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Homemade Onion Gravy with Red Wine

*Updated* / By: 160 Comments

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Once you make this easy Homemade Onion Gravy with Red Wine, it will soon become your favourite.

Caramelized onions and wine combine to make a rich sauce. This gravy is made from scratch without meat drippings. Skip the store bought canned and dry mixes. You don’t need bisto either.

Homemade Onion Gravy on a steak.

Think steak with onion gravy. This recipe is a must try. I promise YOU will LOVE it!

Hubby wanted steak for dinner. Let me rephrase that, hubby wanted barbecued steak for dinner. Pepper steak is his FAVOURITE. He also loves using a great meat marinade too.

I was thrilled. He gets to stand out in the cold and grill the meat. I get to stand in the kitchen (with a glass of wine) and watch him LOL. I was nice, I opened the door and offered him a glass of wine too. This turned out to be THE MOST DELICIOUS steak dinner we have ever made.

Since he was so nice to cook my dinner, I wanted to make it a little extra special with a great red wine gravy. You know Julia Child’s saying, “I love to cook with wine, sometimes I even put it in the food”.

RECIPE and INSTRUCTIONS for this caramelized onion gravy with red wine can be found at the bottom of this post.

Are you a gravy lover? I AM! Turkey, beef and mushroom. They are ALL delicious. I also love cranberry sauce (my version contains bourbon).

So does my Bourbon Caramelized Onion Jam! The BEST onion jam for burgers, sausages, pulled pork, brisket and more!!

Now, if you are a pierogi lover, I have you covered too. This Pierogi Sauce is the BEST pierogi topping EVER!

Thinly sliced onions ready to caramelize.

Since red wine and steak go hand in hand, I wanted to make the perfect steak topping. This is hands down the BEST ONION GRAVY recipe you will ever make. Hubby has been telling everyone about it. Maybe I should sell it?

For Caramelized Onion Sauce You Will Need:

  • onions
  • beef broth
  • red wine
  • flour
  • mustard
  • olive oil
  • butter
  • pepper jelly
  • salt & pepper

Homemade gravy is so much better than pre-made versions from cans, pouches, packages, or however else you can buy it. Some people are so intimidated when it comes to making gravy from scratch. After all, you can’t serve gravy with lumps at holiday dinners.

You are in luck! This is meant to be lumpy!!

I will say, the MOST IMPORTANT part of this onion sauce (besides a good quality wine) is caramelizing the onions. You cannot rush this part.

How To Caramelize Onions

I know you are probably thinking, is this REALLY necessary? YES!

Caramelized onions ready to make onion gravy.

Have you ever tried a French pissaladiere pizza? A wonderful pizza topped with caramelized onions and olives. Just might be my favourite pizza of all. Even french onion soup needs some great slow cooked onions.

Caramelizing onions is time-consuming, but NOT difficult. I get this process started WELL before I need to use the onions in the recipe. Once they are cooked, you can just reheat them when you are ready.

Step One: You start by thinly slicing the onions (while trying not to cry). Using a heavy-bottomed skillet, heat some olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook for about 10 minutes or so to get them soft and translucent (mixing often).

Step Two: At this point, you can turn the heat down to low. Add the butter, mix, and place a lid on the skillet. Continue to cook (mixing a few times) until the onions are golden and soft. This can take anywhere from 40-60 minutes depending on the amount of onions.

Overhead shot of homemad red wine gravy in a pot.

Believe me when I say caramelized onions are WORTH the effort, I promise. If you really don’t want to spend the time you can always check out Gordon Ramsay’s recipe for Shallot and Red Wine Sauce, or Nigella Lawson’s recipe , but my hubby thinks you will like my recipe better.

Making Homemade Onion Gravy From Scratch

It really is super easy and comes together quickly once the onions are cooked.

I got this idea from a recipe for classic British Cumberland Sauce. Since we love our food on the spicy side, this worked fantastically. Any wine jelly (or hot jelly if you like the heat) will work. Alternatively, if jelly is not your thing, add tomato paste instead.

