Spice up your mashed potatoes with this spicy Cajun gravy! Seasoned with Cajun spices and hot sauce, this gravy comes together in minutes on the stovetop.
Heat up your next serving of mashed potatoes with a generous helping of spicy Cajun gravy! If you love a classic homemade gravy but are looking for a little more flavor, you've come to the right place.
This easy homemade gravy is made with a simple roux (butter and flour), broth, spices, and a dash of your favorite hot sauce. Ready in ten minutes, this gravy is easy to make as a last minute topping for a weeknight meal or holiday dinner.
Serve spicy Cajun gravy over mashed potatoes, with Thanksgiving turkey, or over your next beef roast. This gravy recipe is easy to customize with chicken broth, beef broth, or vegetable broth!
Ingredients and substitutions
Broth - This recipe can be made with any broth you have on hand, like chicken, turkey, beef, pork, or vegetable broth. I recommend matching the broth with the protein you plan to serve. Chicken or turkey broth works well with a Thanksgiving turkey.
Butter - I recommend unsalted butter, since your broth will already contain a good amount of sodium. Add more salt to taste once your gravy is finished cooking.
Flour - Flour mixed with butter creates a roux, which thickens your gravy.
Hot sauce - Add your favorite hot sauce to this gravy. I used "Hot Ones - The Classic" from Heatonist. Hot sauce can also be substituted with buffalo sauce to make a buffalo gravy.
Seasoning - Salt, pepper, and cajun seasoning add flavor to your gravy. Cajun seasoning can be homemade or store bought - try my recipe for homemade cajun seasoning if you'd like to make your own. I recommend preparing your gravy and adding the salt last, since your broth likely already contains salt.
Whisking your gravy
Whisking is an extremely important step in making a good gravy. This ensures that your gravy remains smooth and lump free. I like to use this oxo flat whisk for sauces and gravies, but any regular whisk will work.
How to make gravy spicy
To make spicy Cajun gravy, you'll use a combination of Cajun seasoning (homemade or store bought) and your favorite hot sauce. The type of hot sauce used will determine how hot your gravy turns out.
Hot sauce heat levels can range from mild to very hot, so keep this in mind when seasoning your gravy. The measurements listed in the recipe card work well for a hot sauce with medium to hot heat.
If you've never made this recipe before, I highly recommend adding a small amount of hot sauce at a time, taste testing, and adding more as desired. It's impossible to make your gravy milder once the hot sauce has been mixed in!
Make ahead and storage
This spicy gravy can be made up to 3 days ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator.
Gravy can also be frozen for up to three months. I like to store gravy in glass mason jars.
When freezing any liquid, be sure to leave at least an inch of space at the top. Liquids will expand in the freezer, so you'll want to give it a little extra space when filling your container.
If frozen, transfer your gravy from the freezer to the refrigerator the night before serving to thaw.
How to reheat gravy
Pour your gravy into a saucepan and warm over medium heat. Whisk until warmed through.
You may need to add a small amount of water to thin your gravy - it will continue to thicken as it cooks.
Adding more broth or stock will add more sodium to your already seasoned gravy, which is why I suggest adding water instead. Otherwise, you may end up with an overly salty gravy.
📖 Recipe
Spicy Cajun Gravy
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken broth, or stock
- ½ teaspoon cajun seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoons hot sauce
- ½ teaspoon salt, to taste
Instructions
- In a saute pan or saucepan over medium heat, melt butter.
- Add flour and whisk to make a paste (continue whisking until no lumps remain). Cook for one minute.
- Slowly add broth to pan, whisking continuously. Add Cajun seasoning and pepper, whisking to incorporate. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until desired thickness is achieved, while whisking continuously.
- Remove pan from heat and add hot sauce, stirring to incorporate. Taste test and add more hot sauce to taste. Last, add salt as needed and stir to incorporate (season to taste).
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Gravy can be made up to 3 days ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator, or frozen for up to 3 months.
- If frozen, transfer your gravy from the freezer to the refrigerator the night before serving to thaw.
- Reheating gravy: Pour gravy into a saucepan and warm over medium heat. Whisk until warmed through. Add water as needed if gravy is too thick.
- Chicken broth can be substituted with any type of broth you have on hand, like turkey, beef, pork, or vegetable broth.
- For hotter/milder gravy - adjust hot sauce as needed. As written, recipe will make a medium heat gravy.
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