Once you make this easy Homemade Onion Gravy with Red Wine, it will soon become your favourite.
Caramelized onions and red 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. Pair them with Gramma’s Drop Biscuits.
Elevate meals with this flavourful gravy with onions. This is the perfect onion and red wine sauce for everyday or holidays. Think steak with onion gravy. Perfect gravy for bangers and mash. This recipe is a must-try. I promise you will love it!
Here is my fool-proof recipe for perfect gravy every time! I use it for all the holiday dinners. Super easy, even beginner cooks will master it the first time!
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.
Pepper steak has been kicked up at least 2 notches in our house with this caramelized onion gravy. Rich and savory, a true touch of class to any meal.
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”.
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!
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?
Best Onion Gravy Recipe Ingredients
- 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, that 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!
Have you ever tried a French pissaladiere pizza? A wonderful pizza topped with caramelized onions and olives. It 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 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.
Believe me when I say caramelized onions are WORTH the effort, I promise. If you 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.
Homemade Onion Gravy From Scratch
It 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.
- 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 many 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
FAQ’s
This is a 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.
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.
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.
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.
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Red Wine Onion Gravy
Ingredients
- 11 ounces white onions (thinly sliced)
- 2 cups beef broth (sodium reduced)
- â…“ cup dry red wine
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 2 tablespoons hot pepper jelly (or to your taste)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
- salt & pepper (to taste)
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.
Dan Zehr
Now I know what to cook for dinner. Your recipe really impresses me. Beautiful presentation, and looks very tasty. Thank you for sharing.
Homemade & Yummy
I have some leftover gravy, so I will be finding something delicious to put it on today as well. ENJOY!!
Marisa Franca
Caramelizing the onions first certainly brings out the flavor and sweetness of the onions. Putting this delicious gravy over meat takes the dish to the stratosphere. I know our family would love this gravy on just about everything. This is definitely a keeper of a recipe.
Homemade & Yummy
It is a WINNER…and I know once you try it, you will think so too.
Mahy Elamin
Wow and Wow are an interesting ingredient list. A great dish for me and my family. Now this is my favorite gravy recipe.
Homemade & Yummy
It sure is ours, hope you give this a try soon.
Linda
I’m hungry again! Your hubby is definitely so sweet and he deserves his steak with this gravy. This gravy reminds me of mashed potatoes I had in London and now I’m on a hunt to find that hot pepper jelly.
Homemade & Yummy
OMG that hot jelly makes it so delicious….and we love the spice it adds as well.
Anna Hettick
I love carmelizing onions for gravy! They give the gravy such a great flavor. I haven’t ever used wine in my gravy but I’m sure that’s delicious too!
Homemade & Yummy
Carmelizing the onions is crucial for this. So worth the effort.
Krista Price
Nothing beats the flavor of a tried and true homemade gravy. I want to pour this gravy on EVERYTHING! It looks incredible.
Homemade & Yummy
Totally agree, this is going to be our gravy of choice ALL the time.
Amanda
Ohhh, you had me at red wine. I love cooking with wine. It adds such great flavor. Definitely trying this for Thanksgiving!
Homemade & Yummy
Well wine is good…for drinking and cooking. ENJOY!
April
I have tried so many types of gravy so far that it has become a challenge to find something worthy. Your recipe looks outstanding so I am going to try it and I am going to add it to my gravy mix!
Homemade & Yummy
I sure hope you give this a try…it is SOOOOO delicious.
Veena Azmanov
We love gravy more than we love the meat itself. My Rhea does not eat meat much she loves the gravy I make from the drippings. This would be a huge hit in our home. Sounds so yum.
Homemade & Yummy
I really think your family will love this…we sure do. I agree…GRAVY is the best part.
Marisa Franca
We are meat eaters pure and simple!! A hunk of meat with a delicious gravy poured over it sounds like the perfect meal. It can be a weeknight dish or a special Sunday meal. I know with red wine with the onions will be so good we’ll need some bread to sop up every last bit.
Homemade & Yummy
This gravy is SOOO good…we are using the leftovers today…on what yet I don’t know…but it will be delicious.
Shernell P Cooke
As a child growing up I use to hate onions,however as an adult my taste buds have grown to love them. I am vegan however your onion gravy looks tempting, it might be something that I make to pair with a tofu roast.
Homemade & Yummy
I think it would totally work…just replace the beef broth with vegetable broth and you should be good to go. Let me know how it turns out.
Jyothi (Jo)
Woah that gravy made me drool. Looks soo rich, and delicious. Any thing to do with caramelized onions i’m happy! I’d love this gravy on everything! So so good!
Homemade & Yummy
I know…I am using the leftovers to make something delicious for dinner.
Noel Lizotte
So many of my favorite ingredients in this. I usually only serve gravy on the big holidays -having it on a weeknight seems decadent! This recipe certainly is easy enough to have any day, so maybe my habits will change.
Homemade & Yummy
HAHHA…yup this is a winner for all dinners!!
Kelly Anthony
We don’t ever put gravy on our steaks but after reading this I’m drooling over the gravy and wanting this tonight!
Homemade & Yummy
You really need to give this a try. I think you might just change your mind.
Samantha H.
I am totally a gravy lover and I adore a good red wine sauce with steak. And I love caramelized onions. This seems like a match made in steak heaven! I get excited when my husband wants steak too, because it means he cooks it while I get a drink. It’s perfect!
Homemade & Yummy
YES…this is magical…and heavenly for sure. Hope you give it a try.