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This easy, keto sausage gravy recipe is a healthy spin on classic comfort food. With healthier swaps and substitutions, my version is paleo, low-carb, keto, gluten-free, and dairy-free, and has a nut-free option! From pan to biscuit in just 15 minutes, this recipe comes together in no time. Simple ingredients, minimal prep, and full of absolutely delicious flavor.
What Makes This Recipe Great
Sausage gravy is the quintessential comfort food. Packed with sausage, milk, butter, and flour, and smothered over buttery biscuits, it's a heavy dish. And it isn't all that diet and lifestyle friendly either.
I wanted to make a lighter version that was gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo, low-carb, and nut-free (optional). The result is a creamy, flavorful keto sausage gravy that is as good as the original, but a little (okay a lot!) healthier. Simple ingredients and 15 minutes are all you need!
I like to use this gravy recipe with air-fried potatoes or this biscuit recipe for easy gluten-free biscuits and gravy. If you're keto, use it over eggs, low-carb biscuits, veggies, and more! It would also be delicious over these Sheet Pan Southwest Breakfast Potatoes!
Ingredient Notes
- breakfast sausage: Look for no sugar if doing Whole30. I get mine from Butcher Box! If you have Celiac disease or a gluten intolerance, definitely look for a gluten free sausage brand. Some contain fillers and additives. Always read ingredients!
- ghee: or vegan butter for dairy free
- cassava flour: this is a gluten-free flour substitute that is also nut free. You'll find it at local grocery stores and specialty markets in the baking aisle. It's a nut-free flour alternative to almond flour.
- almond milk: or coconut milk for nut free.
- chicken broth: more if needed to thin out the gravy. I love Kettle & Fire brand.
- spices: dried sage, fennel seeds, dried thyme, garlic powder,
- salt and pepper: to taste.
Recipe Step by Step
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage, sage, and fennel seeds and cook for 5-7 minutes, breaking up with a wooden spoon until cooked through. Remove from the pan using a slotted spoon.
- Leave 1 tbsp grease in the pan and add 2 tbsp ghee.
- Add in the cassava flour and whisk vigorously until smooth paste forms.
- Immediately add in the milk and chicken broth and continue whisking over medium heat until it begins to thicken.
- Add in the thyme and garlic powder. It may appear lumpy at first but I promise if you keep whisking, it will become smooth!
- Add the sausage back to the pan and continue stirring for a couple of minutes to let the flavors come together.
- Add salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately over keto biscuits, crispy air-fried potatoes, home fries, or gluten-free biscuits!
Mary's Tips & Tricks
- How to Thicken your Gravy: If your gravy is too thin, feel free to add a teaspoon of arrowroot powder, tapioca starch, or xanthan gum. Stir for at least one minute before adding any additional thickener.
- How to Thin your Gravy: If your gravy is too thick, use the chicken broth (a little at a time) until your desired consistency is reached.
Ways to Serve Low-Carb Sausage Gravy
There are endless ways to eat this amazing gravy. Try one of these below or let me know in the comments how you enjoyed yours!
- Keto Biscuits and Gravy
- Eggs
- Omelettes
- Gluten-Free Biscuits and Gravy
- Air-Fried Potatoes
- Keto-Friendly veggies like broccoli, riced cauliflower, etc.
Storage Tips
- Store leftover keto sausage gravy in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. It will become thicker when stored, so reheat and give it a good stir before serving.
Recipe FAQs
In the traditional recipe, the answer is yes. Regular flour and milk are high in carbs. In this keto version, there are just 4 grams of net carbs per serving.
Cornstarch has a ton of carbs and is not keto-friendly. There are healthier alternatives to cornstarch that I love using, and they're also low-carb! Tapioca starch, arrowroot, and xanthan gum are all keto-friendly thickening agents. In this recipe, the cassava flour thickens the sauce on its own. No need for a thickening agent!
Try These Healthy Comfort Food Recipes…
Keto Shrimp and Cauliflower Grits
Easy Keto Sausage Gravy
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb breakfast sausage, Look for no sugar if doing Whole30. I get mine from Butcher Box!
