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Cajun Meatballs in Brown Gravy

Cajun meatballs in brown gravy with spice-crusted 1.5-inch meatballs swimming in a dark, smoky gravy. The holy trinity (onion, bell pepper, celery) simmers until glossy and gravy-thickened for a classic Louisiana-style meatball 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: 610
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Meatballs
  • 1.5 lb ground beef
  • 0.33 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
  • 0.25 salt to taste
  • 0.25 pepper to taste
Cajun Brown Gravy
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 0.5 onion, diced
  • 0.5 green bell pepper, diced
  • 1 stalk celery, diced
  • 3 cloves 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, garlic, minced, fresh parsley, chopped, salt, and pepper until evenly combined. Roll into 1.5-inch meatballs and set aside.
  2. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the meatballs on all sides until browned, 6-8 minutes total, then remove and set aside.
Cook the Cajun brown gravy
  1. In the same pan, melt butter and cook onion, diced, green bell pepper, diced, and celery, diced for 5 minutes until softened. Keep scraping up the browned bits for more smoky flavor.
  2. Add garlic, minced and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and cook 1-2 minutes until dark golden.
  3. Whisk in beef broth, Cajun seasoning, and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer 3-4 minutes, whisking occasionally, until the gravy thickens and looks glossy.
Simmer and serve
  1. Return the browned meatballs to the gravy, cover, and simmer 10 minutes until cooked through. Serve hot with white rice over the top of the meatballs.

Notes

For best browning, press meatballs lightly to hold their shape and avoid overcrowding the skillet. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stovetop. Freezing is not recommended for the gravy’s texture. If you want a milder flavor, use a reduced-heat Cajun seasoning so the gravy stays smoky without extra bite.