Gravy Quantity Calculator
Tell us how many are eating and how much gravy they like.
Answer
500 ml of gravy
What you need
- Make more than you think you need. Nobody has ever complained about too much gravy, and it is the one thing you cannot make more of once everyone is sitting down.
- Use the resting juices from the meat and the water the vegetables were cooked in. That is where the flavour is.
- If it is too thin, let it bubble down rather than adding more thickener.
How much per person
Source: Standard UK catering and home-cooking portion guidance · Reviewed 2026-09-10 · Guidance version 1.0.0
Reference and detail
Make more than you need
Gravy is the one thing you cannot conjure up once everyone is seated, and it is the first thing to run out. 125ml per adult is a comfortable standard; 175ml if your family treats gravy as a food group in its own right.
Gravy from the roasting tin
Pour off most of the fat, put the tin on the hob, stir a tablespoon of flour into the sticky brown bits and cook it for a minute. Add the water your vegetables were cooked in, a splash at a time, scraping as you go, then let it bubble and reduce. That caramelised residue is the flavour, no granule can copy it.
Thickening and fixing
Roughly 20g of flour or 25g of granules thickens 500ml. If it is too thin, let it boil down rather than adding more thickener; if it is too thick, loosen it with hot stock. For lumps, a sieve or a stick blender rescues it in seconds and nobody need know.
Questions and answers
Questions about gravy quantities
How much gravy do I need to make for a roast dinner?
It depends on how many people you're serving and how many other sauces or wet dishes are on the plate. Enter your numbers above rather than making a fixed jug regardless of guest count.
Should I make more gravy if I'm using granules instead of a roux?
No, the total liquid volume you need is the same either way. What changes is the amount of granules or flour used to thicken that volume, which the calculator works out for you once you choose your method.
Do I need extra gravy if people are having Yorkshire puddings and stuffing as well as meat and potatoes?
Yes, a meal with several gravy-absorbing items on the plate gets through more gravy than meat and potatoes alone. Allow towards the generous end of the calculator's range for a full roast dinner with all the trimmings.
Can I make gravy ahead of time and reheat it?
Yes, gravy can be made in advance and reheated, which is useful for keeping a Christmas dinner on schedule. Check the meal synchroniser to fit gravy-making around your other roasting and resting times.