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French Onion Meatballs

French onion meatballs with tender browned meatballs simmered in a deep, caramelized onion broth, then topped with a melty Gruyere/provolone crust. Made in one skillet for the sauce, finished under the broiler for a golden, bubbly top.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: French-American
Calories: 730
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Meatballs
  • 1.5 lb ground beef
  • 0.3333333333 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 0.25 salt to taste
  • 0.25 pepper to taste
French onion sauce
  • 3 large onions thinly sliced
  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 0.5 cup dry white wine or beef broth choose one
  • 2 cup beef broth
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme
  • 2 cup Gruyere or provolone, shredded

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Make and brown the meatballs
  1. Mix ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, Worcestershire, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper until evenly combined.
  2. Roll the mixture into 1.5-inch meatballs, then brown them in butter in a skillet over medium-high heat until deep golden all over, and set aside.
Caramelize the onions and build the sauce
  1. In the same skillet, caramelize the sliced onions in butter over medium-low heat for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally until deeply browned and soft.
  2. Deglaze the skillet with wine, scraping up any browned bits, then cook 1-2 minutes.
  3. Add beef broth, Worcestershire, and fresh thyme, then bring the mixture to a simmer.
Simmer with meatballs and melt the cheese
  1. Return the browned meatballs to the onion sauce, then simmer for 15 minutes until cooked through and coated.
  2. Transfer to a baking dish if the skillet is not oven-safe, then scatter shredded Gruyere/provolone over the top.
  3. Broil 3-4 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbly with lightly browned spots.

Notes

For extra flavor, let the caramelized onion sauce finish until it looks jammy and dark amber before deglazing. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently until hot throughout. Freezing is okay for the meatballs and sauce (freeze up to 2 months) but cheese may soften—add fresh cheese and broil after thawing if you want the best crust. For a lighter option, use 93% lean ground beef.