There’s nothing quite like waking up to the rich, comforting aroma of sausage gravy simmering on the stove. This Bob Evans copycat recipe brings the restaurant’s famous gravy right to your kitchen with minimal effort. I discovered this recipe during a weekend cooking experiment, and it’s since become our family’s Sunday morning tradition. It’s creamy, savory, and utterly satisfying when ladled over fresh, warm biscuits..
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Southern Sausage Gravy
While sausage gravy may have originated in the South, this American classic deserves a spot on breakfast tables everywhere. The beauty of this Bob Evans-style gravy lies in its simplicity and versatility. The thinner consistency makes it perfect for pouring over biscuits without becoming gloppy or lumpy. Its mild flavor profile appeals to everyone at the table, while those who prefer more heat can easily customize with hot sauce or additional spices.
Ingredients
- Extra Mild Breakfast Sausage – Provides the foundational flavor and meaty texture
- Flour – Creates the roux that thickens the gravy
- Whole milk – Adds richness and creamy texture
- Water – Helps achieve the perfect pourable consistency
- Salt – Enhances the savory flavors
- Paprika – Contributes subtle warmth and color
- Vegetable oil or butter – Supplements fat content if needed
Ingredient Notes and Variations
Pork sausage is traditional, but feel free to use your favorite brand of bulk breakfast sausage.
Anyone trying to avoid dairy can use a non-dairy alternative, such as soy. Look for a thickener on the ingredient list like gellan gum or seaweed for the best results.
You will need about a quarter cup of fat for this recipe. Depending on the fat content of your sausage, you may have to add a little vegetable oil or butter.
Some people prefer using four cups of milk instead of a mixture of milk and water. That is fine, but your gravy will be a little thicker than usual.
How to Make Bob Evans Sausage Gravy
To make this Bob Evans gravy recipe:
- Heat a large thick-bottomed large skillet over medium heat.
- When the pan is hot, add the sausage. Break it up with a spatula and slowly cook sausage until there isn’t any pink.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked sausage to a bowl and let it cool on the counter.
- There should be about a quarter cup of sausage grease in the pan. If you have way too much, take some out and if you need more, add additional fat.
- Sprinkle in the flour a tablespoon at a time and whisk together.
- Let the flour cook in the gravy until it turns a pale yellow and smells like a baked crust.
- While whisking, pour in the water slowly. Stir until the lumps are gone.
- Add the milk and raise the temperature to medium-high. Continue to stir.
- Once the mixture comes to a simmer, reduce the heat to low. Continue to cook until the gravy coats the back of a spoon.
- Put the cooked sausage back into the pan.
- Season with salt and pepper if desired.
- Heat until hot and serve.
Southern Comfort: Bob Evans Sausage Gravy
Ingredients
- 1 pound mild Bob Evans breakfast sausage
- vegetable oil
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2 1/4 cups whole milk
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Crumble the sausage into a frying pan over medium heat and cook until browned, stirring often.
- Remove the sausage from the frying pan with a slotted spoon and reserve the pan drippings. If you have less than 1/4 cup pan drippings, add vegetable oil to reach 1/4 cup.
- Heat the pan drippings and oil over medium-low heat. Gradually add the flour one tablespoon at a time and whisk. Stir constantly until the flour thickens and turns light brown.
- Slowly add water and stir.
- When the flour mixture is smooth, add milk, salt, and paprika. Stir until well blended.
- Add the sausage and simmer until heated through. Do not let the gravy come to a full boil because boiling will curdle the milk.
- Serve the sausage gravy with biscuits.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe Variations
Customize Your Gravy
- Spicy Kick: Add 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes
- Herb-Enhanced: Stir in 1/2 teaspoon dried sage or 1 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme
- Extra Creamy: Use heavy cream for part of the milk portion
- Protein Swaps: Replace pork sausage with turkey sausage, ground beef, or vegetarian crumbles
- Savory Upgrade: Add 1/4 cup finely diced onions when cooking the sausage
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerating: Cool completely and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days
- Freezing: Spread in a thin layer in a freezer bag and freeze flat for up to 2 months
- Reheating from refrigerated: Warm in a saucepan over low heat with a splash of milk, whisking occasionally
- Reheating from frozen: Thaw overnight in refrigerator before reheating on stovetop with added milk as needed
Frequently Asked Questions
Why doesn’t my gravy thicken?
