Easy Mushroom Gravy with Red Wine

This easy Mushroom Gravy recipe is the perfect way to add flavor to your favorite comfort foods. It’s made from simple ingredients and you can add optional red wine for richness. Perfect to top your potato or vegetable dishes.

There’s just something about the flavor of mushrooms that feel so comforting and hearty.

I love how much flavor they pack into dishes. Especially when they're in a tasty mushroom gravy. My favorite kind.

Mushrooms turned into a thickened gravy will take your food up a flavor notch!

It's delicious comfort food that can easily be made from scratch using this recipe.

Gravy is one of those components of a meal that we can add as an afterthought. Sure, we could make it from a packet, but homemade mushroom gravy is AMAZING.

It's well worth the (minimal) effort to whip it up yourself at home.

Think rich, thick, red wine mushroom sauce, lightly flavored with thyme. With soft chunks of mushrooms swimming in the gravy. Bliss.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

You can use whatever type of mushrooms you like.

An easy gravy recipe.

It can be poured on top of a variety of different foods.

You can make it ahead of time.

Perfect for Christmas and Thanksgiving.

This recipe is vegetarian but can easily be made vegan and/or gluten-free.

Adds a deep hearty flavor to anything it's paired with.

Ingredients 

Mushrooms: Any type of mushroom will work in this recipe including baby portabella, white button, chestnut, porcini, oyster and shiitake mushrooms.

Butter or Olive Oil: Depending on your preference for a vegan mushroom gravy you could also use a vegan butter substitute to saute the mushrooms, or oil.

All Purpose Flour: This will help thicken the gravy. Aka plain flour.

Red Wine: Although optional, it will help make this gravy more rich in flavor. You can substitute with a litte more stock instead.

Vegetable or Mushroom Stock: This is the flavorful liquid base of the gravy.

Fresh Thyme: Gives the gravy a fresh herb taste. Try other herbs for a different flavor.

Ground Black Pepper: Adds a little balance of flavor. I haven't added salt as my vegetable stock is salty enough. Taste and add it if you wish, though.

The only tool you need is a sautee pan, large frying pan or pot.

How to Make Mushroom Gravy

If you're wondering how to make mushroom gravy, you'll be delighted at just how easy it is to make from scratch.

It's one of those recipes that adds so much, but I love how simple it is!

Follow this step-by-step photo tutorial, then scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredients list and method.

Roughly chopped the cleaned mushrooms.

Heat the butter in a pot or large skillet over a medium heat until melted. 

Stir in the mushrooms.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until all the moisture evaporates - about 15 minutes. Get them nice and well-cooked.

Stir in the flour, and heat, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. 

Stir in the red wine (or extra stock) and allow it to bubble for a moment, then add the stock and stir well. 

Add the pepper and sprigs of thyme.

Bring it to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 25 minutes or until thick. You will need to stir regularly. 

Taste and adjust seasoning if desired. Remove the sprigs of thyme before serving.

Enjoy your red wine mushroom sauce!

Tips 

If you don’t have fresh thyme sprigs, substitute for 1 teaspoon dried thyme.

Be sure to cook the mushrooms until all the moisture evaporates. They darker, well-cooked mushrooms will be more flavorful.

If you’re worried about clumps of flour in your gravy, whisk it with a small amount of stock to make a paste before adding to the mushrooms.

This recipe does not call for any additional salt as vegetable stock or mushroom stock is naturally salted. Taste test your gravy to adjust seasonings as necessary.

Serving Suggestions

There are so many tasty ways to enjoy vegetarian mushroom gravy with red wine. We love it on classic mashed potatoes, roast potatoes - or any potatoes! It's great on poutine, savory pies and many other dishes. Try these!

Pour over these Portobello Mushroom Steaks.

Drizzle on top of these Parmentier Potatoes with Garlic and Rosemary.

Serve with these delicious Vegan Mashed Potatoes.

Serve with this beautiful Mushroom Wellington.

Stir it into this Mushroom Stroganoff.

Use it as a Red Wine Mushroom Sauce on steak or vegan steak alternatives.

Serve it as a tasty gravy for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.

Variations

Add fresh garlic and onion to saute with the mushrooms.

Along with the fresh thyme, add a sprig of rosemary or sage.

For a slightly tangy gravy, add 1-2 tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar.

Special diets

To Make Gluten-Free: Make sure you are using a gluten-free flour to thicken the mushroom gravy instead of all-purpose wheat flour. Check that your stock and red wine are gluten-free.

To Make It Vegan: Replace the butter with a vegan butter substitute or use olive oil at a 1:1 ratio. Check that your stock and red wine are vegan.

Storage & Freezing 

Storing: Once the gravy is cooled, it can be placed in an airtight container and stored in the fridge for up to 7 days.

Freezing: Homemade mushroom gravy can be frozen in a sealed container for up to 6 months. Thaw in fridge completely before reheating and consuming.

FAQs 

Is Campbell’s Mushroom Gravy Vegan? Campbell’s mushroom gravy is in fact vegan, however, none of the other gravy is. To control your ingredients, it’s best to make your own mushroom gravy from scratch!

What Does A Bad Mushroom Look Like? It’s important that you use fresh mushrooms in this recipe. A bad mushroom is dark and discolored and usually damp and slimy. Discard any that have these features.

What Else Can You Use To Thicken Gravy? You can use cornstarch, arrowroot flour or tapioca flour to thicken gravy.

You’ll Love These Other Sauce & Gravy Recipes

Chestnut Loaf with Sage Gravy

Homemade Tartare Sauce

Vegan Chicken Broth

Sriracha Aioli

Get the recipe

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