This recipe is inspired by Cajun Red Gravy. It's a delicious blend of fresh plum tomatoes, green bell pepper, onions, and celery. It's a wonderful recipe to serve with grits, biscuits, or different types of meat like chicken or seafood.
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Bring the flavor of New Orleans home when you recreate this Cajun inspired tomato sauce knows as Cajun Red Gravy.
The rich flavor of this versatile southern tomato gravy makes a delicious pasta sauce or can be used like a condiment poured over pork chops, baked fish and chicken, and even sausage links.
This "gravy" is a kind of fusion of Creole and Italian cooking traditions that New Orleans cuisine is famous for. Try it as a spaghetti sauce over your favorite pasta with a nice glass of red wine.
Or pour it over cheesy grits and shrimp for a hearty, comfort food dinner.
Either way, I'm sure this will become a favorite family recipe perfect for special occasions.
Related post: Easy Cajun Baked Salmon
Ingredients
Oil or rendered bacon grease - I use olive oil to keep the red sauce light.
Onions
Celery
Green bell peppers
Garlic cloves
Plum or Roma tomatoes - fresh tomatoes are the best tomatoes, but canned diced tomatoes can be used.
All purpose flour
Cajun seasoning - I used my Louisiana Rub recipe
Thyme - dried or fresh herbs
Cayenne pepper - or red pepper flakes
Tomato sauce-canned
Chicken broth or chicken stock - homemade or canned
Worcestershire sauce
Hot sauce - if you want a little heat but optional
Salt and black pepper
Equipment
Instructions
Heat a skillet or large pan over medium heat and pour in the oil. Once the oil is heated, add your onions, celery, green pepper, and garlic. Cook the vegetable mixture for about five minutes, or until softened.
Add the diced tomatoes and cook for an additional five minutes.
Sprinkle the all purpose flour, Cajun seasoning, thyme, and cayenne pepper over the tomato mixture. Stir constantly while cooking to make a "roux", being careful not to scorch the mixture. Cook about 1 or 2 minutes.
Add the canned tomato sauce, chicken broth, and Worcestershire sauce to the pan. Stir well until the sauce is well combined. Simmer for five minutes (or more) over medium-low heat.
Season with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and hot sauce to taste.
Kitchen tips
I don't recommend using a cast iron skillet for this Cajun red gravy recipe because the acidic nature of the tomatoes can penetrate the porous surface.
If you need to substitute the fresh tomatoes, try canned diced tomatoes.
If you need to substitute the canned tomato sauce, use stewed tomatoes or crushed tomatoes. Tomato paste can also be used, just use about 3 tablespoons or half a 6 ounce can.
Don't be afraid to add any extra herbs you may have on hand like fresh basil leaves that have been chopped.
Quick fact
Red gravy is essentially a tomato based red sauce. Sunday sauce is an Italian tomato sauce made with different types of meat and Italian spices. It was traditionally slow cooked and served on Sundays after mass when families gathered together for dinner.
How to store
Store leftover red gravy in airtight containers in the refrigerator for 3 or 4 days.
Freeze in freezer safe containers for up to three months.
Reheat on the stove over medium-low heat until hot. Be careful not to scorch the sauce.
Check out this post on How to Freeze Gravy.
More gravy recipes to try
- How to Make Gravy with Bacon Grease
- White Sausage Gravy
- Southern White Gravy
- Creamy Cajun Sauce
- Hawaiian Brown Gravy
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Cajun Red Gravy
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon oil or rendered bacon grease - I use olive oil to keep the red sauce light.
- ¼ cup onions, minced
- ¼ cup celery, minced
- ¼ cup green bell peppers, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup plum or Roma tomatoes, diced canned diced tomatoes can be used.
- 3 tablespoon all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon Louisiana Rub Recipe or Cajun seasoning
- 1½ thyme - dried or fresh herbs
- ⅛ cayenne pepper - or red pepper flakes optional; to taste
- 8 ounce tomato sauce-canned
- 1 cup chicken broth or chicken stock - homemade or canned
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- Hot sauce - if you want a little heat but optional to taste
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat a skillet or large pan over medium heat and pour in the oil. Once the oil is heated, add your onions, celery, green pepper, and garlic. Cook the vegetable mixture for about five minutes, or until softened.
- Add the diced tomatoes and cook for an additional five minutes.
- Sprinkle the all purpose flour, Cajun seasoning, thyme, and cayenne pepper over the tomato mixture. Stir constantly while cooking to make a "roux", being careful not to scorch the mixture. Cook for 1 or 2 minutes.
- Add the canned tomato sauce, chicken broth, and Worcestershire sauce to the pan. Stir well until the sauce is well combined. Simmer for five minutes (or more) over medium-low heat.
- Season with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and hot sauce to taste.
Notes
- I don't recommend using a cast iron skillet for this recipe because the acidic nature of the tomatoes can penetrate the porous surface.
- If you need to substitute the fresh tomatoes, try canned diced tomatoes.
- If you need to substitute the canned tomato sauce, use stewed tomatoes or crushed tomatoes.
- Tomato paste can also be used, just use about 3 tablespoons or half a 6 ounce can.
- Don't be afraid to add any extra herbs you may have on hand like fresh basil leaves that have been chopped.
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