Can you make lower calorie Sausage Gravy & Biscuits that still taste good?

Ingredients

• 150 g Self-Rising Flour (for biscuits, sifted)
• 75 g Heavy Cream (cold, for biscuit dough)
• 75 g Non-Fat Plain Yogurt (for biscuit dough, adds tang)
• 10 g Unsalted Butter (melted, brushed on biscuits before baking)
• 227 g Lean Ground Turkey (1/2 lb, 93% lean)
• 3.5 g Salt (about 1/2 tsp)
• 0.5 clove Garlic (grated)
• 0.5 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
• 0.5 tsp Ground Sage
• 1 tsp Black Pepper (freshly cracked)
• 1 tbsp Maple Syrup
• 240 ml Non-Fat Milk (cold)
• 1 g Xanthan Gum (about 1/4 tsp, for thickening gravy)

Instructions

1. Preheat Oven

   Set the oven to 450°F (232°C) and let it fully preheat while you prepare the biscuits.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 450°F

2. Mix Biscuit Dough

   In a mixing bowl combine 150 g self‑rising flour, 75 g heavy cream, and 75 g non‑fat yogurt. Stir until the mixture begins to clump, then gently knead with clean hands until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms; avoid over‑mixing.

   Time: PT5M

3. Fold and Shape Biscuits

   Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pat into a rough 3/4‑inch‑thick square. Fold the right third into the center, then the left third over the center. Rotate 90°, pat again, and repeat the folding twice more. Finally roll to a 6‑inch square and cut into four equal squares.

   Time: PT10M

4. Brush and Bake Biscuits

   Place the four squares on a parchment‑lined baking sheet. Brush the tops with melted butter (or a little extra cream). Bake for 10‑12 minutes, until lightly golden brown.

   Time: PT12M

   Temperature: 450°F

5. Prepare Turkey Sausage Mix

   In a bowl combine 227 g lean ground turkey, 3.5 g salt, 0.5 clove grated garlic, 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes, 0.5 tsp ground sage, 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper, and 1 tbsp maple syrup. Loosely mix with hands until just combined.

   Time: PT5M

6. Cook Turkey Sausage

   Heat the cast‑iron skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage mixture, breaking it up with a spatula. Cook, stirring occasionally, until no pink remains, about 5 minutes.

   Time: PT5M

7. Make Milk‑Xanthan Slurry

   While the sausage cooks, whisk 240 ml non‑fat milk in a separate bowl and sprinkle 1 g xanthan gum over it. Whisk until the gum is fully dispersed and the mixture begins to thicken slightly.

   Time: PT2M

8. Combine Sausage and Slurry

   Reduce the skillet heat to low. Pour half of the milk‑xanthan mixture into the skillet with the cooked turkey, stirring constantly until it begins to simmer and thicken. Then add the remaining milk, continuing to stir until the gravy reaches a creamy, pourable consistency.

   Time: PT5M

9. Season Gravy

   Taste the gravy and finish with a pinch more salt if needed and a generous amount of freshly cracked black pepper (about 30 cranks). Stir and remove from heat.

   Time: PT2M

10. Assemble and Serve

    Remove the biscuits from the oven. Place each biscuit whole (or split open) on a plate and ladle the hot turkey sausage gravy over the top. Serve immediately.

    Time: PT2M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

705

Protein

43 g

Carbohydrates

88 g

Fat

19 g

Fiber

3 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Self-Rising Flour: All-Purpose Flour + 2 tsp baking powder + 1/2 tsp salt
• Instead of Heavy Cream: Half-and-half
• Instead of Non-Fat Plain Yogurt: Greek yogurt (non-fat)
• Instead of Unsalted Butter: Margarine
• Instead of Lean Ground Turkey: Lean ground chicken
• Instead of Salt: Sea salt
• Instead of Garlic: Garlic powder (1/8 tsp)
• Instead of Red Pepper Flakes: Cayenne pepper (pinch)
• Instead of Ground Sage: Fresh sage, minced (1 tsp)
• Instead of Black Pepper: White pepper
• Instead of Maple Syrup: Honey (1 tbsp)
• Instead of Non-Fat Milk: Almond milk (unsweetened)
• Instead of Xanthan Gum: Cornstarch (1 tsp)

Equipment Needed

• Mixing Bowl
• Whisk
• Scale
• Cast Iron Skillet
• Baking Sheet
• Parchment Paper
• Rolling Pin (optional)
• Spatula
• Oven

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Do not over‑mix the biscuit dough; it should stay slightly sticky.
• Properly fold the biscuit dough to create flaky layers.
• Disperse xanthan gum evenly in cold milk to avoid lumps.
• Cook turkey sausage until fully done to ensure food safety.
• Adjust gravy thickness with milk or additional xanthan as needed.

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use cold heavy cream and yogurt; this helps keep the biscuit dough from becoming overly soft.
• For extra flavor, add a pinch of smoked paprika to the sausage mixture.
• If you don’t have xanthan gum, a slurry of 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp cold water works as a substitute.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store biscuits and gravy separately in airtight containers for up to 3 days.

Freezer: Freeze cooked biscuits (wrapped) for up to 2 months; reheat in oven. Gravy freezes well for 2 months; thaw and reheat gently.

Room temperature: Do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Biscuits can be baked ahead and reheated in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes.
• Gravy keeps well in the fridge; gently reheat on low heat, adding a splash of milk if it thickens too much.

Frequently Asked Questions