There are two common reasons: either insufficient flour was used, or the gravy needs to cook longer. Continue simmering until it reaches your desired thickness. Remember that gravy thickens substantially once removed from heat.
Can I use something other than pork sausage?
Absolutely! Try turkey sausage, ground beef, dried chipped beef, or plant-based crumbles for different flavor profiles.
How do I fix gravy that tastes like flour?
The flour wasn’t cooked long enough. Always cook the flour in fat until it turns pale yellow and develops a nutty, pie-crust aroma before adding liquids.
Is this recipe spicy?
No, this Bob Evans copycat recipe is intentionally mild to appeal to a wide range of preferences. You can easily add hot sauce, cayenne pepper, or black pepper to increase the spice level.
Can I make biscuits and gravy ahead of time?
While possible, this dish is best when fresh. If preparing ahead, store gravy separately from biscuits and reheat gently with added milk to restore consistency.
Love gravy? Try these recipes!
- Beef Tips and Gravy
- Egg Foo Young Gravy
- Chicken Gravy
- Meatloaf with Brown Gravy
- Pork Chops and Gravy
Favorite Copycat Breakfast Recipes
- Breakfast Crunchwrap
- Cracker Barrel Biscuits
- Dunkin Donuts Avocado Toast
- Egg McMuffin
- IHOP Pancake Recipe
- McDonald’s Sausage Burrito
- Starbucks Egg Bites
- Whataburger Breakfast Burger
Check out more of my easy breakfast recipes and the best copycat restaurant recipes here on CopyKat!
you need to brown the sausage then add the flour and make a sort of rue, then add the liquid. when this wasn’t a packet of lflour and seaonings, they used beef and chicken grave as the liquid. I don’t remember the whole recipe, but a lot of pepper
I was able to cook the gravy to its proper consistency. However it was bland and missing something. I added black pepper and that made it delicious. And I used only milk. No water.
I often find if a recipe is missing something, it is often salt. I am glad you could modify the recipe as written to make it good for you.
I made this with a few tweaks – of my oil (canola) to supplement pan drippings, I replaced 1 tablespoon of oil with 1 tablespoon unsalted butter. I didn’t have whole milk so used 2 cups 2% whisked with ¼ cup heavy cream. I added a couple splashes worchestershire. Everything else I did as written. It was delicious with a perfect consistency!
I must tell you, I have it on good authority ( a former line cook) that at Bob Evans restaurants they add a splash or two of SOY SAUCE to the sausage gravy. Try it! You will be amazed.
I m lust tell you, I have it on good authority ( a former line cook) that at Bob Evans restaurants they add a splash or two of SOY SAUCE to the sausage gravy. Try it! You will be amazed.
Water? Water? Yeah, water. I know it may not be the way Mammy made it, but as somewhat of a Chipped Beef on Toast snob, I always order the dish in any diner that serves it. IMO, the best sauces for chipped beef are lighter, not dense. I asked the secret in my favorite diner and the waitress said the cooks stirs in the water from boiling the potatoes to thin out the roux before adding the milk.
I also like to make my Chipped Beef on Toast with a clear beef stock and milk. It doesn’t make the dish look pretty, but it makes it taste fine, and that is all I really care about.
(Yeah, I know this is NOT Chipped Beef on Toast, but is the same general dish. I also make it with mince beef for S.O.S. since dried beef is so crazy expensive these days!)
If it is super thick water would be fine to add. I personally wouldn’t swap it out entirely, but that’s me.
I agree with Mrbeerz—NO water 4 cups of whole milk.I also have made it using 3 cups whole milk and 1 cup evaporated milk.This makes it more like my grandmothers as she used pure cows milk from her farm.So good with homemade country sausage and homemade biscuits.
I agree with Mrbeerz—NO water 4 cups of whole milk.I also have made it using 3 cups whole milk and 1 cup evaporated milk.This makes it more like my grandmothers as she used pure cows milk from her farm.So good with homemade country sausage and homemade biscuits.
Water???? Skip the water and use 4cups whole milk. Trust me… my grandma perfected it.
I have never had any luck with Gravy but for once it came out really good! Thanks for the recipe!