Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
  • 1 large onion, roughly chopped (approx. 200g)
  • 2 carrots, roughly chopped (approx. 150g)
  • 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped (approx. 100g)
  • 8 oz (225g) cremini mushrooms, quartered
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp (15 ml) tomato paste
  • 1/4 cup (30g) all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups (950 ml) vegetable broth (low sodium preferred)
  • 1 tbsp (15ml) soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp (5g) Marmite (or other yeast extract)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Toss the onion, carrots, celery, mushrooms, and garlic with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread in a single layer in the roasting pan. Roast for 30 minutes, or until vegetables are softened and slightly caramelized, stirring halfway through.
  2. Transfer roasted vegetables to the saucepan. Add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in the flour and cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the flour is golden brown and the mixture starts to smell nutty (this is your roux!).
  3. Gradually whisk in the vegetable broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, Marmite, bay leaf, and thyme. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, or until the gravy has thickened slightly.
  4. Remove the bay leaf. Use an immersion blender (or carefully transfer to a regular blender) to blend the gravy until smooth.
  5. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If the gravy is too thick, add more vegetable broth to reach desired consistency. Serve hot.