Old-Fashioned Southern Tomato Gravy is thick and rich with chunks of tomatoes studded with bits of bacon, onion, and bell pepper. Often served on top of fluffy biscuits and full of tomatoey goodness, this old-fashioned breakfast treat is the stuff legends are made of.
There are as many recipes for tomato gravy as there are tomatoes in the South and every cook that makes it has their own subtle twist. It was often called desperation gravy in lean times because it was usually made with leftover ingredients and whatever happened to be in the pantry.
Why you will love this recipe:
- Tomato gravy is not just for breakfast. It’s versatile and can quickly turn an ordinary meal into an extraordinary one. While it’s delicious served over biscuits, it’s also wonderful on beef or pork roasts, meatloaf, baked chicken or chicken fried steak, fried catfish, or baked fish. It’s also glorious over grits, rice, polenta, and pasta.
- Made with pantry and fridge staples, you can easily change it up or leave out ingredients you might not have on hand.
- It’s also a great way to use up an overabundance of fresh tomatoes from your garden, and it’s just as delicious made with canned when you don’t have fresh tomatoes.
- Easy to make, you can have it on the table in less than twenty minutes.
Here’s what’s in it:
- Tomatoes: the heart of this dish, nutrient-rich tomatoes lend their sweet, tart, tangy flavor and beautiful red color to this flavorful dish.
- Bell pepper and onions: add more layers of flavor and sweet deliciousness to the tomato gravy.
- Bacon: is there any food that is more flavorful than sweet, salty, and smoky bacon? The flavor in this recipe comes not only from the bacon but also from cooking the veggies in the bacon drippings, which elevates their flavor. It’s a win, win!
- Brown sugar: adds a touch of sweetness to the gravy and the right balance of seasoning.
- Flour: is the base for this hearty gravy. It’s an essential element that works to thicken the gravy. Without it, the gravy would be thin and soupy.
- Salt: besides being an essential nutrient, salt enhances both the flavor and texture of this gravy.
Here is how to make it:
- Add bacon to a large skillet over medium heat. Cook for about three minutes and stir frequently.
- Add the bell pepper and onions to the bacon drippings, and continue to cook and stir for another four to five minutes or until the bacon is browned and crispy.
- Sprinkle the flour over the top of the pan drippings, bacon, and veggies.
- Cook and stir for about two minutes or until the flour has turned a light golden brown.
- Slowly add in the chicken stock and continuously whisk until the mixture has thickened, about two minutes.
- Add the brown sugar, tomatoes, and salt and cook while stirring for another two to three minutes.
- Spoon over biscuits and optional garnish with chopped basil. Serve hot.
Frequently asked questions:
How do you make tomato gravy from scratch?
This recipe is a “from-scratch” recipe and is the real deal! No short-cuts here.
Are tomato juice and tomato sauce the same thing?
No, tomato sauce is made from pureed stewed tomatoes. You can strain the liquid from tomato sauce to make tomato juice. You can’t make tomato sauce from tomato juice, and it isn’t a good substitute.
How do I substitute fresh tomatoes for canned tomatoes?
If using fresh tomatoes, you will need about two cups of chopped tomatoes. You will also need to add 1/4 cup of chicken stock.
Variations:
This recipe can be modified depending on what ingredients you have on hand:
- If you don’t have bacon, you will need about two tablespoons of butter, olive oil, or vegetable oil to replace the bacon grease.
- Onions can be frozen or fresh and can be left out altogether if you don’t have them. Same with the bell pepper.
- You can substitute water for the chicken stock or milk diluted with water or tomato juice. If you would like to make your chicken stock, here is a link to my homemade chicken stock.
Sharon’s tips:
- If your gravy looks too thick, feel free to add additional chicken stock or chicken broth until it gets to a consistency you like. You could also add a little white wine instead.
- Leftovers, if you have them, will keep covered in the fridge for up to four days.
- If you don’t want to make homemade biscuits, I like and have used Mrs. B’s Frozen Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits, and they work great in this recipe.
Related recipes:
If you would like to make homemade biscuits to go along with this recipe, here are links to some popular biscuit recipes on my blog: Easy Southern Cheddar Biscuits, Cornmeal, and Sweet Potato Biscuits.
Other breakfast recipes you might like too, include:
- Easy Crispy Southern Fried Potatoes
- Ultimate Blueberry Bread with Lemon Glaze
- Easy Hoecakes aka Fried Cornbread or Johnnycakes
- Butterscotch Pecan Monkey Bread
- Spinach Bacon Quiche with Tomatoes
If you need more ideas or menu suggestions, check out all of my breakfast recipes here.
More tomato recipes:
If you like tomatoes as we do, you might also like these easy recipes: Southern Fried Green Tomatoes, Southern Sweet and Spicy Tomato Jam, Tomato Cobbler with Cornmeal Cheddar Biscuits, and Easy Baked Fresh Tomato Casserole.
Here is a link to all of my breakfast or brunch recipes if you need more menu ideas or suggestions.
★ If you make this dish, please leave a comment and give this recipe a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it!
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Southern Tomato Gravy Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 pieces bacon finely chopped
- ¼ cup finely chopped green bell pepper about ⅓ of a large bell pepper
- ¼ cup finely chopped onion
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil optional garnish
- Optional: biscuits for serving
Instructions
- Add bacon to a large skillet over medium heat. Cook for about three minutes and stir frequently. Add the bell pepper and onions and continue to cook and stir for another four to five minutes or until the bacon is browned and crispy.
- Sprinkle the flour over the top and cook and stir for about two minutes until the flour has turned a light golden brown.
- Slowly add in the chicken stock and continuously whisk until the mixture has thickened, about two minutes.
- Add the brown sugar, tomatoes, and salt and cook while stirring for another two to three minutes.
- Spoon over biscuits and optional garnish with chopped basil. Serve hot.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
I made something similar to this to serve with shrimp and grits (it was called “tomato gravy”, too, btw) for a brunch. I was serving pescatarians, so I use chorizo meatless crumbles instead of the bacon, and added some Old Bay seasoning, and a tad of dry white wine to bring out the tomato flavor. It was amazing!
Perfect over meatloaf!