Dairy-free mushroom and onion gravy
Silky, savoury dairy-free gravy made with caramelised onion, chestnut mushrooms, miso and tamari — ready in about 35 minutes.
This is the dairy-free gravy you actually want on your plate — glossy, savoury and full of umami from mushrooms, miso and tamari. It’s built on caramelised onions so it tastes far richer than its ingredient list suggests.
Make it alongside a roast or keep it in the fridge for weekday bangers and mash; it reheats beautifully and freezes well too.
Ingredients
- 30 ml olive oil
- 1 brown onion — about 150 g, finely chopped
- 150 g chestnut mushrooms — sliced
- 40 g plain flour
- 15 g tomato purée
- 15 ml tamari — or soy sauce
- 10 g miso paste — white or yellow
- 800 ml vegetable stock — kept hot
- 5 ml dried thyme
- 5 ml black pepper — freshly ground
- salt — to taste
- 10 ml lemon juice — freshly squeezed
Equipment
- frying pan
- whisk
- hand blender
- fine sieve
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat on the hob. Add the finely chopped brown onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until deeply golden and caramelised.
Add the sliced chestnut mushrooms and increase the heat slightly. Cook until the mushrooms have released their liquid and are browned, about 5 minutes.
Sprinkle the plain flour over the onions and mushrooms and stir well to coat. Cook the flour for 2 minutes to remove the raw taste and form a roux with the vegetables.
Stir in the tomato purée, tamari and miso paste and cook for 1 minute to combine and deepen the flavours.
Gradually pour the hot vegetable stock into the pan while whisking or stirring vigorously to avoid lumps. Add the dried thyme and freshly ground black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 8 minutes until the gravy thickens and the flavours meld.
Remove from the heat. Stir in the lemon juice and check seasoning, adjusting salt as needed. For a very smooth finish, blitz the gravy briefly with a hand blender and pass through a fine sieve into a warm jug.
Tips
- Caramelise the onions slowly — it takes time but gives a deep base flavour that makes the gravy sing.
- If lumps appear when you add stock, whisk vigorously and keep pouring slowly; a quick blitz with a hand blender fixes small lumps.
- Make ahead: cool completely, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for 2 months.
- To reheat, warm gently on the hob and whisk; if it has thickened too much, stir in a little hot water or stock to loosen.
- For an extra glossy finish, pass the gravy through a fine sieve into a warm jug just before serving.
Substitutions
plain flour → cornflour, 20 g (mix with cold water into a slurry before adding to hot gravy)
Stays closevegetable stock → beef stock, same quantity (800 ml)
Noticeably differenttamari → soy sauce, same quantity (15 ml)
Stays closemiso paste → a teaspoon of Marmite dissolved in a little hot water
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 90
- Calories
- 2 g
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbs
- 5 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 260 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this gravy gluten-free?
Yes — swap the plain flour for cornflour (20 g) made into a slurry with cold water and add it near the end, simmering until thickened. Use a gluten-free tamari if required.
How long will it keep in the fridge?
Stored in an airtight container it will keep for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the hob, whisking and adding a splash of stock if too thick.
Can I use meat drippings instead of oil?
Yes — start the recipe with 30 ml of meat drippings for a roast-style gravy. If you do this the recipe will no longer be vegan but will remain dairy-free.
Why should I cook the flour before adding stock?
Cooking the flour removes the raw taste and allows it to bind with the onions and mushrooms for a smooth, rounded gravy; skipping this yields a floury flavour.
Community Photos
No photos yet
Be the first to share your creation!
