Description
French Onion Meatballs combine the rich, savory flavor of caramelized onions with tender meatballs, silky onion gravy, and a blanket of melted Gruyère. It’s comfort food reimagined and guaranteed to impress.
Ingredients
For the Meatballs:
1 ½ lbs ground beef (80/20 blend)
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
2 large eggs
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp beef broth concentrate (or 1 crumbled bouillon cube)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp black pepper
For the Onion Gravy & Topping:
3 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
4 cups beef broth
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp dried)
1 bay leaf
2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese
Instructions
1. Caramelize onions in butter and olive oil over medium-low heat, 35–45 minutes until golden and jammy. Remove and set aside.
2. Mix meatball ingredients in a bowl until just combined. Shape into 1.5-inch balls.
3. Brown meatballs in batches in the same skillet, about 2 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
4. Make roux by whisking flour into drippings, then slowly whisk in beef broth. Simmer until slightly thickened.
5. Stir onions, thyme, and bay leaf into gravy. Add meatballs back and simmer 15 minutes until cooked through.
6. Remove bay leaf, top with Gruyère, and broil 2–4 minutes until bubbly and golden.
7. Serve immediately with crusty bread, mashed potatoes, or noodles.
Notes
Store leftovers in an airtight container up to 4 days in the fridge.
Reheat gently in the oven or stovetop with a splash of broth for best texture.
Freeze up to 3 months, but note onions may soften after thawing.
Shred cheese from a block for the smoothest melting.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Dinner
- Method: One-Pan, Skillet + Broiler
- Cuisine: French-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3–4 meatballs with gravy
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 860mg
- Fat: 33g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 36g
- Cholesterol: 145mg