Recipe for Sausage Gravy - Balancing Motherhood (2024)

This site contains affiliate links. Please seeDisclosure Policiesfor more information.

Our sausage gravy recipe is a classic that’s been handed down through generations of our family. With just five simple ingredients and 20 minutes, you’ll have our favorite Southern breakfast on your table. It’s full of flavor with a rich cream sauce, perfectly flavored sausage, and seasonings. Pour it over fresh, hot biscuits and you’ll have everyone asking for this recipe.

Recipe for Sausage Gravy - Balancing Motherhood (1)

Table of Contents

This Homemade Sausage Gravy is an absolute southern comfort

This sausage gravy is one of my husband’s all-time favorite breakfasts to make. We serve it for special occasions (it’s great for a crowd) or just an everyday Sunday breakfast. Sausage gravy can be intimidating, but we’ve perfected this recipe for so long and rewritten it so that you can follow our step-by-step instructions to recreate it perfectly at home.

Within a matter of minutes, you’ll have piping hot sausage gravy that you can serve over hot open-faced biscuits.

What is Sausage and Gravy?

Sausage Gravy, better known as biscuits and gravy, is a staple southern classic breakfast dish. It is made up of an incredibly easy to make homemade sausage gravy with simple ingredients that you normally have on hand that is then poured over nice hot biscuits. It screams good old southern home cooking.

Typically this will be a dish that you eat when it is chilly outside, but honestly people eat this sausage gravy with biscuits all year long.

Homemade Sausage Gravy Recipe Ingredients

Recipe for Sausage Gravy - Balancing Motherhood (2)

Sausage – For this sausage gravy I use a mild sausage to give it flavor, but not overpower the dish by using a spicy sausage.

Flour – In this recipe the flour is the thickening agent. When adding it to the sausage gravy recipe be sure that you do it slowly while stirring. If you just pour it in all at once you will have lumps in your gravy.

Milk – You are going to want to use whole milk with this recipe. This gives the gravy a thick creamy texture that you will love poured over your biscuits.

Seasoned Salt – Seasoned salt gives a nice variety of seasonings mixed with the salt. I use seasoned salt so often and it is a great staple to have on hand all the time.

Pepper – Pepper adds a little bit of pop and added flavor to the sausage gravy.

Biscuits – Grab some canned biscuits in the refrigerated section. I prefer Grands biscuits, but any will do.

How to make Homemade Sausage Gravy

Recipe for Sausage Gravy - Balancing Motherhood (3)
  1. Cook biscuits according to the packaging.
  2. Brown sausage in a medium-large skillet over medium heat while the biscuits cook. Break up the sausage into small pieces. Once browned reduce heat to low.
  3. Add flour gradually to browned sausage while stirring to combine.
  4. Sir in milk.
  5. Cook over low-medium heat, stirring occasionally until sauce thickens. This will take around 10 minutes.
  6. Add seasoned salt and pepper.
  7. Serve sausage gravy on top of warm, open-faced biscuits.

How to make this recipe for Sausage Gravy in advance

One of the best things about sausage gravy is that you can make it ahead of time. I will typically do this for a special occasion like Christmas morning or even on Thanksgiving when I don’t want a big mess to clean up afterward.

To do this, you will make the gravy as directed and then allow the sausage gravy to cool completely.

Once cooled, place it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days ahead of time. Typically I like to make it the night before. If you do make ahead of time you will not want to store it again after reheating.

To reheat the gravy, place it in a saucepan over medium heat to warm back up. Stir occasionally while reheating. If you find that the gravy is too thick go ahead and add some milk to it.

Sausage and Gravy Recipe Tips and Tricks

  • Be sure to not omit the seasoned salt and the pepper. The seasonings gives this dish the flavor you are craving from biscuits and gravy.
  • Typically when browning sausage you would drain the fat, but when making sausage gravy you want to be sure to keep all the fat in the pan. This gives the recipes so much flavor!
  • Serve this dish over nice big open-faced biscuits, if you find yourself without biscuits potatoes will work well too!
  • If you like a thicker gravy, reduce the sauce down longer on the stove. If you prefer a thinner gravy, don’t cook it for as long.

What to serve with the Best Sausage Gravy Recipe

Sausage gravy is best when served with hot biscuits, but if you don’t have any biscuits on hand you can serve it over:

  • Fried potatoes
  • Mashed potatoes
  • Open-faced English Muffins
  • Grits
Recipe for Sausage Gravy - Balancing Motherhood (4)

How to store Sausage and Gravy

To store your sausage gravy you will want to wait until it is completely cooled.

How long is Sausage Gravy good for in the fridge?

Once it is cooled you can store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

I would cook the biscuits the morning of because you want them to be hot and fresh.

CAN YOU FREEZE SAUSAGE GRAVY?

I don’t recommend freezing the sausage gravy. It is best if you make it and eat it.

With it being such a simple dish it is easy to whip up each time you are craving some good southern cooking.

LOOKING FOR OTHER AWESOME BREAKFAST RECIPES? TRY THESE!

Air Fryer Donuts

Sticky Buns with Biscuits

Hot chocolate donut holes

Sausage and Gravy Recipe FAQs

Can this recipe for sausage gravy be made without pork?

Pork sausage tends to be a little more on the fatty side, so people who are trying to eat healthier wonder if you can make sausage gravy without pork.
You can substitute the pork sausage for turkey sausage, but by doing this you are drastically changing the texture and the flavor of sausage gravy and biscuits.
I would say make biscuits and sausage gravy on your cheat day to really enjoy this dish how it is meant to be enjoyed.

Recipe for Sausage Gravy - Balancing Motherhood (5)

Recipe for Sausage Gravy - Balancing Motherhood (6)

Sausage and Gravy


Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. sausage mild
  • cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups whole milk
  • ½ teaspoon seasoned salt
  • 2-3 teaspoons pepper
  • Biscuits (such as Grands biscuits)

Instructions

  • Cook biscuits according to package instructions. While biscuits are in the oven, start the gravy.

  • Place sausage in medium-large skillet and brown sausage over medium-high heat, breaking sausage into small pieces. Cook until just brown. Reduce heat to low.

  • Gradually add flour to cooked sausage and stir until flour is combined with sausage.

  • Add milk and stir.

  • Continue to cook over low-medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens. This will take up to 10 or more minutes.

  • Add in seasoned salt and pepper.

  • Serve sausage gravy on top of warm, open-faced biscuits.

Nutrition

Calories: 306kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 727mg | Potassium: 357mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 254IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 148mg | Iron: 1mg

Did You Make This Recipe?

Don’t forget to share it with me on @thebalancingmom and follow on Tiktok @balancingmotherhood and Pinterest @thebalancingmom for more!

Pin

Share

Tweet

Recipe for Sausage Gravy - Balancing Motherhood (2024)

FAQs

What makes sausage gravy taste better? ›

Sausage gravy can be as simple or "fancy" as you'd like to make it. Substitute any kind of sausage—hot, mild, sweetened with apple or maple, or even try it with chorizo for a spicy twist. Chopped fresh onion or garlic add more savory notes, while dried or fresh herbs give the gravy hints of freshness.

How do you keep sausage gravy from thickening? ›

Trouble shooting your gravy: If your gravy turns out too thick, simply add more milk, small amounts at a time, continuing to stir, until gravy is the desired consistency.

Do you use all purpose or self rising flour for gravy? ›

Country Gravy Ingredients

Use leftover bacon grease (instead of butter) in the roux to add meaty flavor and create a rich texture. All-purpose flour results in a thick, velvety gravy that holds up well during the cooking process.

How do you fix too much flour in sausage gravy? ›

If your gravy is too thick, that just means it contains a bit too much flour. Thin it with additional stock; you could use water instead, but then you'd be watering down the flavor.

What is the secret to good gravy? ›

Here are my principles for making great gravy without fear:
  • Make it ahead. This is the most important one. ...
  • Make a really good homemade turkey stock first. Don't skimp on this crucial first step. ...
  • Reinforce the stock's flavor. ...
  • Simmer, simmer, simmer. ...
  • Strain and cool. ...
  • Reduce. ...
  • Hot liquids only.
Nov 5, 2021

Why does my sausage gravy have no flavor? ›

If the gravy lacks oomph, adjust seasoning as necessary with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. If you used canned stock instead of homemade, the gravy might not be as flavorful. Homemade stock, even made with chicken stock rather than turkey, will produce a superior gravy—so it's worth the effort.

Is it better to make gravy with flour or cornstarch? ›

Browning adds more flavor to the gravy and gets rid of the raw flour taste. You're basically making a roux. We find that a flour-based gravy holds up better and reheats better later, which is why we tend to prefer using flour over cornstarch to make gravy unless we have a guest who is eating gluten-free.

How do you stabilize gravy? ›

If your gravy is looking watery, you can add a slurry (a mixture of cornstarch/flour and water) or a roux (a mixture of flour and butter) to thicken it up. Other pantry ingredients like Wondra (an instant flour), arrowroot, tapioca, and potato starch can also be used to thicken gravy to a deliciously silky consistency.

How do you fix bland sausage gravy? ›

If your gravy is tasting a little less than stellar, all you have to do is stir in some cooked, chopped bacon, caramelized onions and/or some Dijon or spicy/whole grain mustard for a major flavor upgrade.

What kind of flour is best for gravy? ›

The flour helps thicken the gravy without changing the flavor. I use whole wheat flour in all my recipes, including homemade gravy. You may also be able to use gluten free flour (again, whole grain), but some brands work better than others. Check out this gluten-free gravy and this Brown Gravy too!

What happens if you use self-raising flour in gravy? ›

You can, but be aware that self-rising flour contains salt so taste the gravy before adding salt. Yes you can, but you are better off using arrow root, corn starch or any other type of starch if the food chemistry you are trying to achieve for your sauce is the property of thickening.

What's the best flour to use for gravy? ›

Even if you just dump a pile of Wondra into buttered broth and stir, you'll probably come out with a pretty decent gravy. Thanks to its light, silky texture, this flour is also seriously forgiving. If you don't stir in quite enough at the beginning, it's easy enough to add some later to bulk up your sauce.

Why is my sausage gravy bland? ›

Why is My Sausage Gravy Bland? You may need more pepper. It could also mean you like a sausage that has more flavorful. Make sure you also cook your flour and measure correctly.

Why does my sausage gravy keep separating? ›

Broken Gravy

If your gravy looks curdled or has an oily top layer, it's likely the emulsion of flour and fat that thickens the mixture has split or broken. Fix it by adding a splash of warm water or two and whisking vigorously to restore the balance of liquid and fat.

Why did my sausage gravy turn brown? ›

Gravy's color can vary due to its base ingredients. White gravy often results from milk or cream-based liquids, combined with fats and thickeners like flour. Brown gravy typically comes from meat drippings that are browned, combined with broth or water and thickened using flour or cornstarch.

What to add to bland sausage gravy? ›

Ingredients That Will Seriously Upgrade Your Sausage Gravy
  1. Real butter. Polad Gasimov/Shutterstock. ...
  2. Whole milk. Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock. ...
  3. Ground sage. Michelle Lee Photography/Shutterstock. ...
  4. Homemade sausage. Irena Maslova/Shutterstock. ...
  5. Vegan sausage. Antonina Vlasova/Shutterstock. ...
  6. Maple syrup. ...
  7. Garlic powder. ...
  8. Ground nutmeg.
Sep 8, 2022

How to jazz up sausage gravy? ›

For an additional kick, add a pinch or two of red pepper flakes along with the seasonings. Onions/Garlic can be sautéed with the sausage as well. If the gravy becomes too thick, add a splash of milk. This may be particularly helpful if reheating from a cold state.

What to add to canned sausage gravy to make it taste better? ›

Cook and crumble at least 1/4 as much sausage as the volume of the canned gravy and add the gravy to that. I would also add a bit of thyme, marjoram, and sage.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Laurine Ryan

Last Updated:

Views: 5953

Rating: 4.7 / 5 (77 voted)

Reviews: 92% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Laurine Ryan

Birthday: 1994-12-23

Address: Suite 751 871 Lissette Throughway, West Kittie, NH 41603

Phone: +2366831109631

Job: Sales Producer

Hobby: Creative writing, Motor sports, Do it yourself, Skateboarding, Coffee roasting, Calligraphy, Stand-up comedy

Introduction: My name is Laurine Ryan, I am a adorable, fair, graceful, spotless, gorgeous, homely, cooperative person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.