Tahini Gravy Recipe (Vegan + Gluten-Free) - From My Bowl (2024)
by Caitlin Shoemaker
updated on
GFGluten Free
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This Tahini Gravy is creamy, rich, and made with only 5 healthy ingredients! Naturally Vegan, Gluten-Free, and delicious.
Let’s be real – a sauce canmake or break a dish. And when it comes to Gravy?! I ain’t got time to fool around with sub-par variations.
Luckily this Tahini Gravy isn’t either – it’s Vegan, Gluten-Free, and made with only 5 plant-based ingredients – but stillhearty,delicious, and hasgreat depth of flavor.
INGREDIENTS + INSPIRATION
While this Tahini Gravy isn’ttraditionalin terms of flavor, I still think it isso dang delicious. Here’s what you’ll need:
Tahini: I actually adapted the recipe from my Mom a few years ago – her original version calls for Vegetable Oil, but I thought this sesame spread would be a perfect nutty substitution!
Nutritional Yeast: this gives the recipe great depth of flavor and oomph. The secret to extra deliciousness? Toasting it beforehand!
Vegetable Broth: makes the gravy pourable, and also adds some extra goodness.
Tamari: again, for depth of flavor + body
and finally,some Gluten-Free Flour: to thicken everything up! I like to useBrown Rice Flour, but an All-Purpose GF Blend will work as well.
HOW TO MAKE VEGAN GRAVY
The “assembly” portion of this recipe couldn’t be any easier, too. Simplytoast your Nutritional Yeast + Flour for a few minutes,whisk in the remaining ingredients, andsimmeruntil thickened to your liking! All in all this recipe takesless than 10 minutes to make, but the serving possibilities are endless 😉
I love to drizzle this gravy over Mashed Potatoes and/or my VeganLentil Loaf (coming soon!),but it’s equally delicious with a side of Roasted Veggies. However you serve it, it’s sure to be a crowd pleaser! Even the pickiest of eaters will enjoy this Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, and Oil-Free goodness.
COOKING TIPS + FAQ:
I used Brown Rice Flour to thicken my gravy, but have had success with a generic Gluten-Free flour blend as well. If you are not GF, you can also use All Purpose Flour.
This Gravy will thicken with time and as it cools, so I suggest that you make it as close to serving as possible. If you do have to reheat it, add additional Water or Vegetable Broth to it and whisk until smooth.
This recipe can also be made with Soy Sauce and/or Liquid Aminos, but I would strongly recommend you stick with the Tamari – I find it has the most depth of flavor.
If you’re looking for more Vegan Thanksgiving recipes, you’ll also love this Easy Stovetop Stuffing and this Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole!
Finally, if you make this recipe and decide to share it onFacebook orInstagram, don’t forget to tag me@FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I love seeing your delicious recreations 🙂
Bring a medium pot or saucepan to medium heat and add the Nutritional Yeast and Flour. Toast for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently. The Nutritional Yeast will darken in color and release a fragrant “smoke” once toasted.
Pour the Vegetable Broth, Tahini, and Tamari into the warm saucepan, whisking rapidly to combine. Raise the heat to medium-high until the mixture begins to bubble, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until thickened to your liking.
Serve immediately, and store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 7 days. This gravy will thicken as it cools, so I suggest reheating with extra Vegetable Broth or Water until it smooths out again.
Notes
I suggest using either Brown Rice Flour, an All-Purpose GF Flour Blend, or regular AP Flour for this recipe. This recipe willnot work well with other GF Flours (Almond, Oat, Coconut, White Rice, etc) as they thicken differently with heat.
Cornstarch is probably the most readily available ingredient to sub in for flour in your gluten-free gravy—and you probably already have it in your pantry. The only catch is you'll skip the roux-making process. Once you've deglazed your roasting pan and added stock, transfer about 1 cup stock mixture to a medium bowl.
