Smother mashed potatoes with our mouthwatering vegan porcini mushroom gravy. It's so silky, rich and savory that even meat eaters love it! Made with just 10 ingredients, it's dairy-free, meat-free, and has a gluten-free option.
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Published Nov. 5, 2014 and updated Nov. 12, 2019.
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Hi there! We’re Linda and Alex, the mother daughter duo and creators of Veganosity. Thanks for visiting us, we’re so happy you’re here. If you’re looking for Southern inspired vegan comfort food recipes, you’ve come to the right place.
We love vegan comfort food and we’re really good at making it. Take a tour through our site and you’ll find all of the recipes that scream, stretchy pants required!
The good news, they’re all plant-based recipes, so you don’t need to feel guilty eating them. Now sit back, relax, and eat happy. 🙂
Also, in case you didn't know, we're published cookbook authors. We've written two vegan cookbooks that will help you make amazing vegan BBQ (you don't even need a grill) and everyday meals, from breakfast to dessert.
Click on the titles to check them out. GREAT VEGAN BBQ WITHOUT A GRILL
and THE ULTIMATE VEGAN COOKBOOK
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THE BEST PLANT-BASED MUSHROOM GRAVY
When you're craving a big bowl of mashed potatoes, or biscuits, or a good lentil loaf, our red wine and mushroom gravy is exactly what you need to go with it.
This vegetarian mushroom gravy recipe is so rich and delicious. It has a wonderful umami flavor, thanks to the dried porcini and portobello mushrooms. And the fresh herbs balance the earthiness of the mushrooms beautifully.
Additionally, because we strain the pieces of the mushrooms out of the gravy, we think that those who don't like mushrooms because of their texture, will love this gravy.
Give it a try and let us know if we're right.
HOW TO PREPARE DRIED PORCINI MUSHROOMS FOR VEGAN MUSHROOM GRAVY
To make this stellar gravy you'll want to start with the dried porcini mushrooms.
We use dried because they have a concentrated flavor that adds so much more to the gravy than fresh would.
STEP ONE
- Soak them in boiling hot water for thirty minutes so they plump up and the water turns a deep brown. Warning, they are really earthy, and they smell like the musty woods that they were grown in. Don’t be alarmed, they won’t taste like that once they’re cooked.
STEP TWO
2. While the mushrooms are cooking start sautéing the onion, shallot, and garlic in the oil (feel free to use water or broth to cook these, although the oil will give them more flavor). The combination of these ingredients will make your mouth water, and your house will smell soooo good!
Deglaze the pan with a few splashes of the no-chicken broth. It’s vegan, but it tastes like chicken broth. You could use vegetable broth, but I really like this for making gravy.
STEP THREE
3.Now add the Portobello mushrooms and cook them until they begin to release their water and start to brown. Once that happens you can pour the porcini mushrooms, along with the water they soaked in, into the pan.
Add the no-chicken broth and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
Are you ready to make gravy? Let's go.
HOW TO MAKE VEGAN MUSHROOM GRAVY
STEP ONE
- Put a fine strainer over a large bowl and pour the mixture into it. As you can see, the broth is a rich, dark, gorgeous brown. Perfect for pouring over white potatoes!
- Put the broth back in the pan that you cooked the mixture in and bring to a boil. To thicken it you’ll need to mix two tablespoons of flour with ¼ cup of water. Make sure the flour is completely dissolved before you pour it into the broth.
STEP TWO
2.Add the flour mixture to the broth and whisk vigourously. Keep whisking until it thickens. Strain it into the bowl one more time to make sure that any stray pieces of flour that may remain don’t go into the gravy bowl.
Now pour it into a gravy boat and start smothering those potatoes!
NOTE: TO MAKE THIS GLUTEN-FREE MUSHROOM GRAVY, USE CORNSTARCH INSTEAD OF FLOUR TO THICKEN IT.
WHY MUSHROOM GRAVY IS BETTER
Before I went vegan I wasn’t a big fan of gravy. It was too greasy for me, you know, animal fat and all.
But this, this is different. It’s rich and creamy like gravy is supposed to be, but it has a lighter, fresher taste and texture.
