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It’s not hard to see why rich brown gravy represents comfort food for people of many different backgrounds. This vegan gravy recipe gets its creamy, savory goodness from fresh mushrooms, dried spices, and—surprise!—cooked brown rice. It's a Forks Over Knives fan favorite!

By Darshana Thacker Wendel,

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cooked brown rice (see note)
  • 8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced (about 4 cups)
  • 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • ½ teaspoon dried sage
  • ½ teaspoon dried marjoram
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 1 to 2 limes)
  • ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Sea salt

Instructions

  • In a saucepan, combine the rice, mushrooms, and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the mushrooms are tender, about 10 minutes.
  • Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
  • Carefully transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. (Alternatively, leave the mixture in the pan and use an immersion blender to blend until smooth.)
  • If necessary, return the mixture to the pan. Add the sage, marjoram, thyme, garlic, lime juice, pepper, and salt to taste.
  • Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes to blend the flavors. Cover to keep the gravy warm, and serve with mashed potatoes, biscuits, or whatever dish calls for great gravy.

Comments (13)

(4 from 5 votes)

Recipe Rating

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Peggy Cruz

The recipe says see note for the brown rice???? I can't find the note. Please advise

Rose

Tasty! Ignore the negative comments. Makes a boat load.

Chris

Had to add tons of extra seasoning to make this taste right! When I got the flavor honed in, it was decent.

Cassie chase

Love this!

Susan

I would make this, but would definitely add corn starch or flour to thicken this up. When I make vegan gravy, I take some of the broth and put it in a small plastic container with a TBSP. or so of the above, and shake it so it is smooth and not lumpy, and pour it into the pot.

Barbara

Rice overwhelms taste of good shiitake mushrooms. Not enough umami. Lime juice adds a strange taste. Texture not great. Won’t make this again.

Melinda

Sounds amazing!

Kevin

I have a question. I am trying to steer clear of brown rice because of the arsenic content. Could this be made with some other grain, such as quinoa, millet or farro?

vicki Blanchard

I've seen recipes just thicken with a few tbsp of flour. On Dr Fuhrman site one recipe had gravy base made with blended steamed cauliflower and chickpeas plus flavorings. So many choices not just rice.

Gina

maybe potatoes or potato flour?

OneSmartLady

Use Tapioca Starch (Flour) instead of regular wheat flour or corn starch!

Britt

This is delicious. I kick it up with some diced grilled poblano pepper mixed in. Feels decadent.

aram

we use this gravy at least twice a month and love it - relatives have no idea it's vegan

About the Author

Headshot of Darshana Thacker

About the Author

Darshana Thacker Wendel

Darshana Thacker Wendel is a whole-food, plant-based chef and former culinary projects manager for Forks Over Knives. A graduate of the Natural Gourmet Institute, she is the author of Forks Over Knives: Flavor! She created the recipes for Forks Over Knives Family and was a lead recipe contributor to the New York Times bestseller The Forks Over Knives Plan. Her recipes have been published in The Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease Cookbook, Forks Over Knives—The Cookbook, Forks Over Knives: The Plant-Based Way to Health, and LA Yoga magazine online. Visit DarshanasKitchen.com and follow her on Instagram for more.
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