Step By Step Instructions For Mom’s Hamburger Gravy
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Mom’s Hamburger Gravy is our go-to dinner when we are short on time and starving. The ingredients for this simple ground beef dish are probably already in your refrigerator and pantry, and you can have dinner on the table in 20 minutes flat.
Ground Beef Gravy
There are some classics that take you back to your childhood. For my family these recipes include Tuna Noodle Casserole, Beef Stew, Cheesy Ham and Potato Casserole, Salmon Patties and this easy hamburger gravy and biscuits recipe.
Instead of making biscuits and gravy with pork sausage, our mom typically made hamburger gravy and biscuits since we always had freezer full of beef. The recipe is simple; it includes staples of flour, salt and pepper, milk, and onions. The other great thing is that this old-fashioned gravy with ground beef takes less than 20 minutes. No wonder Mom made this dish so often.
Hamburger Gravy with Flour and Water
I love how economical this meal of hamburger gravy can be. The hamburger gravy is made with flour, water and milk, although in a bind, the milk could be substituted for water alone.
The main thing to remember is that the flavor is coming solely from onions, salt and pepper. Season the ground beef according to the recipe. If you do not season this dish well, your ground beef gravy will fall flat with the family.
My kids gobble up ground beef gravy just like we did as kids. Who doesn’t love salty, beefy gravy served over biscuits (or toast).
Want a shortcut recipe for hamburger gravy? Try our Hamburger Gravy with Cream of Mushroom Soup!
What can I do with leftover hamburger gravy?
Don’t throw away that leftover hamburger gravy. My frugal grandma taught me to waste not and re-purpose everything! Here are 5 new ways to use leftover hamburger gravy.
- Add frozen peas or other frozen vegetables, heat through and serve over toast.
- Add a tablespoon or two into the center of refrigerated biscuit dough to make turnovers.
- Make sloppy joes by adding a little ketchup, mustard and brown sugar.
- Layer the leftover ground beef gravy in the bottom of a baking dish and top with mashed potatoes to make a shepherd’s pie.
- Add some Velveeta and taco seasoning to make a quick Queso dip!
Mom’s Hamburger Gravy Ingredients
- Ground Beef
- Diced Onions
- Salt
- Black Pepper
- All Purpose Flour
- Milk
- Water
How To Make Easy Hamburger Gravy from scratch
Step By Step Instructions
- Brown ground beef with diced onions in a skillet; season with salt and black pepper to your own taste. If needed, drain the excess grease; be sure to leave a little behind to absorb the flour.
- Stir in flour, cooking for a minute to remove raw flour flavor.
- Slowly add milk while stirring until thickened.
- Add enough water to thin out gravy to desired consistency.
- Serve over biscuits, toast, cooked egg noodles or mashed potatoes.
Storage Instructions
Store cooled leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days.
For the full recipe and ingredient amounts for great hamburger gravy, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Recipe FAQs
- This is a great hamburger gravy recipe! It can be made in less than 20 minutes, and it contains easy ingredients!
- Brown your ground beef in a large skillet like this one. Add the chopped onions in with the ground beef during the browning stage for great flavor.
- Whenever I’m browning up ground beef, I like to add just a little bit of water to the bottom of the skillet to help cook the hamburger and onions.
- It’s up to you on how thick or thin you want your creamed hamburger gravy. Start with 1/2 cup water and increase as desired.
- For more flavor, substitute beef broth for water. Or, add garlic powder, onion powder or Worcestershire sauce to the gravy.
- This easy hamburger gravy is delicious served over biscuits, toast, buttered noodles or mashed potatoes.
Can you freeze gravy that has milk in it?
Yes, any type of gravy can be frozen; however, the texture might not be exactly the same after it thaws, especially if it is a milk-based gravy.
What is hamburger gravy?
Hamburger gravy is an old fashioned staple. It’s a simple milk-based gravy made with ground beef (hamburger), onions, flour, milk and water. To flavor it, season generously with salt and black pepper, onion powder or garlic powder and/or Worcestershire sauce. Hamburger gravy is served over toast, biscuits, mashed potatoes or noodles.
What is the secret to good gravy?
One of the keys to a good gravy is leaving enough grease behind from the meat to give flavor. There’s so much flavor in the grease that comes from the meat as it’s cooking. Don’t throw it out. Use it to absorb the flour.
Other Gravy Recipes
Kids love all things gravy. Here’s three of our favorite gravy dinner options.
Crock Pot Cubed Steak and Gravy
What to eat with ground beef gravy?
Hamburger gravy tastes great over biscuits, toast, buttered noodles or mashed potatoes. If you’re looking for what to serve with hamburger gravy on the side, here’s 5 great side dishes that can be served with hamburger gravy.
Our Mom’s Best Recipes
We share A LOT of our mom’s recipes here. Why? Because we still make them all to this day! Here are some of our favorites:
- Mom’s Tuna Casserole topped with Potato Chips
- Mom’s Poppyseed Bread
- Salmon Patties
- Mom’s Oven Baked Pork Ribs
- Wild Rice and Broccoli Soup – Mom’s Recipe
Mom’s Hamburger Gravy
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2-1 cups water
Instructions
- Brown ground beef in a skillet with onion over medium high heat; season with salt and pepper.
- Add flour and stir, cooking for 30 seconds to a minute to remove raw flour flavor.
- Lower heat to medium low, and slowly add milk stirring constantly until the mixture thickens.
- Gradually add water to thin out the gravy to the desired consistency.
- Serve over biscuits, toast or mashed potatoes.
Notes
- This is a great hamburger gravy recipe! It can be made in less than 20 minutes, and it contains easy ingredients!
- Brown your ground beef in a large skillet. Add the chopped onions in with the ground beef during the browning stage for great flavor.
- Whenever I’m browning up ground beef, I like to add just a little bit of water to the bottom of the skillet to help cook the hamburger and onions.
- It’s up to you on how thick or thin you want your creamed hamburger gravy. Start with 1/2 cup water and increase as desired.
- This easy hamburger gravy is delicious served over biscuits, toast or mashed potatoes.
- Kids love all things gravy. Try Easy Chipped Beef Gravy and Creamed Chipped Beef.
- The nutritional information below is auto-calculated and can vary depending on the products used. It should not be used for specific dietary needs.
Nutrition
Linking up to Meal Plan Monday.

I just LOVE hamburger gravy! We always call is SOS. And we make it exactly the same, but with a couple tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce. Such great comfort food. Usually serve it over toast and some diced skillet potatoes. Mmm….😊
You had me at skillet potatoes! Yum!
We use evaporated milk, cream of mushroom soup, hamburg, onion soup mix and french style green beans, put it on egg noodles or potato. YUM
Sounds like a great version of a classic.
Works just as well with sausage. Maybe better.
Sausage gravy is great too and we grew up with both.
I tried this ,it was very very easy and very good .I brought back memories of when I was around 10 yo when every Sunday before church my dad would take me (not my sisters) to the mess hall on the base ,he was Air Force ,and we ate S.O.S. that tasted just like this gravy .I’ve tried over 10 different recipes looking for that memory ,I’ve found it .Thank you .I’m 62 now my dad’s still alive and i’m going to go make it and enjoy another father & son breakfast like in the good old day’s . Thanks again
What great memories! Thanks for sharing with us.