Gluten-Free Gravy Mixes – Tested for Hidden Gluten

If you or someone you love is following a gluten-free diet, consider including a gluten-free gravy option at your holiday meal. There are several brands of gravy mixes that are gluten-free and safe, and I tested three popular brands for hidden gluten. This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosures.

You may wonder where you can find safe, gluten-free gravy mixes to pour over your Thanksgiving turkey, mashed potatoes, and gluten-free stuffing.

Look no further because, in this article, I share several popular gluten-free gravy mixes found at most grocery stores across the U.S. and online.

These gravy mixes are made without gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and sometimes oats. Gluten causes intestinal damage and inflammation in people with celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity.

I also tested three of the most popular brands of gluten-free gravy mixes for hidden gluten using my Nima Sensor. This portable gluten-detecting device enables you to test a small pea-sized portion of your food for hidden gluten. You can learn more about the device, and its pros, cons, and limitations, in this article.

As always, read labels carefully. Some of the following brands offer gluten-free options and varieties containing gluten. Remember, labels and ingredients can change at any time. The latest ingredients and allergen disclosures will always be on the label itself.

Gluten-Free Gravy Mixes

Below I share three gluten-free gravy mixes found at various grocery stores across the U.S.

(1) McCormick Turkey Gravy Mix

McCormick Turkey Gravy is labeled “gluten-free” on the front of the packaging. Its ingredients include cornstarch, buttermilk powder, corn maltodextrin, salt, hydrolyzed corn, and soy protein, onion, modified palm oil, yeast extract, caramel color, potassium chloride, potato starch, corn syrup solids, spices and herbs (including thyme, sage, celery seed, black pepper), turkey powder, guar gum, sodium caseinate, and natural flavor.

If you’ve been on a gluten-free diet long enough, you know there are a few red-flag ingredients, most notably yeast extract, which is made from spent brewer’s yeast and most-likely contains barley.

However, because the gravy is labeled gluten-free, the product contains less than 20 ppm of gluten, per the FDA’s guidelines for gluten-free labeling. McCormick says any product with a “gluten-free” claim on the label means it has been validated to be gluten-free.

Furthermore, McCormick offers the following allergen statement on its website, stating that it never hides allergens under the notations of “spices” or “natural flavors.”

I also tested McCormick Turkey Gravy with my Nima Sensor, and Nima did not find any gluten. A smiley face means no gluten found. You can purchase McCormick Turkey Gravy on Amazon.

(2) Pioneer Brown Gravy Mix

Pioneer brand makes two gluten-free gravy mixes: Brown gravy and country gravy. I found the gluten-free brown gravy at my local grocery store and purchased it.

As you can see, it’s certified gluten-free by the Gluten Intolerance Group, adding an extra level of reassurance that this gravy mix is indeed safe.

The ingredients in Pioneer gluten-free brown gravy include food starch-modified, salt, dextrose, hydrolyzed vegetable protein (corn, soy), maltodextrin, palm oil, autolyzed yeast extract, onion, caramel color, contains less than 2%: corn syrup solids, garlic, natural flavor, whey, powdered chicken, sodium caseinate, citric acid, dried beef stock, thiamin hydrochloride, and monoglycerides. As you can see, it contains milk and soy, and the company says it may contain eggs.

My Nima Sensor didn’t find any gluten inside the Pioneer gluten-free brown gravy mix – whew! You can buy it on Amazon.

(3) Simply Organic Brown Gravy

Simply Organic also makes a gluten-free gravy mix. However, the gluten-free label is hidden on the back of the packaging. (The new packaging shows the certified gluten-free label on the front.) The gravy mix is certified gluten-free by the Gluten Intolerance Group.

The gravy is made with organic cornstarch, sea salt, organic maltodextrin, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa powder (processed with alkali), natural flavor (yeast extract, salt, natural flavor, canola oil), organic garlic, organic onion, organic rice concentrate, organic mushrooms, organic beef flavor (organic beef flavor, organic gum arabic, sea salt), organic paprika, organic black pepper, and organic celery seed.

The company says on its website that only products it has tested and that meet FDA gluten-free labeling guidelines are labeled gluten-free; if the product is not labeled “gluten-free,” the company says it cannot guarantee it is gluten-free.

I tested Simply Organic brown gravy with my Nima Sensor, and Nima is all smiles, which means no gluten was found. Find Simply Organic gravy on Amazon.

(4) Other Brands of Gluten-Free Gravy Mixes

Other brands of gluten-free gravy mix include:

• Imagine Foods Gluten-Free Gravy: This isn’t a mix, per see, but it comes in a carton and is labeled gluten-free. Find it on Amazon or at the grocery store. (I spotted it at Safeway during Thanksgiving.)

• 365 by Whole Foods Market Gravy: This certified gluten-free gravy comes in a carton and is found at Whole Foods and on Amazon.
• Knorr Brown Gravy: This gravy mix is labeled gluten-free. Find it on Amazon.
• Kevin’s Turkey Gravy: This gravy comes in pouches and is ready to heat and serve. It’s certified gluten-free by the GFCO. Find it at Costco.

• Trader Joe’s: During the holiday season, you’ll find Trader Joe’s has a gluten-free turkey-flavored gravy.

• Orrington Farms: Orrington Farms brown gravy is labeled gluten-free; as are the brand’s bouillon bases.

Avoid Heinz Homestyle Turkey Gravy, which comes in a jar and is extremely popular during Thanksgiving. It contains wheat flour and is NOT gluten-free.

How to Make Homemade Gravy

If you’re worried about hidden gluten or need to avoid other ingredients found in most gluten-free gravy mixes, consider making gravy from scratch.

You can use about 2 cups of turkey drippings or chicken broth combined with 1/4 cup gluten-free flour and 1/4 cup butter. Whisk all the ingredients together in a small pot over medium heat until the ingredients bubble and thicken. Lower the heat, add salt and pepper to taste, and keep the mixture warm until you’re ready to enjoy it.

Thanksgiving Recipes

You might enjoy these Thanksgiving recipes:

• Better than Stove Top Stuffing Gluten-Free Stuffing
• Thanksgiving Cranberry Sauce Recipe
• Gluten-Free Bouillon – Testing for Hidden Gluten
• Festive Cranberry Jalapeno Dip (Salsa)
• Pull-Apart Gluten-Free Dinner Rolls
• The Best Gluten-Free Apple Pie Recipe
• Classic Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie Recipe
• Guide to Gluten-Free Puff Pastry