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Knowing how to make Onion Gravy is a rite of passage. Once you have it perfected, you’ll always have it up your sleeve.
This is a simple and quick red onion gravy recipe that you’ll hopefully turn to time and time again, adding delicious comforting richness to your Toad in the Hole, your Sunday Roasts or your Shepherd’s Pies.
I would say getting your gravy just right probably takes about 20-30 minutes, but bear in mind that while it’s cooking, usually there’s a main dish being cooked at the same time, so it’s not really much of a stretch.
That said, you could always make a big batch of onion gravy ahead of time and freeze portions for when you need it, which would be perfect for those meals you’ve defrosted alongside them for a midweek win, or maybe if you’re having a pre-prepared dish like a pie, for example.
Here I will show you how to make Onion Gravy that’s super simple but also has a little something extra.
Why you’ll love this Onion Gravy recipe
⭐️ Full of rich flavour
⭐️ Easy and quick
⭐️ Can be made ahead
Ingredients for Onion Gravy
- Sunflower oil – Or vegetable oil.
- Red onion – Use frozen if you like.
- Plain flour – Regular baking plain flour. (All-purpose flour in the US.)
- Beef stock – Pre-made using a stock cube (bouillon cube) is fine.
- Mustard – I used English but Dijon (French) would be fine.
- Dried thyme – Fresh would also work but you would need to increase the amount.
- Salt and pepper – Don’t be shy with this.
How to make Onion Gravy
1. Chop the onion into half moons.
2. Heat oil in a pan and fry the onions on low for 5-6 minutes until soft.
3. Add flour and stir for a minute.
4. Turn up the heat and slowly add the beef stock, stirring continuously. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer until thickened.
Substitutions
- White onions – These are fine to use if you prefer, I quite like the sweetness from red onions. White onions will become sweet but you may need to cook them a little longer.
Gravy leftovers
In the fridge You can keep this recipe in the fridge for 3 days. Reheat fully in the microwave or hob before serving.
In the freezer This recipe freezes well. Just wait until it’s totally cold and then put into a freezer proof container in portions and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost thoroughly before reheating in the microwave or on the hob.
Top tips for making Onion Gravy
Consistency
Feel free to blend this with a handheld blender like this one if you’d prefer a smooth texture.
Onion chunks
If you want the onions to stay in nice neat pieces as they cook, cut them in half moons root to tip (like in my prep photo). If you cut them the opposite way, they tend to disintegrate more.
What dishes this gravy works well with:
Simple Onion Gravy FAQs
As well as getting a good, easy recipe that you’ll remember, make sure the seasoning, texture and thickness is to your liking before serving.
Once you’ve done this a few times you’ll be perfecting it without thinking. And always make sure you’ve heated it up until it’s piping hot.
This is perhaps because you haven’t stirred in the liquid to the flour slowly enough, so lumps have formed and they’re difficult to get rid of.
Make sure you add the stock a little at a time while constantly stirring. If all else fails, blend the gravy as I usually do!
If the dish calls for it, you could always add any juices from the meat you’re cooking or a splash of wine. You can try any preferred herbs, garlic, or even a little cream.
Let me know how you got on and what you thought of these recipes. Please rate the recipe using the ⭐️ below.
Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).
Simple Onion Gravy
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Sunflower oil
- 1 Onion, Peeled and sliced
- 2 tsp Plain flour (all-purpose flour)
- 400 ml (1.75 cups) Hot beef stock
- 1 tsp Mustard
- 1 tsp Dried thyme
- 1 – 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, See Notes.
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the onion. Stir over a low heat for 5-6 minutes until soft. (Cook on low for longer if you have time).
- Add the flour and stir for 1 minute until the onions are coated.
- Turn the heat up a little to medium and slowly add the beef stock, stirring all the time.
- Add the mustard, thyme, Worcestershire sauce and salt and pepper and simmer for 10 minutes until thickened.
- If you have a hand blender, blend until smooth.
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Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation. Nutritional values are per portion unless otherwise stated.
This post was originally published on October 1, 2022 and updated later to make improvements.
Easy and yummy on mash. I used butter instead of oil. came out delish and will definitely be making it with the next roast
Hi Tracy, delicious on mash sounds just right! Using butter instead of oil is a lovely swap, and we’re so pleased it came out delish. It’ll be perfect alongside your next roast, enjoy!