A keto gravy recipe using alternative low carb thickeners. Although coconut flour and almond flour may work, there are much better choices for a flourless gravy.
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As I was getting my holiday recipes ready this year, I noticed that I’ve never posted a gravy recipe. It’s not because I’ve never made low carb gravy. I just never shared a recipe for it.
How to Thicken Gravy on Keto
Regular gravy is usually thickened with wheat flour or cornstarch. We all know wheat flour isn’t low in carbs. But is cornstarch keto?
At about 7 grams of carbs per tablespoon, cornstarch can be a low carb option if a small amount is used. However, most people on a keto diet avoid grains and excess carbs. So you’re better off not using it.
In the past, I’ve made xanthan gum gravy. And sometimes I’d blend xanthan gum with guar gum. But I’m not a fan of using either of those “gum” thickeners these days. Instead, I prefer using glucomannan.
However, all of these low carb thickeners can make your sauce turn into a thick pudding. So you need to add just the right amount to prevent the liquid from thickening too much, especially as it cools.
That’s why I decided to create an easy keto gravy that’s thickened with egg yolks, some puréed onion and a little butter or coconut oil. Plus, the onion and butter not only thicken but add flavor.
Can you Make Gravy with Coconut Flour?
I’ve thought of using coconut flour to make a keto friendly gravy. However, the taste of the flour isn’t completely neutral and it’s slightly sweet. However, it could be used as a thickener since it absorbs liquid creating a thicker sauce.
Therefore, you can add in a small amount of coconut flour in this low carb gravy recipe if desired. I would only add in a teaspoon at a time and give it some time to settle in before judging the consistency. You can even omit or reduce the onions in the recipe by adding a little bit of this low carb flour.
I’ve made a coconut flour gravy a few times. But the texture is somewhat clumpy. And if you aren’t careful with the amount added, you’ll end up with something that looks more like porridge.
Can You Make Gravy with Almond Flour?
You may be wondering if finely ground almonds could be used as a keto thickener. Personally, I wouldn’t use them. Although almonds are fairly neutral in taste, they do give a slightly nutty flavor that wouldn’t taste right.
And almond flour doesn’t mix in as smoothly into liquid as coconut flour does. It tends to be more grainy. But, if you don’t mind these issues, you can certainly experiment and give it a try. Personally, I’d go with the coconut flour instead.
How to make gravy without flour
I like to make my keto gravy with egg yolks as the main thickener along with some finely chopped onions which add in flavor. You could leave the onions out for a zero carb gravy, but there’s not a lot used and it’s worth adding them for a better taste.
The drippings from freshly roasted meat works best for the gravy. But you can use a pre-made meat stock if you want gravy for mashed cauliflower or turnips without having to make a roast.
To start the gravy, take the strained pan drippings from a roast or meat stock and reduce the liquid by boiling it down for about 10 minutes. Then, add in the onion and finely puree it with a blender. Of course, you’d skip this step if omitting the onion.
Then two egg yolks are tempered with the hot liquid and then slowly whisked into the pot with the rest of the hot gravy liquid. To help thicken things up, butter or coconut oil is whisked in next.
If the gravy is too thin when it’s removed from the heat, an additional low carb thickener can be added. My preference is to add a small amount of glucomannan. However, a little cream cheese can also be used as a thickening agent.
Keto Brown Gravy
Brown gravy is typically made by thickening roasted meat juices with wheat flour or cornstarch. So the key to make it keto friendly is to thicken the liquid with a low carb gravy thickener.
A keto beef gravy is perfect for serving over low carb roast beef and mashed turnips or cauliflower. And you can dress up the sauce by adding in things like mushrooms or onions.
Low Carb Gravy For Holiday Dinners
Holidays like Thanksgiving just wouldn’t be the same without a gravy boat on the table. Sure you can eat your turkey and faux mashed potatoes plain when following a low carb diet. But they taste so much better topped off with a keto gravy!
And don’t forget the low carb buns when planning your holiday meal. Plus you’ll want to have a traditional low carb pumpkin pie for dessert made with a flaky almond flour pie crust.
What do you use to thicken soups and sauces on a ketogenic diet? Is it just one thickener or do you a combination of them.
We’d love to know what you prefer to use when making homemade gluten free gravy that’s low in carbs.
Be sure to check out the healthy Thanksgiving recipes collection I put together as well if you need more ideas for holiday dinners.
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Low Carb Keto Gravy
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Ingredients
- 2 cups pan drippings and water or meat stock
- 1/2 cup onion
- 2 large egg yolks in small bowl
- 1/4 cup butter flavored coconut oil or butter
- salt and pepper to taste
Low Carb Sweeteners | Keto Sweetener Conversion Chart
Instructions
- Strain pan drippings and add enough water or stock to make 2 cups. Place in a pot and reduce the liquid to thicken a bit by boiling down for about ten minutes.
- Add onion to liquid and finely puree with a stick blender or high speed blender. Cook the onion for a few minutes to further reduce the liquid.
- Remove from heat and slowly pour about 1/4 cup of the hot liquid into the egg yolks while whisking to temper them. Gently pour the egg yolk mixture into the hot liquid in the pot while whisking.
- Continue to whisk and simmer the gravy liquid. Whisk in the coconut oil or butter and stir until smooth. You can continue to simmer. Butter tends to thicken the gravy better than coconut oil, but the gravy will thicken more as it cools with the coconut oil.
Notes
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Nutrition
Additional Info
Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts as it has been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
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Lisa MarcAurele has been creating low carb recipes since 2010. She enjoys experimenting in the kitchen to create low sugar foods that taste like high carb favorites!
