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A roux based gravy made with tomatoes is traditional served over biscuits, but can be served with meatloaf, over rice, or spooned on grits, alongside fish and with some hushpuppies. |
Southern Homestyle Tomato Gravy
Southern Tomato Gravy is another one of our classic southern recipes, that goes great with those Sour Cream Biscuits I just posted a little earlier. Totally different from what our Northeastern Italian neighbors call Sunday Tomato Gravy {what we Down South call Tomato Sauce, or Creole Gravy, or more often, just Spaghetti Sauce} meant for pasta. This tomato gravy is the kind of gravy that us Southerners most traditionally love to eat over hot, and preferably homemade, southern buttermilk biscuits, like we do with our sausage gravy.There are dozens of ways to make tomato gravy - this is just one of them - and, as with most southern gravy, this one starts off with a roux. Now don't freak out about the tomatoes and cast iron thing. I cook everything, including tomato, in my cast iron... with just a couple of very basic "rules." Here, we just need a nice light roux, but you'll still need to keep a close watch over it and stir constantly, making sure to also take in from around the outside edges of the skillet so it doesn't burn. You're going for a nice beige coloring.
From there it's just adding in the veggies, then the tomatoes, and if your tomatoes are nice and juicy, or if you're using home canned diced tomatoes, you may not need any additional liquid, though if I do need to add some, I often like using a little milk. Make some biscuits, or serve this over meatloaf, grits, mashed potatoes and even rice. So good!

Dig in!

If you love tomatoes, you will love tomato gravy spooned over hot biscuits too! Give it a try and while you're at it, grab my recipe for homemade buttermilk biscuits, or mix it up and try these sour cream biscuits instead.
For more of my favorite ways to use fresh, garden tomatoes, visit my page on Pinterest!
If you make this or any of my recipes, I'd love to see your results! Just snap a photo and hashtag it #DeepSouthDish on social media or tag me @deepsouthdish on Instagram!
Recipe: Southern Homestyle Tomato Gravy
From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish
Prep time: 10 min |Cook time: 10 min | Yield: About 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
Instructions
- 3 cups chopped tomatoes, with juices retained (about 3 pounds), or equivalent canned
- 1/4 cup butter or bacon fat
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons finely minced onion
- 2 tablespoons finely minced bell pepper
- 2 teaspoons granulated or brown sugar
- Kosher salt, freshly cracked black pepper and Cajun seasoning, to taste
- 1/2 cup milk or water, only if needed, for desired consistency (see Cook's Notes)
Peel and dice the tomatoes, reserving the juices; set aside. In a large skillet, heat the butter or bacon fat over medium heat; stir in the flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until roux reaches a light beige color. Add the onion and green pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes, continuously stirring. Add tomatoes, sugar and seasonings; simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, adding additional water or milk, only if needed to reach desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Serve over hot biscuits, with meatloaf, over rice, or spooned on grits alongside some fried catfish and with some hushpuppies on the side.
Cook's Note: If using fresh tomatoes that are juicy, or home canned tomatoes, you likely will not need any additional liquid. I love the creaminess from milk, however, plain tap water may also be substituted, if additional liquid is needed. May also substitute 2 (14.5 ounce) cans of stewed/diced tomatoes, undrained, or canned whole tomatoes, undrained, then chopped, for the fresh tomatoes. Use a pair of kitchen shears to chop the tomatoes up right in the can, or squish with your fingers. May also be made without the onion and bell pepper if desired.
Source: http://deepsouthdish.com
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Well Heellloooooo Gorgeous!! Can you believe I've never tried tomato gravy!? I've always wanted to, though...and yours has set my mouth a-waterin'! I've bookmarked it and I'm gonna try it soon :D
ReplyDeleteWEll, Mary, I've never had tomato gravy before. Makes me wonder where I've been! I must say it looks extremely tasty over those homemade biscuits!
ReplyDeleteI need to try this, thanks for posting! I feel a biscuit and gravy meal coming on in our family's near future!
ReplyDeleteHey Mary,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for stopping by my blog. Now that I only have a small amount of comments I can try and visit some of the pages of those who have supported and sent their blessings out to me. I am so thankful of your support. Please tell all the moms and women you know about the new site. If you have a church home, please have them announce it as well. Again, just stopping by to show your page some love sis.
