Homemade Beef Gravy is simply going to win you over. Made in one pan, it is super easy to make and can be served in so many different ways.

Homemade Beef Gravy is savory, smooth and simple. Sometimes referred to as “brown gravy”, it has a rich texture and a light to dark brown color.
Beef Gravy is awesome because you can make a huge batch of it and use it throughout the week for various different meals. During the wintertime, it is one of my go-to comfort sauces for everything from chicken to traditional mashed potatoes.
What Goes Well With Beef Gravy?
Beef gravy is so versatile. Pour it over your favorite grain or starch, pair it with a side of sauteed veggies and have yourself a well-rounded meal!
- Noodles: Growing up, I ate a dish called “lapsha”. It consisted of noodles and a meaty beef gravy. I remember coming home from school and my mom having this dish waiting for us as a snack before dinner. It always hit the spot! Simply brown some ground beef and add it to your gravy to make this simple and savory meal.
- Mashed Potatoes: This might seem like a pretty obvious choice! Whip up my Mashed Potatoes for a tried-and-true combination.
- Rice: I don’t know what it is about the way that the gravy covers the white rice, but it is so irresistible. Feel free to use brown rice here if it suits your fancy!
- Quinoa: Follow my guide for cooking the perfect quinoa and smother this powerfood with gravy.
- Buckwheat: Buckwheat is an Eastern European staple! I grew up eating this grain and loving how well it pairs with beefy flavor.
Tips for Making Beef Gravy
Here are all my tips and tricks for making the best beef gravy.
Add Beef Stock to The Gravy
Although this recipe calls for 1 quart of water, you can substitute a quart of beef stock or broth to up the flavor. If you don’t have homemade stock on hand, I highly recommend using Better Than Bouillon Roasted Beef Base. This broth concentrate tastes amazing and adds a depth of flavor similar to homemade stock.
Add Flour to Beef Gravy
Flour is the thickening agent in this gravy. It melds all the flavors together and creates that signature gravy texture. Just make sure you still your flour in well enough so that there are no unwanted lumps!
Tip: If you don’t have any flour on hand, use cornstarch instead.
Best Beef To Use for The Gravy
Honestly, you really can’t go wrong with any cut of beef here. However, I would avoid using fatty, expensive cuts, since you will be covering the meat in gravy. Plus, you don’t want an overwhelming amount of fat in your gravy. Try using a chuck roast or sirloin for best results.

How Long Can You Keep Beef Gravy?
Refrigerating Gravy
Refrigerate your gravy by storing it in an airtight container in the fridge. It will stay fresh up to four days. You may notice a layer of solid fat that forms at the top as it cools in the fridge. This is perfectly normal! When you reheat your gravy (in a saucepan or microwave) this fat will melt and reincorporate into the sauce!
Freezing Gravy
Allow your gravy to completely cool. Then, pop it in an airtight container that is freezer friendly for up to 3 months. When you are ready to reheat it, allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight before heating it in a saucepan. If you want a quicker reheat, microwave it, making sure to stir it occasionally until completely heated through.
If you Love Beef, Try Some of Our Other Favorite Recipes:
- Philly Cheesesteak
- The Best Beef Stir Fry
- Beef Yakisoba
- Smoked Beef Brisket
- Slow-Cooker Beef and Barley
Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 lb beef cut into bite-size cubes
- 2 tbsp light olive oil
- 1 tbsp salt adjust to taste
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 onion dice onion
- 2 carrots grated
- 1 qt water
- 1/4 cup flour
Instructions
- Preheat oiled skilled, brown meat on all sides and season it with salt and pepper.
- Add diced onions and grated carrots to the mixture. Cook until the vegetables soften.
- Stir in flour to the mixture.
- Add in one quart of water or broth. Turn the heat on low and leave it simmering for at least an hour.
- Serve over pasta or any grain of your choice.
I’m glad I found this recipe. It’s easy and really good! Thank you Natalya. Will try more of your recipes.
Hi Michelle, I am so glad you loved the gravy, it really is perfect for fall! Let me know what other recipes you try, I would love to hear your feedback!
Hi , this recipe sound delicious, but do you have to leave it simmering under lid or not ?
Hi Inna, We let it simmer on low heat, keeping it covered with a lid.
I’ve never used better than bouillon. Am I going to put in 1 qt of water and just add the bouillon paste into that amount? Or less water?
Thank you! Looks just like my mama’s.
Hey Liza, use the amount that's listed in the recipe, which is 1 qt. Enjoy it, this recipe is so good!
I followed all instructions perfectly, my chuck beef turned out chewy. What could be the problem?
It sounds like it wasn't cooked long enough or pieces were too large. Another idea is the quality of the beef you used.
If you’re using better than bullion wouldn’t you have to use less salt?
Adjust salt to taste, I use pink salt and it is less slaty so it's perfect. Better than bullion does add a bit of salty flavor.
Tried out this recipe and so impressed with how delicious it turned out! Meat was so tender and gravy was rich in flavor, I used beef broth instead of water. Will be a go to recipe for sure. Thank you!!
Jennifer, thank you so much for sharing your feedback. I hope you keep coming back for more recipes here on Momsdish. 🙂
What about in the instant pot.. what would the time be set too?
Do it on high, 30-40 minutes.
Thank you and sorry I left to messages by accident 😉
no worries 🙂
How about instant pot.. do you know the time I should set for this recipe? 🙂
I think 30 to 40 minutes would be enough in insta pot.
I have pretty much given up cooking beef since it does not become tender. Yesterday my husband brought home a chunk of beef that was supposed to be designed for roast. It had almost half of it all fat, which I cut out and was left with a bowl of pieces. I thought, let me see what Nataliya would do with it. Nataliya, you are phenomenal! These days when looking online for a recipe means sourcing 37 ingredients, and in the end not being sure whether it will turn out edible or not, your recipes are heaven! I cooked your way and beef came out tender and delicious with rich source full of flavour and goodness. We had it with pasta and you should have seen the look on my husband's and son's face! Everyone had two helpings. Natalya, you are the best!
Oh my goodness, you are the sweetest!!! If you are short on time, try insta pot, it cooks beef so quick it just falls apart. I like using it on work nights. We love beef, its on a menu for this weekend 🙂
Nataliya, the ingredients list asks for two quarts of water but in the instructions it states to pour in 1 quart. Which is it? Thanks:)
Agh sorry, 1 quart, it's a typo 🙂
What cut of beef? Mines always turn out hard 🙁
I used New York in this recipe. This is a long cooking process of beef, it will be tender in the end no matter what cut.
Steaks are not stew meat. It will turn out tough no matter how long you cook it if not tougher the longer its cooked. The best cut to use for gravy and stew is the chuck. Natasha,was it really very tender and melt in your mouth?
I buy my beef from QFC, they always have great beef. It didn't melt lol but it was tender. If you cook any meat for long enough it will fall apart. I do agree that chuck is a good cut of beef for stew, it will be mor fatty.
Natalya, can you help me with a Russian translation for this meat? I want to buy ‘chuck roast’ to make this recipe. How do I say that in Russian? So far I am buying what they call говяжья лопатка... is that the same thing?
Hey Lori, I am not sure, my Russian is not the best when it comes to things like this. I would suggest doing a google translation. I hope you love it!
Hi,
This looks delicious.
I will be making it today for sure!
Question: in the recipe box you state that you need 1/4 cup of flour. Do you add the flour to the water mixture?
Oh right, add flour with carrots and onion.