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.
Heather's recipe summary
Flavor/texture: Smooth, thick gravy made with pantry staples plus some Cajun seasoning and a dash of your favorite hot sauce for a bit of heat.
Serves: 4 people (easy to double or triple for the holidays)
Serve with: Creamy Mashed Potatoes and Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
Similar to: How To Make Gravy Without Drippings
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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.
- 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.
How to make Spicy Cajun Gravy
- Melt butter and whisk in flour to create a paste. Cook for one minute.
- Slowly whisk in chicken broth.
- Continue whisking as you add Cajun seasoning and pepper. Whisk until desired consistency is reached.
- Remove from heat and add hot sauce, whisking to incorporate. Add additional sauce and salt to taste.
Tips and tricks
Use a whisk - Whisking is an 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.
Add hot sauce to taste - 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, add a small amount, mix, and do a taste test before adding more.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, gravy is easy to make ahead of time and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for 3 months.
Pour gravy into a saucepan and warm over medium heat, whisking until warmed through. If you need to add more liquid to the pan, add a splash of water. Since the gravy is already seasoned at this point, we don't want to add more broth because it can make the gravy salty.
Recommended
📖 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 (if doubling or tripling, your gravy will take longer to cook).
- 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
- Storage: Gravy can be made up to 3 days ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator, or frozen for up to 3 months.
- 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.
- Broth: 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.
This was amazing gravy! I'll be making it alot!!
We loved this gravy! It had perfect amount of spiciness and was so flavorful! Thanks for sharing.
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Michelle!