Alternative for gravy?

Question

As a relatively new vegetarian (about a week now), I was wondering if there is a good alternative for gravy. See, I used to have fries topped with gravy. And I know what gravy is so I won't be eating that. What's a good substitute?

Answer 1

MUSHROOM GRAVY

1 onion, diced finely

2 tbsp oil

1 cup mushrooms, chopped finely (or 1 can, but chop them up well)

1/4 cup flour

2 cups broth (McCormick brand has great all-veg beef and chicken boullion cubes)

2 - 3 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari)



Saute the onion in the oil, until soft. Add the mushrooms and saute for 1 minute more. Shake the flour and broth together in a jar and add to the onions and mushrooms. Mix in the soy sauce and stir over low heat until it reaches your desired thickness.



If you don't like the mushrooms, you could even make this without them. Super simple and super good - especially on mashed potatoes

Answer 2

Mushroom Gravy, or Soya Gravy, or Kelp Gravy, all available in most Grocery stores

Also available in Health food stores!

Oh I just heard from Body & Health about a Coconut Gravy.. I gotta go get some and try it!

Answer 3

Wild Mushroom Gravy

Makes 7 to 8 cups



The nicest mushrooms for this gravy are a combination of chanterelle, shiitake, hedgehog or crimini and regular mushrooms. Portabella mushrooms impart too dark a hue to be attractive.



2 tablespoons olive or sesame oil

2 onions, diced

6 cups assorted mushrooms, about 1 pound, sliced

1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour

5 to 5 1/2 cups water (start with less)

1/2 cup organic soy sauce (a little less than 2 tablespoons per cup water)





To prepare gravy, in a large pot heat oil and sauté onions and mushrooms.



In a small bowl, whisk flour with enough of the measured water to form a thin paste



Add remaining water and soy sauce to vegetables in pot.



Bring to boil and cook until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.



Add flour mixture and stir well.



Cook uncovered until desired consistency is reached, about 15 minutes stirring occasionally, adding a little more water toward the end of cooking only if gravy is too thick.



Weight watcher points: Entire Pot: 15 points / 1 Ladel: 1 point

Answer 4

There are loads of alternatives to meaty gray. You can buy vegetable granules that you just add water to from most supermarkets. I use vegetable oxo's (green box). Use 2 or 3 depending on amount of gravy you need, place them in a jug or whatever and add around half pint of hot water. To thicken it i use either cornflower or v flour (a couple of spoons full in a cup with a little cold water and mix till u have smooth consistency). gently heat dissolved oxos in a pan and gradually add flour mix stirring all the time to stop it going lumpy. You decide how thick u want yr gravy to be. I sometimes add a little bit of mint sauce or herbs too. You can also buy vegetarian gravy browning so it just looks like normal gravy, BUT only add a tiny drop of this as it colours quickly, just keep stiring till its mixed in. My mates eat this like soup and it tastes better than meaty gravy!

Answer 5

You can get packets of vegetarian gravy mix in different flavors (brown gravy, mushroom gravy, "chicken" gravy, etc.)



And you can also make your own. Google vegetarian gravy recipes and you'll probably find plenty.



ETA: in response to Donna's answer above, most worcestershire sauce is made with anchovies and is thus unsuitable for vegetarians. If you like the taste and want to use it in your homemade gravies, look at a natural foods store for a vegetarian version.

Answer 6

Vegetarian gravy that uses 1/4 cup olive and 1/4 cup to make the roux (heat in a pan over medium heat, let the flour cook for a few minutes without browning it too much. This then, with the addition of 2 cups of vegetarian broth (I use Swansons if I'm in a hurry), added all at once and then whisked to get the lumps out makes a great silky gravy. Salt and Pepper to taste.

Vegetable broth, easily found in the soup section of grocery store

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Vegetarian Gravy

Heat 1/4 cup oil in saucepan.

Add and cook over low heat---1/4 cup flour.

After a few minutes add herbs, about 1/2 tsp. each (I usually use rosemary, thyme, marjoram & basil)

Cook a few minutes longer.

Add vegetable broth---a little at a time, until the consistency is what you want.(1 1/2 cups-2 cups)

Season with tamari (or soy sauce) to taste.

Makes about 2 cups.

