How do you say gravy in Spanish?

The most common translations are salsa de carne (meat sauce) and jugo de carne (meat juice/drippings). There's no single dedicated word because gravy isn't a traditional dish in most Spanish-speaking cultures. If you need to be specific, describe it: una salsa espesa hecha con el jugo de la carne (a thick sauce made from meat juices).

Is salsa the same as gravy?

Salsa on its own is the generic Spanish word for sauce — any sauce, from tomato sauce to hot sauce to salad dressing. To specify gravy, you need to add de carne: salsa de carne. Without that qualifier, salsa alone will not convey gravy to a Spanish speaker.

How do I explain gravy to a Spanish speaker who doesn't know it?

Say: Es una salsa espesa que se hace con el jugo que suelta la carne al cocinarla, mezclado con harina y caldo. Se sirve encima del puré de papas o la carne. That translates to: It's a thick sauce made from the juices the meat releases while cooking, mixed with flour and broth. It's served over mashed potatoes or meat.

Spanish vocabulary · Beginner

Gravy in Spanish: Salsa, Jugo de Carne, and How to Describe It

Written by Sofia Ramirez, Lead Spanish Curriculum Editor · Reviewed May 2026

Salsa · noun · SAHL-sah

Gravy in Spanish is most often translated as salsa (sauce) or, more specifically, salsa de carne or jugo de carne (meat juice/drippings). Because traditional gravy—thickened meat drippings poured over food—isn't a staple in most Spanish-speaking cuisines, there's no single dedicated word. You'll need to describe what it is, and the right phrase shifts with region and context.

Salsa: SAHL-sah, two syllables. Jugo de carne: HOO-goh deh KAHR-neh. Salsa de carne: SAHL-sah deh KAHR-neh.

Échale más salsa de carne al puré de papas.

Pour more gravy on the mashed potatoes.

Gravy in Spanish: Quick Reference

Below are the most common Spanish words for gravy, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.

Spanish	English	Pronunciation	Region / Register
salsa	gravy	SAHL-sah	Default, widely understood
jugo de carne	gravy		meat drippings/natural juice, all regions
salsa de carne	gravy		meat sauce/gravy, general
gravy	gravy		borrowed English word in some U.S. Latino communities

How Native Speakers Use Salsa

Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.

Thanksgiving dinner context

En la cena de Acción de Gracias siempre preparo salsa de carne para el pavo.

At Thanksgiving dinner I always make gravy for the turkey.

Salsa de carne is the most descriptive and universally understood phrase for gravy in a holiday meal context.

Describing natural meat drippings

Reserva el jugo de carne de la sartén para hacer la salsa.

Save the meat drippings from the pan to make the gravy.

Jugo de carne refers to the natural liquid released during cooking, before it's thickened into gravy.

Ordering at a restaurant in the U.S.

¿Le pongo gravy al arroz con pollo?

Should I put gravy on the chicken and rice?

In U.S. Latino communities, the English word gravy is sometimes borrowed directly into Spanish conversation.

Avoid These Mistakes When Using Salsa

Translating gravy as salsa without context

Incorrect: Pásame la salsa. (Could mean any sauce—ketchup, hot sauce, tomato sauce.)

Correct: Pásame la salsa de carne. (Specifically means meat gravy.)

Salsa is the generic word for sauce in Spanish. Without carne (meat) or another qualifier, your listener won't know you mean gravy. Always specify: salsa de carne, salsa del asado, or jugo de carne.

Assuming gravy exists as a concept everywhere

Incorrect: Expecting a waiter in Madrid to understand gravy without explanation.

Correct: Describe it: una salsa espesa hecha con el jugo de la carne.

Traditional Anglo-American gravy isn't part of most Spanish-speaking food cultures. If someone doesn't know the dish, a brief description—thick sauce made from meat juices—works better than any single word.

Why Gravy Matters in Spanish-Speaking Cultures

Gravy isn't universal

Lock in Gravy Vocabulary with the Parrot Method

Why word lists alone don't stick

Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.

See Salsa used by native speakers

Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using salsa in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Échale más salsa de carne al puré de papas. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.

Save, review, repeat, stay consistent

Tap any word to save it. Parrot's spaced-repetition system surfaces it right before you'd forget, no manual flashcard creation. The watch, parrot back, save, review cycle turns recognition into fluency at 2.7x the speed of traditional study.

Common Questions About Gravy in Spanish

How do you say gravy in Spanish?: The most common translations are salsa de carne (meat sauce) and jugo de carne (meat juice/drippings). There's no single dedicated word because gravy isn't a traditional dish in most Spanish-speaking cultures. If you need to be specific, describe it: una salsa espesa hecha con el jugo de la carne (a thick sauce made from meat juices).
Is salsa the same as gravy?: Salsa on its own is the generic Spanish word for sauce — any sauce, from tomato sauce to hot sauce to salad dressing. To specify gravy, you need to add de carne: salsa de carne. Without that qualifier, salsa alone will not convey gravy to a Spanish speaker.
How do I explain gravy to a Spanish speaker who doesn't know it?: Say: Es una salsa espesa que se hace con el jugo que suelta la carne al cocinarla, mezclado con harina y caldo. Se sirve encima del puré de papas o la carne. That translates to: It's a thick sauce made from the juices the meat releases while cooking, mixed with flour and broth. It's served over mashed potatoes or meat.