Biscuits and Gravy start with buttery, flaky, warm biscuits that we smother with mouthwatering creamy sausage gravy. You’ll be amazed how quick and easy this hearty comfort food is to make!
No need to ask Siri for “biscuits and gravy near me” — this homemade version is so much better than anything you’ll get at a restaurant! Why? Because sausage is more expensive than the other gravy ingredients, a lot of restaurants will “stretch” the sausage by serving a thinner gravy with less meat.
Biscuits And Gravy Are Classic American Comfort Food!
In America, biscuits and gravy are a popular breakfast (brunch, lunch, and dinner too!) dish that is pure comfort food. Popular, especially in the Midwest and Southern parts of the country, biscuits and gravy start with tender flaky biscuits that are covered in thick and creamy sausage gravy. The gravy is typically made with pork sausage, flour, and milk.
While it’s typically breakfast fare, biscuits and gravy for dinner is one of the signature dishes my dad made all the time for us growing up. Granted, it’s not the healthiest meal, but whenever the weather cools down, it’s what I crave! And who doesn’t need some good stick-to-your bones comfort food when it’s cold outside?!
What Is Sausage Gravy?
Sausage gravy is more than just gravy. It’s much thicker than typical gravy because in this dish, the gravy is half the meal. It’s more than just a sauce used to enhance the flavor of the food. This gravy is the star of the show, very thick and creamy with meat in every bite. Stocks or broths aren’t in this gravy — just a whole lot of milk or sometimes even some cream.
How To Make Biscuits And Gravy
Start by preparing the biscuits — buy some at the store or make them homemade. This biscuit recipe is our favorite — delicious, buttery, and flaky biscuits for minimal effort (you’ll be amazed how easy this recipe is!). If preparing homemade biscuits, cut the dough out to 2-3/4- inch rounds.
For even easier-to-make biscuits, try our drop biscuits recipe.
While the biscuits are baking, whip together the sausage gravy. Brown the sausage and then make a roux (butter + flour) right in the same pan. Finish the gravy off with some milk and seasonings.
How to serve: Split one biscuit in half and then top with the gravy–easy peasy. If the sausage gravy is served over whole, un-split biscuits, the proportion of gravy to biscuit will be off and the gravy can’t sink into the biscuit. The end result will be much drier than it is supposed to be.
QUICK TIP
Make a Biscuit and Gravy casserole by layering half of the (split) biscuits on the bottom of a 9×13-inch casserole. Top with the sausage gravy and then some grated sharp Cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted on top!
Recipe Tips
- Use whole milk. In this recipe, the secret ingredient is whole milk! While you can use 1% or 2%, the result won’t be nearly as creamy or thick. And we definitely want thick and creamy gravy!
- Use a tasty pork breakfast sausage. Jimmy Dean® makes our favorite for this recipe (not sponsored). If you like some spice, pick the hot sausage, and if not, go with regular.
- Thin as needed. If the gravy thickens up too much, simply add another splash of milk to thin it to the desired consistency.
- Season to taste. Taste the gravy before layering it on the biscuits to see if it needs a pinch more of salt, pepper, or garlic powder. Adjust until the flavors are vibrant!
- Warm biscuits. If the biscuits aren’t warm, add them (split open) to a sheet pan and bake at 275 degrees F for 5-10 minutes or until lightly toasted and warmed through.
Biscuits And Gravy FAQs
1Can I make sausage gravy the night before?
Yes! This gravy is the perfect make ahead recipe! Prepare according to recipe directions and then allow gravy to fully cool. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 2 days.
To reheat, transfer the gravy to a saucepan and warm over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. You will likely need to add an additional splash of milk to thin the gravy to desired consistency.
2Why is Biscuits And Gravy popular in the south?
This meal emerged as a regional dish after the American Revolutionary War when food was in short supply. The gravy was cheap to make and contained drippings and scraps of sausage. As times got better, the recipe was supplemented with more sausage. Biscuits were revered and celebrated in the South and still are today!
3How many calories In Biscuits And Gravy?
It depends on the biscuits being used and how much sausage gravy is added on top of each biscuit. For this particular recipe, you can see full nutritional facts directly below the printable recipe.
4How to make gravy for Biscuits And Gravy
Here’s a quick overview of the gravy making process:
- Brown the pork sausage
- Add butter
- Add flour and cook off the raw flour taste
- Gradually add in milk while stirring constantly
- Allow gravy to thicken
- Season and serve!
5Does McDonald’s have Biscuits And Gravy?
Many McDonald’s sell biscuits and gravy as a “secret” menu item. The next time you’re doing a fast food run, ask your local McDonald’s if they sell it!
6How to make Biscuits And Gravy without sausage
If you aren’t a sausage fan, you can replace the meat with ground turkey or lean ground beef. The flavor will be different, but tasty nonetheless. With a different ground meat, you may need to add a few additional seasonings.
And for a meatless gravy, here is a recipe to try!
More breakfast favorites
Biscuits And Gravy
Biscuits and Gravy start with buttery, flaky, warm biscuits that we smother with mouthwatering creamy sausage gravy. You’ll be amazed how quick and easy this hearty comfort food is to make!
Biscuits And Gravy
Biscuits and Gravy start with buttery, flaky, warm biscuits that we smother with mouthwatering creamy sausage gravy. You’ll be amazed how quick and easy this hearty comfort food is to make!
Ingredients
Fresh/Warm Biscuits — store-bought or homemade (use this biscuit recipe!) See Note 2
Instructions
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SAUSAGE GRAVY: Heat a large (4 quart) heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Break the sausage into small pieces with your hands as you add it to the skillet in a single layer. Season to taste. (I add 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt.) Brown the sausage, continuing to break it up with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink. Do not drain.
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ADD BUTTER AND FLOUR: Reduce the heat to medium low and add the butter to the pan. Once the butter is completely melted, sprinkle the flour evenly all over the sausage. Stir it around and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the skillet.
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ADD MILK: Slowly add 1 cup of milk while stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the skillet to release any browned bits. Once the milk has thickened, slowly add in the remaining 2 cups of milk while stirring constantly. Cook the gravy, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom of the skillet until gravy thickens nicely. This can take a good 10-15 minutes (See Note 3), depending on the heat of the stovetop and how cold the milk was going into the gravy.
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SEASON: Add seasonings: garlic powder and dried thyme, if using. Add pepper to taste (we like 1 teaspoon). Taste and adjust any seasonings, adding additional salt if needed.
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SERVE: Serve immediately, spooned over warmed biscuits (See Note 2). Garnish if desired with fresh thyme. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Note 2: Biscuits: If making homemade biscuits, start by making those. Then prepare the gravy while the biscuits are baking — the two will be done around the same time. Split warm biscuits in half (just pull them apart with your hands) and spoon gravy over them. If you are using leftover biscuits or biscuits that aren’t warmed through, heat them by preheating the oven to 275 degrees F. Split biscuits in half and lay on a sheet pan (split side up) and bake for 5-10 minutes or until warmed through and lightly toasted. Serve warm gravy on top.
Note 3: Gravy thickness: The gravy should be thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Lift up the spoon and immediately trace a line across the back of the spoon with your fingertip. If the line retains a clear track, the gravy is thick enough. If not, cook a bit longer. On the flip side, if the gravy gets too thick for your preference, just splash in some more milk to thin to desired consistency.
Nutrition information is for the sausage gravy but not the biscuits, because biscuits can vary greatly.
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 411kcal | Carbohydrates: 17.5g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 29.5g | Cholesterol: 75.9mg | Sodium: 626.4mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 4.9g
We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.
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