This sausage gravy is an easy 4-ingredient recipe that comes together in minutes.

Sausage is browned and then simmered in a creamy white gravy that’s so good you’ll be making it on repeat.

Serve this southern favorite over buttermilk biscuits for a delicious meal.

Sausage Gravy in a pan

Holly’s Recipe Highlights For Sausage Gravy

  • Flavor: This sausage gravy recipe is rich and creamy with a slightly peppery sage flavor from the sausage. It’s very comforting.
  • Difficulty: This recipe is easy, making it perfect for beginners. It needs just one skillet.
  • Swaps: Use your favorite sausage flavor to change the gravy flavor.
  • Budget Tip: Stretch the meal further by adding extra flour, milk, and seasonings.

What You’ll Need To Make Sausage Gravy

Sausage: I use raw breakfast sausage because it has lots of flavor. I prefer pork sausage and usually buy it in the freezer case. Any variety of sausage, including sausage, can be used. If using sausage links, remove the casings.

Butter: Butter is added to the sausage drippings to create a roux with the flour. You can replace the butter with bacon fat if you have it.

Flour: All-purpose flour thickens the gravy.

Seasoning: This sausage gravy recipe is simply seasoned with salt and pepper. You can add a pinch of sage or a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.

Adding milk to sausage gravy

How to Make Sausage Gravy

  1. Brown the sausage in a large skillet (recipe below).
  2. Add butter or bacon grease to the cooked sausage. Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes.
  3. Stir in milk slowly until thickened. Season with salt and black pepper.

This homemade sausage gravy recipe is the ultimate comfort food. Spoon it over buttermilk biscuits or fried chicken, or serve it with waffles or eggs.

a skillet of sausage gravy with a wooden spoon

Tips For The Best Gravy

  • Use a seasoned sausage or add seasonings, including sage, salt, and pepper.
  • To make a good sausage gravy, you need fat, so don’t drain the sausage. Add in butter and/or bacon fat for great flavor.
  • Add the milk slowly over medium heat while stirring.

Serving Suggestions

Sausage gravy is the perfect pairing with biscuits and more.

Did you enjoy this Sauage Gravy Recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below.

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a skillet of sausage gravy on a wood board
4.98 from 118 votes↑ Click stars to rate now!
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The Best Sausage Gravy Recipe

Sausage gravy is the ultimate comfort food. Rich and creamy, this is perfect for spooning over morning biscuits, fries, and so much more.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 4 servings

Equipment

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Ingredients  

  • 1 pound ground pork sausage
  • 1 tablespoon salted butter or bacon fat
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2⅓ cups whole milk
  • salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions 

  • In a large skillet, brown the sausage over medium-high heat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until no pink remains. Do not drain the fat.
  • Add the butter or bacon fat and stir until melted. Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes more.
  • Add milk a little bit at a time, stirring after each addition.
  • Bring to a boil while stirring, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until thickened and bubbly.
  • Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Notes

You can use more or less milk to reach the desired consistency.
We love the flavor of pork sausage, but you can substitute turkey sausage in this recipe. You may need to add extra butter or bacon grease if using a lean sausage.
Store leftover sausage gravy in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
 
4.98 from 118 votes

Nutrition Information

Calories: 485 | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 103mg | Sodium: 807mg | Potassium: 469mg | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 405IU | Vitamin C: 0.8mg | Calcium: 171mg | Iron: 1.6mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Dip, Sauce, Side Dish
Cuisine American
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4 ingredients Sausage Gravy in a pan and close up photo with a title

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About the author

Holly Nilsson is the creator of Spend With Pennies, where she creates easy, comforting recipes made for real life. With a passion for nostalgic flavors and simplified techniques, Holly helps busy home cooks create delicious meals that always work. She is also the author of “Everyday Comfort,” which promises to inspire even more hearty, home-cooked meals.
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Comments

  1. My husband has been using this recipe for about 3 years. (I make the biscuits!) It is by far the best sausage gravy recipe we have found, and better than most restaurants who claim to have sausage gravy and biscuits where barely any sausage can be found, and the gravy is tasteless and tastes like it came from a jar. Bacon fat – the not-so -secret-any-more ingredient!5 stars

  2. I love and share many of your recipes…they are the best and have common everyday ingredients, thank you!!

  3. Holly, this recipe has greater flavor when using half & half instead of milk. Try it, let me know what you think.5 stars

    1. Delicious! I followed the recipe exactly except had to use 2% milk since that is what I had. Will definitely do again!

