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This delicious Low-Carb Sausage Gravy recipe brings back a favorite southern breakfast dish for those on a low-carb, ketogenic, gluten-free, Atkins or Banting diet.
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I didn’t grow up in the South, so I didn’t know there was such a thing as sausage gravy until after I met my southern husband. My husband grew up in Virginia, so he pretty much cut his teeth on biscuits with sausage gravy. The meal made quite an impact on his life and he often talks about the dish and raves about how his Aunt Shirley made the best sausage gravy.
Now, I didn’t really see why he was so obsessed about sausage gravy until we went to visit his Aunt Shirley and I got to experience this culinary delicacy first-hand. Aunt Shirley was a true southern woman with a smooth southern accent. She called me “Sugar” and I immediately loved her. She had a genuine warmth that made me feel welcome.
We spent the night in their home and in the morning, we woke up to the smell of sausage frying. As we gathered around the table for breakfast, I really wasn’t sure what to think. I mean, sausage gravy wasn’t the kind of gravy I was used to. My mother’s gravies were all a beautiful brown. The sausage gravy was a creamy white and looked very different.
As the basket of biscuits was passed I put one on my plate. I broke it open and put a small spoonful of the sausage gravy on top–just enough to be polite. I cautiously took a bite. I was hooked. The next thing I knew, I was piling gravy onto my biscuits and asking for seconds.
Southern cooks, like Aunt Shirley, thicken their sausage gravy with milk mixed with flour. This traditional preparation has been passed down from generation to generation. Of course, the wheat flour makes it off limits to anyone on a low-carb or gluten-free diet. I have altered this classic recipe to make it low-carb and gluten-free. Instead of using milk and flour, I use a mixture of chicken broth thickened with xanthan gum, then adding heavy cream instead of the milk. This preparation takes out the carbs and makes a rich and creamy breakfast treat.
Traditional sausage gravy primarily gets its flavor only from the sausage. I love intense flavor, so I couldn’t help but add a bit of fresh sage and a touch of red pepper flakes to give it a bit of a pop. Since most of the flavor in this recipe comes from the sausage, it’s important to use a high quality flavorful sausage. I used some pasture-raised sausage that I found at our local farmer’s market.
Of course, sausage gravy is traditionally served over biscuits. Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered! Check out our recipe for Low-Carb Sour Cream Biscuits. These biscuits have a real biscuit flavor that works perfectly with the sausage gravy.
This Low-Carb Sausage Gravy makes a delicious breakfast, but I serve it just as often for a low-key dinner. This recipe takes the carbs out of a traditional recipe we all love. Enjoy!
-Annissa
This delicious Low-Carb Sausage Gravy recipe brings back a favorite southern breakfast dish for those on a low-carb, ketogenic, gluten-free, Atkins or Banting diet. 😋❤️
4.93 from 26 votes
Low-Carb Sausage Gravy
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American, low-carb, southern
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 8
Author Annissa Slusher
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground breakfast sausage (not in links) preferably pastured
- 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage leaves
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 cup chicken stock low-sodium
- 2 cups heavy cream preferable grass-fed
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. When skillet is hot, add the sausage, breaking into small chunks with a spoon.
Cook sausage over medium high heat until brown and cooked through. Drain off excess fat.
Place skillet with the sausage over medium low heat. Sprinkle xanthan gum on top and stir in. Stir in sage and red pepper flakes.
Gradually add the chicken stock, a few tablespoons at a time, stirring between additions.
Increase heat to medium and bring mixture to a simmer. Simmer, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens to a gravy-like texture.
Stir in the heavy cream. Bring mixture to a simmer, stirring frequently. Turn heat to low and simmer until gravy has thickened to the desired consistency. Stir in salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1/8th of recipe
Per serving:
Calories: 396
Fat (g): 38
Carbs (g): 3
Fiber (g): 1
Protein (g): 12
Net carbs (g): 2
Julie on May 31, 2017 at 10:06 pm
Yes,yes,yes! I have been looking for a low carb recipe of my favorite food! Thank you so much for sharing! I will be making this soon.
Julie * http://www.hdthreviews.comReply
Harper and Annissa Slusher on May 31, 2017 at 11:19 pm
I’m glad I timed it well! Enjoy!
-AnnissaReply
Karen Horn on June 29, 2020 at 4:52 pm
I love this sausage gray didn’t make your biscuits short on time but put it on mini chaffels I make and freeze. Reheat in toaster
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Annissa Slusher on June 30, 2020 at 1:27 pm
What a great idea!
-AnnissaReply
Paul Petersen on June 6, 2021 at 1:44 pm
Outstanding Gravy. That fresh sage really comes through. I did have to add another 1/4tsp of xanthan gum as I like a very thick sausage gravy.
