or broth, thickened with flour or cornstarch.
It has a deep, robust flavor pairs well with roast beef, mashed potatoes, and Yorkshire pudding.
- Base: Beef drippings or broth
- Best For: Roast beef, potatoes
- Features: Deep, robust flavor
8. Chicken Gravy
Chicken gravy is made from chicken drippings or broth, thickened with flour or cornstarch.
It has a lighter flavor than beef gravy and is commonly served with roasted or fried chicken and mashed potatoes.
- Base: Chicken drippings or broth
- Best For: Chicken dishes, potatoes
- Features: Light, savory
9. Giblet Gravy
Giblet gravy is made from the giblets (heart, liver, gizzard) of poultry.
It’s cooked in broth and thickened with flour or cornstarch. It’s traditionally served with turkey or chicken during holiday meals.
- Base: Giblets, broth
- Best For: Holiday meals, poultry
- Features: Rich, savory
10. Red-Eye Gravy
Red-eye gravy is a Southern specialty made from the drippings of fried ham, deglazed with coffee.
It has a distinctive, slightly bitter flavor and is often served with ham, biscuits, or grits.
- Base: Ham drippings, coffee
- Best For: Ham, Southern dishes
- Features: Bitter, distinctive
11. Cream Gravy
Cream gravy is a simple sauce made from milk or cream, flour, and butter, often seasoned with salt and pepper.
It’s similar to country gravy but is typically smoother and richer.
Cream gravy is perfect for biscuits, chicken-fried steak, or fried chicken.
- Base: Milk or cream, flour, butter
- Best For: Biscuits, fried dishes
- Features: Smooth, rich
12. White Gravy
White gravy is another name for country gravy or cream gravy, made from a roux of flour and butter with milk added.
It’s a versatile sauce often used in Southern cuisine, particularly with breakfast dishes like biscuits and gravy.
- Base: Milk, flour, butter
- Best For: Biscuits, breakfast dishes
- Features: Creamy, peppery
13. Peppercorn Gravy
Peppercorn gravy is a rich, savory sauce made with crushed peppercorns, broth, cream, and butter.
It’s often served with steak, providing a spicy, creamy complement to the meat.
- Base: Broth, cream, peppercorns
- Best For: Steak, meats
- Features: Spicy, creamy
14. Vegetarian Gravy
Vegetarian gravy is made without meat drippings, typically using vegetable broth, flour, and plant-based fats.
It can be flavored with herbs, mushrooms, or nutritional yeast to create a savory, satisfying sauce for vegetarians.
- Base: Vegetable broth
- Best For: Vegetarian dishes
- Features: Meat-free, savory
15. Tomato Gravy
Tomato gravy is a Southern dish made from tomatoes, flour, and sometimes bacon drippings.
It has a tangy, slightly sweet flavor and is often served over biscuits, grits, or fried foods.
- Base: Tomatoes, flour, bacon drippings (optional)
- Best For: Biscuits, grits
- Features: Tangy, sweet
16. Bacon Gravy
Bacon gravy is made from the drippings of cooked bacon, thickened with flour and milk.
It’s rich and smoky and pairs perfectly with biscuits, fried chicken, or eggs for a hearty breakfast.
- Base: Bacon drippings, flour, milk
- Best For: Breakfast dishes
- Features: Smoky, rich
17. Curry Gravy
The curry gravy is made by blending curry spices with a base of broth, coconut milk, or cream.
It’s often used in Indian-inspired dishes and pairs well with rice, chicken, or vegetables.
- Base: Curry spices, broth, coconut milk
- Best For: Indian dishes, rice
- Features: Spicy, aromatic
18. Biscuits and Gravy
Biscuits and gravy typically refer to a dish rather than a type of gravy.
It usually includes country or sausage gravy served over split biscuits.
The gravy is rich, creamy, and often peppery, making it a Southern comfort food classic.
- Base: Country or sausage gravy
- Best For: Breakfast, comfort food
- Features: Creamy, peppery
19. Béchamel Sauce
Béchamel sauce, one of the five mother sauces in French cuisine, is a white sauce made from a roux of butter and flour mixed with milk.
It’s the base for many gravies and sauces and is used in dishes like lasagna, mac and cheese, and Mornay sauce.
