This easy Biscuits and Sausage Gravy recipe is a traditional Southern breakfast that has been loved for generations. Fluffy homemade buttermilk biscuits are smothered in a creamy pork sausage country gravy for down-home comfort food that's delicious any time of day!
Biscuits and Sausage Gravy is a classic Southern breakfast staple -- for a good reason! This hearty, inexpensive and simple meal comes together easily and will keep you satisfied for hours. You'll be excited to get out of bed on a lazy Sunday morning when you know that a plate of creamy sausage gravy and biscuits are just minutes away...
Southern Biscuits and Sausage Gravy:
Traditional Biscuits and Gravy is a Southern breakfast dish that consists of soft dough biscuits smothered in a rich, creamy gravy. The gravy is made from the drippings of pork sausage, along with flour, milk, and the bits of cooked sausage.
How to make Biscuits and Gravy from Scratch:
While the ingredients are basic and the instructions are simple, this is a two-step process. First I'll show you how to make my Great Aunt Bee's 3-Ingredient Flakiest Buttermilk Biscuits (the easiest and most basic biscuit recipe I know), and then I'll show you how to make a traditional country gravy with sausage grease. Let's get started!
Ingredients for Sausage Gravy and Biscuits:
- Self-rising flour: includes the leavening for the biscuit dough
- Butter: for the flakiest buttermilk biscuits
- Buttermilk: a key ingredient to help the biscuits rise and to keep the dough tender
- Pork sausage: it's best with bulk pork sausage (spicy or mild is fine), but you can also use chopped bacon or other ground meat
- All-purpose flour: to thicken the gravy
- Whole milk: or sub with half-and-half or cream for a rich, creamy gravy
- Seasonings: salt and pepper, plus optional parsley, rosemary or thyme
Step 1: Make the Buttermilk Biscuits
First, cut the butter into the self-rising flour by using a pastry cutter, two knives, a food processor, or by grating a stick of frozen butter right into the bowl.
Add the buttermilk just until a soft dough comes together.
Transfer the dough to a floured surface, cut out the biscuits, and then arrange with the sides touching in a pan. Brush the tops with melted butter just before they go in the oven.
Bake the biscuits in a 425 degree F oven for about 16-20 minutes, or until they're a light golden brown on top and they're cooked through.
Step 2: Prepare the Southern Sausage Gravy Recipe
While the biscuits are in the oven, you'll have just the right amount of time to make the gravy! First, brown the sausage in a skillet. Then use a slotted spoon to remove the sausage, leaving the drippings in the pan.
You should have about ¼ cup of drippings left in the skillet. If you have less than that, add some butter to equal about ¼ cup. Then make a roux by whisking the flour into the hot drippings and cooking over low heat for a couple of minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk and cook for 5-7 more minutes. The mixture should be thick and creamy.
Stir the cooked sausage back into the skillet and season with salt and pepper.
Step 3: Serve the Homemade Biscuits and Sausage Gravy!
Split open a warm biscuit, smother it with the hot gravy, garnish with fresh herbs, and dig in! It's a bite of breakfast heaven...
What goes with Sausage Gravy and Biscuits?
Serve this dish for breakfast or brunch, or even as a weeknight dinner. Depending on the meal, there are a number of side dishes that pair well with this comfort food classic.
Here are some options to serve with the biscuits and sausage gravy for breakfast:
- Eggs (scrambled, poached or fried)
- Fresh fruit or a Honey Lemon Fruit Salad, 5-Ingredient Baked Apples, or Southern Fried Apples
- Blueberry Banana Smoothie
- Crustless Quiche with Spinach
- Bacon
- Two-Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins, Easy Blueberry Muffins or Bran Muffins
And here's what goes with Biscuits and Sausage Gravy for dinner:
- Southern Collard Greens
- Sauteed Kale with Bacon
- Bacon
- Creamed Spinach
- Creamed Peas
- A simple green side salad
Preparation and Storage Tips - Southern Biscuits and Gravy:
- Make Ahead: You can bake the biscuits in advance, let them cool, and store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days, or freeze buttermilk biscuits for up to 2 months.
- How to reheat biscuits: Warm the biscuits in a 350 degree F oven just until heated through (about 5-10 minutes).
- While the gravy is best served immediately, you can reheat leftover sausage gravy. Place the gravy in a skillet and warm slowly over a very low temperature. Whisk vigorously once it comes to a boil in order to mix the ingredients back together. If the gravy seems too thick, you can add a splash of milk at a time until it reaches the desired consistency.
- Don't have buttermilk for the biscuits? You can make your own buttermilk at home by stirring 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar into 1 cup of milk. Let it sit for 5 minutes, and then use in the recipe as instructed.
- Don't have self-rising flour? You can make 1 cup of self-rising flour by placing 1 cup of all-purpose flour in a bowl. Whisk in 1 teaspoon of baking powder and ¼ teaspoon of salt. This recipe calls for 2 cups of self-rising flour, so you would need to combine 2 cups of all-purpose flour with 2 teaspoons of baking powder and ½ teaspoon of salt.
Cook's Tips and Recipe Variations:
- Instead of biscuits, try serving the sausage gravy over hash browns, toast, fried breakfast potatoes or grits.