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Claudia on June 3, 2017 at 10:12 pm
I couldn’t wait to try this recipe as soon as I could pick up some sausage. It is outstanding–as good as any restaurant. We are so excited that sausage gravy is back on the menu. Woohoo!
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Harper and Annissa Slusher on June 3, 2017 at 10:37 pm
Yay! I’m so glad you liked it!
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Karman on August 10, 2017 at 10:29 am
Hello. I am wonder does this reheat well? Will the gravy separate? Thank you so much!!
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Harper and Annissa Slusher on August 10, 2017 at 7:54 pm
Karman,
I have reheated this gravy successfully by putting it in a saucepan over medium heat and stirring it as it heats up. I hope you enjoy it!
-AnnissaReply
Heather Fergus on August 18, 2019 at 1:21 pm
I’m doing keto, so I would prefer not to drain the fat. Will the recipe still work if I leave the fat from the sausage? Very excited to try this I love sausage gravy!
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Annissa Slusher on August 18, 2019 at 10:07 pm
Yes, it should work fine. Just be sure to add the cream slowly and whisk well between additions to incorporate the extra fat.
-AnnissaReply
Jennifer on September 10, 2020 at 8:02 am
I have reheated it personally as I make
Enough for
Two days out of the week and it’s tastes just the same to usReply
Annissa Slusher on September 10, 2020 at 8:49 pm
Good to hear!
-AnnissaReply
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Lisa M. on September 8, 2017 at 1:12 pm
Made this today for lunch…loved it! My gravy was a little salty (my mistake, I forgot I cut the recipe in half) so I added a dollop of greek yogurt……that fixed my flub, but as usual, it was another hit! Thank you for the great recipes!
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Harper and Annissa Slusher on September 8, 2017 at 2:50 pm
Thanks for the great feedback!This recipe is one of my husband’s favorites!
-AnnissaReply
Codye on September 10, 2017 at 6:33 am
You are my hero! This does our southern roots proud! I do have a question about the nutrition numbers. I plugged it into MFP and using my ingredients it’s kver 600 calories per serving. I can only imagine the sausage and cream are substantialy more caloric than yours. Would you mind giving me the brands you use. I used Jimmy Dean hot sausage. not grass fed, I know, but the local butchers where I live don’t spice breakfast sausage like we do in the states. I also used a store brand (Tesco) cream. The cream here that closely resembles our HWC is called double cream. Please advise becuse my husband was in love with this dish but at almost a 1000 calories between this and the biscut it may be a very rare occasion.
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Harper and Annissa Slusher on September 10, 2017 at 7:05 am
Hi Codye,
Thanks so much for your feedback! This is one of my husband’s favorite dishes as well. Yes, the calories com from the cream, which has a high fat content. For nutritional purposes, I used “Grass-Fed Cream” and “Ground Pork Sausage”. Many of my followers eat low-carb and ketogenic (super low-carb/high fat), so they don’t mind a higher fat content. One could cut the calories by substituting milk for some of the cream, but this would add carbs and would need a thickener. The thickener would be the challenge. Xanthan gum would thicken, but I find that if I use it in large amounts it gives things a slimy feel.
The advantage of the higher fat content is that the dish is super satisfying. I find that I only really need one biscuit to feel full. Personally, I find that if I’m keeping my carbs down, I can eat a lot more calories and fat without gaining weight.
If I think of a way to cut the calories more in this recipe, I’ll email you. It would be nice to develop a sauce that has a lower calorie content, but still tasted delicious.
Thanks again for your feedback!
-AnnissaReply
Codye on September 10, 2017 at 7:47 am
Thank you for your prompt reply. We are doing keto and are new to this style of eating so still wrapping our head around the calories being higher so I’m not too stressed but that old way of thinking is still there and shocked me when mine came in so much higher than yours. It was super satisfying although I’m sure my husband would have eaten the entire pan had I let him I have a wonderful butcher in our village where I buy grass fed pork from I just need to explore seasoning it myself to get the right flavor for breakfast sausage. Thank you again for your work, I was just looking at your hot fudge sauce and am looking forward to a cup of hot chocolate as soon as I can get the syrup in from the states!
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Harper and Annissa Slusher on September 10, 2017 at 11:01 am
You are welcome!
-Annissa
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Melissa Murray on February 20, 2020 at 10:09 pm
If you use the Fairlife brand ultra pasteurized milk, it has half the carbs of regular milk (6 vs 13), and only 150 calories per cup. It is way more expensive (like $3.50+ for 1/2 gallon), but since we started Keto and I’m not eating cereal anymore, and my husband has cut his protein shake consumption in half, we only use about a gallon a week, which is the same or less than what we were spending on 4 gallons of regular milk a week.
