Sign up for free
weekly newsletter

Home | Save Money | Recipes | Shopping Lists | Menus | News | About | FAQ | Contact | Blog | Ebook

Oooo, Mama! Gravy

Pour this savory vegetarian gravy over mashed potatoes and stuffing to bind together a Thanksgiving feast. Even the non-vegetarians will cheer you on, saying "Oooo, Mama! This is some good gravy!"

Any guests who speak Japanese might go for the original spelling and say "Umami! Great gravy!" That's because the Japanese named the fifth basic taste "umami" well before the Europeans recognized more than sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. Umami is the savory rich taste usually associated with meat, mushrooms, and some cheeses.

The tahini and soy sauce in this gravy both have umami flavor, making a rich-tasting gravy that is good for you, with protein and without saturated fat.

It's so fast and easy that you can make it on a weeknight to top bean burgers, microwaved potatoes, or rice.

Active time: 10 minutes. Total time: 10 minutes. Makes 4 servings, 1/4 cup each. Vegan.

Ingredients

1/4 cup corn oil
1 onion, chopped fine
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup white whole-wheat flour or all-purpose flour
2 cups chickpea broth
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons tahini
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste

Method

1. In a small saucepan, heat oil over medium-low heat. Meanwhile, peel onion and chop fine, adding to saucepan as you go. Stir onion to keep from burning while you peel and mince garlic.
2. When onion is soft and somewhat clear looking, add garlic. Stir once and add flour. Cook onion-flour mixture until lightly browned, stirring to keep from sticking to the saucepan.
3. Add remaining ingredients, turn heat up to medium, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook until it's as thick as you like it. Add more water if it gets too thick. Taste and add salt as needed.
4. Serve warm. Refrigerate any extra. Reheat in the microwave or in a pan over very low heat.

Tips and notes

• Cooking the flour with the oil and onions before adding the liquid makes for a lump-free gravy.
• If you don't have chickpea broth left from cooking chickpeas, use another light bean broth or a tasty vegetable broth.