Best Store Bought Gravy to Moisten Your Meat (and Whatever Else)

The best store bought gravy is savory, it actually tastes like meat—and it probably comes from a packet of gravy mix. Over the course of two taste tests, we tried some of the biggest brands of gravy mixes and premade gravy in a variety of flavors to find the best store bought gravy to buy for all of your gravy needs. 

We’re so lucky to have gravy. It’s like salty meat you can drink. Seriously, don’t park the gravy boat next to us at a big family dinner or you’re liable to find a suspicious lipstick stain on the rim. George Costanza once said he would drape himself in velvet if it were socially acceptable—well, that’s how we feel about gravy.

Here’s what we learned after tasting 22 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. Cans ain’t it. Jars ain’t it. (Although we did find one exception to the rule during our most recent taste test.) Read on to learn which gravy mixes you should be picking up if you’re looking for the best store bought gravy at the grocery, whether you want the best store bought turkey gravy, the best country gravy mix, or simply the best chicken gravy mix to drink straight from the boat.

Best for Mashed Potatoes

McCormick Turkey Gravy Mix

Walmart

Amazon

This wasn’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, 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 on hand in the pantry. — Gwynedd Stuart

Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Walmart

Rating:

7.5/10

Sporks

Best with a Meatloaf

Knorr Classic Brown Gravy Mix

Instacart

Amazon

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

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Best Premade Gravy

McCormick Chicken Gravy

Instacart

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 me. 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 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 gravy out there, no cooking required. — Justine Sterling 

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

7.5/10

Sporks

Best Chicken (Runner-Up)

McCormick Chicken Gravy Mix

Target

Amazon

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 bullion, 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

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Best Brown

McCormick Brown Gravy Mix

Target

Amazon

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 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

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Best Sausage Gravy

Southeastern Mills Sausage Flavored Peppered Gravy Mix

Walmart

We tried a couple of brands of country gravy mix in our follow-up 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 in the gravy. 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

Rating:

7.5/10

Sporks

Best Vegetarian

McCormick Peppered Country Gravy

Instacart

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

Rating:

7.5/10

Sporks

Best Savior for Bland Food

Pioneer Roasted Chicken Gravy

Instacart

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

Rating:

7.5/10

Sporks

Best Chicken

Knorr Roasted Chicken Gravy Mix

Instacart

Amazon

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 zshush 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

Rating:

9.5/10

Sporks

Best of the Best

Knorr Roasted Turkey Gravy Mix

Instacart

Amazon

You won’t believe it, but I said, “I’d drink this,” after I downed a spoonful of Knorr Roasted Turkey gravy. Somehow, this turkey gravy mix doesn’t just taste like turkey, it tastes like roasted turkey. The meat flavor is deep and rich, making this gravy packet an excellent blank slate. Toss in a bundle thyme and rosemary if you like an herbaceous gravy; add some pan drippings if you want just a little more of a fatty pop. That said, this store bought gravy will do well all on its own—and all you need is water and a whisk. I’m confident this is the best store bought gravy out there. — Gwynedd Stuart

Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Instacart

Rating:

10/10

Sporks

Other instant 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

Sporked’s Guide to the Best Thanksgiving Foods

Here’s a secret: You don’t have to make Thanksgiving sides from scratch. The key is just knowing which store-bought sides are good enough to deserve a place on your holiday table.