Effortless Instant Pot Sausage Gravy

Instant Pot sausage gravy is a true culinary delight, perfect for elevating your Thanksgiving or Christmas breakfast spread. This rich, creamy, and savory gravy pairs exceptionally well with fluffy Bisquick biscuits, creating a classic comfort food experience that’s hard to beat. Whether you prefer using fresh ground sausage or have some flavorful leftovers, this recipe is adaptable for any pressure cooker, including your Ninja Foodi. Get ready to transform your morning meal into an unforgettable feast with minimal effort!

Effortless Sausage Gravy in Your Pressure Cooker

If you’re like me, your Instant Pot (IP) or Ninja Foodi is a daily workhorse in the kitchen, churning out fantastic Ninja Foodi recipes and more. This savory sausage gravy side dish is so incredibly good and easy that you might just bid farewell to your stovetop gravy-making days forever! While grandma’s traditional methods certainly have their charm, modern pressure cooking allows us to achieve deep flavors and perfect textures in a fraction of the time, making gourmet comfort food more accessible than ever.

Sure, you could opt for a plain, packaged gravy loaded with preservatives to pour over your mashed potatoes or biscuits. But why settle when homemade is so much better and surprisingly simple? Crafting a delicious pressure cooker gravy from scratch requires only a little extra effort but delivers a vastly superior taste and quality that store-bought versions simply can’t match. It’s an investment in flavor that truly pays off!

Crafting Delicious Ninja Foodi Sausage Gravy

When it comes to ground sausage, there’s a fantastic variety to choose from, each offering its own unique flavor profile. Jimmy Dean is a personal favorite for its consistent quality and delicious taste, available in three popular types: regular, maple, and hot. You’ll typically find these conveniently located near the bacon in your grocery store. For an extra layer of complexity and flavor, I often combine half a roll of hot sausage with half a roll of regular. This blend offers a delightful kick without being overwhelmingly spicy.

Any unused portions of sausage can be easily packaged in a freezer bag and saved for future culinary endeavors, like our savory Instant Pot sausage and rice casserole. Ground sausage is incredibly versatile, making it a staple in many kitchens. If you prefer, you can also use breakfast sausage links, simply removing the casings before browning to incorporate into your gravy.

Essential Ingredients for Your Instant Pot Sausage Gravy

Crafting a truly memorable sausage gravy requires a few simple yet essential ingredients. The quality of each component contributes significantly to the final, rich flavor. Here’s what you’ll need:

1. Ground Sausage: While any ground sausage will work, I highly recommend a spicy variety like Jimmy Dean for an extra depth of flavor. Original ground sausage is also an excellent choice if you prefer a milder taste.
2. Beef Broth (or Chicken Broth): This liquid forms the flavorful base of your gravy. Beef broth offers a robust, savory profile, but chicken broth can be used for a slightly lighter touch. Avoid water, as it lacks the necessary flavor.
3. All-Purpose Flour: Flour is the key thickening agent, transforming the broth and sausage drippings into a luxuriously creamy gravy.
4. Milk: Whole milk provides the richest, most decadent texture. For a dairy-free alternative, unsweetened cashew milk is an excellent choice, offering a creamy consistency without compromising flavor.
5. Butter: A touch of butter adds richness and helps create that desirable smooth, velvety finish. Plant-based butter alternatives work perfectly for those with dietary restrictions.
6. Salt and Pepper: These seasonings are crucial for balancing the flavors. I advise adding them at the very end, tasting as you go. Ground pork sausage often comes pre-seasoned, so you might find little to no additional salt and pepper are needed.

Delicious Variations and Flavorful Enhancements

Gravy is wonderfully versatile, and there are many ways to customize this Instant Pot sausage gravy to suit your taste or dietary needs. For a delightful vegetarian option, explore the rich flavors of our onion gravy recipe, which offers a robust and savory alternative without meat.

If you’re looking to elevate the meat-based version, consider using flavorful drippings from other roasted meats. Our chicken dripping gravy is absolutely divine, and you can certainly substitute those precious pan juices for the bottled broth in this recipe for an even richer, more complex flavor profile. Experimenting with different liquids and seasonings can truly transform your gravy into a unique culinary masterpiece.

Crafting Instant Pot Sausage Gravy: The Cooking Process

When it comes to the liquid base for your gravy, the choice is yours, but for optimal flavor, I strongly advise against using plain water. Water dilutes the taste, whereas a good broth enriches it. While I typically use beef broth for a deep, savory flavor, chicken broth is an excellent alternative if that’s what you have on hand or prefer. I often reach for whatever broth is already open in my fridge or readily available in the pantry.

