Learn how to make the best keto gravy with this easy recipe. So rich and delicious, you won’t miss the carbs! It’s great with roast turkey or chicken.
I should have shared my keto gravy recipe with you long ago. I’ve shared all sorts of other keto thanksgiving recipes, so why have I held back on the gravy?
I promise I was not trying to keep anything from you. It’s just that I’ve never taken the time to formalize it and write it down from start to finish.
I am one of those people who makes gravy on the fly, when the turkey is in the oven. I make it slightly differently every time, depending on what I have on hand and how big the bird is.
But you deserve really good keto gravy for your holiday meals, and so I roasted a chicken and spent time working out the ideal ratios. This is a classic recipe that goes perfectly with chicken or turkey. And it’s highly adaptable for any herbs and spices you want to add in.
Why you need this recipe
The first thing we need to discuss is how to thicken your gravy. Because no one likes thin, watery gravy!
Traditional gravy is thickened with flour or a starch like cornstarch or tapioca starch. Flour gravies usually start off with a roux, a thick paste of butter and flour cooked until brown, before the broth is slowly whisked in. Whereas starch is usually added to the broth at the end of cooking.
Neither flour nor starch are good options for a keto-friendly gravy. But never fear! There are several possible keto solutions – but I find one of them superior to all the rest.
You can always use gums like xanthan and guar gum, but they tend to give the gravy a slightly slimy quality. I’ve also seen recipes that blend cream cheese into the hot broth. But I don’t want cream cheese in my gravy, thank you very much!
So for the best classic keto gravy, do yourself a favor and get some glucomannan powder. It makes your gravy thick and rich, without any sliminess or cream cheese.
Why it works
Glucomannan is fiber extracted from the konjac root, the same ingredient that’s used in shiritaki noodles. It’s often sold as a dietary supplement, so make sure you aren’t purchasing the capsules, rather than the loose powder.
It’s a great thickener and a little goes a long way. For keto gravy, I experimented and found that ¼ teaspoon per 1 cup of liquid was just about right.
One huge advantage over gums like xanthan is that it doesn’t clump up the minute it hits the warm liquid. So you don’t have to work quite so quickly to whisk it into your sauce.
It’s incredibly useful so I promise you it won’t go to waste. I use glucomannan in any number of my recipes, including my Keto Mongolian Beef, Keto Chocolate Pudding, and my updated Keto Rhubarb Crisp.
Reader Testimonial
I cannot thank you enough for this recipe and at the best time of the year when GOOD gravy is one of the highlights of Thanksgiving. I just made this to try before my Turkey day, but used drippings from a pork roast and am blown away by how un-keto the taste of this is. It taste like I’m cheating big time. Amazing mouth feel. 10 out of 10 stars for me. — Sami
Ingredients you need
- Butter: Sautéing the giblets and vegetables in a little butter adds more flavor and deepens the rich brown color.
- Turkey neck and giblets: These usually comes inside the cavity of the turkey. Roasting chickens usually contain them as well.
- Vegetables: Onions and celery give the gravy its classic flavor.
- Chicken broth: A few cups of prepared chicken bone broth add volume and additional liquid. You can use homemade broth if you have some.
- Glucomannan: As I explained above, I have found this to be the best thickening agent for keto gravy. And it’s useful in many other keto recipes as well.
- Salt and pepper
- Additional seasonings: Feel free to add some dried thyme or sage to the broth as well.
Step-by-step directions
1. Sauté the neck, giblets, and chopped vegetables in butter, allowing them to cook until the giblets are browned and the butter has deepened in color.
2. Add in chicken or turkey broth and bring the whole mixture to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer for at least 30 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the neck and giblets.
3. Once your bird has finished roasting, add all the juices and drippings from the roasting pan into the broth. Make sure to scrape up all the browned bits as that’s where much of the flavor is.
4. Bring the pan of broth and juices to a boil again and cook until reduced by about one quarter. Then use a sieve to strain out all the solids. Return the liquids to the pan.
5. Whisk in the glucomannan and season to taste. Start with ½ a teaspoon and add more if your gravy isn’t thicker after 10 minutes.
6. Spoon it over roast turkey or chicken, or some delicious mashed cauliflower and enjoy!
Expert tips
The gravy will take a bit to thicken up so don’t overdo the glucomannan. Whisk in half a teaspoon and let the gravy sit for 10 minutes, then check the consistency. Add more if needed.
It’s also easy to thin it out if it gets too thick. Simply whisk in a little more broth and put it back over low heat.
You can easily scale this recipe up for a larger bird or if you just love to drown everything in gravy. For every cup of liquid, you need about ¼ teaspoon glucomannan.
Frequently Asked Questions
You have a few options for thickening keto sauces and gravies. Many people use xanthan gum, but it tends to have a slimy quality. It also clumps very quickly so you have to whisk it in quickly. Another possible solution is cream cheese, but this changes the consistency. I recommend using glucomannan as a thickener for this keto gravy recipe.
Gravy of any kind is best made fresh but this does do well in the fridge for several days. So you can enjoy leftover turkey and keto gravy as long as you have the taste for it! It will thicken more as it cools. If it’s very thick, place it in a saucepan and add a few tablespoons of broth. Warm over low heat and whisk frequently until it thins out.
