White Pepper Gravy ~ Vegan Recipe ~ This Wife Cooks™ (2024)

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White Pepper Gravy ~

Southern style country gravy made with all plant-based ingredients!

White Pepper Gravy ~ Vegan Recipe ~ This Wife Cooks™ (1)

Serve this creamy, dairy-free white gravy with biscuits, Vegan Breakfast Casserole, and fresh fruit for a hearty and comforting breakfast spread the family will love!

Table of Contents

Vegan White Gravy Recipe

I like this dairy-free white gravy because it’s easy to make and exactly what I remember of the dairy-based white gravy of my childhood. It’s not too thick, not too thin, and the seasoning is just right.

White Pepper Gravy ~ Vegan Recipe ~ This Wife Cooks™ (2)

Southern Biscuits and Gravy

This is my favorite way to serve white pepper gravy!

In the South, ‘biscuits and gravy’ is practically a food group unto itself that can be served any time of the day or night from early bird breakfast to midnight snack.

So it came as a bit of a shock when my Midwestern husband announced that he had never heard of it until he came home to find me in the kitchen with biscuits in the oven and a pot of white pepper gravy on the stove. Harry was skeptical at first but now he practically licks the plate before going back for seconds.

White Pepper Gravy ~ Vegan Recipe ~ This Wife Cooks™ (3)

Ingredients for White Pepper Gravy

  • 5 tablespoons vegan butter
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups oat milk, divided
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

Ingredient Notes

  • Oat Milk: To me, oat milk is the most like dairy milk in terms of flavor. If you prefer a different plant milk, something mild flavored, such as unsweetened almond would be a good choice.
  • Seasoned Salt: This all-purpose seasoning blend adds more depth of flavor than regular salt.

Optional Add-Ins

  • Vegan Sausage: To make sausage gravy, stir in crumbled and cooked plant-based breakfast sausage just after adding milk (Step #2).
  • Thyme: Add some earthiness by stirring in 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme along with the salt and pepper.
  • Cayenne Pepper: Turn up the heat by adding a few dashes of cayenne pepper sauce.

How to Make White Pepper Gravy

STEP ONE: In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Add flour, pepper, and salt, then whisk to combine. Bring just to a simmer, add 1/2 cup milk, and whisk until fully incorporated.

STEP TWO: Increase the heat to medium. Stir constantly until the mixture begins to thicken. Gradually add the remaining milk, 1/4 cup at a time, whisking thoroughly until gravy is smooth and thickened slightly.

STEP THREE: Adjust seasoning to taste and serve hot.

Storage and Reheating

  • This white pepper gravy can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. The gravy will thicken with refrigeration; this is normal.
  • To reheat, transfer the gravy to a saucepan over low heat. Add a splash or two of milk and whisk thoroughly to loosen the consistency. Add a pinch more salt and pepper, as needed, to account for the extra milk and serve hot.

More Vegan Breakfast Recipes You’ll Love!

  • Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
  • Saturday Morning Tofu Scramble
  • Vegan Blueberry Muffins
  • Roasted Sweet Potato Hash
  • Hash Brown Casserole

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White Pepper Gravy ~ Vegan Recipe ~ This Wife Cooks™ (4)

White Pepper Gravy ~ Vegan Recipe ~ This Wife Cooks™ (5)

White Pepper Gravy

Southern style country gravy made with all plant-based ingredients!

5 from 19 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 196kcal

Author: Holly Gray

Ingredients

  • 5 tablespoons vegan butter
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups oat milk divided
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

Instructions

  • In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Add flour, pepper, and salt, then whisk to combine. Bring just to a simmer, add 1/2 cup milk, and whisk until fully incorporated.

  • Increase the heat to medium. Stir constantly until the mixture begins to thicken. Gradually add the remaining milk, 1/4 cup at a time, whisking thoroughly until gravy is smooth and thickened slightly.

  • Adjust seasoning to taste and serve hot.

Nutrition

Calories: 196kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 461mg | Potassium: 79mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 917IU | Calcium: 176mg | Iron: 1mg

Tried this recipe?Mention @thiswifecooks or tag #thiswifecooks!

Related Posts:

  • Biscuits and Gravy Casserole
  • Vegan Breakfast Casserole
  • Grits and Greens Casserole

Previous Post: « Black-Eyed Pea and Bratwurst Stew

Next Post: Yellow Rice and Beans with Vegetables »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Michelle

    White Pepper Gravy ~ Vegan Recipe ~ This Wife Cooks™ (9)
    I can barely believe how simple this is! totally delish!

  2. nancy

    White Pepper Gravy ~ Vegan Recipe ~ This Wife Cooks™ (10)
    great plant based white sauce recipe. I was getting really tired of tomato sauce

    Reply

  3. Andrea

    this gravy turned out perfect for our mashed potatoes! so easy to make and delicious!

    Reply

  4. Liz

    White Pepper Gravy ~ Vegan Recipe ~ This Wife Cooks™ (11)
    Such a perfect recipe with the holidays coming up!

    Reply

  5. Rosanna

    White Pepper Gravy ~ Vegan Recipe ~ This Wife Cooks™ (12)
    Great plant based alternative! I made this when my vegan friend came over and we loved it

    Reply

  6. Katie

    White Pepper Gravy ~ Vegan Recipe ~ This Wife Cooks™ (13)
    This white pepper gravy is incredible! Perfect recipe for a savory brunch!

    Reply

  7. Geetanjali

    White Pepper Gravy ~ Vegan Recipe ~ This Wife Cooks™ (14)
    Delicious plant based gravy. Made for my family and they loved it

    Reply

  8. Elsie S. Stewart

    White Pepper Gravy ~ Vegan Recipe ~ This Wife Cooks™ (15)
    I tried this recipe and it’s really good. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to try the recipe.

    Reply

  9. Georgie Salvo

    White Pepper Gravy ~ Vegan Recipe ~ This Wife Cooks™ (16)
    Excellent! I subbed hemp milk (my current fave), added Beyond breakfast sausage crumbles and the thyme and, (personal preference) left out the red pepper. Terrific flavor!

    Appreciate having a great tasting country gravy so I can stop using McCormick’s or Pioneer and get away from all the preservatives.

    Put this on biscuits with just egg scramble and was taken straight back to my pre-vegan breakfast memories!

    Thanks for a great recipe!

    Reply

    • thiswifecooks

      I love it! Thank you so much for the feedback!

  10. freddy

    Nice to have a workable basic recipe. Have you considered seasoning with fennel? I use it in other recipes where I want that sausage-y seasoning flavour.

    Reply

    • thiswifecooks

      Hi Freddy ~ I have not tried adding fennel but agree that would be a nice way to add a little sausage flavor to the gravy without actually adding vegan sausage. Thanks for the suggestion!

  11. Shannon

    White Pepper Gravy ~ Vegan Recipe ~ This Wife Cooks™ (17)
    This is the best pepper gravy recipe!! I substituted sea salt because I am out of seasoning salt. I will make this all the time!

    Reply

    • thiswifecooks

      Awesome! Thank you so much, Shannon! 😊

Leave a Reply

White Pepper Gravy ~ Vegan Recipe ~ This Wife Cooks™ (2024)

FAQs

Why is white gravy called sawmill gravy? ›

The term "sawmill gravy" comes from early logging camp food and old-time sawmills. It was originally made with cornmeal, bacon drippings, milk, and seasonings. This resulted in a somewhat gritty gravy; in fact, rumor has it that the loggers would accuse the cooks of putting sawdust in the recipe!

What is the difference between white gravy and country gravy? ›

There is no difference. In the South, country gravy and white gravy are used interchangeably and both for the same type of thick, creamy gravy made with butter, flour, and milk. You may also hear these gravies called sawmill gravy, and some people use this recipe but add sausage for a sausage gravy.

What can I substitute for milk in white gravy? ›

Alternative ingredients: Instead of milk, you can use other liquids like chicken or beef broth, heavy cream, or even water to make the gravy. Roux base: A roux base, made from melted butter and flour, is the foundation for the gravy. This base will thicken the liquid and create the desired consistency.

