Stupidly simple homemade gravy!

[SnufkinsSpiritAnimal]

I would love to make a very simple, non fussy but creamy gravy for my homemade vegetable mash.
I don't like the ingredients in the Bisto type granules, but want something similar and convenient.
Could I do this with a stock cube, cornflour, etc?
Most online recipes involve all sorts of herbs, chopping and other bits which I don't have time for, as it is only for lazy days when I have no time.
I am after a quick, easy to knock up gravy.

Is it possible?

do you want more of a white sauce or cheese sauce than a gravy if you want something creamy?

You can buy packet gravy which are powders to which you add water

They taste better if you add an onion and some herbs.

I'd use Marigold Swiss Vegetable Bouillon (most supermarkets stock it next to the stock cubes. Seems expensive but you don't need much and I add it to all sorts of dishes. I'd mix a teaspoon or cornflour with a little cold water and mix to a paste. Make the stock with boiling water. Mix the two together and put in a pan and heat & stir til thickened.

Are you veggie?
a creamy sauce or a rich savoury gravy aren’t the same really.

Thank you!

No, not a veggie, but don't like red meat.
I like the cheap gravies, I just don't like the ingredients. It's just for convenience really, so don't want to start faffing with a 'special' recipes.

Definitely darker, such as the chicken or darker veg types.

Oh and I don't mind if the stock is expensive, so long as is it cupboard storable and the recipe is quick and tasty!

The Ikea-style meatball sauce/gravy recipe is really nice and only a couple of ingredients:

https://www.food.com/recipe/cream-sauce-for-meatballs-ikea-style-424504

You can add less cream (or use milk instead) to make it more gravy-like

I overmake gravy (proper gravy with panscrapings) when I do a sunday roast and freeze portions in chinese takeaway sized tubs to use with midweek dinner like Something and mash.

Original bisto powder - rather than granules - (brown box) is not full of the maltodextrins that the new just add water ones are?
I mix with water I cooked the veggies in.

This was my first thought! I use the same recipe, but make the stock with half veg / half beef stockpots. I also add a little Dijon mustard and some redcurrant jelly.

Ah, thanks, the meatball gravy and the original Bisto look absolutely do-able!

With most other stuff it seems palm oil and palm fat is in everything now, sadly. Along with other issues I can usually taste it and it tends to ruin everything

If you are willing to do some one time prep, you could make the base for gravy and then just pull it out of the freezer when needed. Just roast a bunch of chicken or turkey and use the wonderful pan drippings to go partway to making gravy. You want to do the part where you deglaze the pan, add back in some fat, cook the flour, and then add back in the remaining pan juices. But don’t further dilute with more stock or other ingredients. Once it cools it will be incredibly thick and you can freeze it in small portions to start gravy whenever you want.

I only do homemade gravy on a roast too. Make a roux with the meat juices and some flour/cornflour. Then I use the veg water and add gradually and keep stirring. Then when it's the desired consistency just add gravy browning, pepper and perhaps a bit of salt if you didn't use it when cooking the veg. I guess you could buy a tub of goose fat and veg stock cubes and use those if your not cooking an actual roast.

I've never made a creamy gravy so I do:t know about that but in M&S you can get frozen portions of beef bone broth which make a spectacular gravy.

I won't recommend mil's home made gravy. Gravy salt and hot water from the tap.
Poured directly on Sunday lunch. Veg 3 hours in the pressure cooker...
She wasn't a miss post divorce..

If you over-make gravy you can freeze it and make a Yorkshire pudding one day and have Yorkshire pud and gravy for dinner. This is not an answer to OP's question. It's just a very good idea.

I tend not to do roasts or cook meat very often now, so the quicker methods more likely to suit me. I am usually happy to go the extra mile cooking from scratch but am due to move house and very busy so just want some easy, simple, healthy meals to tide me over for a while.

My DH used to make the most delicious gravy after roasting a chicken, he is also a dab hand at creamy white sauces for fish, but the kitchen is upside down (renovation) and we just can't be arsed right now

The knorr gravy pots are quite good , just mix with water from the veg.

I'd sweat an onion down in lots of butter until it's golden brown
Sprinkle over a spoon of cornflour or flour
Splash of white wine (optional)
Add hot water bit by bit and stir
Sprinkle in some boullion or you can add a stock pot

Ideally you need to start from a point of 'fat' butter and then add flour and liquid.