A gravy boat full of onion gravy ready to serve.
  • To the cooked onions add the jelly, mustard, salt and pepper. Stir until the jelly melts.
  • Add the flour and mix well.
  • Add the wine, then the broth. Stir well.
  • Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce and cook until it thickens.

In a few minutes, you will have the best brown onion gravy ever!

What Do I Put Onion Gravy On?

Well, let me tell you there are LOTS of ways to use this thick and rich homemade onion sauce. The ultimate for comfort foods. Let’s start with biscuits and gravy. Don’t stop there, here are a few suggestions:

  • Mashed potatoes
  • Roast (beef, pork, or lamb)
  • Chicken
  • Steak
  • Pork Chops
  • Meatballs
  • Poutine
  • Bangers and Mash
Red Wine Onion Gravy getting poured onto a steak.

FAQ

What is the best red wine to cook with?

This is personal preference for sure. I always say if you won’t drink it, don’t cook with it. Great choices would be cabernet, merlot, pinot noir and zinfandel.

What are the best onions to caramelize?

You have lots of choices here. All will work well. Experiment and see which you like best. Yellow, sweet, red, and even leeks work great.

Is there a difference between caramelized onions and sautéed?

Caramelizing is a much slower process. It takes roughly an hour over medium-low heat. Sautéing is done in a matter of minutes over medium-high heat.

Can you make onion gravy in advance?

Yes it can. Warm it up in a saucepan when you are ready to eat. Store the cooled gravy in the refrigerator, in a covered, non-metallic container, for up to 3 days.

Pepper steak has been kicked up at least 2 notches in our house with this Homemade Onion Gravy with Red Wine.

Do you have a favourite homemade sauce recipe?

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Homemade Onion Gravy Pin


Homemade Onion Gravy with Red Wine on top of steak.

Red Wine Onion Gravy

Red Wine Onion Gravy is going to be your MAGIC sauce from now on. Caramelized onion gravy from scratch. The perfect topping for steak (and lots of other things too).
5 from 73 votes
Print Rate
Course: Gravy, side
Cuisine: Canadian
Keyword: homemade gravy from scratch, onion sauce
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 86kcal
Author: Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy

Ingredients

  • 11 ounces white onions (thinly sliced)
  • 2 cups beef broth (sodium reduced)
  • 1/3 cup dry red wine
  • 1 tbsp flour
  • 2 tbsp hot pepper jelly (or to your taste)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 tsp prepared yellow mustard
  • salt & pepper (to taste)
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • Thinly slice the onions.
  • Warm the oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat.
  • Adds the onions, stir and cook for about 8-10 minutes. Mix during the cooking process. Onions should be soft and translucent. Do not burn them.
  • Turn the heat to low. Add the butter, salt and pepper. Mix well, and place the lid on the pan.
  • Cook over low heat until the onions are nicely caramelized. Stir several times. It will take about 40-50 minutes for the onions to nicely brown and get very soft.
    **NOTE** You can cook the onions ahead of time, and just warm them when it is time to make the gravy.
  • When the onions are done, turn up the heat to medium.
  • Add the hot pepper jelly and mustard. Stir until everything has melted into the onions.
  • Add the flour and mix to combine well.
  • Add the wine and beef broth. Mix.
  • Turn the heat to high and bring mixture to a boil.
  • Reduce heat to low, and cook until the gravy thickens and reduces slightly. This should take about 15-20 minutes.
  • Pour gravy into a serving vessel.
  • ENJOY!

Nutrition Information

Calories: 86kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 244mg | Potassium: 89mg | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 45IU | Vitamin C: 2.9mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 0.2mg

Notes

This recipe makes 2 cups of gravy.
The onions can be cooked ahead of time, and heated before continuing to make the gravy.
 
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Nutritional information on this site is generated via a plugin. I am not responsible for the accuracy of the plugin information.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Natalie

    This gravy looks amazing. I bet the red vine elevates the taste to another delicious level. SO good! I’m making a steak for dinner tomorrow. This gravy will be a perfect addition.

