Caramelised Onion & Cranberry Gravy

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This caramelised onion & cranberry gravy is incredibly rich, fruity & full of flavour. Best served with turkey at Thanksgiving & Christmas.

If you’re looking for a delicious homemade gravy to serve with your roast turkey at Thanksgiving or Christmas then you’re in the right place!

For this recipe, we’re going to be cooking onions low & slow in butter until they’re nicely caramelised then we add in chicken stock, thicken with gravy granules & finish with cranberry sauce. That’s pretty much it. Super easy right!?

There are some other little additions & flavourings in there that really bring this gravy to life (we’re talking fresh thyme & soy sauce) but this sauce couldn’t be easier to make! It goes fantastically well with roasted poultry & can even be made several days in advance.

For more sides & sauces, take a look at ever growing collection of side dish recipes! Or for something to serve your cranberry gravy with, check out our dinner recipes & Christmas main courses.

What You’ll Need

  • Onions – I’ve used brown onions for this gravy but shallots, red or white onions will work as well.
  • Balsamic Vinegar – A small amount of vinegar adds acidity to our caramelised onions, which cuts through their sweetness.
  • Fresh Thyme – Chopped thyme leaves add another layer of flavour. Thyme also works really well with chicken & turkey.
  • Chicken Stock This gravy works best with poultry so we’re using chicken stock. You could use homemade stock or a stock pot/cube dissolved in boiling water. The gravy will taste great either way.
  • Gravy Granules – Used to thicken our gravy. You can use chicken or beef gravy granules.
  • Cranberry Sauce – Shop brought cranberry sauce works great for this gravy or you could make your own. There’s a homemade cranberry sauce recipe on the blog!
  • Soy Sauce – Adding a small amount of soy sauce into our gravy seasons it nicely. I used Kikkoman soy sauce.
  • Gravy Browning – Adding this is optional but gives our gravy a rich & deep colour. You’ll only need a couple of drops.
cranberry gravy pour

How To Make Caramelised Onion & Cranberry Gravy

The full, printable recipe card for this gravy can be found at the bottom of this post! Here’s a quick rundown of the recipe…

  1. Caramelise Onions
    First, we thinly slice a couple of brown onions, add them into a saucepan with veg oil & butter then cook over a low heat until they are soft & caramelised. This will take at least 15 minutes.
  2. Add Vinegar & Thyme
    Once caramelised, we add balsamic vinegar & chopped thyme into the onions then stir, to combine.
  3. Pour In Stock
    Next, we add in chicken stock, turn the heat up to medium then bring the gravy to a simmer.
  4. Thicken With Gravy Granules
    To thicken, we stir gravy granules into the gravy then cook out for a minute or two.
  5. Finish With Cranberry Sauce & Soy Sauce
    To finish, we stir cranberry sauce & soy sauce into the gravy, give it a taste to check the seasoning then serve.

Cranberry Gravy Tips & Tricks

  • Cook your onions nice & slowly in butter, so that they caramelise properly. The onions should be golden brown & sticky once they’re cooked.
  • Add a splash of balsamic vinegar to your gravy, to cut through the sweetness from the caramelised onions & cranberry sauce.
  • Thicken the gravy with gravy granules, for a thick, luxurious texture & extra flavour.
  • Season your cranberry gravy with soy sauce, for a subtle unami flavour.

What To Serve Cranberry Gravy With

This caramelised onion & cranberry works best with poultry, especially roasted turkey & chicken! It’s particularly good at Thanksgiving & Christmas, when turkey & cranberries tend to be served together.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Sauces & Sides To Try!

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Caramelised Onion & Cranberry Gravy

This caramelised onion & cranberry gravy is incredibly rich, fruity & full of flavour. Best served with turkey at Thanksgiving & Christmas.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Sauces, Side Dish, Sides
Cuisine: American, British, English
Servings: 6 People
Author: Ben Racey

Equipment

  • Large Saucepan

Ingredients

  • 2 Brown Onions (See Notes)
  • 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
  • 40 g Butter
  • 1 tsp Finely Chopped Thyme
  • 1 tsp Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1 Litre Chicken Stock
  • 60 g Gravy Granules (See Notes)
  • 75 g Cranberry Sauce
  • 2 tsp Soy Sauce (See Notes)
  • Gravy Browning (Optional – See Notes)

Instructions

  • Peel the onions then thinly slice.
  • Set a large saucepan over a low heat, add in the veg oil & butter then add in the sliced onions & a pinch of salt once the butter has melted.
  • Cook the onions, stirring regularly until they're soft, golden & caramelised. This will take at least 15 minutes.
  • Stir in the thyme & balsamic vinegar then cook for another minute.
  • Add the chicken stock into the onions, turn the heat up to medium then bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
  • Next, stir the gravy granules into the stock, cook for another couple of minutes, until thick then stir in the cranberry sauce & soy sauce. If you're using gravy browning, add a few drops in now (just enough to darken the gravy slightly).
  • Season the gravy with salt & pepper to taste then serve.

Notes

1. To Cook On An Aga – Use the simmering plate to cook the onions & gravy. Reheat any leftover gravy using the boiling or simmering plate.
2. Onions – I used brown onions for my gravy but red onions or shallots will work as well. If you’re using shallots, I’d recommend using 4 large ones.
3. Gravy Granules – Either chicken or beef gravy granules will work for this gravy – I used bisto. If you’d prefer a thicker gravy, feel free to add in more gravy granules than specified in the recipe.
4. Stock – You can use either a homemade stock for this gravy or stock pots/cubes dissolved in hot water. As we’re thickening the gravy with gravy granules, I’d recommend making the stock not as strong (if using a stock pot), to avoid making it too salty.
5. Soy Sauce – A small amount of soy sauce seasons the gravy & cuts through the sweetness from the cranberry sauce. I used Kikkoman soy sauce but other dark soy sauce will work.
6. Storage – Any leftover gravy should be stored in the fridge & will keep for 2-3 days. Make sure to get the gravy piping hot when reheating it.
7. Gravy Browning – If you like, you can add a small amount of gravy browning into your gravy to give it a dark, rich colour.

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