Low-Carb Caramelized Onion Gravy Without Flour
Sneak Preview: This gravy without flour is perfect for low-carb, keto, and gluten-free diets. Caramelized onions add flavor and act as the only thickener, making it naturally rich and satisfying.
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Need gravy but don’t want to use flour or cornstarch? This recipe relies on caramelized onions to create a naturally thick, rich gravy with plenty of flavor. Whether you’re eating low-carb, avoiding gluten, or simply out of thickening agents, this gravy is a surprisingly satisfying alternative.
Ingredients & Substitutions
• CARAMELIZED ONIONS: The natural thickener in this recipe. The deeper the color, the richer the flavor.
• BROTH: Chicken, beef, or vegetable broth all work. Use homemade or store-bought.
• BUTTER: Adds richness and a smoother texture. Optional but recommended.
• SEASONINGS: Salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, or parsley can all be used to customize the flavor.
Low-Carb Caramelized Onion Gravy Without Flour
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 (220 g) medium onions, peeled and sliced thinly
- 1½ cups (341 g) water or broth chicken, beef, or veggie (see notes)
- 1-2 tablespoons butter
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Caramelize the Onions: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add 2 medium onions, thinly sliced. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are deep golden brown and very soft, about 30–45 minutes. Watch closely near the end to prevent burning. The onions should reduce to about ½ cup. (This step can be done ahead and frozen.)
- Deglaze the Pan: Transfer the onions to a blender. Add 1½ cups water or broth to the skillet and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour most of the liquid into the blender, reserving about ¼ cup.
- Blend the Gravy: Blend the onions and broth until completely smooth. Add 1–2 tablespoons butter and blend again. If the gravy seems too thick, add some or all of the reserved broth.
- Season and Serve: Season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper, adjusting to taste. If using a salty broth, you may need less salt. For extra flavor, stir in fresh herbs, Worcestershire sauce, sour cream, or Greek yogurt before serving.
Notes
- Caramelized onions can be frozen for later use.
- Adjust thickness with additional broth if needed.
- Add a tablespoon or two of sour cream or Greek yogurt for extra richness.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Equipment
Nutrition
All images and text ©️ Paula Rhodes for SaladinaJar.com
Final Thoughts
Once you discover how well caramelized onions thicken gravy, you may not miss flour or cornstarch at all. Serve it over mashed cauliflower, roasted vegetables, or your favorite meats.
— Paula, Home Economist
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Need help troubleshooting?
Email me: Paula at saladinajar.com — photos help!
This is a very nice, flavorful gravy! I made it for my husband who is on a low carb diet.
Hi Jocelyn,
So glad this went over well with your husband. Cooking low-carb can be a challenge!
Excellent recipe. No need to use flour to thicken. Just curious, are there 3 total carbs in the whole recipe?
Hi Maria,
I wish. There are eight servings in this recipe. Each serving contains 3 grams of carbs. Thank you for writing.
I have just found your website. I have many food allergies due to an autoimmune disease. I am finding that preservatives are my enemy, that causes me to become ill. I have a reaction to Xanthum Gum. It swells my mouth and sometimes my throat. I am so very happy to have found your site! I can make homemade condiments and dressings and not fear that I will get sick! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! ???
You’re welcome, Mickie. I’m glad you found a recipe that might work for you.
One of my cooking hobbies, is comparing two seemingly different foods that really are the same. I like the idea of your Caramelized Onion gravy. I have made a similar thing, and called it …… French Onion Soup. I had never thought of using it as a gravy.
Perhaps I should have called this recipe “French Onion Gravy”. Has a nice ring to it.
Pork skins are either no or low carb. Kind of stinky but when you want crunch that help. Good with salsa and cheese dip.
One other thing I learned recently if you like artificially sweetened tea is that Sweet and Low has .9 carbs. I have switched to liquid purchased on Amazon
This may not be important unless you are really watching carb intake and love your tea sweet.