- 1 tsp dried sage
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 2 tbsp ghee , or vegan butter for dairy free
- ¼ cup cassava flour
- 2 cups almond milk, or coconut milk for nut free
- ¾ cup chicken broth, more if needed to thin it out
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage, sage, and fennel seeds and cook for 5-7 minutes, breaking up with a wooden spoon until cooked through. Remove from pan using a slotted spoon.
- Leave 1 tbsp grease in the pan and add 2 tbsp ghee. Add in the cassava flour and whisk vigorously until a smooth paste forms.
- Immediately add in the milk and chicken broth and continue whisking over medium heat until it begins to thicken. Add in the thyme and garlic powder. It may appear lumpy at first but I promise if you keep whisking, it will become smooth!
- Add the sausage back to the pan and continue stirring for a couple of minutes to let them flavors come together.
- Add salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately over crispy air fried potatoes, home fries, or gluten free biscuits!
Notes
Mary's Tips & Tricks
- How to Thicken your Gravy: If your gravy is too thin, feel free to add a teaspoon of arrowroot powder or tapioca starch to 1 tbsp of water and stir. This is called a slurry. Add it to the gravy and continue whisking until smooth.
- How to Thin your Gravy: If your gravy is too thick, use the chicken broth (a little at a time) until your desired consistency is reached. Continue whisking until smooth.
Storage Tips
- Store leftover keto sausage gravy in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. It will become thicker when stored, so reheat and give it a good stir before serving. You can reheat in the microwave or on the stove.
Nutrition
All nutrition facts are an estimate and automatically calculated. While I fact check them using My Fitness Pal, please note that they may not always be 100% accurate and depend on ingredients used. Weigh your total and divide by the number of servings for the most accurate grams per serving size.
This is not “keto”, because cassava flour is full of carbs. You wrote 5g carbs in your contents info, but 1/4 cup of this flour contains 35 grams of carbs, which is basically the same amount as a glass of Coke.
It is keto. The nutrition facts are for one serving, and the entire recipe makes 6 servings. 31 carbs in 1/4 cup cassava flour divided by 6 servings = approximately 5g carbs per serving. “Keto” is considered to be consuming less than 50 carbs per day, so this can easily fit into someone’s day if they are choosing to eat keto. Also a glass of coke is a terrible comparison- that has 39g sugar in one serving. LOL. This has none. Please fact check before spreading misinformation here. Thanks!
I’m really looking forward to making this! If I was going to double the recipe, would any of your directions be different? Including the size pan, etc.? Thank you!
I would use a 12 inch pan but otherwise the same!
This is the best df sausage gravy I have tasted. It is even better with gf biscuits!
Thanks Felecia!
Delicious! My husband loves sausage gravy so I was so excited to try out this recipe! Winner for sure and we are making for dinner this week!
So glad you all liked it!! Thanks!
Yummmmmmm, this is absolutely delish!!! I make it with your biscuits and it makes you feel like you are being extra….Every now and then we need to be extra, right?!!! 😋😋😋
ABSOLUTELY! So glad you enjoyed it!
Amazing! So easy to make! I swapped Bob’s Red Mill 1 for 1 gluten free flour bc I was out of cassava. Perfect! Serving it over your air fried home fries! So delicious!! So thankful for gluten free and dairy recipes that taste so good!
Sounds like an amazing combo! Thanks, you’re the best!
This is incredible. Being from the South, I know real sausage gravy. This is A perfect dupe. Literally you would never know it was any different. Pair it with Mary’s biscuits and it is a true, down home Southern meal. Right up there with the shrimp and grits. THANK YOU!!!!
Yay! Thank you Brandon!!
Once again, so amazing Mary!! Made this tonight with your gluten free biscuits and even the non gluten free husband raved. Thank you!!
So glad to hear it – thanks Bailee!
This is hands down the best sausage gravy I’ve ever had!! I shouldn’t have doubted it, Mary’s recipes are always fantastic!!!
Yay! Thanks Tiffany!!
Simple and delicious! I used almond flour because that’s what I had on head and thickened with a little xanthum gum. The whole family enjoyed!
So glad you made it work for you!!