This article looks into one of the most frequently asked questions regarding major fast food chains that are vegetarian friendly: Is KFC Gravy Vegetarian?
After doing a lot of research and finding very little information, we can confirm that KFC gravy is not vegetarian. With some deductive reasoning, KFC’s website lists “Chicken Fat” as an ingredient of their gravy making it not suitable for those on a vegetarian or vegan diet. This information is constant with reports that KFC uses gravy powder, water and chicken crackling to make their gravy. A detailed analysis is below.
You can find the nutrition information and ingredients of KFC products here.
Video Version of this Article
Ingredients
Mashed Potatoes: Potatoes, Whey Product (Containing: Whey Solids, Nonfat Milk, Sodium Caseinate, Calcium Stearoyl-2-Lactylate), Salt, mono and Diglycerides, Calcium Stearoyl-2-Lactylate, Sodium Bisulfate, Natural Flavors, Natural Colors, Citric Acid, and Spice.
Mashed Potato With Gravy: Potatoes, Whey Product (Containing: Whey Solids, Nonfat Milk, Sodium Caseinate, Calcium Stearoyl-2-Lactylate), Salt, mono and Diglycerides, Calcium Stearoyl-2-Lactylate, Sodium Bisulfate, natural Flavors, Natural Colors, Citric Acid, and Spice. And Enriched Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Food Starch – Modified, Maltodextrin, Chicken Fat, Palm and Canola Oils, Salt, Monosodium Glutamate, Dextrose, Mono and Diglycerides, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Caramel Color (Contains Up To 20 PPM Sulfites), Hydrolyzed Corn Protein, Onion Powder, Natural Flavors, Disodium Inosinate, Disodium Guanylate, Spice, Butter (Cream), With Not More Than 2% Silicon Dioxide Added As An Anti-Caking Agent.
Remaining Gravy Ingredients:
Enriched Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Food Starch – Modified, Maltodextrin, Chicken Fat, Palm and Canola Oils, Salt, Monosodium Glutamate, Dextrose, Mono and Diglycerides, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Caramel Color (Contains Up To 20 PPM Sulfites), Hydrolyzed Corn Protein, Onion Powder, Natural Flavors, Disodium Inosinate, Disodium Guanylate, Spice, Butter (Cream), With Not More Than 2% Silicon Dioxide Added As An Anti-Caking Agent.
So, Is KFC Gravy Vegetarian?
As can be seen in the remaining gravy ingredients, Chicken Fat is the 4th ingredient listed. Since chicken fat is a animal product, KFC’s gravy is not suitable for vegetarians and vegans.
KFC Worker Feedback
While researching this topic, the statements of 3 separate KFC employees was found to confirm to the fact that chicken fat, or chicken crackling as it is know to employees, is used in the gravy [1, 2, 3]. All three stated that the gravy mixture was a combination of a gravy powder mix, water, and chicken crackling (if available). Chicken crackling is the little scraps of chicken and breading that get filtered out of the cooking oil after deep frying. Every 5-7 days the crackling is collected and used to make a new batch of KFC’s famous gravy.
Unilad reported that if no chicken crackling was available when a new batch of gravy was made, only the powdered gravy mix and water would be used. In this scenario, the gravy would be vegetarian because the chicken fat is omitted. However, the gravy would not be vegan because butter is an ingredient in the gravy as well. That being said, it is not recommended that vegetarians eat KFC gravy due to the chance that it could have crackling as an ingredient.
If you are interested in watching a KFC employee collect the crackling for gravy, Unilad has a video here.
