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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Think going low-carb means saying goodbye to gravy? Think again! This Caramelized Onion Gravy is rich, flavorful, and thickened naturally with pureed caramelized onions. It’s a game-changer for those who want delicious gravy without flour, cornstarch, or other high-carb thickeners.
Recipe Inspiration
In my last post, I mentioned how gravy can elevate dishes like mashed cauliflower—but I wanted a low-carb version. Gritty alternatives like coconut or chickpea flour didn’t cut it, and gluten-free flours were too high in carbs.
Then I remembered how roasted onions thickened the gravy in my Rosemary Chicken recipe. Why not caramelized onions? The result was rich, flavorful, and naturally thickened—no flour or carbs required. It’s now my go-to healthy gravy!
Ingredients and Substitutions
How to Make Caramelized Onion Gravy Without Flour
⬇️ Jump to the recipe below for exact amounts and detailed instructions.
- Caramelize the Onions:
- Slice onions thinly and cook them slowly in a skillet over LOW heat with a little oil or butter. Stir occasionally until they’re deep brown and soft. This can take up to an hour.
- Blend the Onions:
- Puree the caramelized onions with a little broth in a blender until smooth.
- Make the Gravy:
- Combine the onion puree with the remaining broth in a saucepan. Heat gently, stirring until the mixture thickens. Adjust seasonings to taste.
- Optional Additions:
- Stir in mushrooms, fresh herbs, or a splash of Worcestershire sauce for extra depth.
Tips That Make a Difference
Caramelize Ahead of Time: Freeze caramelized onions in small portions for quick use later.
Deglaze for Extra Flavor: Use water or broth to scrape up any browned bits from the pan after caramelizing onions.
Make It Your Own: Adjust the consistency with more broth or onion purée to suit your preferences.
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
Carmelize the Onions:
- Heat a medium to large skillet over medium heat. For best results, use a heavy skillet. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, then 2 (220 g) medium onions, peeled and sliced thinly.
- Stir frequently, especially at the beginning and end of the cooking process to prevent burning. Cook until the onions caramelize and turn a deep brown color. This will take 30-45 minutes. Onions will reduce to about 1/2 cup when fully caramelized. This step can be done ahead of time and frozen for convenience.
Prepare the Broth:
- Transfer the caramelized onions to a blender.
- Add 1½ cups (341 g) water or broth of your choice to the same skillet you used for onions. Bring to a boil while scraping up browned bits from the skillet. Pour the deglazed broth into the blender, reserving about 1/4 cup of the liquid.
- Place onions into a blender. Add 1½ cups (341 g) water or broth of your choice to the same skillet you used for onions. Boil until all brown bits have dissolved into the water or broth. Add water or broth to blender containing onions saving back about a fourth cup.
Blend the Gravy:
- Blend the onions and broth starting on low speed, then gradually increase to high until smooth. Stop to scrape down the sides of the blender with a spatula.
- Add 1-2 tablespoons butter for a smoother texture and blend again. Adjust the thickness by adding more liquid if needed.
Season and Finish:
- Add ½ teaspoon table salt and ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper to taste. (If your broth is extra salty, you may not want to add any salt) My husband requires lots of pepper so there's that, too.
- Optional: Add herbs like thyme or parsley, or stir in a tablespoon of sour cream or Greek yogurt for extra flavor.
Notes
- Caramelize Ahead of Time: Freeze caramelized onions in small portions for quick use later.
- Deglaze for Extra Flavor: Use water or broth to scrape up any browned bits from the pan after caramelizing onions.
- Make It Your Own: Adjust the consistency with more broth or onion puree to suit your preferences.
- Use Homemade Broth: That way you’ll know exactly what’s in it.
- Adding sour cream or yogurt? Start with a couple of tablespoons.
Equipment
Nutrition
All images and text ©️ Paula Rhodes for Salad in a Jar.com
Common Question
1. Can I skip the onions?
Onions are essential for this recipe, but mushrooms can add a similar thickening effect if you prefer.
2. How long does this gravy last?
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
3. Can I use this gravy with any dish?
Absolutely! It pairs beautifully with mashed cauliflower, roasted vegetables, or your favorite meats.
Final Thoughts
This recipe delivers rich flavor and satisfying texture without a single grain of flour. It’s perfect for anyone seeking a low-carb, keto, or gluten-free alternative that doesn’t skimp on taste. Try it and see how easy it is to upgrade your meals!
Enjoy making this Caramelized Onion Gravy and let it transform your meals into the perfect comfort food. ??
Need help troubleshooting? Please email me: Paula at saladinajar.com–photos welcome!
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?