Gwynedd Stuart
Justine Sterling
The best store bought gravy is savory, it actually tastes like meat—and it’s sitting on a shelf at the grocery store. Over the course of four taste tests, we tried some of the biggest brands of gravy mixes and brands making the best premade gravy in a variety of flavors to find the best store bought gravy to buy for all of your gravy needs.
What we looked for in the best gravy
Authentic, meaty flavor: This obviously doesn’t apply if we’re talking about, say, the best vegetarian gravy, but most gravy is meant to channel the flavor of juicy meat drippings—and whether it comes from a packet, a jar, or a plastic tub, it should taste authentically meaty. It should not taste like the container in which it comes. Jarred gravy is a toughie on this front! How does it taste like jar??
Rich consistency: Unless it’s au jus, gravy should be nice and thick. It should blanket your food in moisture, not immediately absorb into your pile of mashed potatoes.
Here’s what we learned after tasting around 30 different gravy mixes and premade gravies: If you’re going with store bought gravy rather than making gravy from scratch, a gravy packet is probably your best bet, although our current number one best gravy comes premade in a refrigerated plastic tub. AND it’s gluten free. Who woulda thunk?
Read on to learn which gravy mixes and which brands of premade gravy you should be picking up if you’re looking for the best store bought gravy at the grocery store, whether you want the best store bought turkey gravy, the best country gravy mix, or the best chicken gravy mix to drink straight from the boat.
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- Tofurky Plant Based Savory Gravy
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The consistency of Tofurky’s vegan gravy is legitimately a nightmare, but we gotta say, it tastes really good. It’s very gloopy. Be prepared for that. We heated it in the microwave and it never quite unglooped, but I bet if you heat it in a pan, add TOUCH of water, and then whisk it REALLY well, it’ll break up a bit. All the same, it tastes so great. It’s fatty and deeply savory. I think the key is the addition of brewers yeast, which makes it smell a little like rye bread, but also gives it great flavor. If you can figure out the textural issues, this is the best vegan gravy for Thanksgiving, fo sure. — Gwynedd Stuart
Credit: Liv Averett / Sprouts
- McCormick Turkey Gravy Mix
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This isn’t the best store bought turkey gravy, but I can’t deny that it has all the appeal of hot meat juice all the same. If you want something a little more neutral to accompany a big bowl of instant mashed potatoes, something with less roasted turkey flavor than our top pick, this packet hits the spot. If you’re making mashers from scratch, all that butter and cream you’re adding (please tell me you add lots of butter and cream to your mashed potatoes) can still shine through this mild gravy. It’s not the best store bought gravy we tried, but a totally solid option to have in the pantry. —Gwynedd Stuart
Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Walmart
- Knorr Classic Brown Gravy Mix
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We’ve all choked down dry meatloaf. I know plenty of people are content to moisten it with ketchup (no shame!), but if you’re serving meatloaf, I really think you should consider having some gravy on the table. Knorr’s Classic Brown gravy is the best brown gravy mix for meatloaf night. It lacks a little in the beefy-flavor department, but it would really complement a mound of ground chuck. —Gwynedd Stuart
Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Instacart
- Kroger Mushroom Gravy Mix
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In our fourth gravy taste test, I set out to add the best mushroom gravy to the list—and sadly, I tasted a lot of pretty bad mushroom gravy in the process. This was a toughie! McCormick’s mushroom gravy packet tasted like pool water, and all the jarred mushroom gravy we tried had a strange tang rather than the earthy flavor you’d expect. Kroger’s mushroom gravy packet is rich, beefy, and has plenty of dehydrated mushroom bits in the mix. It’s salty and comforting and highly umami, without any weird aftertaste. Sometimes generics outdo name brands, and that’s definitely the case here. —Gwynedd Stuart
- McCormick Chicken Gravy
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While we weren’t enamored with any of the canned gravy brands we tasted, this ready-to-pour, shelf-stable box of chicken gravy really wowed us. It tastes like thickened chicken broth, which is what chicken gravy should taste like. It would be great over potatoes, but where it truly shines is as a shortcut for making pot pie. Buy a box or two of this chicken gravy before the holidays and you’ll be ready to turn leftover turkey into an incredible pot pie with very little effort. It’s the best premade chicken gravy out there, no cooking required. —Justine Sterling
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- McCormick Chicken Gravy Mix
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McCormick’s chicken gravy mix didn’t quite live up to the best chicken gravy mix (see #2), but it’s delicious: salty and umami and with all the chicken flavor that was missing from its canned and jarred counterparts. This tastes like straight-up chicken bouillon, but with a wonderful silky texture. It doesn’t have the “roasty” quality that the best chicken gravy mix has, but it would be great with a bunch of freshly cracked pepper, poured over a gorgeous roast chicken thigh. —Gwynedd Stuart
Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Target
- McCormick Brown Gravy Mix
