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Southern Biscuits and Sausage Gravy

Southern biscuits and sausage gravy pair flaky buttermilk biscuits with creamy pork sausage gravy and plenty of black pepper.

Published and reviewed by Kitchgrow on 14 August 2026Updated

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Southern Biscuits and Sausage Gravy

45 mintotal

Prep 20 min · Cook 25 min

Serves
2
Difficulty
Medium
Spice
Mild
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Ingredients

Quantities are for 2 servings.

You'll need: Oven, Stovetop.

No inactive time; keep the butter cold for the biscuits and make the sausage gravy while they bake.

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 220°C and line a small baking tray.

  2. For the biscuits, mix the flour portion with baking powder and salt, then rub in the cold butter until the mixture looks crumbly.

  3. Stir in the buttermilk just until a soft dough forms, pat it thick, cut into biscuits, and bake until risen and golden.

  4. Meanwhile, brown the sausage in a pan over medium heat, breaking it into small pieces and cooking it through.

  5. Sprinkle in the remaining flour, cook briefly, then whisk in the milk and black pepper until the gravy thickens and coats a spoon.

  6. Split the warm biscuits, spoon the hot sausage gravy over them, and serve immediately.

How to tell it's done

The biscuits should be tall and flaky, while the gravy should be creamy, peppery, and spoon-coating.

Getting it right

Tip

Cold butter and minimal kneading are what make the biscuits tender and flaky.

What to serve it with

Serve as a hearty breakfast with scrambled eggs or a simple fruit side.

Common mistakes

The biscuits are flat and tough.
Keep the butter cold, handle the dough as little as possible, and pat it thick rather than rolling it thin. The lift comes from cold butter turning to steam; warm dough worked hard gives you scones at best.
The gravy tastes of raw flour.
Cook it in the sausage fat for a full minute before the milk goes in, and let the finished gravy simmer a few minutes. It should coat a spoon and taste round, not chalky.

Substitutions

  • Pork Sausage — Chicken Sausage can be used for a lighter version, but the flavor will be less traditional.
  • Buttermilk — Use Milk mixed with a small splash of lemon juice if buttermilk is unavailable; keep the dough gently handled.

Storing and reheating

Biscuits keep two days at room temperature and are best warmed in the oven; unbaked cut biscuits freeze for three months and bake from frozen. Gravy keeps three days in the fridge and thickens hard — loosen with milk over low heat.