Man that food looks good. We finally found a soul food restaurant in our part of Houston, it was off the hook. Keep it up.
When my daughter was little, she loved me to make "bickets and red sauce". She still asks for it every now and then but she pronounces it correctly now!! I have never put milk in my tomato gravy--I'll have to try that now.
ReplyDeleteSheila in NC
haven't had tomato gravy on years... This looks great...gotta save the recipe...
ReplyDeleteBut a real Southern cook making a roux in an oven??? Hide quick, they will be coming for you
Truthfully, I have never heard of tomato gravy. It must have alluded me (unfortunately) during my 18 month occupation of the South. I admit, I'm a little skeptical of tomato gravy...but that only makes me want to try it more. If it has your endorsement, it must be good. Your recipes have yet to let me down.
ReplyDeleteHope you're having a good weekend!
I think I responded to all of ya at your blog or on email but I gotta address this "challenge" right here in the good ole comments themselves.
ReplyDeleteDave, Dave, Dave, Dave, Dave...
Last time I checked I pretty much think you'd have to classify me as a "real" southern cook considering
I was born and reared about as deep south as one can be, and I haven't been cooking all of my life anywhere BUT the south! So I guess I'd be comin' after myself LOL??!!
So now, don't you go beatin' up on my oven roux till ya at least give her a college try ya hear??! Then you come back here and tell me about it. ;)
P.S. This method ain't exactly unique to me. I learned it from a real southern cook!
this looks really good...Wonder how this would be a swiss steak gravy? We love gravy here at our house...I make it from scratch..like to try this one sometime....
ReplyDeleteI've never seen this before Mary, probably cause I live wayyyyy up here in Pa.! LOL!! Tomatoes are my favorite veggie so I know I'd love this, I have know doubt that it's delicious on biscuits! I love southern recipes, I mean love them. I'm so glad for your blogs so I can see how real southern cooks do it!
ReplyDeleteI grew up eatin catfish, grits and tomato gravy. There is a slight variation that my aunt and grandmother had that differs from your receipe and every other one I have looked up and that is okra, there was always okra in our tomato gravy. I have been looking at receipes cause unfortunately they have both passed away and I dont know their exact receipe, I will be trying your receipe and add the okra and hopefully it will be close, thanks for putting up this receipe and giving me a starting point for hopefully recreating my favorite childhood dish.
ReplyDeleteNow that is my kind of meal!! I need to add an okra and tomato version as a variation here. There are several ways to prepare it, so I hope that you find the one that you remember from your aunt and grandmother!
DeleteGrowing up my mom would make tomato gravy and biscuits. MY FAVORITE MEAL EVER!!! Unfortunately I am the only person in my house that likes tomatoes so I just make it for me :)
ReplyDeleteSame here LaVenia! My husband will eat tomato based sauces but he just doesn't have the same appreciation that I do for fresh tomatoes silly man!!
DeleteMy family always fixed it with the brownings from pork chops then served it over white rice too.
DeleteOh yes, pan drippings make the best of any kind of gravy for sure!
DeleteMy favorite meal growing up!!! Tomato gravy and hot biscuits. This would also be great over rice :).
ReplyDeleteI'm curious - I have a friend who likes Italian style spaghetti sauce, but who has bad reflux. Would this be a lower-acid recipe than regular spaghetti sauce, and could it be made to work acceptably with pasta?
ReplyDeleteHi Ursula & welcome! You know, I really don't know! I don't address dietary restrictions on my site because there are just simply too many, and I really can't speak to GERD or acid reflux & how to adapt recipes to be low acid. I have lots of readers who adapt recipes to specific dietary needs, but I really have no expertise so I leave that up to the individual. I do use sugar to counter acidity of tomatoes in some recipes, so not sure if that's a way that is used with low acid diets or not. Sorry I can't be of more help.
DeleteWould using yellow tomatoes make for a less acid tomato gravy? I seem to remember my parents sometimes used yellow or orange tomatoes. And maybe one could use the yellow tomatoes in speghetti sauce.
DeleteThat's a good point. I don't use yellow or orange tomatoes, and while they aren't necessarily lower in acids, the balance of sugars are higher so they taste milder in that respect.
Deleteoh mary i can not wait for my tomatoe's they are a comin slowly....and i will try the Tomatoe Gravy, sounds great. Thanks Mary your awesome.