    Reply

  2. Sam

    Wow this sounds pretty amazing! I have never had onion gravy but I have onions in everything so I already know what I want to put this on… everything! Excited to try it.

    Reply

  3. Tracy

    Now THIS is our kind of gravy – the onion loaded kind! We love it and make it to put on steak, chicken, and mashed potatoes! It’s our favorite!

    Reply

  4. Debra

    So much easier than I thought…and totally worth the effort. Such a nice build up of flavors…it was really delicious.

    Reply

  5. Tara

    Thank you so much for this onion gravy recipe! I love caramelized onions and am excited to give this a try. I know your step by step instructions will be super helpful!

    Reply

  7. Jacqueline Debono

    I love everything about this homemade onion gravy. Caramelized onions are so good and that hot pepper jelly is a genius addition!

    Reply

  9. Debbie

    Seriously, Onions make the best gravy ever. The thing I find interesting about your gravy is the addition of pepper jelly. I have never used it in a gravy but I bet it gives a nice little zing to the gravy. I will be trying this very soon.

    Reply

  10. Kushigalu

    Homemade is always the best plus love any recipe with lots of onions. So comforting. I will soon try this recipe. Thanks for sharing

    Reply

  12. Andrea Howe

    I love gravy any time of year, but especially for thanksgiving dinner! Pinning this to make on the big day! thanks for the great recipe

    Reply

  13. Jessica Formicola

    This gravy has my mouth watering just looking at the pictures! I can’t wait to make it with dinner sometime soon!

    Reply

  18. Marisa Franca

    I just wanted to let you know that I made this fantastic recipe and poured it over Salisbury Steak. The only problem I had was grabbing the bottle of red wine from my hubby. He didn’t want to share it with the steak but I reassured him that it would be well worth it. It was.

    Reply

  20. Alexis

    This onion gravy looks absolutely mouth watering! I’ll be making this next time we have stew for dinner. Looks delicous!

    Reply

  21. Natalie

    Julia nailed with that quote heheh I love to cook with wine too 😉 The gravy looks absolutely amazing. Flavorful and so perfect. Never tried this version so I’ll be definitely trying this recipe out.

    Reply

  22. Heather

    Ooooo,… I love the hot pepper jelly in this! Super creative and what a brilliant idea…I love how easy this is to bring together and it looks so rich and inviting.. perfect !

    Reply

  24. Donna

    Ha I love it when my hubby wants to make steak on the bbq as well, it is the only time I get to take a step back from dinner prep and enjoy watching someone else cook for a change. There is nothing better than a homemade gravy to top the whole thing off, and this one is amazing!

    Reply

  25. Charity

    I’ve made many a sauce with red wine but not a gravy. I so need to try this! And you’re totally right about caramelized onions being worth the effort. Now I’m totally drooling!

    Reply

  29. Stephanie Simmons

    This sounds so creamy and delicious! Gravy is easier to make than I thought – and I bet this would be great for Thanksgiving as well!

    Reply

  36. Amanda

    I LOVE homemade gravy – whether it’s on a main dish, like meat, or ladled over my mashed potatoes. It’s the perfect finish to a cozy meal. I’ll have to try this caramelized onion gravy with red wine. What a fantastic pairing of flavors – this gravy must have such a perfectly rich flavor!

    Reply

  38. Jill

    So true about not rushing caramelizing onions. And I never cook with a red wine that is not also delicious to drink. I need to make a recipe of this gravy soon!

    Reply

  39. Natalie

    WOW Gloria. This gravy sounds and looks absolutely amazing. What an amazing flavors and the texture. This is a must try this Holidays. I’m saving this.

    Reply

  40. Dana

    This sounds oh-so-delish! I also think it’s great to stress the importance of caramelizing onions properly. It’s a bit of a process and adds some extra time, but it’s SO worth it. Browned onions are not the same at all! This gravy is A+.

    Reply

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