Hi Mary,
I have heard this about pork skins and even bought a bag to try but never did it before they went out of date.
You must be a southerner or maybe you grew up in the south or maybe Texas? Seems like that’s where most lovers of sweet tea hang out. I like a little bit of sweetness in my coffee so I understand. I wish I didn’t have to but a little pinch of Stevia makes the coffee so much better.
Thank you for all your wonderful recipes. We love the Cauliflower Cream recipe & can’t wait to try the Caramelized Onion Gravy. I actually have a question about another recipe, but when I went to your contact page it said I couldn’t reach you that way. I want to make your Rosemary Parmesan Foccacia but I don’t have any deep dish pizza pans. Do I need to use a deep sided pan? Also, how wide is your pan? Thanks, in advance!
Mary,
I just noticed I didn’t answer all your questions. You can contact me at the email address under the contact tab but the @ part is written out so you have to change that. It’s to throw off the ever-lurking scammers.
My pizza pan is is about 14 inches but I don’t usually make my Foccacia as big as the pan. The dough would be too thin. After you make it once, you’ll see what I mean. Hope you love it.
Well, thank you, Paula, for that cheese head pizza crust idea! Yes, it looks like a treat, but I do indulge in treats at times, and I am not trying to avoid calories so much as sugars, grains, bad fats, and processed foods. (It has been my experience that avoiding these things usually leads to less calories anyway.)
The latest herbal tea that actually seems to satisfy my sweet tooth is Super Lean Green from Republic of Tea. It purports to have some magical appetite and fat burning attributes because it contains garcinia cambogia fruit. I don’t particularly believe these claims, but I received a sample in their latest catalog, and the flavor of the tea seems to let me forget that I haven’t had dessert in the evenings. Go figure, I have never had a green tea I like, but this one is pretty good. I have ordered a tin of it because every little bit of support to my will power is worth it. I am toying with the idea of homemade mayo and other condiments, and I don’t find it daunting as much as wasteful since I am sure just the two of us would not eat it up before it went south.
You are right, I feel much better when I eat mindfully, but the effort seems to be a drag occasionally. Feel free to share any recipes or ideas that you have in this regard. Your clever kitchen ideas are always appreciated!
Hi Becky,
I can see your reply on my computer. No worries.
I’m not much of a green tea fan but I will try the Super Lean Green on your recommendation. My favorite tea at the moment is Sweet and Spicy by Good Earth, the caffeine-free variety.
I can relate on the homemade-condiments-for-two-people issue. Same here.
I am constantly looking for ways to convert my favorite recipes to low-carb so stay tuned.
Paula, this is a fabulous idea! Yes, like a lot of people these days, I am trying to cut out carbs for health reasons. It has been challenging in the most surprising ways! Keeping up with food science can be a drag, but necessary if we care about our health. What have been your biggest challenges? For me it has been contemplating giving up oatmeal in the morning and sweets at the end of dinner. I gave up sweet drinks ages ago, and most other grains don’t tempt me. I am going to try substituting buckwheat porridge for the oatmeal, and I have had some success drinking herbal teas after dinner. Thanks so much for this recipe!
Hi Becky, Good questions. The most challenging for me was pizza. I do not like most of the low-carb substitutes. However, cheese head pizza crust (just google it) is amazing but rather high calorie so it has to be a treat. I cut out oatmeal for a year but added it back after I got rather distressing numbers on my cholesterol count. I still don’t do any other grains. It was hard to cut out bread but had to be done. Desserts were also difficult to give up but they are a slippery slope for me. My homemade Greek yogurt with powdered peanut butter is our standard dessert now. Very filling. Other “slippery slopes” include white potatoes and French Fries specifically, as well as all other chips. Trying to be strict about sugar in processed products so end up making a lot of condiments from scratch. I have found that all this makes me feel so much better and I have much less trouble controlling my weight, not to mention less guilt for sliding down those slippery slopes.
I have also tried the herbal teas. What are your favorites?