Your non vegan friends will love this!
It’s also healthier. There isn’t anything in it that will clog your arteries. Who wouldn’t like that?
To make it even healthier, you can make this gravy without oil. Just cook the veggies in water or broth.
Because we used dried, then re-hydrated porcini mushrooms, the solids that are leftover may be a little tough. We recommend chopping the solids up into small pieces and putting them in pasta or a soup.
CAN YOU MAKE MUSHROOM GRAVY AHEAD OF TIME?
Absolutely!
You can make it a day or two ahead of time. Be sure to store covered in the refrigerator.
If you want to freeze it, store it in an airtight, freezer safe container for up to 3 months.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH MUSHROOM GRAVY
Make our recipe and let us know what you think. We love to hear from you! And, don’t forget to take a picture of your gorgeous creation and tag us @veganosity on Instagram.
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Vegan Porcini Mushroom Gravy
Equipment
- 1 strainer
- 1 skillet
- 1 stove
Ingredients
- ½ cup dried wild porcini mushrooms
- 2 tablespoon olive oil SEE NOTE
- 1 medium red onion finely diced
- 1 shallot finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 6 ounces Portobello mushrooms sliced
- 1 ¾ cups no-chicken broth SEE NOTE
- 2 tablespoon flour + ¼ cup of water Whisked until if forms a thick paste SEE NOTE
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Put the½ cup dried porcini mushrooms in a small bowl and cover with 3 cups of hot water. Let soak for 30 minutes.
- Whisk the 2 tablespoon flour with the ¼ cup water until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
- Heat the 2 tablespoon olive oil (or 3 tablespoon water or vegetable broth) in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the onions and mushrooms and cook for 7 minutes ,or until they begin to brown. Add the shallots and cook for two minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one to two minutes, or until it just begins to brown..
- Pour the porcini mushrooms, including the water they soaked in, into the pan. Add the 1 ¾ cups of no-chicken broth and the rosemary and thyme and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 15 minutes.. It's normal for the liquid to reduce during this time, but you don't want it to evaporate too much, so make sure that the heat is low.
- Put a fine strainer over a large bowl and pour the mushroom mixture into the strainer. Rinse the pan and put back on medium-high heat. Pour the mushroom gravy back into the pan and bring to a low boil. Whisk in the flour mixture and continue whisking until the gravy thickens Add the salt and pepper to taste and stir for another minute.
- Strain the gravy one more time if needed to make sure that it’s smooth and creamy.
- Don’t throw the solid mushroom mixture away. Remove the herbs and finally chop it, then serve as a side dish, or save it to toss with pasta or quinoa.
Notes
- If you don't cook with oil, substitute with 3 tablespoon of water or broth. Add more as needed. The flavor will not be as rich.
- If you can't find no-chicken broth, feel free to use vegetable broth.
- For a gluten-free version, use cornstarch instead of flour. Gluten-free flour may result in a gritty texture.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freeze in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat on the stove.
Nutrition
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jordi says
Can I substitute with white mushrooms. I'm trying to reduce the number of trips to stores during the pandemic.
Linda Meyer says
Hi Jordi, yes you can use white mushrooms. The only thing we don't recommend substituting is the dried porcini mushrooms, because those add the most flavor to the gravy.
Bob Morse says
Hi, I'm a bit confused by a couple things in this recipe:
- Step 2 says "Add the garlic and herbs and cook for one minute" and step 4 says "Add the rest of the no-chicken broth, the rosemary and thyme and bring to a boil." But the only herbs are the rosemary and thyme. Are they supposed to be added in step 2 or step 4? Or is the ingredient list missing something?
- You say in the comments that this yields 2 cups, but the recipe starts with 3 cups of water and 1 3/4 cups of broth, and the instructions say to make sure the liquid doesn't evaporate. How does this get down to 2 cups if that's the case?
Not trying to be picky, I just want to make sure I make this correctly, as it sounds delicious!
Thanks.