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Jeramy on June 2, 2022 at 12:30 pm
Hello, have you been able to try the Fairlife brand (1/2 the sugar) in gravy yet? I didn’t want to waste it on a hunch since I pay a bit over $5 now after this inflation…TIA
Bob on January 13, 2018 at 12:08 pm
I tried this last night. It worked pretty darn well and tasted good too.
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Harper and Annissa Slusher on January 13, 2018 at 6:01 pm
It’s one of my husband’s favorites! Glad you enjoyed it, too!
AnnissaReply
Kristin on May 3, 2018 at 7:13 pm
Fantastic recipe! Loved that it didn’t come out slimy which I totally agree happens with the xantham gum!
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Harper and Annissa Slusher on May 5, 2018 at 9:02 am
Glad you enjoyed it! Xanthan gum does have a slimy reputation, but I find it very useful in low-carb cooking. I find that, used carefully, you can thicken without the slimy consistency.
-AnnissaReply
Charlene Tuttle on July 29, 2018 at 12:06 am
This sausage gravy was delicious. Thank you for the recipe!
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Harper and Annissa Slusher on July 29, 2018 at 7:46 am
You’re welcome! Glad you enjoyed it!
-AnnissaReply
Katrina on August 1, 2018 at 9:49 am
This looks so good! Is it possible to make it ahead of time and freeze it for work days?
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Harper and Annissa Slusher on August 1, 2018 at 2:39 pm
Hi Katrina,
I haven’t tried this, but I don’t know why it wouldn’t freeze well. You may want to try it first with a small amount of leftover gravy and see how it goes. I would defrost, then re-warm it slowly on the stove. Let me know how it goes!
-AnnissaReply
Kris L Kelley on August 5, 2018 at 3:23 pm
I would put this sausage gravy above anything “carb centric” taste and flavor wise either made at home or served in any restaurant! It was absolutely “stunning” and completely surprising to say the least. Great work!
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Harper and Annissa Slusher on August 7, 2018 at 3:31 pm
Love this review! Thanks so much!
-AnnissaReply
Fred on August 8, 2018 at 3:35 pm
Great, great, great!! I love this over scrambled eggs. Eat it almost every day. I only get 1 carb for the whole batch because I don’t do the biscuits as I like it over just the eggs. Thank you
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Harper and Annissa Slusher on August 9, 2018 at 11:42 am
That’s a great way to cut out the extra carbs! Love it!
-AnnissaReply
Ty Presson on November 1, 2018 at 10:23 am
This is an awesome recipe!! I didn’t have ground flax seed, but I had flax seed oil so I used a tablespoon of that and added 1 tbs. of coconut flour — they looked and tasted amazing!! My husband ate two of the biscuits with the gravy and loved it, as did I. Thanks for the recipes!
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Annissa on November 2, 2018 at 6:02 pm
Glad you both loved it! You’re welcome!
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Barry on December 1, 2018 at 5:35 pm
This recipe with your biscuits is amazing. Sausage gravy has always been on of my all time favorites, and you nailed it. Thanks so much!
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Annissa on December 3, 2018 at 3:01 pm
Thanks! Sausage gravy is my husband’s favorite.
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Andrew on January 14, 2019 at 3:49 pm
Thank you so much! I just made biscuits and gravy this weekend using your recipe and they rocked! Honestly, they were just as tasty as regular carb versions!
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Annissa on January 14, 2019 at 6:47 pm
Thanks so much, Andrew. That’s what I strive for!
-AnnissaReply
Angela on May 19, 2019 at 10:58 am
Just made the biscuits and gravy….AMAZING. i am knew to Keto and cooking . Recipe was easy to follow and make.
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Linda Oleson on July 4, 2019 at 9:42 pm
Can I leave out the beef broth in the gravy and add more heavy cream
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Annissa on July 5, 2019 at 11:31 am
Yes, Linda, I think that should be fine.
-AnnissaReply
Tom K on September 27, 2019 at 4:49 pm
This gravy was ridiculous. I couldn’t believe how flavorful it was, so much so that I had to keep myself from drinking it directly out of the pot. Thank you, this is a keeper!!!
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Lori on December 7, 2019 at 12:23 pm
This gravy is delicious!! I used carbquick biscuit mix for the biscuits and no way could you tell that this wasn’t old fashioned carb heavy biscuits and gravy. The only change I made to the gravy was I used organic bone bone broth. Comfort food delux!!
