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!
I love your dog! Had to say goodbye to my beautiful golden recently. Dozer looks and sounds just like my much loved Tango.
Awww no!! I’m so sorry to hear that Ginny. Dozer sends big furry hugs. N x
This recipe delivers! I’ve always been a fan of KFC gravy! I made a few substitutions: I used canned beef broth in place of all liquid and 2 tsp. of chicken bullion powder. As the recipe stated, it turned out light colored but I just added a couple drops of Kitchen Bouquet and Wala! Beautiful brown gravy! I made it a few hours before meal time, left it sit on the stove covered and it was a perfect consistency. I believe the beef broth enhanced the flavor. My VIPH said it was perfect over the mashed potatoes and meatloaf he devoured! Thanks for a great recipe! Definitely a keeper!
Forgot to buy gravy … made this instead … will NEVER buy gravy again!
So yum
Thanks Nagi
If you want it to have the KFC shine, add in a little cornstarch. May thicken it up a but though.
is that how to make it
Could you add mustard?
This was tasty, but it was just too thick, I had to add another cup of stock to it, and it was still rather thick. Is this supposed to be a pouring gravy, or one for dipping?
I tried it twice, my first attemp was with butter but my kids didnt like it bex. Of the after taste. On my second try i skipped the butter and they loved it. Thanks for the idea.
I added 1/2 tsp of Queen Parisian essence to darken gravy, it has no taste so works fine.
This is best darn gravy and so easy to make! I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to find this. Thanks so much for sharing!
Beautiful and easy gravy Nagi, thank you so much! 💕
Very good. I used both chicken and beef bouillon cubes and it looked like a perfect pale chicken gravy. Mine was salty as salted butter was all I had. Will keep unsalted butter in my freezer from now on just to make this gravy! Thanks.
Best quick, easy and flavorful gravy I’ve tried. I’ll use this exclusively for the rest of my life. LOL.. Only thing I added was a bit of MSG. It’s just my thing, I swear by it!
Easy to make and everyone loved it, a new staple to add to our receipes. Yes, like KFC but wayyy better.
First made this while I was in County Cork for Christmas. It enables you to get ahead, no last minute gravy making. I put soy sauce in it and the juices from whatever meat I am roasting. Since I’ve been home I use excellent stock – Marks and Spencer concentrated and it turns out even better, really tasty. We are all gravy lovers in this family. Thanks Nagi for the best gravy recipe. Hope the book is going well. JJ UK
This is definitely a keeper. I used Better Than Bouillon and it tasted fantastic.
Love this recipe, I’m a gravy lover. 💚♥️💚♥️💚♥️. Poor Dozer I have one of these and haven’t even gone to the Dr. Brave boy xx
All the best people are gravy lovers! N x
Spot on, to the tee! Thank you. This is exactly what I was looking for. The portion size, the flavour and consistency. You’re explanations are great and answered all the questions that I wanted to ask.(If that makes sense) Your blog is beautful with pictures in all the right places. Your recipe has been bookmarked. Thank you for taking the time to do this.
I’m not a a good cook but I wanted some gravy today so I looked up recipes I tried several but was not good. This was my last try and i just made this and it turned out great and it does taste good I love it
Thank you
I am so glad you enjoyed it Yvette! N x
Can you please do a Diane sauce recipe? It’s hard to find a good
I love your blog I keep coming back again and again, your blog is really great very unique like you get to the point about your recipe, not like the others cause they keep showing – ok this is my newest recipe and you have to keep scrolling down and down until you find the recipe…I’m starved by then Lol.. So yours is the best. So I’ve made many of your recipes, this one is Epic. Thank You Nagi for your wonderful recipes!
Thanks Theany! I spent a lot of money on that jump to Recipe button so you can go straight there ! N x