Thanksgiving Gravy Taste Bland? Add a Splash of This and the Results Will Be Pure Magic

My favorite item on the Thanksgiving table isn’t roasted turkey, green bean casserole, or cranberry sauce. All I care about is a good turkey gravy — so I can douse my mashed potatoes and stuffing in it. I love all gravy, especially one that starts with homemade stock, but sometimes I have to resort to making gravy with boxed store-bought broth and it just isn’t as flavorful as I’d like. Rather than serving subpar gravy, I’ve found that a super-common pantry ingredient is the secret flavor boost that takes gravy from ho-hum to perfect: soy sauce.

Just a little spoonful of soy sauce adds a deep, more savory flavor, and even helps to darken the gravy a little bit to make it look richer. I add just enough to enhance the flavor of the gravy without making it taste like soy sauce. That little dash of soy sauce works wonders when the gravy isn’t up to snuff. This easy technique works wonders on most any meat-based gravy, but also works really well in mushroom or even vegan gravy. Give it a try this Thanksgiving and your turkey (and leftovers) will thank you.

• Finish making the gravy first. If you’re still simmering your gravy and it isn’t quite there yet in terms of thickness, finish cooking it first. After it’s ready, taste to see where it’s at.
• Add a little at a time. Stir in soy sauce 1/2 teaspoon at a time until it’s at the point where you like it. If you feel like you’re starting to taste the soy sauce but the gravy is still underseasoned, finish seasoning the gravy with salt instead.