Low Carb Keto Gravy Recipe

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This KETO gravy recipe needs to be on your holiday menu! My low carb turkey gravy uses a secret ingredient to thicken it – absolutely no flour or carbs are needed and you’re going to love the rich flavor. (In fact, the secret ingredient makes this easy to adapt to a whole30 paleo gravy recipe, too!) You’ll want to drizzle this keto turkey gravy on turkey, of course, but also over cauliflower stuffing, and mashed cauliflower for a classic (and keto) Thanksgiving meal. Low carb turkey gravy is easy to make, and can also be made ahead for stress-free holiday meals.

Add this keto turkey gravy recipe to your holiday list. It’s not Thanksgiving without gravy on the table, right?!

Is Gravy Keto?

Can you have gravy on keto? YES! But you need to make sure it’s a keto friendly gravy recipe… like this one. 🙂 Most traditional gravy recipes are thickened with flour, which has way too many carbs for my liking.

This low carb turkey gravy recipe has 0 grams carbs! Yes, carb free gravy is possible and it’s delicious.

What Is The Secret Ingredient In Low Carb Gravy?

The secret ingredient is unflavored gelatin powder! Read on to see how you can use it to thicken keto turkey gravy naturally.

How To Make Keto Gravy

Keto thanksgiving gravy is a must on any low carb table this holiday season. Because what’s turkey without a low carb gravy recipe? Thankfully, this recipe is quick and easy, and it utilizes a (secret!) keto ingredient to thicken it right up.

Here’s how we’re making keto gravy for turkey:

1. Collect turkey drippings. After your turkey is done cooking, remove it from the roasting pan, and pour the contents through a fine mesh sieve. Discard the solids, we won’t use those!

TIP: This keto gravy recipe will work with turkey drippings from a whole turkey or just a bone-in turkey breast. Try garlic butter turkey or slow cooker bone-in turkey breast!

TIP: If you prefer, you can let your drippings separate first and skim the fat off the top before using the rest of the drippings for the gravy. Or use a fat separator like this!

2. Bloom the gelatin. Sprinkle gelatin over cold water and set aside. It will take a few minutes to get firm.

3. Reduce broth and drippings. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add chicken broth and turkey drippings to the pan. Bring to a boil, then simmer until volume is reduced by half.

TIP: You can make your broth more flavorful by simmering the turkey giblets in it. Or, replace the chicken broth altogether with stock made by simmering giblets in water for about an hour.

4. Thicken keto turkey gravy. Add the gelatin to the pan, and whisk constantly until it’s completely dissolved.

TIP: Remove the gravy from heat as soon as the gelatin dissolves, because its gelling abilities will be reduced if you keep heating it for too long.

5. Let gravy cool slightly. As the gravy cools from hot to lukewarm, it will thicken. If a film forms on top, simply whisk it back into the gravy.

How To Thicken Low Carb Gravy?

Instead of flour (which wouldn’t be keto), the keto gravy thickener we are using in this recipe is gelatin! It works really well as a low carb gravy thickener, you just need to be sure to whisk it in well enough so that it’s fully incorporated into the keto turkey gravy.

As the gravy cools, it will continue to thicken, so don’t stress if it’s not thick right away!

Troubleshooting Keto Gravy Made With Gelatin

• If your healthy turkey gravy is too thin, it’s possible you needed to simmer (reduce) the dripping mixture for longer, and/or that the gravy needs to cool more. It will thicken as it cools.
• If your low carb gravy is too thick, it probably cooled too much and gelled. Simply reheat it a bit, whisking frequently, and it will become pourable again.
• If your gravy forms a film on top, simply whisk it to get rid of it. You may need to heat it a bit as well if the film is too thick.

TIP: Keto gravy made with gelatin is the perfect consistency when it’s warm, not hot or cold. It will be too thin when it’s piping hot, and will gel when it’s too cold. I recommend a heated gravy boat like this to keep it the perfect temperature on your holiday table.

How To Make Keto Gravy Paleo & Whole30 Approved

With a natural thickener, this healthy gravy recipe is already very close to paleo and whole30 friendly. The only part that isn’t is the butter.

To make this into a whole30 paleo gravy recipe, simply replace the butter with ghee.

Can You Make Low Carb Gravy Without Turkey Drippings?

Yes, you can make keto gravy without turkey drippings!  Simply use chicken bone broth instead of the drippings.

Regular chicken broth is not recommended, because it doesn’t have as much flavor and doesn’t thicken as well.

Can You Thicken Keto Gravy With Something Other Than Gelatin?

Yes, you can. I like using gelatin because it’s a natural ingredient and good for you. It also makes this a whole30 paleo gravy recipe, if you use my modification for that.

But if you prefer, you can use xanthan gum instead and it would still be keto.

Here is how to thicken gravy with xanthan gum instead of gelatin. After simmering/reducing the broth and drippings, just replace steps 2 and 4 above with these instructions:

• Sprinkle (don’t dump!) 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum over the warm (not cold!) water in a small bowl.
• Immediately whisk together the mixture. No need to wait for it to bloom as you would with gelatin.
• Whisk the xanthan gum mixture into the reduced drippings/broth mixture. You don’t have to heat it, but you can if you find it helps it dissolve.

The rest is the same! The keto turkey gravy with xanthan gum will thicken as it cools.

The advantage of using xanthan gum instead of gelatin is that it’s a bit more stable and doesn’t form a film as easily.

Can You Make This Keto Gravy Recipe Ahead?

Yes, you can make low carb turkey gravy ahead of time. The gravy thickens as it cools, so it will form a thick gel once it’s completely cold. But you can easily reheat it until it’s pourable again.

Store it in the refrigerator and gently re-heat until it’s hot when you’re ready to serve. Don’t overheat.

What To Serve With Keto Turkey Gravy

There are so many delicious ways to enjoy this low carb turkey gravy! Of course you can enjoy it on any keto meats, but it pairs perfectly with these dishes:

• Slow Cooker Turkey Breast – You obviously need a turkey for your keto-friendly gravy. This one is made easy in the slow cooker, freeing up your oven for other dishes.
• Garlic Herb Roasted Turkey – If you want to make the juiciest whole roasted turkey ever, this is the one!
• Cauliflower Stuffing – Yes, keto stuffing does exist! It’s grain-free, paleo, low carb and the perfect stuffing for everyone at the table.
• Leftover Turkey Casserole – Mix up all of your low carb Thanksgiving leftovers in this casserole recipe.
• Keto Green Bean Casserole – A holiday must! I love this homemade green bean casserole made with fresh vegetables and scratch-made cream of mushroom soup! You’ll never go back to the canned version.
• Slow Cooker Cauliflower Mash – Perfect for catching the gravy, and this one is not only low carb, it’s also paleo friendly.
• Keto Candied Pecans – The perfect holiday snack or dessert.

• Fat Separator – You’ll need to separate the fat from the turkey drippings before making gravy. This fat separator makes it super easy and highly recommend it! But if you don’t want a separate tool for it, a fine mesh sieve will work.
• Porcelain Gravy Boat – Once you’ve made your low carb gravy recipe, you need a gravy boat to serve it in! This white one is simple, looks great on a table, and is affordable!
• Heated Gravy Boat – It doesn’t cost too much more than a regular one, but this will keep your keto gravy at the perfect temperature on your table and prevents it from getting too thick or too thin due to temperature changes.