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Bean Gravy

1 LB can Great Northern Beans rinsed and drained

1 tsp vegetable broth mix

1 tsp finely chopped onion

3/4 c water

1/8 tsp pepper

1/16 tsp garlic powder

1/2 c nutritional yeast

Combine in blender and blend 'til smooth.

Heat 'til bubbly

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I just had this bean gravy for supper over steamed potatoes and mushrooms, it was very very good. I used lima beans (cooked from dried beans) this time and they were the best yet. You can up the spices if you like a lot of seasoning. I increased garlic and increased minced onion (I used 1 green onion which was about 2 tablespoons.) I continue to use Worcestershire sauce instead of the veggie broth mix. I don't like mixes as a rule unless I find something I can't do without. I haven't yet found a veggie broth pre-packaged or canned that is that great.

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Answer 7

Not sure what kind've gravy you're looking for, but before I became vegetarian, I LOVED biscuits and sausage gravy. My girlfriend has since been able to perfect a vegetarian alternative from the recipe here...



http://www.craftygal.com/archives/401/fridge401.htm



If you want to make sausage gravy, you could try that out. It's been kind've a touchy recipe, but when it turns out right, it's really good!

Answer 8

Try this vegetarian gravy!



Ingredients:

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3-6 cloves of garlic, squashed and minced very well

2-3 slices of yellow onion, chopped

1/2 cup all-purpose white flour

4 teaspoons nutritional yeast

4 tablespoons low- or reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 cups water

1/2 teaspoon sage

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

5 or 6 white mushrooms, sliced (optional)

extra flour or cornstarch (optional)



Method:

Measure the vegetable oil into a small saucepan. Cook the garlic and onion in it for about two minutes on medium or medium-low heat, until the onion is a bit tender and translucent.



Add the flour, yeast, and soy sauce to make a paste. Add the water gradually, stirring constantly. Bring the gravy to a boil on medium to medium-high heat, stirring constantly -- the gravy has to boil for it to thicken. (Grandma always told me to cook gravy for a full five minutes at a boil to make sure you kill the bugs in the flour, but I don't always bother.) Add pepper. Stir in the sliced mushrooms, if desired. Add salt, if desired.



If the gravy is too thin for your taste, add one or two tablespoons of flour or small amounts of cornstarch to thicken it and add home-made-looking lumps. Use a wire whisk to eliminate lumps.



Serve piping hot.

Answer 9

Mushroom gravy is very good. Add some mushrooms to vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Sift in some flour to thicken the sauce.

Answer 10

If you don't want to make gravy from scratch, try "Tofurkey" brand gravy. It's sold in the frozen section of the health food stores and can be warmed up in the microwave. As much as I hate to buy prepared/processed foods.... it's actually quite tastey.

Answer 11

Make the gravy from scratch with roast drippings, flour or cornstarch and milk or water. No yeast involved.

Answer 12

You can make gravy from vegetable broth. Swanson makes a delicious vegetable broth, it comes in paper box with a spout on top,



Use the broth just as you would meat drippings.

Answer 13

make a stock with vegetables...emeril lagasse has a good one. then once you are happy with the reduction, use it as a base for your gravy.......be careful, adding too much flour will kill the vegetable taste in the gravy. Honestly, when the stock is done, it will taste like a thin, hot V8, which is also good to use as a gravy. good luck

Answer 14

If you are making the gravy yourself you can always use vegetable broth and flour. Gravy is easy.

Check out allrecipes.com and look under vegetarian recipes.

Answer 15

make gravy using vegtable stock instead of meat juices reduce it by 1/2 b-4 adding thickener

Answer 16

I often make a roux with butter (Do you use butter? If not, you can use vegetable oil) and flour, then stir in enough milk and/or water and/or vegetable broth to make it the desired consistency, and then add whatever flavoring(s) I like: Worcestershire sauce, powered vegetable broth, dried mushrooms, tomato paste, spices, etc.

You can improvise a lot

Answer 17

I don't know where you're from but here in the UK, our best loved and most popular gravy 'Bisto' is mainly vegetarian. I don't think the Chicken one is but most of the others are.

Answer 18

Switch to ketchup mixed with a little tabasco. Yum. Honey mustard isn't bad either.