Whether it's biscuits & gravy for breakfast, or smothered chicken fried steak, the perfect accompaniment to any Southern comfort meal is this creamy, Southern white pepper gravy. It's savory, delicious, and simple to make!

Why You Will Love This Recipe
If you'd like a bit of traditional Southern flavor to your next meal, than you'll love this simple recipe for homemade country style white pepper gravy. This creamy white pepper gravy is perfect for smothering over fried chicken, diced potatoes, country-fried steak, or even just a stack of hot biscuits.
- Delicious. This humble Southern white gravy recipe is delicious.
- Comforting. White pepper gravy is a classic soul food, warming, comforting, and soothing to the senses.
- Economical. This old fashioned country gravy is inexpensive, and can even be made with bacon or sausage drippings.
- Versatile. Smother your biscuits, waffles, chicken, steak, or anything you please this this white pepper gravy. It's even delicious on mashed potatoes!
Jump to:
- Why You Will Love This Recipe
- White Pepper Gravy Ingredients
- How to Make Southern White Gravy
- Serving Suggestions
- Related Recipes
- Substitutions and Variations
- Equipment
- Storage and Reheating
- Tips for Success
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Food Safety
- Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love
- Connect with Smells Like Delish!
- 📖 Recipe
White Pepper Gravy Ingredients
To make this homemade white pepper gravy, you'll simply cook and crumble some bulk sausage, saute in some flour, add milk and ground black pepper, and simmer until thickened.
It's easy, super tasty, and takes just minutes to prepare.
- Sausage - In the bulk chub.
- Flour - All purpose flour.
- Milk - Whole milk for the creamiest texture.
- Black pepper - Fine, ground black pepper.
- Salt - If needed. The sausage is salty enough that you may not need additional salt.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Southern White Gravy
Southern white gravy is popular year round, but it's especially popular during the colder months with biscuits, eggs, and fried potatoes for a hearty, country style breakfast.
Fry Up The Sausage
- In a large skillet, cook the sausage over medium high heat until there's no pink left in the sausage.
Add Flour and Milk
- Once the sausage has cooked and is broken down into crumbles, whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Slowly whisk in the milk, a little at a time, until the gravy is smooth.
- Whisk in the ground black pepper so that it's mixed in well.
Cook The White Pepper Gravy
- Turn the heat to low and bring the gravy to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Simmer To Thicken
- After the gravy has thickened, remove from the heat and serve over biscuits, eggs, potatoes, or meats.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this homemade white pepper gravy with our Crisco Biscuits, or Air fryer Diced Potatoes, or Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Tenders for a quick meal. You'll love it with our Instant Pot Bob Evan's Mashed Potatoes also.
There's something about a warm, comforting plate of biscuits and gravy that just hits the spot on a cold winter day. For some additional ideas using this homemade white pepper gravy, see our recipes for:
- Air Fryer Pork Chops (No Breading)
- Panko Crusted Chicken
- Cajun Fried Corn
- Collard Greens In The Crockpot
- Cast Iron Flank Steak
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Related Recipes
Substitutions and Variations
Here are a few delicious variations when making this white pepper gravy recipe.
- Instead of all-purpose flour, you can use cornstarch or potato starch.
- For a vegetarian gravy, omit the sausage and use vegetable broth or non dairy milk instead of whole milk.
- To add more flavor, you can add a pinch of cayenne pepper, garlic powder, or onion powder.
Equipment
Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. Below are some of my favorite pieces of equipment that I use when making this white pepper gravy recipe.
Storage and Reheating
- Store the gravy in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freeze the gravy in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
- To reheat, thaw frozen gravy overnight in the refrigerator. Then, reheat it gently over low heat until warmed through.
Tips for Success
- For a richer gravy, use whole milk.
- For a thinner gravy, increase the amount of milk.
- To prevent the gravy from clumping, make sure to whisk constantly while cooking.
Frequently Asked Questions
If your gravy tastes like flour, it's likely because you didn't cook the flour long enough. The flour should be cooked until it's light brown and has a nutty aroma.
If the gravy is too thin, cook it for a little longer. You can also add a little more flour. Just be sure to whisk the flour together with a little cold water before adding it to the gravy, so that it doesn't clump up.
If you don't have any milk, you can use vegetable broth or water instead.
Food Safety
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat.
- Wash hands after touching raw meat.
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
- Never leave cooking food unattended.
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds.
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove.
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love
Connect with Smells Like Delish!
📖 Recipe
Southern White Pepper Gravy
Equipment
Ingredients
- 16 oz sausage bulk, chub
- ⅓ cup flour
- 2½ cup milk whole
- 1 tablespoon black pepper fine ground
- ½ teaspoon salt if needed
Instructions
- In a large skillet, cook the sausage over medium high heat until there's no pink left in the sausage. Crumble it while it cooks.16 oz sausage
- Once the sausage has cooked and is broken down into crumbles, whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.⅓ cup flour
- Slowly whisk in the milk, a little at a time, until the gravy is smooth.2½ cup milk
- Whisk in the ground pepper.1 tablespoon black pepper
- Turn the heat to low and bring the gravy to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add salt if needed after tasting.½ teaspoon salt
- After the gravy has thickened, remove from the heat and serve over biscuits, eggs, potatoes, or meats.
Video
Notes
- For a richer gravy, use whole milk.
- For a thinner gravy, increase the amount of milk.
- To prevent the gravy from clumping, make sure to whisk constantly while cooking.
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