- Base: Butter, flour, milk
- Best For: Base for other sauces
- Features: Smooth, creamy
20. Espagnole Sauce
Espagnole sauce, another of the five mother sauces, is a rich brown sauce made from roux, beef stock, and tomato paste.
It is the base for many classic gravies and is used in dishes like beef bourguignon.
- Base: Roux, beef stock, tomato paste
- Best For: Base for brown gravies
- Features: Rich, deep flavor
21. Au Jus
Au Jus is a light gravy made from the juices that run off meat during cooking, particularly roast beef.
It’s served unthickened, often as a dipping sauce for dishes like French dip sandwiches or poured over meat.
- Base: Meat drippings
- Best For: Roast beef, French dip
- Features: Light, flavorful
22. Demi-Glace
Demi-glace is a rich, concentrated sauce that reduces brown sauce (Espagnole) and brown stock by half.
It’s a base for more complex sauces and gravies, adding depth and richness to dishes like steak and roasted meats.
- Base: Reduced brown sauce and stock
- Best For: Steak, roasted meats
- Features: Rich, concentrated flavor
23. Roast Gravy
Roast gravy is made from the drippings of roasted meat, thickened with flour or cornstarch.
It’s versatile and can be made from various types of meat, including beef, chicken, pork, or lamb.
It provides a rich, savory complement to the roast.
- Base: Roast meat drippings
- Best For: Roast meats, potatoes
- Features: Rich, savory
24. Pan Gravy
Pan gravy is made by deglazing a pan with broth or wine after cooking meat, then thickening the mixture with flour.
It’s a quick and flavorful gravy that captures the essence of the cooked meat, perfect for pouring over steaks, roasts, or chops.
- Base: Pan drippings, broth, wine
- Best For: Steaks, roasts
- Features: Quick, flavorful
25. Herb Gravy
Herb gravy is a versatile sauce made from a base of broth or drippings infused with fresh or dried herbs like thyme, rosemary, or sage.
It’s ideal for adding a burst of flavor to roasted meats, vegetables, or mashed potatoes.
- Base: Broth or drippings, herbs
- Best For: Roasts, vegetables
- Features: Herbaceous, aromatic
26. Poutine Gravy
Poutine gravy is a rich, savory sauce made from beef or chicken stock.
It is typically served over the Canadian dish poutine, which includes fries and cheese curds.
The gravy is smooth and flavorful, essential to the dish’s indulgent nature.
- Base: Beef or chicken stock
- Best For: Poutine, fries
- Features: Rich, smooth
27. Garlic Gravy
Garlic gravy is a savory sauce made with roasted or sautéed garlic, broth, and a thickening agent.
The garlic adds a rich, aromatic flavor, making it an excellent accompaniment to roasted meats, mashed potatoes, or vegetables.
- Base: Garlic, broth
- Best For: Roasted meats, potatoes
- Features: Rich, aromatic
28. Cajun Gravy
Cajun gravy is a spicy, flavorful sauce made with Cajun spices, broth, and often a roux.
It’s commonly served with Southern dishes like fried chicken, shrimp, or rice, adding a kick of heat and deep flavor.
- Base: Cajun spices, broth, roux
- Best For: Southern dishes, fried foods
- Features: Spicy, flavorful
29. Wine Gravy
Wine gravy is made by deglazing a pan with red or white wine and thickening it with flour or cornstarch.
The wine adds depth and richness, making it perfect for serving with meats like beef, lamb, or chicken.
- Base: Wine, pan drippings
- Best For: Beef, lamb, chicken
- Features: Rich, deep flavor
30. Marsala Gravy
Marsala gravy is a rich sauce made with Marsala wine, broth, and a thickening agent.
It’s often served with dishes like chicken Marsala, where the wine’s sweet, nutty flavor complements the dish’s savory elements.
- Base: Marsala wine, broth
- Best For: Chicken Marsala, savory dishes
- Features: Sweet, nutty flavor
Conclusion
Gravy adds depth, flavor, and richness to a wide variety of dishes, making it an essential component in many cuisines.
Understanding the different types of gravy can help you elevate your meals, whether you’re drizzling it over mashed potatoes or using it as a dipping sauce for meat.
From the classic brown gravy to the more exotic Marsala gravy, there’s a sauce for every taste and occasion.
