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Cajun Meatballs in Brown Gravy

Cajun meatballs in brown gravy with spice-crusted 1.5-inch balls swimming in a dark, smoky gravy made from the holy trinity. Sear for browned edges, simmer until thick and glossy, then cook through in the gravy for an easy Cajun comfort food dinner.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Cajun-American
Calories: 740
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Meatballs
  • 1.5 lb ground beef
  • 0.333 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning
  • 2 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
  • 0.25 Salt and pepper to taste
Cajun Brown Gravy
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 0.5 onion, diced
  • 0.5 green bell pepper, diced
  • 1 celery, diced
  • 3 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 2 cup beef broth
  • 1 tsp Cajun seasoning
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Make the Cajun meatballs
  1. In a bowl, mix ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, Cajun seasoning, minced garlic, chopped parsley, and salt and pepper until evenly combined (the mixture should look speckled with seasoning).
  2. Roll the mixture into 1.5-inch balls and set them aside while you heat the skillet (aim for even sizing so they cook through at the same rate).
Sear meatballs
  1. Sear the meatballs in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat on all sides until browned, about 6–8 minutes total, then remove and set aside (look for a dark crust).
Build the Cajun brown gravy
  1. Melt butter in the same pan over medium heat and cook onion, bell pepper, and celery for 5 minutes until softened (the vegetables should look glossy and slightly translucent).
  2. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly (it should smell fragrant without browning).
  3. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and cook for 1–2 minutes until dark golden (watch closely for a deeper brown color).
  4. Whisk in beef broth, Cajun seasoning, and Worcestershire, then simmer for 3–4 minutes until the gravy thickens (it should coat the back of a spoon and look dark and smoky).
Simmer until cooked through
  1. Return the browned meatballs to the gravy, cover, and simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes until cooked through (the sauce should stay gently bubbling and cling to the meatballs).
  2. Serve the Cajun meatballs and gravy hot over white rice (the gravy should appear glossy and spice-flecked on the surface).

Notes

For the best crust, sear without crowding and let the meatballs stay undisturbed for the first side to brown. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days in an airtight container; reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave with a splash of broth. Freeze meatballs and gravy for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat until hot throughout. For a lighter option, swap half the ground beef for ground turkey while keeping the same seasoning and simmer time.