WELL IS MORE PLANT-BASED THANKSGIVING, PT. III
Menu
I. Garlic Smashed Sweet Potatoes, V, GF
II. A Healthier Thanksgiving Stuffing, V, GF
III. A Healthier Mushroom Gravy, V, GF
It’s All Gravy, Baby
Can you have Thanksgiving without gravy? I don’t think so… Even if you’re having a plant-based Thanksgiving without turkey, I think gravy is needed in the mix.
This gravy recipe is super simple and tastes great over the healthier Thanksgiving stuffing recipe I shared yesterday. It’s made with extra virgin olive oil, mushroom broth, and a healthy dose of mushrooms, of course!
Recipe Notes
Oil vs. Butter. Using extra virgin olive oil is probably a healthier option than the vegan butter. If you want to use a vegan butter, a brand I really like is Miyokos Creamery, which is made with coconut oil instead of soy or vegetable oil.
Broth. I really love the mushroom broth with this mushroom gravy recipe. It kind of just makes sense, right? That being said, you can definitely use regular veggie broth or a different kind of broth as well, however, I can’t guarantee it will have the same great flavor.
Herbs & Spices. I used dried oregano, an herb & spice blend, and fresh parsley for this recipe because those were the things I had on hand at home. Feel free to switch these up with the herbs and spices you have at home. Using herbs like rosemary, sage, and thyme would be perfect for adding more holiday flavor to the recipe.
Herb & Spice Blend. The herb & spice blend I used is a no-salt seasoning blend from Costco. It has a long list of herbs/spices including: onion, garlic, carrot, black pepper, red bell pepper, orange peel, parsley, bay leaves, thyme, basil, celery, lemon peel, oregano, mustard seed, cumin, marjoram, coriander, cayenne pepper, and rosemary. Of course, you do not need this exact seasoning blend to make the recipe. See what you have on hand that might complement the flavor similarly and use that instead.
Flour. I used Pamela’s All-Purpose Gluten-Free Flour. Feel free to use any kind of all-purpose flour in its place.
Step By Step
1. Heat oil, spices, and dried herbs over medium heat. Stir and add the mushrooms. Mix to combine.
2. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until liquid is evaporated.
3. Turn heat back up to medium. Mix in the flour and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Add broth slowly, 1 cup at a time, stirring briskly until it is well incorporated. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 30 minutes. Top with fresh herbs & sea salt, to taste. Serve and enjoy!
A Healthier Mushroom Gravy, Vegan, Gluten-Free
Adapted from Chef John’s Mushroom Gravy recipe
Ingredients
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or vegan butter
16 oz fresh or frozen sliced mushrooms
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp herb & spice blend, see recipe notes
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/4 cup gluten free all-purpose flour
1 qt mushroom broth
ground black pepper, to taste
sea salt, to taste
fresh herbs of choice, see recipe notes
Instructions
Add olive oil or vegan butter to sauce pan and heat over medium heat. Mix in herbs, spices, and pepper, then add the mushrooms. Stir to combine.
Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for about 20 minutes or until liquid is evaporated.
Turn heat back up to medium. Add the flour and stir to combine. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Slowly start adding in mushroom broth 1 cup at a time making sure to stir briskly until it’s well incorporated after each cup.
Once broth is thoroughly mixed in, reduce heat back down to medium-low. Simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring often and scraping off sides and bottom of pan.
Top with fresh herbs of choice and sea salt, to taste.
Serve with your smashed potatoes and stuffing. Enjoy!