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Meatballs in Dijon Gravy

Meatballs in Dijon gravy with tender beef meatballs simmered in a silky, tangy Dijon cream sauce. The gravy is pale golden with visible mustard seeds and fresh herbs for a French-American skillet dinner.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: French-American
Calories: 720
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Meatballs
  • 1.5 lb ground beef
  • 0.33 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg
  • 2 clove garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
  • salt to taste
  • pepper to taste
Dijon Gravy
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 shallots finely diced
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 3 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp whole grain mustard
  • 1 tsp fresh tarragon or thyme
  • salt to taste
  • pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Make the meatballs
  1. In a mixing bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, minced garlic, chopped fresh parsley, salt, and pepper, then mix until evenly combined. Roll into 1.5-inch balls.
  2. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and sear the meatballs, turning until browned on all sides, about 6–8 minutes. Transfer to a plate or bowl and set aside.
Simmer in Dijon gravy
  1. Melt butter in the same skillet and sauté the shallots for 2–3 minutes until softened. Stir often so they don’t brown too quickly.
  2. Pour in chicken broth and simmer for 2 minutes. Then stir in heavy cream, Dijon mustard, whole grain mustard, and fresh tarragon (or thyme).
  3. Return the meatballs to the gravy and simmer for 8–10 minutes, stirring gently once or twice. Cook until the meatballs are cooked through and the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
  4. Serve the Dijon gravy meatballs over egg noodles or mashed potatoes. Spoon sauce over the top so you get mustard flecks in every bite.

Notes

For the smoothest gravy, let it simmer just until thick enough to coat a spoon, then avoid boiling hard. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stove. Freezing is not recommended because the cream can split when reheated. Dietary swap: use ground turkey instead of beef for a lighter option, keeping the same mustard gravy method.