This keto gravy recipe is lip-smacking good! I make it with my roasted Christmas turkey, but you can use it for any bird. Find out which secret ingredients I use to thicken this low carb gravy - there's no need to use flour.
I went into all-out holiday mode and tested my Christmas turkey feast this week (it's still October). We had the bird with all the trimmings, from roasted brussels sprouts to a delicious low carb stuffing with cauliflower. And of course, what would a keto turkey be without a proper low carb gravy?
Is gravy keto?
The answer is yes - if you know how to make it! Store-bought gravy often contains sugar and other nasties, so it's better to make your own.
The base for every gravy are the drippings from the roasting pan. These tasty meat juices are, of course, perfectly low carb. So is the stock that you add to the gravy, and the butter.
We can still keep it keto with some of the alcohol that you find in gravy (definitely not port though!) - a dry wine is the best low carb option, and I have added it in this recipe.
But then it gets tricky. A gravy needs a thickener. Traditional gravy uses flour to thicken, which we want to avoid. And low carb flours such as almond flour or coconut flour are not suitable as a replacement here.
This is how I get around it:
How to make keto gravy - step by step
Drain the drippings from the turkey roasting pan. Keep the roasted veggies to one side. I used a gravy separator but you can pour into a jug if you prefer and place in the fridge and then skim off the fat.
Alternatively, put the fat in a small frying pan and roast until browned, then add back to the gravy.
Place the turkey drippings and roasted vegetables in a saucepan and pour over the wine and stock. Option to add 2 tbsp of butter for extra creaminess.
Bring to the boil, then simmer for about 20 minutes to concentrate the gravy and reduce the volume by half.
Add the ground chia or xanthan gum and blitz with a hand blender or smoothie blender. Season with salt and pepper.
Return to the pan and simmer for another few minutes to let the gravy thicken. It will thicken further as it cools.
If your gravy is too thick, simply loosen it with a little more stock.
Best low carb gravy thickeners
My favourite way to thicken gravy is to blend in the vegetables I have roasted in the pan alongside my bird. I do this with the chicken I roast nearly every week. Carrots, onion and garlic do contain a fair amount of carbs. However, spread across the gravy portions the net carbs remain low.
Note - the vegetables will make the gravy take on a paler colour. To get that nice brown colour, simply pass the gravy through a muslin cloth. This is a purely optional step.
To further thicken the gravy, use either ground chia seed or xanthan gum. I added ground chia seeds this time, but I have used xanthan gum before and it works just as well. For example, I also use both xanthan gum and ground chia seeds to thicken my sugar free jams as well.
I haven't used guar gum or agar agar yet myself, but they also work as thickeners and can be replaced 1:1 with xanthan gum. There are even recipes that use gelatin.
Another (maybe surprising) keto thickener for gravy is arrowroot powder. Arrowroot is high in carbs, but it is paleo, gluten and grain free. And as you only need about ½ teaspoon, it barely affects the carb count per portion whilst behaving exactly like cornstarch.
What to serve alongside keto gravy
First of all, a turkey! Also recommended are these low carb sides:
Keto Stuffing (recipe coming next week!) - a gorgeous mix of sausage meat, cauliflower and chestnuts
Low Carb Cranberry Sauce - super fruity and sugar free thanks to a low carb sweetener
Creamy Keto Mashed Cauliflower - this 4 ingredient recipe is a regular on our table
Brussels Sprouts (recipe coming next week) - what would a turkey be without sprouts?
Keto Mac and Cheese - an all time comfort food favourite with kids and adults
Green beans & broccoli - add a bit of crunch to your meal and just wonderful dipped in gravy!
Cornbread - a low carb version made with almond flour.
Thinking how to round off your meal?
Try this Low Carb Christmas Pudding or this Spiced Chocolate Christmas Cake if it's Christmas! And if you’re preparing a keto Thanksgiving, whip up a Sugar Free Pumpkin Pie or this Low Carb Pumpkin Cheesecake.
Tried this recipe? Give it a star rating below!
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Low Carb Keto Turkey Gravy Recipe
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Ingredients
- all turkey drippings from the pan
- 2 ½ cups / 600 ml turkey or chicken stock
- 1 roasted onion, 1 carrot, 2 celery sticks and ½ head garlic from the pan
- 120 ml / ½ cup red wine
- salt and black pepper to taste
To thicken
- optional 3 tsp ground chia or ½ xanthan gum
Instructions
- Drain the juices from the turkey pan. Keep the veggies to one side. I used a gravy separator for this.
- Place the turkey pan juices and roasted vegetables in a saucepan and pour over the wine and stock. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 20 minutes to concentrate the gravy and reduce the volume by about half.
- Add the chia or xanthan gum and blitz with a hand blender or smoothie blender. Season with salt and pepper.
- Return to the pan and simmer for another few minutes to let the gravy thicken.
Notes
Nutrition
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Addie says
Hi, Katrin - re the garlic, do you add the entire half bulb, skins and all, when you blitz the veggies?
Katrin Nürnberger says
Yes, I squeeze out the soft roasted garlic bulbs out of the skin, the entire half bulb. Roasted garlic tastes sweet and creamy and not sharp at all. You blitz the veggies after roasting.
Addie says
OK, thank you; I think that part was left out of the recipe and I wasn't sure what to do. It sound delicious and I will definitely try it for Thanksgiving.
Sue says
I always mix my vegetables into the gravy too! It’s the best
Katrin Nürnberger says
It's such an easy way to get that thick richness and increase flacour.