This is a really easy recipe for how to make gravy using just water. The secret is to use both chicken AND beef stock cubes for the best flavour and a nice deep brown colour. Takes 4 minutes flat, tastes like KFC gravy – but so much better. No pan drippings required.
Made a turkey and want a gravy? Use my Gravy for Turkey recipe!
Gravy
This gravy recipe tastes like what you get in those tubs of KFC Potato and Gravy. Those of you who abstain from all forms of fast food may not know what it tastes like. But all you need to know is that it’s everything that you’d expect from KFC – reliably tasty, well seasoned, can make anything delicious!
The secret ingredient that makes this gravy better is to use both chicken AND beef stock cubes (bouillon cubes).
What you need for gravy
Here’s all you need to make a really great gravy from scratch: chicken and beef stock cubes, butter and flour.
Chicken AND beef stock cubes (aka bouillon cubes) – for flavour and colour. Chicken is the base flavour, beef gives it oomph and gives it a nice deep brown colour rather than an unappetising pale brown. Using both also makes this gravy suitable to use for any protein – white meats (chicken, pork), red meats (beef, lamb, game), potato and vegetables. Can substitute with powder;
Hot water – to dissolve the cubes;
Flour – to thicken the gravy (gluten free cornflour/cornstarch sub in the recipe notes);
Onion or garlic powder – optional, for hint of extra flavour.
Why stock cubes instead of liquid stock/broth?
Great question! 🙂 Stock cubes and powder have a more intense flavour than liquid stock (broth), so they make a tastier gravy when you make gravy from scratch like in this recipe.
Liquid broth is more appropriate to use when you’re making gravy starting with pan drippings from roasts – because the pan drippings add extra flavour into the gravy.
How to make gravy in 4 minutes flat
Dissolve stock cubes or powder in boiling water;
Melt butter in saucepan and mix in flour;
Pour in stock water while whisking and cook 1.5 minutes until thickened. DONE!
PS The reason this is faster than most gravy recipes is because the water is already HOT and the flavour is already concentrated so there’s no need to cook down for flavour.
Now, douse everything and anything with it.
Oh, and here’s the photo that started it all – Fried Chicken. Upon spying this, there were many (many) (MANY!) requests for the potato and gravy recipe.
All the possibilities….!!!
Here’s some suggestions for dishes to serve with gravy. Some obvious ones, some not so obvious ones, all good!
Potato and gravy – KFC style! Dunk in Fried Chicken, warm bread rolls or bread (try this No Yeast Irish Soda Bread!), hot chips, wedges, serve on the side of sausages, as part of a Southern Dinner with BBQ Pulled Pork, any roast;
Roasts – any and all!
Rotisserie chicken dinner – make a meal out of a store bought roast chicken. Steam some veg, make some mash, douse everything with this gravy!
Steamed vegetables – guaranteed way to make bland, boring steamed veg completely scoff worthy;
Pan seared chops, steaks or anything – chicken, lamb, pork, beef! Sprinkle with salt and pepper, pan fry in butter or oil, douse with gravy;
Meatballs – Make these Beef meatballs or these Chicken Meatballs, skip the sauce and serve with this gravy instead;
Poured over an omelette;
Chicken Rolls – shred chicken, toss with gravy, pile generously onto hot rolls;
As a Sauce for any of these:
Use gravy as a sauce for these dishes
I need to stop. There’s too many possibilities!
But enough about my ideas. Tell me what YOU douse with gravy!! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
Gravy recipe (tastes like KFC – but a million times better!)
Ingredients
- 1 chicken stock cube / bouillon cube (sub 2 tsp powder) (Note 1)
- 1 beef stock cube / bouillon cube (sub 2 tsp powder) (Note 1)
- 2 1/4 cups (565ml) boiling water
- 60g/ 4 tbsp butter , unsalted
- 4 tbsp flour , plain / all purpose
- 1/2 tsp onion powder (ok to omit or sub garlic powder)
- 1/4 tsp finely ground black pepper
- Salt , if needed
Instructions
- Crumble cubes into boiling water, mix to dissolve.
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Add flour, onion powder and pepper. Mix into butter with a wooden spoon or whisk.
- While stirring, slowly pour in half the liquid. Once incorporated into the flour butter roux (it will thicken quickly), add remaining liquid and mix.
- Stir for 1.5 – 2 minutes until it thickens to a gravy consistency (it's quick as water is already hot). Taste, add more salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve over chops, steak, sausages, veggies, roast chicken, pork, beef, lamb. Pictured – KFC Potato and Gravy copycat!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
Even at the vet, all he can think about is FOOD. Just like his owner 😂
PS Nothing major, just getting an old-man wart removed that had grown quite large and was bothering him. He was, of course, a total sook once he realised he was there for more than just pats and treats. Quivering and pressing up against me for protection!
I made this gravy today with, I’ll be honest, fairly low expectations given that it didn’t use homemade stock and only stock cubes and water. How wrong I was, it’s very very nice. The only tweak I made because I can’t help myself was to add some fresh thyme, rosemary and sage to the gravy and to simmer it for 20 minutes. I had to add more water than the recipe said because it really thickened up but it was absolutely delicious.
It’s hard to explain just how deliciously moreish this gravy is – it’s not just a condiment but equal to whatever you’re smothering it over – I could honestly eat it by the spoonful. I make the base recipe and vary it to suit – sometimes simmer it with peppercorns, sometimes mushrooms or herbs, garlic. The tsp of dark soy is a must! I also use a full tsp each of the garlic and onion powders, my go to stock cubes are Massel. Thanks again Nagi – I always keep frozen portions of this on hand for quick dinner fixes x
My husband is the Gravy King in our house. No-one has yet superseded that standing. So when I decided to make this gravy I prepared myself for a 5/10. Surely, this easy recipe would not stack up. Shock, horror… everyone loved it (including my husband). That’s a good thing I guess but on the other hand, I’ve just inherited a job I didn’t have before!
Oxo cubes
Have made this at least 3 times now. Just perfect!
I use this recipe all the time and it’s perfect, my fiance loves it and he is fussy , so easy to make and tastes amazing, thank you 😊
The recipe is so easy and absolutely delicious. I’ve made it several times now, once using half packets of concentrated beef and chicken stocks (a half packet is equal to one bullion cube).
Can you use Better than Bouillon instead of cubes?
OMG!! We are getting a blizzard here in NJ and all I wanted was home cooked comfort food.
I did 2 chicken bouillons, a dash of soy sauce (thanks for the tip) and then a sprinkle of lawrys. I used salted butter. This is PHENOMENAL and I’m counting down the weeks until I debut it at Easter. Thank you!!
I never give 5 stars but this recipe is great! You are correct, better than KFC & Perfection for me!😁 Reminds me of home, when my mother would say, “Warms your innerds” lol she’s from St. Louis!
I never give 5 stars but this recipe is great! You are correct, better than KFC & Perfection for me!😁
Wow is this good! Thank you!
This is THE best gravy I’ve ever made. Thank you for this recipe. It’s soo good and very quick and easy to make
The gravy was perfect for our Christmas dinner! Thank you for posting!
I don’t leave comments very often. I love this gravy! It is my go-to gravy every week.
This one impressed my brothers who used to be cooks in a diner.
Thank you for this recipe, it was what I needed.
Thank you for this recipe, it was exactly what I needed.
cannot possibly be 4 tbspn flour to 2 cups stock?
If needed, I put in soy sauce instead of salt.
I also did your slow roasted pork belly with a slight twist. The juice I got from the pork, I added to this