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French Onion Meatballs

French onion meatballs with caramelized onion broth and a browned, melty Gruyère–provolone cheese crust. Juicy 1.5-inch meatballs are browned, then simmered in savory French onion sauce until tender.
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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: 680
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 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp pepper
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
  • 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, then roll into 1.5-inch meatballs.
  2. