How to make meatloaf gravy – quick and easy brown gravy is easier to make from scratch than you think!
I am a big fan of gravy. I make this easy brown gravy any time we’re having mashed potatoes or need to serve it with a meat dish.
Gravy for Meatloaf
My meatloaf recipe is gravy based instead of ketchup or a tomato sauce. Knowing how to make homemade brown gravy to serve with it, and many other dishes, is a skill you’ll appreciate having.
There are so many recipes that you can pair with it and it whips up in no time.
- Dice your onions small, unless you like gravy with texture.
- Switch up the flavors by adding mushrooms, fresh herbs (like parsley, thyme, sage), a splash of wine, or a splash of soy sauce which will darken the gravy and add great flavor.
- If you like your gravy thin, skip adding the cornstarch slurry.
- If you like it thicker, make a slurry of cornstarch and water and add it to the beef broth. Let it simmer to thicken.
- Prepared gravy should be used within 2-3 days of making it. Any longer than that, you’ll want to freeze it for later use.
Growing up, I always made the gravy packets any time we wanted gravy. I still think it’s pretty good, BUT then I realized how easy it is to make gravy from scratch, with just a few ingredients, and now I don’t have to worry about keeping the packets on hand.
If you need another option, try my easy mushroom gravy or turkey gravy!
How to make Meatloaf Gravy
This section shows you how to make this recipe, with process photos showing the steps to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
Jump- STEP ONE: To a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat and add the minced onion. Cook and stir until the onion is tender.
- STEP TWO: Add the beef broth and stir occasionally for 5 minutes.
- STEP THREE: In a small bowl, make a slurry by adding the water and cornstarch and mixing together until smooth. Once fully mixed, pour the slurry into the gravy & stir to distribute and thicken.
More dishes to put gravy on
Helpful Tools
- Sauce Pan – A good non-stick, dishwasher safe covered sauce pan is a great addition to the kitchen.
- Silicone Spatulas – I love these one-piece, heat safe, silicone spatulas. I use them daily.
- Onion/Vegetable Chopper – This chopper makes dicing onion easy and tear-free.
- Gravy Boat – There are so many pretty gravy boats! My local HomeGoods store had many to choose from and most were around $5.
How to Make Meatloaf Gravy
Video
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 4 Tablespoons onion minced
- 2 cups beef broth
- 4 Tablespoons water
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions
- To a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add in the onions and cook and stir until tender.2 Tablespoons butter, 4 Tablespoons onion
- Add in the beef broth and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.2 cups beef broth
- Make a slurry by adding the water and cornstarch to a small bowl and mixing together with a fork.4 Tablespoons water, 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- Pour the slurry into the saucepan and cook for 1 minute or until thickened.
- Pour into a gravy boat & serve!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Very easy recipe for making beef gravy… poured over meat and mashed potatoes
Thanks for reporting back!
I use the same recipe, but add a couple tablespoons of Kitchen Bouquet. It enriches the beef flavor and darkens the color. Diners will swear you made it from a package, but it’s even better!
I have drippings can I use them or will it not turn out good if I do
Hi Cindi, I’m sure you’ll make a fine gravy, this particular recipe is just for when you don’t have drippings.
The gravy tasted fine (not great, could have been more flavorful) but it would just not thicken up! Maybe the proportions don’t scale well, I made 4 cups’ worth.
No, sauces don’t often scale well without adjustments.
Just finished meatloaf and mashed potatoes. I was out of ketchup, tried this out. Very good. And so easy. It quickly thickened up. Thanks!
Love hearing that, thanks!
I made this for the first time. Will definitely be making it again. It was too easy and very good 👍
Happy to hear that!