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French Onion Meatballs

French onion meatballs with browned 1.5-inch meatballs, slow-caramelized onions, and a melted Gruyère/provolone crust. Simmered in a savory onion broth, then broiled until golden and bubbly for a rich French-American dinner.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: French-American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For meatballs
  • 1.5 lb ground beef
  • 0.33 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 0.25 salt and pepper Use to taste (season the meatball mixture and sauce).
For French onion sauce
  • 3 large onions Thinly sliced.
  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 0.5 cup dry white wine or beef broth
  • 2 cup beef broth
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme Fresh thyme leaves.
  • 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, and salt and pepper, then roll into 1.5-inch balls.
  2. Heat butter in a skillet over medium-high heat and brown meatballs until browned on the outside, about 3-4 minutes, then set aside.
Caramelize onions and simmer the sauce
  1. In the same skillet, melt butter and caramelize the thinly sliced onions over medium-low heat with occasional stirring for 30-35 minutes until deeply golden and soft, with a glossy brown look.
  2. Pour in the dry white wine (or beef broth) and deglaze, scraping up browned bits from the bottom for 1-2 minutes until the pan looks clean.
  3. Add beef broth, Worcestershire, and fresh thyme, then bring to a gentle simmer.
  4. Return browned meatballs to the sauce and simmer for 15 minutes until cooked through and coated, with bubbling around the edges.
Broil with a cheesy topping
  1. Transfer to a baking dish if your skillet is not oven-safe, spreading meatballs and onion broth evenly.
  2. Scatter the Gruyère/provolone over everything so it fully covers the top in an even layer.
  3. Broil for 3-4 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbly with browned spots and a set, creamy surface.

Notes

For extra rich flavor, caramelize the onions until they look deep amber and jammy; if they’re browning too fast, lower the heat to keep them from turning bitter. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 3-4 days; reheat gently in a covered pan or microwave until hot. Freezing is not recommended for best cheese texture. For a lighter option, use lean ground beef (90% or higher) to reduce calories while keeping the sauce and broiled cheese crust the same.