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This Paleo & AIP Onion Gravy is the perfect condiment around which you can make a whole special meal! I like to make AIP Biscuits or Waffles, cook up some bulk pork or turkey sausage and make Biscuits and Gravy! Or you can sauté some chicken thighs and make Chicken and Waffles with Onion Gravy! Plus, you can use this recipe for Thanksgiving or other holidays. Top with fresh herbs for a fresh or ethnic flare.
Onion Gravy is also great for Whole30, Vegan and GAPS diets.
My husband can eat most foods symptom-free. Yet he LOVES this gravy. So happy reminder: Recipes for restricted diets can be decadent and delicious for anyone! 🙂 This is one such recipe, a family favorite.
Paleo & AIP Onion Gravy Ingredients
This Onion Gravy recipe was originally based on a traditional Puerto Rican recipe.
The flavors are absolutely decadent, exciting, yet warm and familiar.
- Coconut milk — As a result of the Puerto Rican influence, Paleo & AIP Onion Gravy uses coconut milk as its base. This tropical flavor base is beautifully suited to serving your gravy with Plantain Waffles (as well as other suggestions: biscuits with fried up ground meat for a savory and sensational dinner. Or fried up/roasted chicken)!
- Yellow onions create a rich-umami but sweet base.
- Fat of choice — Avocado oil is used to make this recipe vegan-friendly. I also like to use bacon fat, lard or duck fat, another rich and nutrient-dense ingredient for rich, flavorful gravy.
- Garlic — Not all gravy recipes use garlic, but it’s perfect to contrast and compliment the rich, sweet flavors of coconut, ginger, herbs and spices.
- Herbs and Spices — I talk more about these next!
Paleo & AIP Onion Gravy herbs and spices
The herbs and spices in Paleo & AIP Onion Gravy are flexible depending on how you’ll serve your gravy. Here are the fun flavor variations from which to choose:
- Traditional or Classic version: If you need a traditional gravy that’s easy to make, you can just use traditional American holiday herbs! You’ll use dried sage and thyme, and if you wish, top with fresh herbs like sage, thyme or parsley. This version goes great with roasted poultry of any kind and is quite versatile.
- Puerto Rican: This version is the original recipe for Onion Gravy, that I first developed years ago! It’s delicious, with ginger, coriander, cloves, oregano, basil and parsley and gets topped with fresh cilantro. If you’re not making a holiday dinner, I recommend you try this version first … because it’s SO good and refreshingly different. As mentioned, the base of Paleo & AIP Onion Gravy is coconut milk, so you can imagine how nicely the spices go with this tropical flavor!
How to serve Paleo & AIP Onion Gravy + Variations!
- Let’s talk waffles!! Make Paleo & AIP Plantain Waffles + add leftover chicken to the batter itself.
- Make Paleo & AIP Plantain Waffles, but add leftover chicken, ground cooked up pork or turkey to the gravy.
- Top Waffles with all of the components separately: fried chicken or ground cooked up meat, gravy, fresh herbs and any other condiments you like. (I made this version for the photos!)
- Create Sausage Gravy by adding cooked up ground pork to Paleo & AIP Onion Gravy.
- Cook up some Paleo & AIP Biscuits, split them open, and pour Sausage Gravy over all. Top with optional fresh herbs.
- Fry up some pork chops! Serve with gravy!
Paleo and AIP Onion Gravy
Equipment
- saute pan
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups coconut milk , full fat
- 2 yellow onions , diced
- ½ cup fresh herb , chopped small: fresh cilantro for Puerto Rican version OR ¼ cup fresh sage, thyme or parsley for Classic Onion Gravy
- 2 Tablespoons avocado oil (other preferred Paleo or AIP fats may also be used)
- 2 cloves garlic , crushed or minced
- 1 inch nub of ginger , grated or minced
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon each: oregano, basil and parsley , dried (for Puerto Rican version)
- ¼ teaspoon coriander (for Puerto Rican version) (omit for AIP)
- ⅛ teaspoon cloves (for Puerto Rican version)
- For the Traditional or Classic version, use these herbs: 1 teaspoon sage, ¾ teaspoon thyme + ¼ teaspoon white pepper (omit for AIP)
Instructions
- Melt (or heat) your fat in a large skillet, over medium-high heat.
- Add the onions and sea salt, stirring occasionally until just wilted and starting to brown, 5 to 8 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low and cover, stirring every 5 minutes or so, for 15 minutes total.
- Add the garlic, ginger and spices and sauté an additional 5 minutes, until fragrant.
- Add the coconut milk, de-glazing the pan as you stir it in.
- Simmer, uncovered over medium-high heat, for 5 minutes more, reducing down the overall liquid.
- Turn off the heat, and cool slightly.
- Spoon ½ to ⅔ of the mixture into a blender, and purée for 15 seconds.
- Stir the purée back into the remaining gravy in the pan, and add the fresh cilantro for Puerto Rican version or American herbs for Classic version, reserving some to garnish.
Notes
Nutrition
Dorothy says
I’ve made this numerous times since you posted it recently. It goes well with most any meat or veggies. And it’s easy to convert to a soup by adding more coconut milk and blending all of it. I believe onions have quercitin, which is supposedly good virus prevention. But most of all, it tastes delicious!
Megan says
Hi Dorothy, thanks for your feedback!! 🙂 I’m so glad the gravy has been a useful and yummy recipe for you! Your soup variation sounds SO delicious!
Celeste says
Hi, can I keep the onion gravy in the fridge? up to how long?
Megan says
Hi Celeste, yes, covered, for 4 days would be fine. 🙂
Morgen Drasnin says
Hi. Does this gravy freeze well? Thanks!
Megan says
Hi Morgen, yes, good question. For 3 months. To defrost, just put in the fridge over night, and then you may need a little broth when reheating. Reheat over low heat, stirring. 🙂