This meatball stew is what I cook when I want one pot, one spoon, and a kitchen that smells like someone has been busy all afternoon. I brown 1-inch beef meatballs in a Dutch oven, then use the same pot to cook peppers, onion, and celery into a medium-brown roux. Beef broth, Cajun seasoning, and yellow potatoes go in next, and the stew does the rest while I do something else. It takes 1 hour 50 minutes, most of it hands-off, and it makes six generous bowls.
If you have been looking for a stew with meatballs that is thick, savory, and made for ladling over white rice, this Cajun meatball stew recipe is it. The gravy clings to the rice, and the potatoes soak up the seasoning as they cook. The leftovers are even better the next day.
Meatballs, Roux, and One Pot
Stew with meatballs sounds like a shortcut, but I treat it like a proper gumbo-style gravy. The meatballs get browned first, so the bottom of the pot picks up all those dark bits. Then the vegetables go into the same pot, followed by butter and flour, and the roux cooks until it turns a medium brown.
The meatballs simmer right in the gravy for 45 minutes. That is long enough for them to cook through and take on the seasoning. The potatoes join later, so they finish tender instead of falling apart.
Recipe Success Tips
Mix the meatballs gently. Stir the beef, breadcrumbs, eggs, and Worcestershire only until everything comes together. Overmixed beef turns dense, and you want tender meatballs.
Chill the shaped meatballs if you can. About 15 minutes in the fridge firms them up so they hold their shape in the pot.
Brown in batches. A crowded pot steams the meatballs instead of browning them. Give them room, and scrape up the browned bits when the vegetables go in, because that is flavor for the roux.
Keep the sizes even. Meatballs and potatoes that are all roughly the same size finish at the same time. A small cookie scoop makes this quick.
Give the roux a minute. After the flour goes in, cook it for at least a full minute before adding any liquid, so the raw flour taste cooks out. Then keep going until it reaches a medium brown.
Add the broth gradually. Whisk until smooth between additions to avoid lumps.
Keep the simmer gentle. After the boil, turn the heat down so the stew just bubbles. A hard boil can break up the meatballs and potatoes.
Check a meatball. They are done at 160°F in the center. An instant-read thermometer makes this a five-second job.
Let it rest. The stew thickens as it sits, so give it about 5 minutes off the heat before serving.
Meatball Stew (Cajun-Style, with Potatoes and Dark Roux Gravy)
Equipment
- large mixing bowl
- Large pot or Dutch oven
- Whisk
- Serving spoon
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 ½ pounds ground beef
- ½ cup seasoned breadcrumbs
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Stew Base
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 celery stalks diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Broth and Seasoning
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Group: Potatoes
- 1 pound yellow potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
Instructions
Make and Brown the Meatballs
- In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper.
- Shape the mixture into 1-inch meatballs.
- Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven.
- Brown the meatballs on all sides, then transfer them to a plate and set aside.
Build the Roux Gravy
- In the same pot, add bell pepper, onion, and celery.
- Cook until they have softened, about six to eight minutes.
- Add garlic and butter, cooking for an additional minute.
- Gradually stir in flour and cook until the roux turns medium brown.
- Whisk in beef broth, water, Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
Simmer and Serve
- Return the meatballs to the pot and bring to a boil.
- Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 45 minutes.
- Add potatoes and cook until tender, about 20-30 minutes.
- Serve over white rice, and enjoy.
Notes
Notes
- Cut the potatoes into pieces of similar size so they cook evenly.
- Rest the stew about 5 minutes off the heat. It thickens as it sits.
- Keep the simmer gentle after the boil so the meatballs and potatoes hold their shape.
- Meatballs are done at 160°F in the center. Check one with an instant-read thermometer before you serve.
- After the flour goes in, give it a full minute or two before adding liquid, even if you are aiming for a darker roux. This cooks out the raw flour taste.
- Hold the simmer gentle once it comes to a boil. A hard boil can break up the meatballs and potatoes.
- The stew thickens as it sits. Rest it off the heat for about 5 minutes before serving.
- Make-ahead: shape the raw meatballs and dice the vegetables a day ahead, and store them separately in the fridge. Brown and build the stew when you are ready.
How to Serve Meatball Stew
Spoon it over white rice. For a full dinner, add garlic butter biscuits or toasted baguette to soak up the gravy. It is rich and hearty enough to stand alone, so you can also ladle it into a bowl like any other stew.
Storage and Reheating
Fridge: Store the stew in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Freezer: Use an airtight freezer-safe container, or a large freezer-safe Ziploc bag with as much air as possible pressed out. It keeps for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Reheating: Put the stew in a size-appropriate pot on the stovetop. Add a splash of beef broth if needed. Heat on medium to low, stirring frequently, until it is warmed throughout.
Substitutions
- Ground beef: Go with a high-fat beef, such as 80/20 or 80/15. If you only have 90/10 or 93/7, add 4 tablespoons of butter or 2 tablespoons of lard to the meatball mix so they do not dry out. Ground chicken or turkey also works, as does half beef with half veal or half sausage.
- Seasoned breadcrumbs: The seasoned ones add flavor, but you can use plain breadcrumbs and season them yourself. For gluten-free, use gluten-free breadcrumbs and add an extra egg.
- Worcestershire sauce: If you are out of it (I forget the new bottle at the store all the time), soy sauce in equal measure works.
- Green bell pepper: For cooking, pick peppers with three lobes on the bottom. They tend to be firmer, while four-lobed ones are usually sweeter and better raw.
- All-purpose flour: For gluten-free, use a 1-to-1 flour. It browns much faster, so turn the heat down while it browns so it does not burn. Turn the heat back up when you whisk in the broth.
Recipe FAQs
Can I add more vegetables?
Yes. Green beans, carrots, peas, mushrooms, or spinach all work. Add them according to how long they need to cook. Carrots, green beans, peas, and mushrooms can go in with the potatoes. Spinach goes in right before serving because it wilts quickly.
Can I use frozen meatballs?
I would not, because the long simmer is what cooks the meatballs through and lets them soak up the stew flavor. But you can, whether they are homemade or store-bought. Store-bought frozen meatballs come seasoned and preserved, so they will change the flavor of the stew. If you use frozen, go straight to the step that adds the bell pepper, onion, and celery. Add the meatballs still frozen, because the simmer time covers it.
How do I make the broth thicker?
Stir in a brown gravy packet, or add a cornstarch slurry. You can also take a few potato pieces out, blend them, and stir them back in. If the stew gets thicker than you like, add more beef broth.
Can I use premade roux?
Yes, it adds a lot of flavor. It is hard to find where I live, so I make my own. If you use it, add a quarter to half cup of premade dark roux.
More Cozy Dinners to Try
- Instant Pot Irish Beef Guinness Stew: a pressure-cooker beef stew with potatoes, carrots, and mushrooms, ready in about 50 minutes.
- Dijon Chicken and Potatoes: bone-in chicken thighs and potatoes in a creamy Dijon wine sauce, about 1 hour 10 minutes for 4.
- Hungarian Goulash with Smoked Sausage and Potatoes: a one-skillet smoked paprika goulash, about 40 minutes for 6.
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