Homemade White Gravy Recipe (Fast and Easy)

However, I strongly believe that I am preaching to the choir and that you KNOW how delicious white gravy is. (By the way, this gravy is sometimes called country gravy or white country gravy. So you are looking for country gravy, you are in the right place!). People have a lot of names for white gravy. I’ve also heard pepper gravy and white pepper gravy. 

In this article, I cover my aunt’s famous version of this recipe. Trust me. You are going to love it. This recipe is an all-round hit in my family. I also cover a my favorite variation of this classic country gravy recipe.

What is white gravy made out of?

My white country gravy recipe has simple ingredients and is one the easiest homemade gravy I have in my recipe box. (Yes, I have an actual recipe box!) The typical ingredients of white gravy include flour, milk, butter, salt and pepper. 

What are popular variations of this easy white gravy recipe?

That is the magic of white gravy! What are you making it for and how do you want it to taste? Looking to up your gravy game a bit? Try making a variation of this recipe by making Sawmill Gravy. (Hint: If you look closely at my picture of this recipe you’ll see that it’s not smooth but has lump.) That’s not because I didn’t whisk flour in enough to make it’s smooth. It’s because my family (read spouse) loves everything that includes sausage. My lumps are actually sausage!

In short, most times I make classic white gravy, I’m, actually making Sawmill Gravy or sausage gravy. There is actually a bit of interesting history behind the original recipe and origin of Sawmill Gravy.

White gravy is popular in the Southern parts of the United States. It is traditionally served as part of breakfast (ex. Fried chicken and biscuit and gravy). Most food writers attribute this country gravy recipe to Southern Appalachia in the late 1800s. But some historians trace it as far back as the Revolutionary War. The sawmill part comes in that this gravy recipe was a cheat and easy recipe to feed hungry lumber workers. The more you know! Right?

When I make this version of gravy I first brown my sausage in a saucepan, remove it and set it aside. But don’t through out those pan drippings. Instead, add your butter to those drippings and when you’re done with your gravy, add the sausage back in. Tada! Sausage gravy complete. All I can say is that the added flavor and fat from the sausage really kicks the gravy up a notch. 

You can also make sawmill white gravy with bacon instead of sausage. I did this recently and instead of incorporating  the actual bacon meat back into the gravy, we cooked it in a skillet. I used the dripping for the gravy but ate the bacon alongside eggs with biscuits and gravy! It was my sister’s birthday and was a great birthday breakfast idea to kick off a girls weekend of delicious recipes. 

Without further ado, we’re diving into making white gravy from scratch. Because I’ll be honest, white gravy is so easy to make that you’ll never use a mix or buy it from the store again. I promise.

Ingredients for White Gravy

• 6 tbsp un-salted butter
• 6 tbsp all purpose flour
• 2 cup whole milk
• Salt and black pepper
• Smoke paprika (optional)

Instructions for Gravy

In a frying pan on medium on the stove heat melt butter carefully moving it around in your pan with a wooden spoon. Be careful not to burn it. Remember, butter burns easily!

After butter melts, add your flour and mix mix mix! You’re pretty much making a simple roux or flour mixture. 

After you mix flour into the butter, slowly add your milk. It’s going to look lumpy at first so don’t freak out. Continue to whisk until smooth. 

Add salt, pepper and paprika if you’re using it. 

Recipe Notes

Find yourself without whole milk? Here’s a list of whole milk substitutes you can use in a pinch.

Creative Ways to Use White Gravy

Ok, now the fun part. This recipe is versatile and is used in so many ways. Regardless of the version of this gravy you decide to try out, there are an unlimited number of ways to use your creamy gravy. If you like this recipe, you might like our pork gravy recipe!

NOTE: If you can’t eat gluten, you can use gluten-free flour or replace the roux with a cornstarch slurry.I do this changes the consistency a bit. But each to his or her own!

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