Our favorite homemade sausage gravy recipe is easy, incredibly creamy, and is perfect for biscuits and gravy!
This recipe comes from our friend, Chef Richard, who grew up in Georgia and has dedicated most of his career to cooking in Southern kitchens. I knew Richard would have the secret to the best sausage gravy, and I’m happy to report I was right! His gravy is creamy, not too thick, and perfectly spiced.
This gravy is incredible with a batch of warm, homemade biscuits (like the ones pictured). I highly also recommend using our homemade breakfast sausage as the base of your gravy!
Key Ingredients
- Sausage: You’ll want to use a good-quality breakfast sausage (pork is classic, but chicken or turkey works, too). I love making my own breakfast sausage with onion, sage, and maple syrup. While I love spicy dishes, I go for a more mild sausage when this recipe.
- Butter and Flour: We use the butter to cook our onions and it combines with flour to help thicken our gravy.
- Onion: I use a yellow or sweet onion in this recipe and mince it pretty finely. This way, it disappears into the gravy, allowing the sausage to shine.
- Milk: This gravy is hearty and super creamy. I use whole milk or reduced-fat milk (skim milk won’t be as creamy).
- Thyme, Salt, and Pepper: We love a little thyme and salt in the gravy, then we the gravy with fresh ground black pepper on top. When you cook the pepper in the gravy, all you will taste is the “bite,” but if you add it as a garnish before serving, you’ll get all the floral aromatics instead.
Find the full recipe with measurements below.
How to Make the Best Sausage Gravy
Tip 1: Use the right amount of flour. The secret to the best sausage gravy is using just enough flour to thicken the milk without making it too heavy (our ratio is 3 tablespoons for 1 ¾ cups milk).
Tip 2: Cook the sausage in butter. Browning your sausage in butter adds a lot of flavor to this gravy. The butter is also what mixes with the flour to make the roux that thickens the milk into a gravy.
Tip 3: Simmer to thicken. After making your roux and adding the milk, simmer your gravy for a few minutes. As it simmers, it will thicken and turn into that creamy sausage gravy we all know and love. If you ever think it’s too thick, simply thin it with a bit of extra milk.
More of Our Favorite Breakfast Recipes
- Perfect Eggs Benedict with Homemade Hollandaise
- Easy Fluffy Pancakes
- Crispy Waffles
- Perfect Blueberry Pancakes
- Ham and Cheese Dutch Baby – one big fluffy pancake!
Easy Sausage Gravy
- PREP
- COOK
- TOTAL
I’m a big fan of this creamy sausage gravy recipe and I think you will be, too! We keep it super classic. I love using our homemade breakfast sausage when I have it on hand. The hint of onion, sage, and maple syrup in the sausage is so delicious in the gravy. I highly recommend making biscuits and gravy, and love these fluffy biscuits or drop biscuits!
You Will Need
12 ounces breakfast sausage, try homemade sausage
1 tablespoon butter
½ cup minced onion
1 teaspoon chopped thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 ¾ cups milk
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Black pepper, to taste
1 batch homemade fluffy biscuits
Directions
1Melt the butter in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook until brown. Use a whisk to break up the sausage into small, crumbly pieces.
2Just before the sausage browns, add in the onion and thyme.
3When the sausage is brown and the onions are translucent, whisk in the flour until smooth. Pour in half of the milk and whisk to a smooth consistency.
4Once it thickens, add the rest of the milk and season it with salt. Whisk together and bring to a simmer for a few minutes.
5Ladle generously over freshly baked biscuits or sautéed potatoes. Garnish with freshly ground black pepper.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Storing: Transfer the gravy to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat, stirring often to prevent the bottom from scorching.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.
This was excellent. I made it using your breakfast sausage recipe, so got TWO pats on the head from my wife.
Yay! We are so happy you loved the recipes 🙂