Vegan Biscuits & Gravy

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Vegan biscuits and gravy is a hearty homestyle dish that will leave your belly full and your heart happy! Plant-based sausage crumbles are covered in creamy gravy, then drizzled over flaky buttermilk biscuits. Enjoy it for breakfast, brunch, or dinner!

❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe

• Comforting: Rich, hearty, and indulgent flavors come together for a dish featuring vegan comfort food at its finest.
• From scratch: Both the Southern-style biscuits and sawmill gravy are made completely from scratch, and you can taste the difference!
• Great for crowds: This recipe is always a crowd-pleaser! It’s filled with plant-based meat and is virtually indistinguishable from traditional recipes. Even your meat-eating loved ones will be impressed!
• Allergen-friendly: Dairy-free and full of plant protein, this recipe is suitable for most types of eaters. Plus, it’s simple to make a gluten-free version.

If you love biscuits and gravy, you should really check out our vegan fried chicken, enfrijoladas, vegan pot pie, dairy-free mac and cheese, and air fryer quesadillas.

🤔 Biscuits and gravy made vegan?

Biscuits and gravy is a traditional Southern recipe typically served with sawmill gravy, also known as country gravy or sausage gravy. While you can serve biscuits with brown gravy, this meal is meant to be full of protein, mix-ins, and creamy sauce.

It’s absolutely perfect for serving over warm, flaky buttermilk biscuits, creating layers upon layers of flavors and textures. In our version, we swapped out sausages for vegan sausage crumbles, cream for plant-based milk, and butter for dairy-free butter.

We absolutely love making vegan biscuits and gravy for weekend brunches, holiday breakfasts, or potluck gatherings! Everyone, including meat-eaters, always go crazy for this dish!

📜 History

Biscuits and gravy don’t exactly have a straightforward history, but this dish is most definitely a classic Southern comfort food!

Around the 1800s, sawmill gravy came onto the lumberjack scene in Southern Appalachia. This type of gravy was the answer to a need for an affordable, filling, and ultra-hearty sauce to serve with biscuits. It was cleverly named after their most used tool — the sawmill.

In the years that followed the Revolutionary war, people found creative ways to stretch their food. Biscuits and gravy boomed in popularity, especially in the South. Eventually, it became a world-famous dish!

🌭 What kind of vegan sausage is best?

For vegan sausage gravy, any quality plant-based sausages or ground round will work. We personally used Beyond Meat since that’s what we had on hand. Other great options include Field Roast, Impossible Foods, Gardein, Tofurky, and Lightlife sausages.

If you don’t feel like buying name brands or are more health-conscious, you can always just make tofu crumbles instead!

🛒 Ingredients & substitutions

• Biscuits: Whip together some vegan buttermilk biscuits, or use a store-bought variety. You can’t beat the warm, flaky, and tender flavors of homemade, though!
• Vegan butter: Used to sauté the onion and garlic, adding a rich gravy consistency and flavor. For a lighter option, use olive oil or avocado oil.
• Onion, garlic: Both add savory elements that make the gravy feel extra hearty. A dash of onion and garlic powder will work in a pinch.
• Red pepper flakes: For a touch of heat, we love to add red pepper flakes. Feel free to swap them out for cayenne, hot paprika, or your favorite hot sauce.
• Vegan sausage crumbles: Choose your favorite brand and variety. For this recipe, we used crumbled Beyond Meat sausages, but any vegan ground round or sausages will work.
• All-purpose flour: To thicken the gravy, forming the other half of the roux. If you don’t have flour, make a cornstarch slurry with 2 parts water to 1 part cornstarch.
• Soy milk: Creates a rich and creamy vegan sausage gravy. Make sure you have unflavored and unsweetened soy milk or it will overpower the recipe. 
• Vegetable broth: We use half soy milk and half vegetable broth. If you prefer, you can substitute the broth with more soy milk, mushroom broth, or water.
• Salt & pepper: Enhances the other flavors while adding a kick!

For a complete ingredient list and step-by-step guide, scroll down to our recipe card.

📝 How to make vegan biscuits & gravy

Step 1: Sauté the onions

Heat the vegan butter in a large skillet over medium. Once melted, sauté the onions for 3 minutes, or until translucent.

Step 2: Add the seasonings

Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook for another 30 seconds.

Step 3: Brown the sausage

Add the vegan sausage crumbles and brown them in the pan for about 8-10 minutes. Once the sausage is browned, sprinkle in the flour and stir the mixture.

Step 4: Add the liquids

While constantly whisking, add ½ cup of vegetable broth and soy milk at a time until all of the liquid is gone. Bring the vegan sausage gravy to a simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until it is thickened.

Step 5: Taste & adjust

Taste and season with salt and pepper to your liking, then remove from the heat. Serve warm over vegan biscuits. Happy eating!

If you have questions about these vegan biscuits and gravy, check out our FAQs or leave a comment down below!

🥞 What to serve with biscuits & gravy

Vegan biscuits and gravy is a hearty meal that’s best served alongside sweet breakfast and brunch classics. Try any one of these options:

• French toast: Balance the savory flavors with sweet, crispy, and tender sourdough French toast or torrejas.
• Pancakes: Pair your biscuits and gravy with a stack of buttermilk pancakes or mini pancakes.
• Fruit: For a light and refreshing option, serve creamy fruit salad or fruit cups on the side.
• Overnight oats: Make a quick overnight oat recipe with ​rolled oats, chia seeds, protein powder, peanut butter, and your favorite toppings.

🌡️ Storage & reheating

For any leftover vegan biscuits and gravy, keep the following storage tips in mind:

• Fridge: Store the vegan sausage gravy in an airtight container for up to 5-6 days in the fridge.
• Freezer: Once completely cooled, transfer the gravy to a freezer-safe bag or container and store it for up to 3 months. We suggest storing it in single-serve containers so you only have to thaw the amount you want to eat.
• Reheating: Thaw the vegan sausage gravy in the fridge overnight, then warm it up in the morning. It’s best reheated in a saucepan over medium-low until warmed through.

Refer to our vegan biscuits post for detailed instructions on how to best store and reheat them.

♻️ Variations

• Spices: Put a unique spin on your vegan sausage gravy by adding spices like nutmeg, thyme, rosemary, sage, or marjoram. We suggest starting small, then increasing gradually.
• Spicy: Add a bit more of a kick to the sawmill gravy by throwing in cayenne, spicy sausages, hot paprika, or your favorite hot sauce.
• Biscuit flavor: Instead of buttermilk biscuits, try cheddar biscuits, or garlic-herb biscuits.

🧑‍🍳 Top tips

• Prep the gravy first: Make the vegan sausage gravy before the biscuits in order to give it time to cool and thicken. Plus, it’s easier to warm up than biscuits — those are best served fresh!
• Brown the “meat”: Make sure you get some color on your meat by browning it in the pan before adding in the broth and plant milk.
• Slowly add liquid: Slowly add liquid to properly emulsify the gravy. Adding it too quickly may result in thin, watery gravy.
• Adjust the consistency: Whether you prefer your gravy thicker or thinner, you can adjust it based by simmering it longer or adding more milk.

💬 FAQ

🍴 More savory breakfasts

If you enjoyed this vegan biscuits and gravy recipe, be sure to check out some more savory breakfasts like these:

• Air fryer hash browns: Crispy hash brown patties made in the air fryer.
• Breakfast casserole: Fresh veggies, hash browns, dairy-free cheese, and a tofu “egg” mixture.
• Chilaquiles verdes: Tortilla chips tossed in spicy green salsa and topped with vegan queso and crema.