One Biscuit & Sausage Gravy Recipe

Preheat and prepare

Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.

Mix dry ingredients

In a small bowl, whisk together 1 cup all-purpose flour, 2 tsp baking powder, and 1 tsp salt until evenly combined.

Cut in butter

Cut 2 tbsp cold unsalted butter into small pieces and use a fork or pastry cutter to work the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized bits of butter remaining.

Add buttermilk and form dough

Pour in 1/4 cup cold buttermilk and stir gently with a fork until the dough just comes together. Do not overmix; it should be slightly shaggy but cohesive. If very dry, add up to 1 tbsp more buttermilk.

Shape and bake

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a roughly 3/4-inch thick circle. Fold the dough over itself once or twice and gently press again to create layers. Using a 2 1/2 to 3-inch round cutter or the rim of a glass, cut one biscuit and place it on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the top with 1/2 tsp melted butter if desired. Bake in the preheated oven for 10–12 minutes, or until golden brown on top.

Keep warm

When biscuit is done, remove from oven and set aside on a rack. Keep warm while you make the gravy (cover loosely with foil to retain heat).

Cook sausage

While the biscuit bakes (or immediately after placing it in the oven), heat a small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 3 oz ground pork sausage and 1 tsp unsalted butter. Break the sausage into small pieces with a spatula and cook until browned and no longer pink, about 4–5 minutes. Spoon off any excess fat if there is more than about 1 tsp left (leave roughly 1 tsp to help make the roux).

Make roux

Reduce heat to medium-low and sprinkle 1 1/2 tbsp all-purpose flour over the cooked sausage. Stir continuously for about 1 minute so the flour loses its raw taste and combines with the fats to form a paste.

Add liquids

Gradually stir in 1/2 cup whole milk, scraping up browned bits from the pan. If you prefer a thinner gravy, add up to 2 tbsp chicken or vegetable stock in addition to or instead of some milk. Stir constantly until the gravy starts to thicken, 1–2 minutes.

Season and simmer

Season the gravy with 1/4 tsp kosher salt, 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, and 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes if using. Taste and adjust seasoning. Simmer gently for 1–2 minutes until it reaches a creamy, spoonable consistency. If it becomes too thick, add small amounts of milk or stock (1 tbsp at a time) to loosen.

Finish

Remove from heat. If desired, stir in a small pat of butter for shine. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Split the warm biscuit in half. Spoon the hot sausage gravy generously over the two halves so the biscuit soaks up the gravy.

Garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired and serve immediately.