French onion meatballs are a soul-warming pan of ground beef in caramelized onion sauce with all the flavor—and melty cheese topping—of French onion soup, making for a hearty, crowd-pleasing dinner.
French Onion Meatballs
Published on Oct. 22, 2024
If you’re a fan of classic French onion soup, French onion meatballs are the perfect recipe to make next time you’re craving hearty comfort food. This dish brings together tender, juicy meatballs in a rich and beefy caramelized onion sauce, all topped with a layer of melty Gruyere cheese. It’s a cozy, flavorful meal that’s ideal for an indulgent family dinner, a casual, cold-weather get-together with friends or even a special occasion when you want to serve something easy but impressive.
Ingredients for French Onion Meatballs
- Butter: Adds richness and helps caramelize the onions, enhancing their sweetness.
- Onion: The star of the show in this recipe, onions go from pungent to sweet as they cook, providing the foundation of a deep, sweet flavor base for the sauce through caramelization.
- Rosemary: Introduces an earthy, aromatic note that complements the beef and onions. Use dried or powdered rosemary in a pinch, but fresh gives this dish the best flavor.
- Red wine: A splash of wine adds acidity to deglaze the pan and deepen the flavor of the sauce. If you’d prefer not to cook with alcohol, use additional beef stock with the tiniest splash of red wine vinegar added, which replicates the acidity of the wine.
- All-purpose flour: Thickens the beef stock to create a smooth, rich sauce.
- Beef stock: Forms the base of the sauce, providing a savory, beefy flavor.
- Ground beef: Serves as the protein base of the dish, offering richness and heartiness.
- Panko bread crumbs: Adds lightness to the meatballs, helping them stay tender as they cook.
- Egg: Beaten egg binds the meatball mixture, ensuring they hold together while baking.
- Parsley: Brightens the dish with fresh, herbaceous notes.
- Garlic: Adds depth and a pungent, savory flavor to the meatball mixture.
- Italian seasoning: Brings together a blend of herbs that enhance the flavor profile.
- Gruyere cheese: An essential topping for French onion soup, aged Gruyere melts into a creamy, nutty layer that adds richness to the dish.
- French bread baguette slices (optional): Toasted slices of baguette offer a crunchy texture to contrast with the soft meatballs and sauce.
Directions
Step 1: Caramelize the onions
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Fit a 15x10x1-inch baking sheet with a wire rack and coat both with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a large oven-safe skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium-low heat. Add the onions and stir to coat. Cook until onions begin to caramelize and are very soft, stirring occasionally, about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and rosemary. Add the wine; cook until it has evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
Step 2: Make the sauce
Stir in the remaining butter; once melted, whisk in the flour until lightly browned. Slowly whisk in beef stock; bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat; set aside.
Step 3: Mix, form and bake the meatballs
In a large bowl, combine ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, parsley, garlic, Italian seasoning, remaining 1 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Form the mixture into 24 meatballs and place them on the prepared pan. Bake them until their internal temperature reaches 165°, 15 to 20 minutes.
Step 4: Broil with cheese
Transfer meatballs to the skillet with the onion sauce; stir them in gently to combine. Top the meatballs with an even layer of shredded Gruyere. Preheat the broiler. Broil skillet 3 to 4 inches from heat until cheese is melted, 2 to 3 minutes. If desired, serve with toasted baguette slices.
French Onion Meatball Variations
- Use a different protein: Use ground turkey or chicken in place of the ground beef for a lighter but still tasty version of the recipe.
- Add an earthy flavor: Saute sliced button or cremini mushrooms with the onions to add an earthy, umami depth to the dish and give it beef bourguignon vibes.
- Try a different cheese: Substitute Gruyere with Swiss or mozzarella for a different (and less pricey) melty, cheesy finish.
How to Store French Onion Meatballs
To store leftover French onion meatballs, transfer the cooled meatballs and sauce to an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to four days.
Can you freeze French onion meatballs?
Yes, you can freeze French onion meatballs. Freeze them along with the caramelized onion sauce (but hold off on adding cheese) in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost them in the fridge and then, to reheat, warm the meatballs and sauce together in a broiler-safe skillet on the stovetop, adding a splash of beef stock or water if the sauce has thickened too much. Then add the cheese and broil as instructed.
French Onion Meatball Tips
How do I make sure the meatballs stay tender and juicy?
To keep the meatballs tender and juicy, avoid overworking the meat mixture when combining the ingredients as this can make them dense. Using panko bread crumbs and egg helps lock in moisture and bind the meatballs without making them too heavy. Ensuring they don’t overcook (just reaching an internal temperature of 165°) will also prevent them from drying out. The tenderness can be impacted by the proportion of fat to lean in the ground beef itself. We recommend using 80% lean and 20% fat ground beef in our beef meatball recipes to ensure juicy results.
What type of wine works best for this recipe?
Because this recipe calls for a small amount of wine, it’s not critical to use a specific varietal. You can use any dry red wine here; bold, rich flavors complement the caramelized onions and savory beef broth. Avoid sweet wines as they introduce a flavor uncharacteristic of French onion soup. Cabernet Sauvignon, Chianti, Merlot, or even a full-bodied Pinot Noir will all work beautifully in this recipe.
What can I serve with French onion meatballs?
French onion meatballs are a rich, meaty dish that needs something light to balance them out. You can’t go wrong by serving them with a crunchy bistro-style green salad with vinaigrette. For a warm accompaniment, roasted asparagus and leeks is fitting. Add mashed potatoes to soak up the sauce, or any other side dish well-suited to beef.
French Onion Meatballs
Prep Time
40 min
Cook Time
20 min
Yield
2 dozen
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 1-1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon pepper, divided
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
- 3 tablespoons dry red wine
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups beef stock
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
- French bread baguette slices, toasted, optional
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400°. Fit a 15x10x1-in. baking sheet with a wire rack; coat with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large oven-safe skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium-low heat. Add onions; stir to coat. Cook until onions begin to caramelize and are very soft, stirring occasionally, 15-20 minutes. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and rosemary. Add wine; cook until evaporated, 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Stir in remaining butter; once melted, whisk in flour until lightly browned. Slowly whisk in beef stock; bring to a simmer until thickened, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat; set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, parsley, garlic, Italian seasoning, remaining 1 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bake until internal temperature reaches 165°, 15-20 minutes. Transfer meatballs to skillet with cooked onions; stir to combine. Top with shredded Gruyere.
- Preheat broiler. Broil skillet 3-4 in. from heat until cheese is melted, 2-3 minutes. If desired, serve with toasted baguette slices.
Nutrition Facts
1 meatball: 77 calories, 5g fat (2g saturated fat), 27mg cholesterol, 245mg sodium, 2g carbohydrate (1g sugars, 0 fiber), 6g protein.
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This recipe adds a delightful bit of sophistication to a family-friendly meal. My children love meatballs and the adults love the caramelized onions and layer of melty Gruyere cheese. —Amy Lents, Grand Forks, North Dakota
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