Mushroom Gravy
A deep, savoury vegetarian gravy of browned mushrooms, onion, soy and thyme.
makes 39 cubes, about 8p each
- Time
- 35 min5 min prep · 30 min cook
- Makes
- 39 cubes
- Cost per cubePer cube
- 8p
- Calories per cubeCalories
- 17 kcal
- A serving
- 3 cubes
- Spice
- 1 of 5
You’ll need
- 400gchestnut mushrooms, finely chopped
- 2 (300g)onions, finely chopped
- 3 cloves (15g)garlic
- 30gplain flour
- 30mlsoy sauce
- 15gtomato purée
- 2gdried thyme
- 2vegetable stock cubes
- 700mlwater, to make up the stock
- 30mlrapeseed oil
Allergens: Gluten, Soya. Check the labels on stock cubes, sauces and pastes, as brands vary.
Use it for
Nut roast or veggie sausages and mash · 3 cubes; Over a jacket potato · 3 cubes; Poutine-style chips with cheese · 3 cubes
Method
- Step 1: Brown the mushrooms in the oil over a high heat for 10 minutes until dark.
- Step 2: Add the onion and cook for 8 minutes, then the garlic, thyme and purée for 1 minute.
- Step 3: Stir in the flour, then gradually add the stock and soy. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Step 4: Blend smooth (or leave chunky) and season.
- Step 5: Cool, pour into 30ml trays and freeze.
| kcal | protein | carbs | fat | fibre | salt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per cube | 17 | 0.6g | 1.6g | 0.8g | 0.3g | 0.35g |
| Per 3 cubes | 51 | 1.8g | 4.8g | 2.4g | 0.9g | 1.05g |
Cook’s notes
- Straight from frozen into a small pan, whisking.
- Use tamari for a gluten-free gravy (and cornflour instead of flour).
- A splash of red wine with the stock deepens it.
Use it for
- Nut roast or veggie sausages and mash · 3 cubes
- Over a jacket potato · 3 cubes
- Poutine-style chips with cheese · 3 cubes
Freeze, reheat and serve
- Freeze
- Cool it within two hours, freeze it in 30ml ice-cube trays, then bag and label the cubes. It keeps for 6 months.
- Use from frozen
- Straight from frozen into a small pan, whisking. Never refreeze thawed cubes.
- A portion
- 3 cubes is a serving: about 51 kcal.
Mushroom Gravy questions
Why brown the mushrooms over a high heat first?
High heat drives off the water in the mushrooms quickly so they brown rather than stew. That browning is what gives the gravy its deep, savoury flavour.
How can I make it richer?
Soak a few dried porcini in some of the hot stock, chop them and add them with the onion, then pour in the strained soaking liquid with the rest of the stock.
How do I make it thicker?
Let it bubble for a few minutes longer after reheating, or whisk in ½ tsp cornflour mixed with a little cold water.
Freezer meals that go with it
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Updated . Nutrition, costs and yields are estimates.