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Brown gravy is kind of funny, if a gravy can be funny. It’s kind of like when you ask a kid what flavor candy they want and they say “red.” Brown isn’t a meat and it isn’t a flavor, but “brown” also manages to perfectly encapsulate the rich taste of this gravy, used largely for things like meatloaves and roasts. McCormick was the best brown gravy mix we tasted. It’s thick and beefy. If you like the packet of seasoning that comes with beef instant ramen, you’ll love this gravy powder. —Gwynedd Stuart
Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Target
- Southeastern Mills Sausage Flavored Peppered Gravy Mix
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We tried a couple of brands of country gravy mix in our second taste test and this white gravy mix from Southeastern Mills was by far the best. This peppered gravy mix turns into the creamiest, most peppery, just plain yummy country gravy. There’s even hints of sage. Gimme this white gravy on a biscuit with some grits, ASAP. It practically tastes like a bisque and, yes, I did enjoy a few spoonfuls well after I was finished with the taste test. —Justine Sterling
Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart
- McCormick Peppered Country Gravy
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This vegetarian gravy mix took the top spot in our ranking of the best vegetarian gravy you can buy. As Jordan Myrick put it in their review, “This white gravy is actually perfect. I do not have a single note. It’s thick and rich and creamy.” And it’s also very, very peppery—which is important for a country gravy mix. Pour this vegetarian gravy on anything from biscuits to vegan breakfast sausage to vegan turkey and everything in between. —Justine Sterling
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- Pioneer Roasted Chicken Gravy
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This. Gravy. Tastes. Like. Roast. Chicken. Skin. Incredible. And it’s so silky, which is truly impressive when you remember it started as a gravy powder. It’s extremely salty and savory in the best way—you do not need to pour a ton of it onto something in order to reap its flavor benefits. Keep it in your pantry to whip out whenever one of your culinary experiments ends up tasting bland. This gravy mix will come to the rescue. —Justine Sterling
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- Knorr Roasted Chicken Gravy Mix
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This roasted chicken gravy powder is delicious. I tasted this gravy mix alongside Campbell’s canned chicken gravy as well as Heinz’s jarred gravy and it’s really stunning how much more chicken flavor this gravy mix has. I think you can zhuzh this up with some herbs, but it already has chicken fat in the ingredients list. If you’re looking for something you can whip up quickly to moisten a batch of instant mashed potatoes (surprise! I love powdered potatoes too) on a weeknight, this is the best gravy packet for the job. As I said during our taste test, I would buy this on a regular basis. —Gwynedd Stuart
Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Instacart
- Knorr Roasted Turkey Gravy Mix
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The first time we tried this Knorr gravy mix, I was obsessed. It didn’t just taste like turkey, it tasted like roasted turkey, with a deep, rich, slow-cooked meat flavor. But things happen. When I tried this gravy mix again in our third gravy taste test, it just wasn’t quite as good as I remembered it being. Still good, but not the best gravy anymore (though it is the best gravy mix). Still, this Knorr gravy packet is an excellent blank slate (and you won’t need to add salt; woof, there’s plenty of that). Toss in a bundle thyme and rosemary if you like an herbaceous gravy; add some pan drippings if you want a fatty pop. Or if you want something a little more like homemade, see our new #1 best gravy. —Gwynedd Stuart
Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Instacart
- Trader Joe’s Gluten Free Turkey Gravy
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Trader Joe’s turkey gravy is a seasonal item you have to keep your eyes peeled for when the holidays roll around—and it’s good. You’ll find it in the refrigerated section, right near the soups. When you crack open the plastic tub, it doesn’t look good. Like, at all. It’s very gloopy and lumpy—but you know what the gloop and lumps are?? Turkey fat, baby. And that’s all flavor. When I tasted this alongside gravy made from packets, this stood out because it’s not a total salt bomb. I mean, I’m sure it has its fair share of sodium, but it’s not just a hot, salty wet to drizzle over food—it’s going to complement the flavor of turkey in a way that lets you actually taste turkey. What a concept! This is the best store bought gravy because it really seems like gravy someone made in a kitchen. —Gwynedd Stuart
Best Vegan Gravy
Best Gravy for Mashed Potatoes
Best Gravy for Meatloaf
Best Mushroom Gravy
Best Premade Chicken Gravy
Best Chicken Gravy (Runner-Up)
Best Brown Gravy
Best Sausage Gravy
Best White Gravy
Best Gravy for Bland Food
Best Chicken Gravy
Best Turkey Gravy Mix
Best of the Best
Other gravy mixes and premade gravies we tried
Campbell’s Chicken Gravy, McCormick Chicken Gravy Mix, Heinz Homestyle Chicken Gravy, Heinz Roasted Turkey Gravy, Campbell’s Turkey Gravy, Primal Kitchen Classic Gravy, Campbell’s Beef Gravy, Southeastern Mills Country Gravy Mix, McCormick Turkey Gravy, Pioneer Country Gravy Mix, Pioneer Gluten Free Country Gravy Mix, Pioneer Country Sausage Gravy, McCormick Gluten Free Turkey Gravy, Better Than Bouillon Turkey Gravy, Le Sauce Thanksgiving Gravy, Le Sauce Turkey Gravy, Le Sauce Mushroom Gravy, Sprouts Gluten Free Turkey Gravy, Primate Kitchen Mushroom Gravy, McCormick Mushroom Gravy Mix, Heinz Mushroom Gravy
Angela Guglielmino
Matt Crowley
Sporked Staff
