How to Make Easy Turkey Gravy with Cornstarch: A Delicious Guide

Learn How to Make Gravy from Turkey Drippings. It’s luscious, lump-free, and perfect for drowning mashed potatoes, stuffing, and everything else on your plate.

An easy Turkey Gravy recipe is essential for the happiest Thanksgiving Feast. Pour it on your Turkey, Mashed Potatoes, and Stuffing, or perhaps just drown your plate in full.

I’m sure that using our leftover turkey drippings to make gravy makes us all feel good. It feels like the natural course of events and ensures the best possible tasting gravy.

If you have fresh broth on hand, you’ll level up your gravy even more. But if not, fear not. Your gravy will still be savory, luscious, and delicious.

This gravy thickens with a cornstarch slurry, so let’s say it’s “accidentally” gluten-free, if you keep track of those kinds of things. But, you can use flour too.

Before carving the turkey, you’ll probably be finishing up a few side dishes when it’s time to start making the gravy. This gravy comes together quickly; it takes 10 to 20 minutes, depending on how hot your drippings are. That’s definitely something to be thankful for!.

At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe. Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.

Hey there, fellow Thanksgiving enthusiasts! The holiday season is upon us, and it’s time to get your gravy game on point. But let’s be honest, not everyone has the time or energy to whip up a homemade gravy from scratch. That’s where our trusty friend, the cornstarch, comes in.

Don’t let the “cornstarch” fool you, though. This recipe is anything but basic. With just a few simple ingredients and a couple of easy steps, you can create a rich flavorful gravy that will have your guests raving.

So, grab your whisk and let’s get started!

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons turkey drippings
2 cups chicken broth or water
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water or milk
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and cold water or milk until smooth. Set aside.
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the turkey drippings and chicken broth or water. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
Slowly whisk in the cornstarch mixture until the gravy reaches your desired consistency. Continue to cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, to ensure the cornstarch is fully cooked and the gravy is smooth.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve immediately over your favorite Thanksgiving dishes.

Tips:

For a richer gravy, use the drippings from a roasted turkey.
If you don’t have turkey drippings, you can substitute cooked ground turkey or sausage.
To make the gravy ahead of time, prepare it as directed and then reheat it gently over low heat before serving.
Feel free to experiment with different seasonings to create your own unique flavor profile.

Additional Resources:

For a more detailed recipe with step-by-step photos, check out Spend With Pennies’ “Easy Turkey Gravy” recipe: https://www.spendwithpennies.com/turkey-gravy-recipe/
If you’re looking for a quick and easy recipe, Food.com’s “Easy Turkey Gravy” is a great option: https://www.food.com/recipe/easy-turkey-gravy-144611

Making turkey gravy with cornstarch is a simple and foolproof way to create a delicious and impressive accompaniment to your Thanksgiving feast With just a few basic ingredients and a little bit of time, you can have a homemade gravy that will wow your guests and leave them wanting more.

So have fun, be inventive, try out various flavors, and enjoy creating this traditional Thanksgiving mainstay!

Recipe tips and variations

This recipe makes about 6 cups of gravy, or 12 half-cup servings.
Storage: Store any leftover turkey gravy in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to four days.
Flavor = browned bits: The browned bits that adhere to the pan during roasting are called “fond,” so be sure to use every last bit of them.
Make the slurry: Don’t skip the slurry. Addition of dry cornstarch to heated liquid will cause clumping.
White wine: To give the gravy a sharp acidic kick, stir in a tiny bit of white wine.
You can make chicken gravy with the pan drippings from roasted chicken instead.
Give the meat time to rest. Before carving the turkey, making the gravy is a great way to pass the time. Once the gravy is cooked, keep it warm until you’re ready to slice it.
The Ultimate Turkey Guide: Discover the fundamentals of buying, defrosting, brining, and cooking turkeys and cook the tastiest Thanksgiving or Sunday supper ever You’ll also learn how easy it is to make broth and gravy out of pan drippings for turkey.

how to make turkey gravy from drippings with cornstarch

My recipe is written with cornstarch, but you can certainly substitute all-purpose flour. To substitute flour for the cornstarch, remove most of the fat from the roasting pan. Add the flour and cook, mixing with the drippings, until the raw flour smell disappears. Add the broth and scrape the bottom of the pan. Pour the gravy into a saucepan and continue cooking without straining out the extra fat.

To add flavor to the gravy, add a ½ teaspoon of dried herbs or a sprig or two of fresh herbs, such as minced thyme, rosemary, sage, oregano, parsley, or marjoram. Add with the broth in step 2.

Both a roux and a slurry are used to thicken sauces. A roux contains fat and needs to be cooked. It gets added at the start of cooking. On the other hand, a slurry is added last, needs no fat, and is added raw to the sauce.

Giblets are the internal organs of poultry or fowl, including the heart, liver, and gizzards (pronounced with a soft “g” sound, similar to “ginger”). They can be simmered with your drippings to make giblet gravy.

Chicken and Turkey Recipes

how to make turkey gravy from drippings with cornstarch

Homemade Corn Starch Gravy in 8 minutes | Thanksgiving Ideas| Cooking with Lauralee

FAQ

Is it better to use cornstarch or flour for turkey gravy?

Cornstarch Versus Flour for Gravy Cornstarch does have more thickening power than wheat flour (because it’s pure starch, while flour has some protein in it). So usually you need a little less cornstarch than flour for the equivalent thickening power.

How do you thicken turkey drippings for gravy?

If your gravy is on the skimpy side, you can thicken it quickly with flour or cornstarch. But don’t add your thickener directly to the gravy, which will create lumps. Instead, try stirring in three or four tablespoons of flour or cornstarch into a small amount of cold water until you have a smooth paste.

Is cornstarch or roux better for gravy?

Making a roux with flour and butter “boosts flavor and gives the gravy a silky texture and rich flavor,” she says. Flour also gives the gravy a traditional opaque look, she adds, whereas cornstarch will make the gravy shiny and clear.

What happens if you add cornstarch to gravy?

Instead, add some cornstarch (again, make sure to make a slurry) and in a moment or two, all that extra liquid will thicken into a flavorful sauce. Cornstarch can also be used to make a quick gravy sauce if your meat dish needs a little sauce. In that case, use chicken stock for your slurry instead of water.