Simple miso gravy recipe (Oil free, Vegan) (2024)

A miso gravy recipe is a useful tool to have in your hands during the holidays. This simple vegan gravy is easy to make quickly for the holiday meal.

I love the flavor profile of miso, and it lends itself wonderfully to a simple gravy recipe. You can make this gravy in advance of the meal to free up a spot on the stovetop too. Alternatively, the gravy refrigerates easily or you can choose to freeze and thaw instead.

Another option to make life easier if preparing a large meal is to combine the dry ingredients in advance, substituting mustard powder for prepared mustard to eliminate one more step. Then all you need to do is toast the already combined dry ingredients and add broth.

I have also written this recipe for an oil-free vegan pepper gravy, which is terrific when you need a bolder more peppery gravy option.

Toasting the dry ingredients

An important step for bringing out the flavor of the spices, and changing the color of the gravy, is to toast the dry ingredients. It’s easy to do!

Add all of the dry ingredients to a clean and dry pan on the stove:

Heat over medium-high, stirring constantly so the spices and flour do not burn. You want to toast the ingredients until they are aromatic and a deeper color:

When they are, this is when you add the wet ingredients and whisk until thickened.

Other substitutes and changes

Miso paste: This is an important flavor note, however you can substitute the paste or omit it entirely for a simple gravy. Use tamari, soy sauce, or omit.

Note that miso is a fermented product that contains many health benefits. If desired, you can whisk in miso paste after cooking after the temperature falls below 115F to retain some of the benefits from fermentation.

Nutritional yeast: It will work without it because the miso offers umami flavor, the purpose is to just punch it up a bit more without adding more sodium. But substitutes would be a little bit more miso, or a dash of tamari. You can also try using umami spice powder (link is to a recipe, this is also available in some grocery stores), or simply some ground up dry mushrooms or mushroom powder on its own.

Here are some more ways you can adjust this recipe for specific ways of eating.

Gluten free miso gravy recipe

To make this miso gravy gluten free, follow these steps:

• Use chickpea flour or another gluten free flour choice.
• Select a gluten-free miso. Miso is often made using grain products, but can also made from non-grain. There are plenty of gluten-free miso paste options.

SOS-free gravy recipe

You will be making a simple gravy instead. Follow these steps to make this miso gravy recipe SOS-free (salt, oil, sugar free):

• Substitute a no-sodium vegetable broth
• Make sure your mustard is sodium free, or substitute yellow mustard powder
• Omit the miso paste. You might want to substitute the sos-free version of this umami spice blend for additional (substitute) flavor.

Further-reduced sodium version

This gravy is not high-sodium (and a serving is still a generous 1/4 cup), but you can take these steps to further reduce the sodium level.

• Substitute a no-sodium vegetable broth
• Use half the miso, or use a reduced-sodium miso paste. These are not easily found in stores, locally, but can more easily be found online.
• Check the sodium in the mustard you use, and substitute mustard powder if warranted.

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