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)
- ⅓ 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.
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.
Homemade & Yummy
Well this has become the gravy of choice in your house. ENJOY!
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 !
Homemade & Yummy
You are right….it is RICH and delicious. Yes, the hot pepper jelly works so well in this recipe.
Sam | Ahead of Thyme
I can’t believe I have never tried making an onion gravy. This sounds delicious and looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it.
Homemade & Yummy
You really need to give this gravy a try. The onions are amazing here.
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!
Homemade & Yummy
This is hubby’s favourite for sure…hope you give this recipe a try. Works great on meatloaf too.
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!
Homemade & Yummy
OMG….so worth the effort. This gravy is AMAZEBALLS!!
Daniela
Wow. You had me at red wine. I can’t wait to make this gravy; I’m sure my husband is going to love it!
Homemade & Yummy
I sure know that my hubby does…this is his favourite gravy by far!!
Anne Lawton
Ive been looking for an onion gravy to serve with beef, and I finally found one. This sounds delcious.
Homemade & Yummy
OMH you really need to give this a try….SOOOOOO good!!
Krista Price
The flavors in this gravy are incredible. This stuff is great poured on just about anything!
Homemade & Yummy
It sure is. We used the leftovers on meatloaf. It was amazing.
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!
Homemade & Yummy
This would be great for any meal you are looking for a rich, flavourful gravy. You can make it ahead of time too.
Courtney
This sounds like a really flavourful gravy, absolutely perfect for a steak dinner, Can’t go wrong with caramelized onions and wine!
Homemade & Yummy
This takes steak and onions to a whole new level of deliciousness. Hope you give this recipe at try.
Toni | Boulder Locavore
This looks like a great hit for Thanksgiving!
Homemade & Yummy
Oh yes…your guests are going to love this!! Enjoy!!
Lindsay Cotter
This is definitely a winning homemade gravy! So great for the holidays as well!
Homemade & Yummy
This is a winner in our house for sure. Our go-to gravy everytime.
Kirsten/ComfortablyDomestic
This recipe makes me wonder one thing, and that’s how soon can I get it into the dinner rotation? It sounds so perfect to ladle over steak.
Homemade & Yummy
The sooner the better. This is our go-to gravy for sure.
Chef Mireille
you pulled me in with the pepper jelly – that spice and the natural sweetness of the onions must be a fabulous combination
Homemade & Yummy
The pepper jelly is such a great addition to this delicious gravy.
Isadora Guidoni
Onion gravy + red wine? What an interesting combo. Curious to give it a try.
Homemade & Yummy
It is a winning combination for sure. Hope you give it a try.