Linda Meyer says
Hi Bob! Thank you for this comment, you're not being picky at all, it's a valid question and we appreciate that you caught the errors. The herbs should be added when you add the remaining broth. The gravy should reduce, and we've corrected the recipe. It's one of our favorite gravy recipes and it's received great reviews, we hope you enjoy it. 🙂
Bob Morse says
Thanks, I've made this a couple times now and it is really excellent. I also like the tip about saving the mushrooms. We used the leftover mushrooms to make a vegan (Just Egg) mushroom omlet, which was very tasty. One other note: while the recipe is great as-is, last time I made it I added a teaspoon of soy sauce and a tablespoon of miso, and enjoyed the results.
Linda Meyer says
Thank you, Bob! We're so happy you enjoy the gravy recipe, and we love that you used the leftovers in a vegan omelette. That sounds so good! We'll try adding the soy sauce and miso when we make it this week. Thank you, again.
Susan says
Wonderful gravy! I am so pleased to have finally come across your recipes online. I have been looking for vegan recipes that truly taste like American comfort foods, especially for the holidays. This dish does the job. My mushroom-leary husband can enjoy a savory dark gravy (none the wiser) and I can enjoy my mushrooms on the side. Win! Lovely!
Alex Meyer, MA says
Hi Susan,
Thank you so much for your comment! We're thrilled you love the gravy and are so happy that we could help with your search for vegan American comfort food recipes! Making classic comfort foods into delicious vegan versions is our passion and we can't tell you how happy it makes us that you found the gravy recipe helpful! Also, that's incredible that your husband enjoyed the recipe too! Have a wonderful day.
Alex & Linda
Lesley says
Hi
thanks for your gravy recipe, it is delicious - my granddaughter, aged nearly two, eats it with gusto and a spoon! I thickened it with cashews and it worked well. love your site and recipes x
Linda Meyer says
Hi Lesley! That's so great to hear, thank you so much!!
Lisa says
I made the gravy for Thanksgiving. It was delicious! I will definitely be making it for Christmas too. Thank you!
Linda Meyer says
Thank you so much, Lisa! We're so happy you like our gravy recipe and appreciate that you took the time to let us know. Happy holidays to you and your family!
Karen says
BEST GRAVY EVER!!!! I used portobello and white mushrooms (that’s all I could find), and this tastes amazing! This recipe EVERY TIME from now on!!! Thanks for sharing with us all!
Linda Meyer says
Hi Karen! Thank you so much!! We're so happy you like it and appreciate that you took the time to let us know. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Riley Brain says
Could I make this a few days ahead of time and reheat the day of the dinner?
Linda Meyer says
Hey Riley! Yes, absolutely. It should last up to a week if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Let us know how you like it. 🙂
Riley Brain says
I just made the gravy and it is amazing! So flavorful. My grocery store didn't have dried porcinis, so I actually used shitakes instead. Turned out wonderfully and can't wait to serve it on Thanksgiving!
Linda Meyer says
Hi Riley! Thank you so much for taking the time to let us know how much you liked our recipe. We truly appreciate it.
Shitakes are the perfect substitute for the porcini mushrooms. Smart! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Madison Yoshida says
This recipe only serves 2? We are having Thanksgiving dinner for 7 guests and making mashed potatoes and this recipe for gravy. Should I double this recipe? Also, the Thyme and Rosemary, are these necessary? I'm not a huge fan of either.
Thanks!
Linda Meyer says
Hi Madison! Sorry for my late response, I was away from my computer for the last 24 hours. This recipe yields approximately two cups, so you should be fine. If you look at the photo of the filled gravy boat you'll get a sense of how much this recipe makes. You don't have to put the thyme and rosemary in, but please know that the flavor of the gravy will be a bit bland. I'd suggest adding a teaspoon or two of dried Italian seasoning just to give it some depth. Let me know how it turns out and have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Madison Yoshida says
Great thanks! I'll add those things and just keep it the same. Thanks!
Linda Meyer says
Sounds good! FYI, I just went in to edit the recipe yield and check over the ingredients, because I changed my recipe plugin a while ago and it changed some of my recipe numbers. Sure enough, it changed a few of the measurements. I've fixed them, so if you printed out the recipe, please go back and print a new one. Sorry, technology isn't always our friend.
Madison Yoshida says
Ok thank you for letting me know!