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Annissa Slusher on December 9, 2019 at 10:55 am
Thanks so much! Bone broth is a great change!
-AnnissaReply
Keegan on December 16, 2019 at 12:47 pm
Has anyone tried substituting heavy cream for half and half?
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Susan on January 12, 2020 at 11:02 am
This is really really good & for us two “old folks” we are having for the 2nd day & still plenty of leftovers. Am I able to freeze this? Thank you again & yes I have subscribed, signed up. Lol whatever you call it.
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Annissa Slusher on January 12, 2020 at 9:51 pm
Thanks, Susan!
I think this recipe would freeze just fine.
I would defrost before reheating, then reheat slowly in a saucepan on the stove while stirring frequently.Reply
Gina Parnell on February 6, 2020 at 2:52 pm
This turned out perfect – real gravy consistency! Thanks for sharing! (I only made one adjustment – I used half the amount of cream – I like more sausage than gravy). Great recipe for low carb sausage gravy!
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Annissa Slusher on February 6, 2020 at 5:41 pm
Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed it!
-AnnissaReply
Mark on February 16, 2020 at 1:44 pm
Thank you so much for sharing both the Low Carb Sausage Gravy and Biscuit recipes. I made it for the first time today and it felt like a total cheat day. Can’t wait to try more of your recipes!!
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Annissa Slusher on February 20, 2020 at 9:52 am
You’re welcome! Glad you enjoyed them!
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Rex on March 14, 2020 at 7:19 pm
Was looking for a sausage gravy without cream cheese and found this one.
Thank you. I haven’t tried this yet but rated it a five star due to it doesn’t have cream cheese in the gravy.and looking at the ingredients know it will be good as well as all of the comments raved about it as well.
I like cream cheese just not in my sausage gravy.
Thank you again.
rexReply
Annissa Slusher on March 15, 2020 at 3:31 pm
You’re welcome! I like this one better than the traditional recipe.
-AnnissaReply
David Carlisle on April 14, 2020 at 11:43 am
Thanks for the recipe! I’m kinda creating my own keto diet, suitable for my personal preferences. Although I’m not a good cook, by following the recipe, this gravy came out great! I’ll definitely keep this one and going to work up my courage to try your keto biscuits! Thanks again.
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Annissa Slusher on April 16, 2020 at 10:16 am
David,
Good for you for getting in the kitchen and learning how to cook!
I do hope you’ll try the biscuits. They aren’t hard to make and go perfectly with the sausage gravy!
-Annissa
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Debbie on May 15, 2020 at 11:33 am
How well does the gravy reheat. We had leftovers surprisingly but wondered if it would reheat well?
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Annissa Slusher on May 16, 2020 at 5:44 pm
Debbie,
I think this should reheat well. I would reheat in a saucepan on the stove-top. First, I would whisk in a small amount of water. Reheat over low to low-medium heat and stir frequently.
AnnissaReply
Mary on June 6, 2020 at 10:36 am
How many cups is a serving?
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Annissa Slusher on June 6, 2020 at 1:50 pm
Hi Mary,
I don’t know. I would have to remake the recipe to figure that out. This recipe is on my “re-write” list, but it might be a while.
AnnissaReply
Stacey Bryant on June 16, 2020 at 8:38 am
I can’t believe how delicious this is! Even not low carb, I think I would take this over the traditional gravy with flour. I have been making biscuits with Carbquick… I feel like I am eating the real thing! Biscuits and gravy!
Thank you for bringing this into my life lolReply
Annissa Slusher on June 18, 2020 at 4:06 pm
Thanks so much!
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Stephanie on June 26, 2020 at 7:08 pm
Just made this sausage gravy for the second time. It is absolutely delicious!
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Jennifer cornman on July 6, 2020 at 10:52 pm
Can you use half and half in stead of heavy cream I’m watching my calories and carbs
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Annissa Slusher on July 10, 2020 at 9:17 am
Half and half would not thicken the same way that heavy whipping cream does. You would need to use more thickener. Xanthan gum can get a weird texture if you use too much, so I would recommend glucomannan. You would need to do a bit of trial and error to get the amount right. My guess is that a teaspoon added with the xanthan gum would do the trick.
-Annissa
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Cherie on October 24, 2020 at 7:53 pm
I would like to try this sausage gravy tomorrow morning. Could I substitute heavy cream with unsweetened almond milk?
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Annissa Slusher on October 25, 2020 at 1:06 pm
The heavy cream helps to thicken this gravy. You might be able to use a cream made from cashews.
