Southern sausage gravy is a classic gravy made with pork breakfast sausage, flour, and whole milk. It comes together in one skillet in under 20 minutes, and it’s the reason Southern biscuits and gravy feel like a full meal instead of just bread and sauce. Make it once at home, and you’ll wonder why you ever waited for a booth at your favorite diner.
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This is a family recipe from my Nana and one I grew up eating more times than I can count. It’s the kind of stick-to-your-ribs breakfast that keeps you full til lunch, especially when it’s ladled over a batch of warm buttermilk biscuits.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
Only a handful of ingredients stand between you and a skillet of gravy worth talking about.
The complete ingredient list and measurements are listed in the printable recipe below.
- Pork breakfast sausage: The breakfast sausage is the backbone of this gravy. As it browns, it releases flavorful pan drippings that become the base of the roux. A higher-fat sausage yields more drippings to work with, resulting in better texture and flavor. Sage sausage is traditional, but mild or hot both work.
- All-purpose flour: Two tablespoons is all you need to build the roux with the reserved drippings. The flour needs to cook for a couple of minutes before the milk goes in. That step removes the raw-flour taste.
- Whole milk: Whole milk gives the gravy the richest consistency. You can use 2% in a pinch, but the gravy will be a little thinner and less creamy. We don’t recommend skim milk here. Start with 1 cup and add the remaining ¼ cup if the gravy thickens more than you’d like.
How to Make Southern Sausage Gravy
Here are the quick, step-by-step instructions with visuals; you can find the full instructions, including the exact ingredients, in the recipe card below.
Pro-tip: Don’t drain all the fat. You need exactly 1 tablespoon of drippings left in the pan to build the roux. Too little and the flour won’t cook properly; too much and the gravy turns greasy.
1. Brown the sausage: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, crumble and cook the sausage until it’s well browned, breaking it into small pieces as it cooks. Don’t rush this step. A good brown on the sausage builds flavor that carries through the entire gravy. Drain the sausage and set it aside, leaving exactly 1 tablespoon of drippings in the pan.
2. Build the roux: Reduce the heat to medium. Sprinkle the flour directly into the reserved drippings and stir to combine. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes. You’re looking for the raw flour smell to disappear. The roux should look pasty and start to turn a very light golden color.
3. Add the milk: Add the milk gradually, a little at a time, stirring well after each addition. This is how you avoid lumps. Continue stirring until all the milk is incorporated and the gravy begins to thicken, about 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Finish the gravy: Stir the cooked sausage back into the gravy. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until the sausage is heated through and the gravy reaches your preferred consistency. Season with salt and plenty of freshly cracked black pepper. Serve hot over warm old-fashioned buttermilk biscuits.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: Sausage gravy is best made fresh, but the sausage can be browned and set aside up to a day in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator and build the gravy when you’re ready to serve.
How to Store: Leftover gravy should be cooled completely before transferring to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. We don’t recommend freezing cream-based gravy, as the texture tends to break and turn grainy once thawed.
How to Reheat: Reheat the gravy in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. The gravy will thicken as it sits, so add a splash of whole milk and stir until you reach the consistency you want. Avoid high heat, which can cause the gravy to scorch or separate.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Don’t skip the browning. The deep color of the sausage is where the flavor comes from. A pale, barely-cooked sausage will give you a pale, flat-tasting gravy. Cook it until it’s genuinely browned, then drain.
- Add the milk slowly. This is the step that prevents lumpy gravy. Pour in a small amount, whisk until smooth, then add more. Once you’ve built a smooth base, the rest of the milk can go in a bit faster.
- Keep the heat in check. Once the milk goes in, medium heat is plenty. High heat can scorch the milk on the bottom of the pan before the gravy has time to thicken evenly.
- Adjust the consistency at the end. Gravy thickens as it sits and as it cools. If it gets too thick, stir in whole milk a tablespoon at a time until it loosens. If it’s too thin, let it simmer a couple more minutes uncovered.
- Season at the end. The sausage brings its own salt to the pan. Taste the finished gravy before adding salt so you don’t overdo it. Black pepper, on the other hand, can be generous.
Frequently Asked Questions
More Breakfast Recipes to Try
Looking for more Southern breakfast favorites? Try these:
- Old Fashioned Buttermilk Biscuits – Tall, flaky biscuits made with cold butter and tangy buttermilk. The only biscuit recipe you’ll ever need.
- Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole – A hearty breakfast casserole loaded with crispy hash browns, eggs, and cheese. Great for feeding a crowd.
- Black Pepper Gravy – A creamy and pepper-forward gravy that works with just about anything. Spoon it over homemade biscuits, mashed potatoes, pork chops, or chicken fried steak for an easy, comforting upgrade.
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Southern Sausage Gravy
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Equipment
- Medium Skillet (8 inches)
Ingredients
- ½ pound pork breakfast sausage
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1¼ cups whole milk
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, crumble and cook the sausage until well browned. Drain the sausage and set aside, reserving 1 tablespoon of drippings in the pan.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Sprinkle the flour into the reserved drippings and stir to combine. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes until the raw flour smell is gone.
- Gradually add the milk a little at a time, stirring well after each addition. Continue stirring until all the milk is incorporated and the gravy thickens.
- Stir the cooked sausage back into the gravy. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until the sausage is heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot over warm buttermilk biscuits