Arrowroot. This powder comes from rhizomes of the Marantaceae family of tubers. It's a great natural substitute for those needing a gluten-free gravy thickener. As with using cornstarch or flour to thicken gravy, make a slurry with your arrowroot powder by mixing 2 to 3 tablespoons with an equal amount of water.
It is non-GMO, gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan. A good source of calcium; it is high in vitamin E, B2, B1,B15, B3, and B5, and high in unsaturated fat (the good fat). Its easy to digest and is a 20% complete protein, making it a higher protein source than most nuts.
You may have already discovered your favourite one - mine is the knorr classic gluten free gravy (I picked it up at Tesco Extra). I like the neutral flavour and texture of this one, and when added to meat stock and vegetable water it makes a very tasty gravy.
Tapioca flour: ideal as thickener or for healthy baking
It also thickens very quickly without changing the flavour of the dish. When baking with tapioca flour, you can substitute it at a 2:1 ratio for corn starch or combine it with other gluten free flours to make your own all-purpose blend.
What's the difference between using cornstarch or flour to make your gravy? Cornstarch does have more thickening power than wheat flour (because it's pure starch, while flour has some protein in it). So usually you need a little less cornstarch than flour for the equivalent thickening power.
Cornstarch and potato starch are the best options for gravy. Avoid arrowroot and tapioca starches because they can get "stringy" and look artificial in gravy. Cornstarch gravy is more translucent than flour based sauces. Potato starch gravy is more opaque than cornstarch, but less opaque than flour.
Sweet rice flour is my go-to flour for making gluten-free gravy. It contains a slightly higher starch content than other gluten-free flours, making it silky and smooth. Even more, because this flour is gluten-free, it doesn't clump as easily as wheat flour.
Create a slurry by stirring 2 1/4 teaspoons potato starch and 3 tablespoons water together in a small bowl until the starch is dissolved. While whisking the gravy constantly over medium heat, add the potato starch mixture a little bit at a time. Cook, whisking often, until the gravy thickens.
Because it's made with sesame seeds, which, of course, come from a plant and not an animal, tahini is vegan. It's as simple as that. That said, there are sometimes other ingredients, like oil and salt, added to the store-bought versions.
Tahini, which is a paste made from ground sesame seeds, is typically gluten-free. Sesame seeds themselves do not contain gluten, so pure tahini made solely from sesame seeds and oil should not contain any gluten.
Tahini is made by grinding sesame seeds into a smooth paste. Sometimes the sesame seeds are hulled, sometimes they're left unhulled; sometimes roasted, sometimes raw. We like to use tahini to make dressings, soft serve, snack bites, stuffed dates, and SO many other dishes.
Both Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1, (the blue bag) and Cup4Cup make a great gluten-free gravy. I have tried this recipe with a few other flours and haven't been impressed. So if you can't find either of these 2 brands, I do recommend using sweet white rice flour which comes from short-grain white rice.
MAGGI Gluten Free Instant RICH Gravy Mix takes only moments to prepare, is gluten free, pours perfectly over any meal and adds an additional flavour dimension to roast dinners, steak, lamb and chicken dishes.
Another way to thicken gravy with flour is by making a roux. A roux is a mixture of fat and flour, and it's an easy way to thicken a sauce. If you make a roux, it should also be added incrementally. A final option is making a beurre manié, which is made by rubbing flour into butter to create a dough or paste.
If your gravy is looking watery, you can add a slurry (a mixture of cornstarch/flour and water) or a roux (a mixture of flour and butter) to thicken it up. Other pantry ingredients like Wondra (an instant flour), arrowroot, tapioca, and potato starch can also be used to thicken gravy to a deliciously silky consistency.
If your gravy is on the skimpy side, you can thicken it quickly with flour or cornstarch. But don't add your thickener directly to the gravy, which will create lumps. Instead, try stirring in three or four tablespoons of flour or cornstarch into a small amount of cold water until you have a smooth paste.
Introduction: My name is Annamae Dooley, I am a witty, quaint, lovely, clever, rich, sparkling, powerful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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