Comfort food just reached new heights with these French onion meatballs! Imagine tender, juicy meatballs nestled in a rich, caramelized onion sauce, all topped with a blanket of gooey, melted Gruyère and mozzarella cheese. They’re just too good!
I served these with crusty bread for dipping, but I’ll bet they’d be dreamy over creamy mashed potatoes, so I’ll try that next time.
Trust me, this recipe will have you savoring every last bite and dreaming about your next serving.
Why You’ll Love These French Onion Meatballs
Rich, Savory Sauce: The French onion sauce creates a luxurious base that complements the meatballs perfectly. It’s just like French onion soup!
Cheesy Delight: Topped with melted Gruyère and mozzarella, the dish offers a gooey, cheesy finish.
Comfort Food: Combining the comforting elements of meatballs and French onion soup, this dish is perfect for cozy dinners.
Easy to Customize: The recipe allows for easy variations. Use different types of cheese or substitute ground beef with ground chicken or turkey.
Ingredients
- Lean Ground Beef: The star of the show, delivering juicy, beefy flavor in every bite.
- Italian Seasoned Breadcrumbs, Milk, Egg: The holy trinity of meatball binding, ensuring perfect texture and moisture.
- Garlic and Fresh Thyme Leaves: They infuse the dish with irresistible depth and complexity.
- Salt and Black Pepper: To enhance and balance the flavors.
- Olive Oil and Butter: The ultimate cooking combo for achieving golden-brown perfection and rich, velvety sauce.
- Yellow Onions: The sweet, caramelized foundation of the classic French onion flavor profile.
- All-Purpose Flour: The secret thickening agent creates a luscious, clinging sauce.
- Dry Sherry or White Wine: It elevates the sauce with a tangy, complex edge.
- Low-Sodium Beef Broth: The savory backbone, simmering the flavors together in perfect harmony.
- Parmesan, Gruyère, and Mozzarella Cheese: The gooey, cheesy trifecta melts luxuriously over the top for an unforgettable finish.
How to Make French Onion Meatballs
Making these meatballs is a pretty easy process!
1. Prepare the meatballs. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, milk, egg, Parmesan, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Mix until well combined. Shape into 1 1/2-inch meatballs.
2. Brown the meatballs. Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
3. Caramelize the onions. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the butter and olive oil to the skillet. Stir in the sliced onions and salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are very soft and caramelized, about 25-30 minutes.
4. Add the aromatics. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
5. Make the sauce. Pour in the sherry and simmer until nearly evaporated, about 1 minute. Stir in the beef broth and thyme leaves. Bring to a simmer.
6. Combine the ingredients. Nestle the meatballs into the onion sauce. Sprinkle the Gruyère and mozzarella cheeses on top.
7. Broil and serve. Broil on high until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 2-3 minutes. Garnish with fresh thyme and serve hot with crusty bread or over mashed potatoes.
Tips for the Best French Onion Meatballs
Here are some of my best tips for making these meatballs delicious.
- Quality is key. Use high-quality, lean ground beef (85/15 or 90/10) for the most tender and flavorful meatballs.
- Ditch the booze. A splash of dry sherry or white wine adds depth to the sauce. But you can omit it if you prefer and just use a bit more beef broth.
- Toss in fresh herbs. Add fresh thyme and parsley to the meatball mixture for an extra layer of aromatic flavor.
- Add some umami. Add a splash of Worcestershire sauce to the broth for a savory, umami-rich depth of flavor.
- Try tasty variations. Try using ground turkey or chicken instead of beef for a leaner option. You can also add sautéed mushrooms to the sauce.
- Make them into a feast. Serve the French onion meatballs over creamy mashed potatoes, hot cooked rice, or pasta, or with crusty bread on the side to mop up the sauce.
How to Store
You’ll likely have leftover meatballs, so keep them fresh with these steps.
To Store: Place in an air-tight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Ensure the meatballs are completely cooled before sealing the container to maintain freshness.
To Freeze: Arrange the cooled meatballs in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months, and thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
To Reheat: Warm the meatballs in a preheated oven at 350°F for about 15 minutes or until heated through. You can also reheat them in a skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until they reach the desired temperature.
French Onion Meatballs
4
servings25
minutes45
minutes659
kcalThese French onion meatballs are a delicious twist on a classic! With a savory sauce and melty cheese, they’re such a delicacy.
Ingredients
- For the meatballs:
1 pound lean ground beef (85/15 or 90/10)
1/2 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 cup milk
1 large egg
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil, for browning
- For the French onion sauce:
2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 cup dry sherry or white wine
2 cups low-sodium beef broth
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, milk, egg, Parmesan, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Mix until well combined. Shape into 1 1/2-inch meatballs.
- Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the butter and olive oil to the skillet. Stir in the sliced onions and salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are very soft and caramelized, about 25-30 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
- Pour in the sherry and simmer until nearly evaporated, about 1 minute. Stir in the beef broth and thyme leaves. Bring to a simmer.
- Nestle the meatballs into the onion sauce. Sprinkle the Gruyère and mozzarella cheeses on top.
- Broil on high until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 2-3 minutes. Garnish with fresh thyme and serve hot with crusty bread or over mashed potatoes.
