Cajun Red Gravy

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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.

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

showing all ingredients to make the recipe

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.

showing how to cook the celery, onions, and garlic

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.

showing how the sauce looks after making the roux

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.

adding canned tomato sauce to make the complete sauce

the complete cajun red gravy sauce completed in the sauce pan

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

What's the difference between red gravy and Sunday sauce?

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.