The first crucial step is to sauté your Instant Pot sausage directly in the pot. Thanks to the natural fat content in most ground sausage, you won’t need to add any additional oil for browning. This is also a fantastic opportunity to add some finely diced onions, allowing them to soften and caramelize alongside the sausage, infusing the gravy with an extra layer of aromatic flavor. Once the sausage is beautifully browned, turn off the sauté function.

Next, it’s time to deglaze your pressure cooker. This essential step involves adding a splash of broth to the hot pot and using a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up any browned bits that have stuck to the bottom. These “fond” bits are packed with incredible flavor and are key to a rich gravy. More importantly, deglazing prevents the dreaded “burn” notice from appearing on your Instant Pot screen, ensuring a smooth cooking process.

Don’t worry if you notice a little bit of pink remaining on the edges of the sausage after browning, as seen in the images. This isn’t the final cooking stage; the sausage will continue to cook perfectly during the pressure cooking cycle, ensuring it’s thoroughly done and safe to eat.

You’ll primarily utilize two functions on your Instant Pot for this recipe: the sauté function for browning the sausage and the high-pressure cook function for a brief period, followed by a quick release of pressure. If you’re preparing this hearty sausage gravy for a large gathering, you can keep it warm directly in the Instant Pot after it’s done. Simply remove the lid and leave it plugged in on the “Keep Warm” setting. This will gently maintain its temperature for up to an hour, ensuring it’s perfectly ready when your guests are.

Feel free to prepare your other Instant Pot side dishes without worry; this sausage gravy will patiently await its turn, staying deliciously warm and ready to serve.

Both milk and beef broth are essential for achieving the perfect consistency and flavor. The amounts provided in the recipe card below are recommended, but remember you can always adjust them to suit your personal preference for thickness and taste. Below is a quick step-by-step overview, with more detailed ingredient measurements and instructions available in the printable recipe card.

Step-by-Step: How to Make Instant Pot Sausage Gravy

1. To ensure an easier cleanup, begin by lightly spraying the inside of your Instant Pot with non-stick cooking spray. Select the “Sauté” function on your Instant Pot, add 1 tablespoon of butter, and allow it to melt completely.
2. Add the ground sausage to the pot and brown it thoroughly, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon or spatula until no pink remains. Once browned, add the remaining butter and let it melt into the sausage.
3. Turn off the Instant Pot. Using your wooden spoon or spatula, carefully scrape any browned, stuck-on meat bits from the bottom of the pot. This deglazing step is crucial for both flavor and preventing the “burn” notice.
4. Add the beef broth, all-purpose flour, salt, and pepper to the pot. Stir well until the sausage is evenly coated with the flour mixture, then pour in the milk.
5. Secure the lid on your Instant Pot, ensuring the steam release valve is set to the “Sealing” position. Select “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” on high pressure and set the timer for 2 minutes. Once cooking is complete, perform a quick release of the pressure. Serve your delicious sausage gravy immediately and enjoy!

Delicious Gravy Options Without Meat

While our sausage gravy is a holiday favorite, we also have fantastic options for those who prefer gravy without meat. For a holiday meal, a smoother, incredibly flavorful gravy can be made using your rich turkey drippings. This version is remarkably amazing and offers a refined taste that perfectly complements any festive spread.

The Best Jimmy Dean Sausage Gravy in Your Pressure Cooker

Isn’t it remarkable how quickly and effortlessly this rich Jimmy Dean sausage gravy comes together in your pressure cooker? Once it’s ready, it’s time to serve it generously over freshly baked, homemade air fryer biscuits, which we make quite often for their perfect golden-brown crispness. Simply load a few warm biscuits onto your plate, and then with a fork, spoon a generous amount of that delightful sausage gravy right over the top. It’s an absolutely heavenly combination that’s guaranteed to warm you from the inside out, especially on a chilly, snowy day!

Planning a get-together and want to keep your delicious gravy warm for an extended period? I recommend transferring it into a slow cooker and setting it to the “Warm” function. Slow cookers are ideal for maintaining a consistent temperature, and many come with convenient glass lids, allowing you to peek inside without losing heat.

Reheating Gravy in an Instant Pot: A Quick Guide

If you find yourself with any delicious leftovers, store them properly in a sealed container in your refrigerator for up to a few days. Reheating is a breeze! You can easily warm up your gravy in the microwave, or for a seamless experience, use your Instant Pot again. Simply set the Instant Pot to the “Sauté” function on a low setting and warm the gravy directly in the pot. For an even easier cleanup later, I suggest lightly spraying the pot with a bit of non-stick spray before adding the leftover gravy. Stir occasionally until it’s heated through to your desired temperature.