This keto gravy recipe has 1.1g of carbs and 0.3g of fiber per serving. That comes to 0.8g net carbs per ⅓ cup serving.
More delicious Keto Thanksgiving Recipes
Easy Keto Gravy Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 1 pkg turkey neck and giblets (or chicken neck and giblets)
- ¼ medium onion chopped
- 2 stalks celery sliced
- Salt and pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme or sage (optional)
- 3 cups chicken broth
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon glucomannan
Instructions
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the neck, giblets, onion, and celery. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and any addtional herbs. Sauté until nicely browned, about 5 minutes.
- Add the broth. Bring to a boil and then simmer 30 to 40 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the neck and giblets.
- When the chicken or turkey is done cooking, remove to a platter and tent with foil. Pour any pan juices and drippings into the stock, scraping up any browned bits for flavor. Spoon off excess any fat from the top.
- Bring to a boil and cook until reduced by about one quarter. Set a fine mesh sieve over a bowl to strain out the solids. Discard the solids and return the liquid to the pan.
- Whisk in ½ teaspoon of glucomannan and let sit 10 minutes to thicken. If you like very thick gravy, whisk in the remainging glucomannan. The gravy will continue to thicken up as it cools. If it gets overly thick, add a little chicken broth to thin it out as you re-warm it.
Kathi says
Can I just use the drippings from the turkey as it cooks? I’m not a fan of the neck or giblets.
Carolyn says
Yes, as long as you get enough of them!
Jan says
I cannot find a recipe for a keto white gravy on your site. Have you created one?
Renee says
This gravy recipe is the one I came to the site to find. I can always depend upon finding what I need here as an insulin resistant person who pushed back type II; It never disappoints. What a gift Carolyn Ketchum is to those of us who must deal with blood sugar control every day.
Ce says
Would Guar Gum powder work well?
Jan in Dallas says
I love all of your recipes that I have tried! Thank you for all your work in developing them! I know it can’t be easy.
Now I’d like to make a low carb / keto white gravy – for gravy and biscuits. You have a great biscuit recipe, but I can’t seem to find a white gravy recipe on your site. Do you have one?
Carolyn says
Not at this time…
JulieDC says
This gravy was the best keto gravy I’ve ever had, bar none. The consistency was great. I was tempted to add more glucomannan when it was a bit slow to thicken up, but I put the timer on for 10 minutes and it was perfect. The best thing is that it wasn’t gritty or slimy like other keto thickening agents. I’m going to be looking for other ways to use the glucomannan powder now. I was a little concerned about glucomannan because I’m not a fan of shiritake noodles, but it turned out great.
Carolyn says
I am thrilled to hear it!
Jennifer says
If I already have the capsules, do you think that I could just open those up and use the powder inside?
Cat says
I’m a bit confused. In the description is reads: “It’s often sold as a dietary supplement, so make sure you aren’t purchasing the capsules, rather than the loose powder.”, but the link to the product in the recipe appears to go to a capsuled supplement form. Can you explain more?
Carolyn says
If that’s the case, it’s because Amazon changed the product. Sorry! Definitely get the powder. NOW brand sells the powder too.
Mia says
I’ve been using psyllium as a thickenener, as I find it much easier to add then xantham gum and it works as well – would it be OK in this recipe do you think?
Carolyn says
I really can’t say without trying it myself.
Anita Coleman says
I have tried this several times and cannot get the gravy to thicken. I’ve even doubled or more the amount of powder. I am a little concerned about it getting slimey, so I hesitate to add even more. The taste is good, but I just can’t get it to thicken. I’ve also tried cooking it longer without the lid. That didn’t work either. I wish I could get it to work. 🙁
Carolyn says
What brand of glucomannan are you using? I have one that requires me to add more as well. You could also add some plain collagen to help thicken it.
Mori says
I’m already prepping for Thanksgiving this year and am excited to try this. I usually make my gravy 2-3 weeks before the holiday, freeze it and then thaw and reheat. Do you know if glucomannan will freeze and defrost ok? Thx.
Carolyn says
Sorry that I missed this comment somehow. It does freeze well, actually!
gloria says
I have used arrowroot for thickening gravy. I’m not sure if it contains carbs or not, but tried it once when I was out of anything else. There was a slight “slime” element, but not bad and possibly could have been overcome with a little experimenting. Have you used this for gravy?
Donna says
Hi, Carolyn! I love all of your recipes so thank you for sharing! Do you think psyllium husk powder could work in the same way as the glucomannan?
Carolyn says
I am doubtful on that score but you’re certainly welcome to try.
Linda MacLerran says
Thanks for this recipe and the information on how to thicken gravy for keto.
I used xanthan gum yesterday for beef gravy. I had to strain it and it was off putting
texture wise. I look forward to this method. I love all your recipes as you have tested them so well that they are very fool proof. Also, your pictures make them all so appetizing. Great job!
Patti Shank says
How much broth + pan drippings should you end up with before adding the glucomannan?
Carolyn says
I didn’t measure it, because it’s variable depending on your bird and how you roast it. Just make sure it reduces as I indicated in the recipe. It will be fine and you can adjust if it’s too thick or too thin easily.
Kathyr says
So thankful you posted this!