The holidays—aka The Cooking Olympics—will be here before we know it. With the biggest hosting days of the year looming, why not think of ways to make your to-do list a little shorter this Thanksgiving? For instance, lean on one of these store-bought gravies instead of making one from scratch (since you already have a roast bird, pumpkin pie, biscuits and stuffing to worry about). Store-bought gravies tend to be pretty affordable, and there are a ton of options for a variety of dietary needs and allergies. Even better, you can often make a store-bought gravy even tastier with pan drippings on the big day. To narrow your search, here is the best store-bought gravy you can buy for every need, according to our taste test.
The Best Store-Bought Gravy for Turkey, Mashed Potatoes and Everything in Between
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The Best Store-Bought Gravy at a Glance
How We Chose the Best Store-Bought Gravy
Each gravy was prepared according to package instructions for fair testing. Before we dive into our favorites, here’s how we determined the best store-bought gravy for every palate:
- Value: Is the gravy worth the money given how it tastes and what’s in it?
- Ease of Use: How simple is the gravy to prepare? Are there any fussy steps or extra ingredients required?
- Quality: Are the ingredients high quality? Does the gravy contain any weird preservatives or additives?
- Consistency: Is the gravy gloppy or gelatinous? Rich and creamy? Runny and thin?
- Flavor: Does the gravy taste good? Does it taste like its package claims it does?
Read on for the nine best store-bought gravies, according to our taste test.
Best Overall Store-Bought Gravy
- Value: 20/20
- Ease of Use: 20/20
- Quality: 19/20
- Consistency: 19/20
- Flavor: 18/20
TOTAL: 96/100
This ridiculously easy gravy from our grocery store boo tastes like Thanksgiving stuffing and chicken noodle soup combined. It’s perfectly creamy without solidifying after sitting for a few minutes, and its flavor is deliciously nostalgic. Turkey fat in the base gives it that signature poultry taste you seek, while onion powder and spices impart cozy autumn flavor. Potato flakes and tapioca starch (not AP flour, gluten-free friends) thicken it just right. If there isn’t a TJ’s by you, you can order a pack of two on Amazon instead, but it’ll cost you more than buying it in the store.
Best Store-Bought Gravy for Turkey
- Value: 19/20
- Ease of Use: 20/20
- Quality: 18/20
- Consistency: 18/20
- Flavor: 17/20
TOTAL: 92/100
You can’t go wrong with a savory, mild pick—like this turkey gravy from Heinz—when it comes to dressing a holiday bird. It’s chicken broth-like in flavor, thick without being gloppy and just salty enough to pair with poultry without overpowering the bird. Turkey broth and bits of turkey meat are in the gravy, along with chicken fat and wheat flour for thickening. It’s a tad bland, but just right for a roast bird.
Best Store-Bought Gravy for Chicken
- Value: 19/20
- Ease of Use: 20/20
- Quality: 18/20
- Consistency: 18/20
- Flavor: 18/20
TOTAL: 93/100
We love Bell's boxed stuffing mix because it's affordable, well seasoned and serves a crowd, so we were excited to try the brand's gravy. This pick is just right for chicken, since it tastes like herby chicken noodle soup. The main ingredients are chicken stock (made with chicken fat, dried onion and spices), wheat flour, barley flour and corn starch. It can be prepped on the stove or in the microwave, and the whole $2 jar serves five people. It's slightly jelly-like at room temperature, but once it's heated, it's totally drizzleable.
Best Store-Bought Gravy for Beef
- Value: 19/20
- Ease of Use: 19/20
- Quality: 18/20
- Consistency: 17/20
- Flavor: 18/20
TOTAL: 91/100
If you and yours aren’t a turkey family, you may be cooking roast beef or steak instead. That means you’ll need a darker gravy that’s designed for beef, not poultry. This pick from Knorr is like a cozier, more intensely seasoned brown gravy. Made with mushroom juice, onion and soy sauce for depth and umami, the au jus-inspired topper is a bit runny, but we don’t think that’s as big a con for roast beef or steak. (It mainly serves as a flavor boost, rather than a source of decadence.)
Best Store-Bought Gravy for Mashed Potatoes
- Value: 17/20
- Ease of Use: 20/20
- Quality: 18/20
- Consistency: 18/20
- Flavor: 17/20
TOTAL: 90/100
Saltier and more boldly seasoned than other turkey gravies on our list, this Campbell’s pick is prime for drizzling over mashed potatoes or stuffing. Its flavor is more robust than its competitors, so it can zhuzh up just about any plain side dish you can think of. (In our opinion, it might be a little too salty to serve over turkey, depending on how you prepare it.) Note: Don’t let its initial consistency turn you off. The gravy thins out once it’s heated and reduces to a just-thick-enough texture.
Best Packet Store-Bought Gravy
- Value: 20/20
- Ease of Use: 19/20
- Quality: 17/20
- Consistency: 19/20
- Flavor: 17/20
TOTAL: 92/100
Don’t judge a gravy by its packaging—this packet mix from McCormick is surprisingly tasty, sort of like stuffing, thanks to rosemary and sage extractives, turkey powder and onion. This bargain buy only needs water and a few minutes of stirring to thicken, and it’s not gloppy in the least. If you’re really pressed for time on the big day, you can even prepare it in the microwave (don’t worry, we won’t tell your guests).
Best Store-Bought Brown Gravy
- Value: 19/20
- Ease of Use: 19/20
- Quality: 18/20
- Consistency: 19/20
- Flavor: 18/20
TOTAL: 93/100
If you’re going the meatloaf route (or want something that will take your mashed or roasted potatoes to the next level), look no further than this brown gravy mix from Southeastern Mills. It’s savory, beefy and delightfully oniony. Texture-wise, it’s creamy and rich without being jelly-like or gloppy. We think it’d also taste great on pork chops or roast beef.
Best Store-Bought Mushroom Gravy
- Value: 17/20
- Ease of Use: 20/20
- Quality: 20/20
- Consistency: 18/20
- Flavor: 18/20
TOTAL: 93/100
Nutty and sweet (thanks, cashew butter), this Primal Kitchen accompaniment is velvety and rich, despite being both gluten- and dairy-free. The vegan gravy is packed with wintry herbs, which shine through alongside onions and Portobella mushrooms. We wish it was a little thicker in consistency, but it’s not runny by any means either. If you have plant-based or wheat-sensitive guests at the table, look no further.
Best Store-Bought Vegetarian Gravy
- Value: 17/20
- Ease of Use: 19/20
- Quality: 20/20
- Consistency: 19/20
- Flavor: 19/20
TOTAL: 94/100
If it weren’t for the steep price tag, we’d be tempted to make this Williams Sonoma gravy base our top choice. It’s so sweet and deeply oniony, sort of like if you added cream to French onion soup. The prep instructions call for milk instead of water so it’s a little fussier and pricier to make, but so very worth it. The gravy base is made with caramelized onions, onion puree, butter, thyme, rosemary and natural maple flavor; in other words, it couldn’t be more autumnal. This one would taste especially great on mashed potatoes, green beans or stuffing, and you can bet we’d drag a biscuit or roll through whatever drippings are left.
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The PureWow100 is a scale our editors use to vet new products and services, so you know what’s worth the spend—and what’s total hype. Learn more about our process here.
Taryn Pire is PureWow’s associate food editor. A former bartender and barista, she’s been writing about all things delicious since 2016, developing recipes, reviewing restaurants and investigating food trends at Food52, New Jersey Family Magazine and Taste Talks. When she isn’t testing TikTok’s latest viral recipe, she’s having popcorn for dinner and posting about it on Instagram @cookingwithpire.
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