-AnnissaReply
Lori G on October 26, 2020 at 12:50 pm
OMG! This recipe was sent from heaven!! I can’t get over the taste. It’s BETTER than traditional gravy. The chicken stock gave it SO much more flavor. KETO friends, this is amazing I promise you will NOT be disappointed. I made a breakfast bowl, 2 eggs, 1/8 cheese and put this gravy over it, WOW is all I can say!! Thank you Annissa for sharing this recipe with the rest of the world. I’m hooked on your site. I’m excited to try every recipe now.
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Annissa Slusher on October 27, 2020 at 10:29 pm
Lori,
You just made my day. Thank you for your kind words.
-AnnissaReply
Sid on November 6, 2020 at 10:20 am
No. Heavy cream is higher in carbs than milk. Chicken broth is the wrong flavor and color.. Use almond milk (1 g per cup).The sausage overrides the almond flavor and you can’t taste the almond. The gravy is white like it should be. The xantham gum is a good idea though. Flour has 6 grams carbs per tbsp. My tecipe requires 2 tbsp, for 12 grams. That’s too high, so next time I make this Imma use xantham gum.
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Annissa Slusher on November 8, 2020 at 3:21 pm
I’m not sure I agree with all of these points, but publishing it anyway. Most people enjoy this recipe as written.
-AnnissaReply
Krystal Luna on February 12, 2021 at 1:51 pm
Flavor is ok. Definitely missing something, but can’t quite put my finger on it. Definitely too thin for my liking. I will have to play around with this recipe to make it thicker. I even ended up using 1 whole tsp of xanthan gum. Maybe I will try less chicken stock, also for my opinion there is too much sausage. I would probably half that as well. I am a person who likes THICK gravy. Not real chunky either.
I used these 1 carb puff bunz from a Kroger store as well.Reply
Annissa Slusher on February 14, 2021 at 9:38 am
Sounds like either you didn’t cook it long enough to thicken or perhaps you just had different expectations. Not everyone likes the same thing.
-AnnissaReply
Patty on February 27, 2021 at 8:17 am
Made this gravy over a month ago, and oh my goodness was it delicious!! The flavor that the chicken stock brings to the gravy definitely makes it stand out. I also love the addition of the fresh sage. I’m so glad I found a gravy that wasn’t made with cream cheese. I’m making it again this morning and can’t wait to devour it!!
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Annissa Slusher on February 28, 2021 at 1:54 pm
Thanks for sharing your opinion! I really appreciate it!
-AnnissaReply
Helene on March 6, 2021 at 4:35 pm
This was amazing; it’s actually better than traditionally made sausage gravy. I didn’t have sage leaves so I used ground sage and a dash of adobo (the ethnicity side in me) and it added the perfect depth to the flavor. Thank you for sharing this simple but great dish!
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Terri Hutson on September 18, 2021 at 4:28 pm
I made this today. I’m a southern gal to the soles of my feet! It was just ok. But i really tasted the chicken. So not a breakfast gravy for us. If I make it again I’ll eliminate the chicken stock/broth and use water or more cream. It Sophie be fine over a chicken & biscuit. But not as a breakfast gravy. Also a bit salty with the added salt. Stock has plenty of salt already.
In true southern sausage gravy you and brown your flour in the sausage grease which also adds flavor. Any thoughts on what could be used instead?
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Annissa Slusher on September 20, 2021 at 3:26 pm
Hi Terri,
It sounds like you used a highly salted (and perhaps highly flavored) chicken broth rather than a chicken stock. In response to the second part of your question–I wonder if glucomannon could be used instead of flour. I use this in some other recipes and find it works well to thicken sauces and stews. You could definitely brown it in the sausage grease.
-AnnissaReply
Precious on October 3, 2021 at 1:14 pm
This turned out very well! We get our biscuits from a bakery that offers keto items so I just had to make this gravy and heat up my biscuits in the oven. Very easy and very delicious.
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Annissa Slusher on October 15, 2021 at 10:43 am
How lucky you are to have a bakery like that!
-AnnissaReply
Lane on October 3, 2021 at 5:35 pm
Already made the biscuits. Will make the gravy and have it for dinner tonight. Looking forward to it. Glad I came across your site.
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David on April 4, 2022 at 9:59 am
The gravy was awesome. Since I’m watching my carbs, I forego the biscuits and put the gravy over my eggs: scrambled or omelette. I am one happy camper. Thank you for the recipe
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Robert Marshall on April 20, 2023 at 12:27 pm
This was GREAT!!! I cut the recipe in half; except for the Red Pepper Flakes. Gave it a nice kick to it!! 🙂 Also, served it over some store bought KETO dinner rolls, rather than made biscuits. Now have a portion in the fridge either for dinner, or for tomorrow’s breakfast. Haven’t decided which. 🙂
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