Adding Broth Is The Easiest Way To Elevate The Flavor Of Store-Bought Gravy Mix

Dousing garlic mashed potatoes or fluffy buttermilk biscuits with homemade gravy is one of life's simple joys but being short on time without the luxury of putting together a gravy recipe from scratch doesn't mean you're doomed to inferior substitutions. Avoid runny, tasteless store-bought gravy with an easy swap: Use broth instead of water when you begin to mix up the pre-packaged powder. 

As slight as this addition might sound, the impact on flavor is huge. Broth can bring texture and depth to a flat gravy mix, and if you want to push the limits of your pre-made gravy creations, add a handful of diced ingredients from the main dish you plan to serve. Bits of mushroom, shreds of meat, or chunks of a meat alternative can pack even more layers of taste into the gravy simmering on your stove. Once your improvised gravy is drizzled on top of each dish, your guests may never suspect that you took any shortcuts when cooking such a satisfying meal.

Using broth when making gravy for your meat and side dishes can inject flavor into your recipe quickly, so you can spend the limited time that you do have to set the table or prepare other dishes to serve. Instead of having to worry about collecting drippings or making a roux, splashing your favorite broth into a packaged mixture will leave your guests admiring your culinary prowess — and have you feeling as if you spent much longer standing over the stove stirring a simmering pan of gravy. Reach for immunity-fighting bone broth to pack even more nutrients into the quickly-made gravy you are putting together to drizzle on top of each plated dish.  

As with any gravy recipe, whether homemade or made from a pre-packaged pouch, tasting your recipe at multiple stages throughout the cooking process can help you fine-tune your desired result. Adjust to taste with salt, cloves of garlic, bay leaves, or sprigs of rosemary, then sit back and enjoy the flavors of your efficient work.