- For a spicy gravy, use hot pork sausage and add a dash of cayenne to the gravy.
- Swap out the pork sausage for an equal amount of ground beef, or use a different type of sausage (such as turkey sausage or Italian sausage).
- Add even more flavor to the gravy with additional fresh herbs such as parsley, thyme and rosemary.
- I prefer the gravy when it's made with whole milk; however, you can also substitute with half-and-half or heavy cream. Use 2% milk or skim milk in a pinch, but the gravy will not have the same rich, thick consistency with the lower fat liquids.
- You can use a pastry cutter or two knives to cut the butter into the flour when making your biscuits. A food processor also works, or try this tip from my dad: freeze a stick of butter, then grate the butter directly into the flour.
- It's important to keep the biscuit ingredients very cold in order for the biscuits to stay tender and flakey and to ensure a high rise in the oven.
More easy breakfast recipes that you might enjoy:
- Biscuits and Gravy Casserole
- Sausage Hash Brown Casserole
- Baked Sausage and Cheese Omelet
- Easy Overnight Breakfast Casserole with Sausage and Bacon
- Sausage Balls from Bisquick
Biscuits and Sausage Gravy
Ingredients
For the Biscuits:
- 2 cups self-rising flour
- ¼ cup very cold butter, diced and chilled, plus additional for brushing
- ⅔ - ¾ cup very cold buttermilk (or more, as necessary)
For the Sausage Gravy:
- 1 lb. bulk pork sausage
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 ¼ cups whole milk, warmed
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Optional garnish: chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
Make the Biscuits:
- Preheat the oven to 425° F. Spray an 8-inch or 9-inch round pan with a light coat of cooking spray and set aside.
- Place flour in a large bowl. Use a pastry cutter, two knives, or a food processor to work the butter into the flour until the lumps are about the size of peas.
- Slowly add ⅔ cup of buttermilk, and use a wooden spoon or spatula to stir until a soft dough forms. Add small amounts of buttermilk slowly, as needed, until the dough comes together. Stop stirring or pulsing as soon as you have a soft dough (be careful not to over-mix the dough).
- Flour a work surface. Place dough onto floured surface and knead it once or twice. If the dough is sticky, feel free to sprinkle it with more flour, as needed.
- Pat the dough out until it’s about ¾" thick.
- Use a 3-inch round biscuit cutter to cut out the individual biscuits. Firmly press the cutter down into the dough, but do not twist. Twisting the biscuit cutter seals off the edges of the biscuits and they therefore will not rise as high. Arrange biscuits (with sides touching) in the prepared pan. Brush the tops of the biscuits with about 1 tablespoon of melted butter.
- Bake for 16-20 minutes, or until they're a light golden brown.
- Serve biscuits warm with gravy.
Prepare the Gravy while the Biscuits are in the Oven:
- Cook the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon. When the sausage is no longer pink, use a slotted spoon to remove the cooked sausage to a plate lined with paper towels (leave the drippings in the skillet). You should have about ¼ cup of drippings. If you sausage is leaner, you may need to add butter to the skillet to equal ¼ cup of fat.
- Whisk the flour into the hot drippings until smooth. Cook over medium heat for 2 minutes, whisking constantly.
- Slowly whisk in the milk and cook for 5-7 more minutes, whisking constantly, until thick and bubbly. Stir in the cooked sausage; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve immediately over warm biscuits.
Notes
- Instead of biscuits, try serving the sausage gravy over hash browns, toast, fried breakfast potatoes or grits.
- For a spicy gravy, use hot pork sausage and add a dash of cayenne to the gravy.
- Swap out the pork sausage for an equal amount of ground beef, or use a different type of sausage (such as turkey sausage or Italian sausage).
- Add even more flavor to the gravy with additional fresh herbs such as parsley, thyme and rosemary.
- I prefer the gravy when it's made with whole milk; however, you can also substitute with half-and-half or heavy cream. Use 2% milk or skim milk in a pinch, but the gravy will not have the same rich, thick consistency with the lower fat liquids.
- You can use a pastry cutter or two knives to cut the butter into the flour when making your biscuits. A food processor also works, or try this tip from my dad: freeze a stick of butter, then grate the butter directly into the flour.
- It's important to keep the biscuit ingredients very cold in order for the biscuits to stay tender and flakey and to ensure a high rise in the oven.
- Don't have buttermilk for the biscuits? You can make your own buttermilk at home by stirring 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar into 1 cup of milk. Let it sit for 5 minutes, and then use in the recipe as instructed.
- Don't have self-rising flour? You can make 1 cup of self-rising flour by placing 1 cup of all-purpose flour in a bowl. Whisk in 1 teaspoon of baking powder and ¼ teaspoon of salt. This recipe calls for 2 cups of self-rising flour, so you would need to combine 2 cups of all-purpose flour with 2 teaspoons of baking powder and ½ teaspoon of salt.
I made the biscuits from this recipe - wow. So good! First time for me making homemade biscuits and it will definitely be a repeat! Thank you!!
Yay! I'm so glad that your first homemade biscuit recipe was a success! Thanks for letting me know, Emily!