Thyme Cabernet Gravy (2024)

• 1/2 of a large white/yellow onion finely chopped (you will need about a cup)
• 3 extra large cloves of garlic minced (you will need 1 packed tablespoon of minced garlic)
• 2 cups 480g LOW sodium veggie broth, separated (I use Pacific brand)
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper this gives a bit of kick which I think is perfect, but if you are sensitive, use a little less
• 3 tablespoons brown rice flour OR regular all-purpose flour
• 2 long sprigs of fresh thyme use 4 if they are short sprigs
• 1-2 tablespoons nutritional yeast per preference
• 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon Cabernet Sauvignon or use another similar full-bodied red wine

Note

• Since this is a red wine gravy this of course will have a red wine flavor to it. Keep in mind that different red wines will yield different flavors and colors...some more brown, some more purple hue, but the taste should still be amazing! I recommend CalNaturale for flavor. If you cannot find it, make sure to pick a good quality one with good flavor, as this is what your gravy will taste like! It is added early in the cooking, so the alcohol burns off and the flavor is much more mild towards the end. I found it to be absolute perfection. However, if you hate red wine, you can try subbing half of the wine amount with apple juice or more broth, just keep in mind, the flavor will be more of a basic gravy. If you do that, I would increase the nutritional yeast by 1 tablespoon for flavor)

• It’s best to have all of your ingredients measured out and ready to go, so as the sauce is cooking, it is very easy to quickly add the ingredients, as you don’t want to be stopping to measure during.

• Add your onion, garlic, ONLY 1 cup of the broth, salt and pepper to a small pot and stir it well. Bring to a boil and once boiling, turn the heat down to between medium and low and put a lid on. Let it cook for 10 minutes, stirring a couple of times during along the bottom and sides. After 10 minutes, it should have greatly reduced by about half, with some broth still remaining. I literally set my timer for 10 mins.

• Very slowly add the brown rice flour to the pot while whisking at the same time, so it blends in easily and doesn’t clump. It will start to thicken immediately.

• Add your remaining 1 cup of broth, cabernet, nutritional yeast and sprigs of fresh thyme and stir. You will be adding the sprigs whole, as the herbs will fall off on their own as it cooks. Bring the gravy back to a boil and once boiling, turn to the lowest heat setting and cover. Cook for 15-20 minutes until it has thickened up nicely. Check on it a few times during, stirring the sides and bottom. I cooked mine for exactly 20 minutes. If you want it a bit thicker in the end, just cook it a little longer or very slowly whisk in another tablespoon of flour. Rice flour is much easier to work with than regular flour and blends in well when whisked in slowly.

• Now remove from heat and pull out the sticks from the thyme and discard. Using a hand immersion blender, VERY carefully blend it up to a smooth consistency. Just pulse it a few times going around the pan. Be very careful to watch for spatter. If you don’t have an immersion blender, just add it to a food processor to blend up, but do not overblend or use a blender, as it will turn into soup and be runny! Serve over my Fluffy Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes immediately!