Onion Gravy
A rich, glossy gravy built on slowly caramelised onions, beef stock and a splash of balsamic.
makes 37 cubes, about 5p each
- Time
- 50 min10 min prep · 40 min cook
- Makes
- 37 cubes
- Cost per cubePer cube
- 5p
- Calories per cubeCalories
- 20 kcal
- A serving
- 3 cubes
- Spice
- 1 of 5
You’ll need
- 4 (600g)onions, thinly sliced
- 30gbutter
- 30gplain flour
- 15mlbalsamic vinegar
- 15mlWorcestershire sauce
- 2gdried thyme
- 2beef stock cubes
- 750mlwater, to make up the stock
- 15mlrapeseed oil
Allergens: Gluten, Fish, Milk, Sulphites. Check the labels on stock cubes, sauces and pastes, as brands vary.
Use it for
Sausage and mash for one · 3 cubes; Toad in the hole · 4 cubes; Roast dinner gravy for two · 5 cubes
Method
- Step 1: Melt the butter with the oil over a medium-low heat and cook the onions for 30 minutes, stirring now and then, until deep golden and sticky.
- Step 2: Add the thyme and flour and cook for 1 minute.
- Step 3: Gradually stir in the stock, balsamic and Worcestershire.
- Step 4: Simmer for 10 minutes until glossy. Season.
- Step 5: Cool, pour into 30ml trays and freeze.
| kcal | protein | carbs | fat | fibre | salt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per cube | 20 | 0.3g | 2.3g | 1.1g | 0.3g | 0.27g |
| Per 3 cubes | 60 | 0.9g | 6.9g | 3.3g | 0.9g | 0.81g |
Cook’s notes
- Straight from frozen into a small pan, whisking as it melts.
- Don't rush the onions; that's where the flavour is.
- Use veg stock cubes and vegan Worcestershire for a vegetarian gravy.
Use it for
- Sausage and mash for one · 3 cubes
- Toad in the hole · 4 cubes
- Roast dinner gravy for two · 5 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 as it melts. Never refreeze thawed cubes.
- A portion
- 3 cubes is a serving: about 60 kcal.
Onion Gravy questions
Why add balsamic vinegar?
A little acidity balances the sweetness of the caramelised onions and stops the gravy tasting flat. It also adds a gentle fruity depth.
Can I make it gluten-free?
Thicken it with cornflour mixed with cold water instead of the flour, adding it with the stock, and check that your stock cubes and Worcestershire sauce are gluten-free.
Can I use red onions?
Red onions make a slightly sweeter, darker gravy that's good with sausages. Brown onions give the classic flavour.
Freezer meals that go with it
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Updated . Nutrition, costs and yields are estimates.