  4. Thank you again for another goof proof recipe! Just made your sausage gravy for a family Father’s Day breakfast and everyone loved it! You made me look like a pro gravy maker! Yay!5 stars

  5. There is a restaurant in Wickenburg, AZ that serves the best ever biscuits and gravy. Your recipe is close. They add a little pizzazz by adding nutmeg. I promise, it will make a wonderful difference in your taste. Love biscuits and gravy.5 stars

  6. Beyond delicious and easy! My picky toddlers scarfed it down and asked for more! Will put this in my monthly rotation recipes!5 stars

  7. This is the way I always make my sausage gravy. I do add diced onions to the mostly cooked sausage and cook them until they are translucent before adding the flour and milk. It is richer and creamy using whole milk but for those who don’t want the added calories, LOL, or out of milk, you can use water to make the gravy. It won’t have the same creamy flavor that milk adds to it but still flavored enough to enjoy in a pinch. Hubby likes to add seasoned salt to his gravy and biscuits.4 stars

  8. Best sausage gravy I’ve had in a long time, if not ever! It was my first time ever making gravy too! So thanks for posting your simple recipe :) Simply delicious.5 stars

  9. I have always been in intimidated to make sausage gravy. This morning I thought I’m going to give it a whirl, I decided to click on Spend with Pennies, due to time frame & stars!
    It was easier than I ever imagined & it was delicious. My husband said, best breakfast I have ever made, & we have been together over 20 years! Thank you for sharing your recipe!5 stars

    1. I have used this recipe a few times, I don’t think I will ever go back to prepackaged gravy. I am curious what spices you can add to it away from the normal salt and pepper.

      1. Favorites for us include sage, a tiny bit of thyme leaves, rosemary and/or poultry seasoning.

      2. I put diced up onions in the pan after the sausage is mostly cooked and let go translucent before adding the flour and milk. Adds different texture and flavor. Hubby likes Seasoned Salt on his gravy.

      3. i add garlc poweder and onion powder and some dry mustard powder about 1/2 tsp each… or not depending on who I am cooking for

      4. This is a delicious recipe. I have been making gravy this way for over 70 years. My Mother taught me as a kid. I always use Jimmy Dean (SAGE) sausage. It is seasoned to my taste. A tip or two is to either cook your roux until it is light brown in color if you put too much flour in it simply add more bacon grease. Next always, always have a bottle of kitchen bouquet on hand. Put 1 capful in after the milk. That makes the bowl of gravy look like gravy and not wallpaper paste. You won’t be disappointed. I have set the sausage aside after frying it and added back in after the gravy in the right thickness.

      5. I like to put a touch of cayenne in my gravy. But be careful and taste test asyou go.5 stars

  10. Great easy recipe, gravy was a perfect color and consistency. The taste was good but not wonderful. Next time I will try a different brand of sausage the one I used was not spiced as much as I like.

  11. Thank you Holly for your recipe, you made my life so much easier for my first time to make sausage gravy.
    It’s tasty, easy and awesome!!!5 stars

  12. Absolutely delicious! This is one of my husband’s favorite breakfasts! We make it with Neese’s Sausage—the sausage made right here in NC—and put it over freshly baked Pillsbury Grands frozen biscuits. I love your additional ideas of ways to serve this same sausage gravy, and we may try it over cornbread or with fried chicken!5 stars

  13. Another incredible recipe! Super yummy and so easy!! I make this for special weekend breakfasts along with your Homemade Biscuits. I don’t buy whole milk so I use the 2% I have on hand and add in a little half and half for an extra creamy boost! No need to shop special ingredients with this recipe! Your website is the first place I go for new recipes and I have built quite a list of favorites I use as well!!5 stars