This is a really easy recipe for how to make gravy using just water. The secret is to use both chicken AND beef stock cubes for the best flavour and a nice deep brown colour. Takes 4 minutes flat, tastes like KFC gravy – but so much better. No pan drippings required.
Made a turkey and want a gravy? Use my Gravy for Turkey recipe!
Gravy
This gravy recipe tastes like what you get in those tubs of KFC Potato and Gravy. Those of you who abstain from all forms of fast food may not know what it tastes like. But all you need to know is that it’s everything that you’d expect from KFC – reliably tasty, well seasoned, can make anything delicious!
The secret ingredient that makes this gravy better is to use both chicken AND beef stock cubes (bouillon cubes).
What you need for gravy
Here’s all you need to make a really great gravy from scratch: chicken and beef stock cubes, butter and flour.
Chicken AND beef stock cubes (aka bouillon cubes) – for flavour and colour. Chicken is the base flavour, beef gives it oomph and gives it a nice deep brown colour rather than an unappetising pale brown. Using both also makes this gravy suitable to use for any protein – white meats (chicken, pork), red meats (beef, lamb, game), potato and vegetables. Can substitute with powder;
Hot water – to dissolve the cubes;
Flour – to thicken the gravy (gluten free cornflour/cornstarch sub in the recipe notes);
Onion or garlic powder – optional, for hint of extra flavour.
Why stock cubes instead of liquid stock/broth?
Great question! 🙂 Stock cubes and powder have a more intense flavour than liquid stock (broth), so they make a tastier gravy when you make gravy from scratch like in this recipe.
Liquid broth is more appropriate to use when you’re making gravy starting with pan drippings from roasts – because the pan drippings add extra flavour into the gravy.
How to make gravy in 4 minutes flat
Dissolve stock cubes or powder in boiling water;
Melt butter in saucepan and mix in flour;
Pour in stock water while whisking and cook 1.5 minutes until thickened. DONE!
PS The reason this is faster than most gravy recipes is because the water is already HOT and the flavour is already concentrated so there’s no need to cook down for flavour.
Now, douse everything and anything with it.
Oh, and here’s the photo that started it all – Fried Chicken. Upon spying this, there were many (many) (MANY!) requests for the potato and gravy recipe.
All the possibilities….!!!
Here’s some suggestions for dishes to serve with gravy. Some obvious ones, some not so obvious ones, all good!
Potato and gravy – KFC style! Dunk in Fried Chicken, warm bread rolls or bread (try this No Yeast Irish Soda Bread!), hot chips, wedges, serve on the side of sausages, as part of a Southern Dinner with BBQ Pulled Pork, any roast;
Roasts – any and all!
Rotisserie chicken dinner – make a meal out of a store bought roast chicken. Steam some veg, make some mash, douse everything with this gravy!
Steamed vegetables – guaranteed way to make bland, boring steamed veg completely scoff worthy;
Pan seared chops, steaks or anything – chicken, lamb, pork, beef! Sprinkle with salt and pepper, pan fry in butter or oil, douse with gravy;
Meatballs – Make these Beef meatballs or these Chicken Meatballs, skip the sauce and serve with this gravy instead;
Poured over an omelette;
Chicken Rolls – shred chicken, toss with gravy, pile generously onto hot rolls;
As a Sauce for any of these:
Use gravy as a sauce for these dishes
I need to stop. There’s too many possibilities!
But enough about my ideas. Tell me what YOU douse with gravy!! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Gravy recipe (tastes like KFC – but a million times better!)
Ingredients
- 1 chicken stock cube / bouillon cube (sub 2 tsp powder) (Note 1)
- 1 beef stock cube / bouillon cube (sub 2 tsp powder) (Note 1)
- 2 1/4 cups (565ml) boiling water
- 60g/ 4 tbsp butter , unsalted
- 4 tbsp flour , plain / all purpose
- 1/2 tsp onion powder (ok to omit or sub garlic powder)
- 1/4 tsp finely ground black pepper
- Salt , if needed
Instructions
- Crumble cubes into boiling water, mix to dissolve.
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Add flour, onion powder and pepper. Mix into butter with a wooden spoon or whisk.
- While stirring, slowly pour in half the liquid. Once incorporated into the flour butter roux (it will thicken quickly), add remaining liquid and mix.
- Stir for 1.5 – 2 minutes until it thickens to a gravy consistency (it's quick as water is already hot). Taste, add more salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve over chops, steak, sausages, veggies, roast chicken, pork, beef, lamb. Pictured – KFC Potato and Gravy copycat!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
Even at the vet, all he can think about is FOOD. Just like his owner 😂
PS Nothing major, just getting an old-man wart removed that had grown quite large and was bothering him. He was, of course, a total sook once he realised he was there for more than just pats and treats. Quivering and pressing up against me for protection!
Awesome recipe!! I used 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, and bouillon powder (both flavors), with great results. Thank you for a great recipe. 🙂
Awesomeness 👌
Kitchen Bouquet is what I use yo make my brown gravy from scratch brown. I’m ‘old school’.
Hello from the great State of Montana, USA! I am a HUGE follower of Jenn at Carlsbad Cravings for years & while looking up a recipe saw that you had commented on one of her recipes & followers raved back at how awesome your site was. I’ve now discovered your blog & amazing recipes, WOW JUST WOW. Made this gravy to go with some Costco rotisserie chicken. Delicious, simple & easy. Can’t wait to dive into your recipes, Such a broad range of cuisine and so many curries, my favorite (YAY!)
I used to work at a macormicks . I signed secrecy . But it was my job to make flavourings in the blending department.here goes . Gravey . Salt pepper msg rendered chicken fat and corn flour . You end up with a powder you just add water too .
This. Is. So. Good. Best gravy recipe I’ve ever tried and I’m never going back. I’m going to tell my kids this is a secret family recipe lol!
No one is interested in the crap outside the recipe. Do if first so we can get to it!
At the top of the page is a recipe button. It will take you right to the recipe. Learn to use this instead of leaving nasty comments. A little civility goes a long way and costs nothing.
You are correct. Wonderful, easy gravy to make. It is now my go to recipe. I’ve used it for sausage, beef and chicken. No changes necessary.
Yum!
Just made it for tonight. It’s delicious and Super easy – Thanks Magi for another great recipe x
Wow! Finally a good or rather great gravy recipe that is almost vegan. This rocked. So good and I’m jazzed to have finally found a good recipe. I didn’t have chicken cube so I sub’d vege.
I made it, turned out great, quick and easy. I don’t make gravy, usually.
A tip for your readers. If you make the gravy, and Grandma arrives late, when the gravy is tepid, pour a few mils of water on the surface. Stops that foul skin forming. Heat her up and away she goes (the Gravy, not the Grandma!).
Made it twice and was fast, easy and good!
This is fantastic! Just as good as KFC gravy. This is the only gravy my son will eat! Thank you.
Hi Nagi! Found you last year and love your recipes. I have a question. I have leftover chicken broth from when I poached a whole chicken (for hainanese chicken rice) using bone broth. Can I use that instead of water and just add a tbsp of beef better than boullion? Or should I still add in the better than boullion chicken? Thanks so much and I hope I can someday get your cookbook over here in the US.
this gravy goes with everything and my family loves it!
I had no gravy and I wanted to make a good meal for my family during dinner, I looked up this recipe everyone loved it including my picky eating toddler!
This gravy is just super. I have found it goes with almost every meal I cook that needs gravy .
And no complaints from the family , they love it too.
Hello! Looks good. Can I replace the butter with margarine or another non-butter alternative?