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Homemade sausage gravy is bold, savory, and built on real sausage drippings for serious flavor. No mystery packets, just a smooth, meaty country gravy that comes together fast, all from scratch. Spoon it over buttermilk biscuits and call it breakfast.

Sausage gravy on a biscuit with parsley on top.
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Here’s Why This Sausage Gravy Recipe Works

Built-in richness: That sausage grease pulls double duty; flavor booster and roux base. Skip draining and let it work for you.

No raw flour taste: Cooking the flour for a full minute toasts it slightly and deepens the flavor.

Perfectly thick, never gloopy: Stirring in the milk gradually gives you a pourable, creamy gravy with just the right body.

Custom spice level: Start mild or go spicy with hot sausage or a pinch of cayenne. Your gravy, your rules.

This gravy also plays well with a hearty breakfast potato skillet.

Sausage gravy on a biscuit and fruit in the background.

Recipe Tips

Don’t drain the fat: That sausage grease is the backbone of your roux. If your sausage doesn’t render enough, add a pat or two of butter to make up the difference.

Cook the flour: Give it at least 1 minute to toast slightly. This removes the raw taste and builds flavor.

Add milk gradually: Stir in the milk a little at a time to keep the flour from clumping and the texture nice and creamy.

Taste before salting: Some sausage is salty enough on its own. Always season at the end so you don’t overshoot.

Use whole milk: Low-fat milk will work, but whole milk gives the gravy a richer body and smoother texture.

Stir constantly after adding flour: It helps distribute the flour evenly and prevents clumping before the milk goes in.

Use a wide skillet: More surface area helps with browning the sausage and speeds up thickening.

A spoon scooping homemade sausage gravy in a skillet.

Old Fashioned Country Sausage Gravy

This homemade sausage gravy brings all the rich, meaty, country comfort. No packets, just real ingredients like my grandma used. It’s perfect over biscuits, but don’t stop there. Once you taste it from scratch, there’s no going back.

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A spoon scooping some sausage gravy from a skillet.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
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Easy Sausage Gravy From Scratch

This homemade sausage gravy is rich, savory, and made from real sausage drippings. Serve it over warm biscuits for a classic Southern breakfast.

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Servings: 6 servings
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Ingredients 

  • 1 pound ground pork sausage, mild or spicy
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2½ to 3 cups whole milk, more as needed
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
  • salt, to taste (depends on sausage)

Instructions 

  • In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the sausage until browned and fully cooked, breaking it into small crumbles as it cooks. Don’t drain the fat, this is the base of your roux. If the sausage is lean, add a pat or two of butter to make up the difference.
    Ground pork sausage in a skillet to make country gravy.
  • Sprinkle the flour evenly over the cooked sausage. Stir well and cook for about 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste.
    Adding flour to cooked breakfast sausage in a skillet.
  • Gradually pour in the milk while stirring. Scrape up any browned bits from the pan and stir until the flour dissolves. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the gravy thickens, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add more milk if it gets too thick.
    Adding whole milk to a skillet with sausage to make southern gravy.
  • Stir in the black pepper and taste before adding salt, some sausage is salty enough on its own. Adjust as needed. Spoon generously over warm biscuits. Serve hot.
    Adding pepper to stovetop sausage gravy.

Notes

Don’t drain the sausage fat, it’s the base for the roux. If the sausage is very lean, add a pat or two of butter to compensate.
Cook the flour for about 1 minute to remove the raw taste and build flavor.
Add milk gradually while stirring to keep the flour from clumping and ensure a creamy consistency.
Taste before adding salt. Some sausage is salty enough on its own.
Whole milk gives the best texture, but any milk will work in a pinch.
Gravy thickens as it cools, reheat with a splash of milk to loosen it up.
Storage: Refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently with added milk. I don’t recommend freezing this gravy. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 274kcal, Carbohydrates: 6g, Protein: 13g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 9g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 59mg, Sodium: 496mg, Potassium: 256mg, Fiber: 0.2g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 123IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 58mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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About Dahn Boquist

Dahn Boquist is a retired nurse turned recipe developer, home cook, and baker with years of hands-on experience creating and testing from-scratch recipes. She specializes in whole-food cooking with creative twists on classic dishes. When she’s not in the kitchen, she enjoys sharing meals with family, exploring the Pacific Northwest, and spending time with her grandchildren.

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