ReplyDeleteAw, thanks so much Bev, but I'm just a humble little ole country cook!
Deletesimilar to my moms creamed tomatoes she always made to put over mashed potatoes (minus the green pepper and onion.) Hers had sugar in it. going to have to try this. you had me sold at bacon fat lol
ReplyDeleteEnjoy!
DeleteI made this tomato gravy tonight with rice, smoked pork chops, and green beans. It was a hit with the hubby:)
ReplyDeleteI made this tomato gravy tonight along with rice, green beans, and smoked pork chops. It was a hit with the hubby:)
ReplyDeleteThat is always a good sign Krissy! What a great meal - so glad you enjoyed the tomato gravy with it & thank you so much for taking the time to come back and let me know!
DeleteThis alone was a favorite Summer Supper; quick and doesn't heat the house too much. We made it with home canned tomatoes and butter and just a touch of sugar if the canned tomatoes were not sweet enough. Mom didn't like to bake so we had it ladled over torn pieces of toasted bread.
ReplyDeleteIt's always best with homegrown tomatoes - whether fresh from the garden or home canned!
DeleteMary, my mother made tomato gravy when I was growing up. She started with pan drippings usually from fried streak-o-lean. She would use fresh tomatoes, but I definitely remember her using canned whole tomatoes that she broke up with a fork. She did tell me that the secret to keep it from "clabbering" when you add the milk was to have added a teeny pinch of baking soda.
ReplyDeleteOh that is the BEST Emma! Thanks for the baking soda tip too - appreciate those little secrets!!
DeleteI live in granby Missouri do you know of any restraunts in the area that serve tomato gravy or a home cooked meal would be nice ha
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid I do not, so sorry!
Deletetomato gravy in Missouri any restraunts or a home cooked meal I live near jopln missouri
ReplyDeleteMy 98-year-old grandma always talks about food her mother made, but oddly enough she never picked up on most of the recipes. When I read through your repertoire I recognize most of the recipes, but only by name. I've always been one to try new dishes, whether they are prepared by me or in a restaurant, Right now I'm looking at this one, of course, the biscuit bread, and ham bone soup - a few at a time so I don't get overwhelmed. Granny absolutely loves country food so I insist she join us for supper several nights a week. (She still keeps house & cooks!) Dad just sits back and grins; he will eat anything, but loves beans & cornbread the most.
ReplyDeleteHi Renee & welcome! I'm so glad that you found your way here and I hope that your Grandma will be happy to experience some of my recipes! Please let me know if you have any questions.
DeleteMy mamma always made it when she fried her cubed steaks, and its good along side or on mashed taters, yum!
ReplyDeleteYum indeed Mia!!
DeleteCan I can this?
ReplyDeleteHi Judy! I truly don't know anything about canning gravy, although I would guess home canning is off the table, sorry. You could certainly freeze it though. I'm guessing there would be some separation upon thawing, but once it's headed and whisked back together it should be fine. Of course you could can the tomatoes as usual and then just do the gravy from scratch each time which I think would be far better!
Deleteoops - that should be once it's "heated" not headed
Deletehi mary I wanted to ask the tomato gravy I wanted to use milk and half and half like half of each would that change the taste cause it sounds good 4 breakfast tomorrow
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely!
DeleteMy mother in law used to make this for Christmas eve breakfast. The whole family loved it but she passed away a couple years ago. So I am so happy to find the recipe. I plan on making it with hoe cake.
DeleteThis is the first time ever I've seen a recipe for Tomato Gravy. This has been a staple in our grandma's house from as long as I can remember. Instead of us using canned tomatoes though, we use a can of tomato sauce, and also add in a little chili powder. Either way they both are absolutely delicious.
ReplyDeleteWell, recipes are what we do! :) You'd be surprised how many folks never learned to cook and now find themselves in need of learning the basics, and that's really what this blog is about - teaching!
DeleteWhen tomatoes are in season, that's what I prefer, but canned diced tomatoes sub in fine when those are out of season. Tomato sauce, especially homemade, would be fine if you want a smoother gravy, but I really like the texture of the chopped tomatoes, whether fresh or canned. Chili powder would certainly be a tasty addition to add in a little hint of Tex-Mex!