What is white pepper gravy made of? ›

To make the gravy-melt the butter in a medium sauce pan and then whisk in flour and pepper, and while continuously whisking stir in the salt and garlic salt. Slowly pour in the milk and turn heat to medium, whisk occasionally and it will thicken (about 5 minutes) then remove from heat and serve.

What is British gravy called in America? ›

Onion Gravy or Traditional British Gravy is what British people call gravy. Americans call it Brown Gravy, White Gravy (sawmill gravy or Breakfast Gravy), which is topped on biscuits.

What do Americans call white gravy? ›

Country gravy, also called sawmill gravy or white gravy, is a staple of hearty Southern cooking. It can be used as a creamy blanket for chicken fried steak or to accompany a plate of freshly baked biscuits at breakfast time. This recipe is a down-home classic that takes just 15 minutes to pull together.

Why is British gravy so thin? ›

The gravy is a combination of milk with the pan drippings. Ramsay's Turkey Gravy with Cider and Walnuts uses chicken stock and cider — no milk, no flour, and definitely no cream, which explains why it's meant to be thin. But not all British chefs shy away from flour and dairy in their gravies.

Is white gravy just béchamel? ›

Cream gravy or white gravy (sawmill gravy) is a bechamel sauce made using fats from meat—such as sausage or bacon—or meat drippings from roasting or frying meats.

Why is my white gravy so thick? ›

If your gravy is too thick, that just means it contains a bit too much flour. Thin it with additional stock; you could use water instead, but then you'd be watering down the flavor.

Why won t my white gravy thicken? ›

Cooking for too little time: As the gravy cooks, it slowly thickens, so if you don't allow it to cook long enough, it will be too thin. Set the stove on medium heat and bring your gravy to a boil before letting it simmer. Once the gravy has reached your desired consistency, turn off the stove and let the sauce cool.

How do you make white gravy not taste like flour? ›

If you realize that your gravy tastes like flour when you're almost finished, turn up the heat to maintain a rapid simmer for several minutes; then thin it again with more stock or water if necessary.

How do you thicken gravy without bisto? ›

Similar to flour, cornstarch is another ingredient that can be used to make gravy thicker. With cornstarch, making a slurry is also an option, but with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch whisked into cold water. Again, you'll want to add the slurry in increments so you don't over-thicken the gravy.

Why do Chinese restaurants use white pepper? ›

White pepper is used widely in different Asian cuisines, notably in Chinese and Vietnamese food. It's traditionally used to flavor hot and sour soup and in preparations for shrimp. It's also used in many European dishes, particularly Scandinavian classics like Swedish meatballs.

What does white pepper add to a recipe? ›

White pepper adds a touch of elegance to dishes with its light cream, whiteish hue and mild sweet flavor, followed by subtle heat undertones.

What are the ingredients in white pepper? ›

White pepper, like black pepper, is made from the berries of the pepper plant, also known as the Piper nigrum. Unlike black pepper, however, white pepper comes from berries that are picked at full ripeness. These berries are then soaked in water to ferment.

What is sawmill gravy called? ›

Sawmill Gravy

A creamy skillet gravy made with drippings, this staple—known by many now as just "sausage gravy" or "country gravy"—can be said to bolster up the entire Southern breakfast menu, and nobody makes it better than the old-fashioned, country-style breakfast joint in your hometown or your own grandma.

What is the difference between brown gravy and sawmill gravy? ›

It turns out, the biggest difference between the two is brown gravy is broth-based, while white gravy typically has a milk or cream base. Garcia said both types usually have flour or cornstarch for thickening and they both contain some sort of “fat or meat drippings.”

Who invented sawmill gravy? ›

In the 1880s, southern Appalachia lumber factory workers invented a concoction called “sawmill gravy,” possibly after the sawdust that coated the factory floor. Workers made a basic gravy of pork, milk, and flour, readily available and cheap ingredients that made a filling meal.

What's the difference between sawmill gravy and sausage gravy? ›

What's the Difference Between Sawmill and Sausage Gravy. The main difference is that sawmill gravy is made with sausage or bacon drippings only, none of the actual sausage. It also has some cornmeal in it. Sausage gravy is made with sausage and the drippings, and only has flour, no cornmeal.

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