How You Can Make Canned Sausage Gravy Taste Restaurant-Worthy

For a filling, down-home breakfast, nothing beats a plate of warm, flaky, buttery biscuits topped with rich and creamy sausage gravy. While homemade sausage gravy is delicious, try using the canned version for a quicker turnaround on your buttermilk biscuits and sausage cream gravy recipe. Canned sausage gravy is perfect for when you want a hearty, delicious breakfast without having to spend much time in the kitchen. 

However, as is often the case with canned foods, the taste of canned sausage gravy might not live up to your expectations straight out of the can. But fear not — you can turn bland, boring, under-seasoned sausage gravy into a tasty topping for your biscuits in no time. All you need are some fresh, fragrant ingredients to liven up the flavor and awaken your taste buds. 

Aromatics in cooking are herbs, spices, and vegetables that form the flavor profile of your dish. Fresh aromatics, particularly when cooked in oil or butter, will add luscious, mouthwatering flavor to your canned sausage gravy. The best part is, the base of your gravy is already made, all you need to do is saute some veggies, cut up a few herbs, and sprinkle in some seasoning for a serious upgrade. You can also boost the umami or spicy flavor with sauces you likely already have in your pantry. 

The basic ingredients in sausage gravy include milk, flour, pork sausage, and lots of black pepper, but you can step up the flavor by also incorporating some sauteed mushrooms and onions. Mushrooms are perfect for boosting the extra-tasty umami flavor, while caramelized onions will add a touch of sweetness that pairs perfectly with the salty pork sausage. 

Slice up some fresh mushrooms, like Portobello, white, or Cremini, and a sweet or yellow onion. While prepping and sauteing, try to avoid these common mushroom mistakes everyone needs to stop making. Saute the veggies in butter or oil before adding them to your canned sausage gravy to deliver that super mouthwatering, caramelized flavor. 

In addition to the veggies, adding a few shakes of flavorful sauces is a great way to amp up a boring, canned gravy. For more umami flavor, add a touch of soy sauce or Worcestershire. For an extra kick to your hearty breakfast, add some hot sauce to your gravy (start with just a dash or two and increase if desired). 

You can also squeeze in a small amount of lemon juice to freshen up the flavor and add a touch of acidity. Fresh lemon will work the best, as opposed to bottled lemon juice, for a brighter, more pronounced citrusy flavor. 

Incorporating fresh and fragrant herbs into your canned sausage gravy is a no brainer. Herbs and spices will significantly enhance the aroma, taste, and even the appearance of your store-bought gravy. The key to boosting bland gravy is to use fresh herbs that you chop up yourself instead of the dried, shaken variety.

Fragrant herbs that'll brighten up the flavor of your gravy include rosemary, parsley, basil, sage, and thyme. Keep in mind that in general, soft herbs like basil and parsley can be added toward the end of cooking, while hard herbs like rosemary, sage, and thyme, should ideally be cooked longer to soften the strong, raw flavor. 

Since your canned gravy is already cooked, you can add fresh rosemary (and other hard herbs) and simmer on low, adding the softer herbs like parsley toward the end of heating the gravy. As a bonus, parsley works well as a garnish to brighten up the color of your dish, taking it from boring to restaurant-worthy. 

A good rule of thumb to follow when cooking is to give seasonings a sniff to save yourself from major flavor disappointment. If the seasonings smell like they'll blend well with your sausage gravy, they'll likely taste good in your dish. If the canned gravy tastes under-seasoned, add some salt and plenty of black pepper to give it the signature spiciness it's meant to have. Other flavor-boosting spices include red pepper flakes, seasoned salt, and garlic salt or powder.