Easy Make Ahead Cashew Cream Gravy – Gluten Free!

This easy make ahead cashew cream gravy is made with no flour, silky smooth, and perfectly seasoned! The best gravy for everyone at your table that’s also super simple to make! Ready in 30 minutes, gluten free, Whole30, paleo, and vegan option.

The best gluten free gravy

Is gravy not the best part of holiday meals?!

I mean, a good gravy can give an assist to just about any dish in need of some love – dry turkey, bland mashed potatoes, over baked stuffing. It’s like the little (DELICIOUS) magic worker of Thanksgiving and Christmas plates everywhere.

Which is why I felt it was so important to get this gluten free gravy recipe right (big gravy lover here!)

And make it easy. Because make ahead menu items can be such a game changer when it comes to planning meals!

Unlike most gravies that are thickened with some type of starchy flour, this gravy is flourless! It gets its body from blending caramelized onions (yesss), garlic, and a few cashews together with a thyme infused broth for a silky texture and TON of savory flavor.

Why you’ll love this make ahead gravy

It is:

• Rich and savory
• Silky smooth
• Cozy
• Flavorful
• Gluten free & dairy free
• Make ahead friendly
• Perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas
• Easy to make
• Absolutely delicious!

Ingredients and substitutions

• Onions + garlic – Onions and garlic create the base for this easy gravy recipe. When slowly caramelized, they create an aromatic and umami rich flavor that is absolutely irresistible.
• Olive oil – Olive oil is used to sauté the onions and garlic, but you could substitute another option like avocado oil or ghee.
• Broth – Any type of broth works for this recipe. I typically use chicken broth or turkey broth. If you have drippings from a turkey or chicken you can use those too! Mushroom broth or vegetable broth are great options to make a vegan or vegetarian version of this gravy. The more flavorful broth you use the more flavorful gravy!
• Thyme – Fresh thyme is simmered with the broth and caramelized alliums for some added flavor. If you don’t have fresh thyme dried thyme can be substituted.
• Raw cashews – Raw cashews simmer along with the other gravy ingredients until plump and soft so they are ready to blend into the silky smooth gravy.
• Salt and pepper – To taste.

Where to shop for pantry staples

You can find all of the pantry staples for this recipe on Thrive Market – a membership based natural products store that is like the Whole Foods of Costco but entirely based online and with the BEST wholesale prices. It’s a lifesaver when you need to find special pantry ingredients for your Whole30!

I’ve been a Thrive Market member for 5 years and over that period of time have saved $4,283.42 on natural groceries! That is some serious savings.

How to make

Because this gravy is make ahead friendly (easy to re-heat!), you can make it a day or two in advance of your turkey dinner and have it ready to go in the refrigerator. That said, it’s can also be made just before serving since it’s pretty easy to pull together.

Here’s the step-by-step

• Sauté the onions and garlic. In a large skillet warm olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add diced onions and garlic and cook until tender and starting to caramelize.
• Simmer the gravy. Add thyme sprigs, cashews and broth to the pan and bring to a boil, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Lower to a simmer until liquid has reduced by almost half and the cashews look plump and soft. Remove thyme sprigs and discard.
• Blend until smooth. Transfer the contents of the skillet to a blender and blend on high until smooth and creamy.
• Reduce if needed. If desired, return to the skillet to the stove to simmer on low in order to reduce slightly, stirring frequently so it doesn’t stick to the pan. If you accidentally over reduce the gravy just thin with a little extra broth.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve, or cool and store until ready to use.

Serving suggestions

This gravy is a delicious option to serve with a turkey or chicken dinner, which makes it an ideal Thanksgiving / Christmas recipe!

That said, we honestly make it all year round. It’s the perfect accompaniment to luscious mashed potatoes, or whatever comfort food recipe you’re cooking up.

Can you use turkey or chicken drippings?

Absolutely! If you have drippings from cooking a bird they can be used in place of or in addition to the broth that the recipe calls for.

Just keep in mind that turkey and chicken drippings can be rather salty, so you may want to give them a taste first. Depending on how salty they are you may not need to season your gravy with any additional salt and pepper, or you may want to use 1/2 drippings and 1/2 broth.

How to reheat

The best way to reheat this gravy is on the stove top. Generally speaking, cashew based sauces retain the best texture when heated on a low temperature and stirred frequently so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.

I like to use a whisk when re-heating but a flat ended wooden spatula or silicone spatula will also work!

If you want to reheat in the microwave do so at 30 seconds intervals, stopping to stir in between, until warmed through.

How long does this gravy last in the refrigerator?

This gravy will keep in the refrigerator for 5-6 days in a sealed container.

If you enjoyed this recipe, we’d love it if you would take 5 seconds to rate and review it below! It’s also super helpful for other readers if you share any modifications you made to the recipe. 

Thank you for sharing your kitchen with NK. We’re so grateful you’re here!

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