Best Instant Pot Gravy (Quick & Easy, No Drippings!)

This quick and easy Instant Pot gravy is velvety thick and super delicious and you will want to pour it on everything! You don’t need any drippings so it can be done quickly for a weeknight meal of sausages and mash or to pour over steak or roast chicken on the weekend. Great for that last-minute addition to your Thanksgiving or Christmas menu, too! 

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This Instant Pot gravy recipe is a shortcut version of traditional gravy that requires no drippings or roasted meat and can be done directly in the pressure cooker using the Saute function, giving you extra stovetop space for other dishes.

SECRET TO A DELICIOUS INSTANT POT GRAVY

This gravy is very flavorful, thick and golden brown and can be poured over everything! What makes it so good? It’s the combination of chicken and beef stock that gives it the best flavor and that lovely color.

Using beef bone broth rather than stock will give you an even richer, more luxurious gravy. So, if you plan to make a batch for Thanksgiving or another special occasion, it is worth making some beef bone broth in the Instant Pot ahead of time. For a more intense flavor, we prefer to use chicken stock cube but you can also get pre-made chicken stock or make your own.

Another trick is to puree the cooked onions and garlic into the gravy to retain as much flavor as possible; plus, the onion starch will thicken the gravy slightly before you even add any flour. 

Note on flour roux: Finally, this easy gravy recipe doesn’t use any roux (cooked flour and butter before the stock is added) and is instead thickened with flour slurry and a dollop of butter right at the end. 

GRAVY INGREDIENTS

This gravy recipe makes about 2 cups, which is a generous amount for 4 servings (1/2 cup per serving). You can stretch it out for 6. If you want to make a larger batch, double the ingredients. Leftovers can be frozen (see notes in the recipe). 

• Chicken stock – we recommend using a stock cube to make 1 cup of chicken stock for a more intense flavor.
• Beef bone broth or stock – bone broth will give your richer gravy (and more nutritious) but the regular beef stock will also do. We’re using 1.5 cups as some of the liquid will evaporate during cooking, yet you should still yield 2 cups of gravy.
• One small onion and a few garlic cloves, plus some salt and pepper to taste.
• Butter and flour to thicken the gravy and make it glossy.
• Optional: you can throw in some mixed dried herbs or a few sprigs of thyme or rosemary.

HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT GRAVY

We used a 6-quart Instant Pot Duo but you can easily make this recipe in an 8-quart. Find the full recipe ingredients and a nutritional breakdown below these step-by-step photos.

Step 1. Press the Sauté function on the Instant Pot (Normal setting). Add 1 tablespoon of butter and onions and cook for 2-3 minutes to caramelise slightly.

Step 2. Then add the garlic and cook for another minute. Then, add 1 cup of chicken stock (stock cube dissolved in hot water) and 1.5 cups of beef bone broth or stock. Bring to a rapid simmer and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring a few times. Cancel to stop the Saute function.

Step 3. Taste and add a good pinch of salt and pepper to taste.

Step 4. Use an immersion blender to purée the contents of the pot to make a smooth gravy. If you like your gravy super smooth, strain the pureed broth through a sieve to catch any unblended bits of onion. Return the strained gravy to the pot.

Step 5. To thicken the gravy further, mix 2 tablespoons of flour and 3-4 tablespoons of cold water in a small bowl until smooth. Then, turn on the sauté function again. Pour in the flour slurry gradually in small batches while continuously stirring with a spatula, until the gravy thickens. Then stir in the remaining tablespoon of butter. Bring the gravy to a simmer and once the bubbles come up, press Cancel to stop the Sauté. Stir and pour into a serving bowl or a jug.

Serve the gravy while hot! You can refrigerate the gravy for up to 5 days or freeze the leftover gravy in a silicone ice cube mold so you can pop out a cube whenever you feel like some gravy on your meal.

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MORE INSTANT POT RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE

• Instant Pot Beef Bone Broth
• Instant Pot Chicken Bone Broth In 3 Hours
• Herb & Garlic Sourdough Croutons (Great For Soups & Stews)
• Instant Pot Chicken Breasts & Gravy (Step-By-Step)

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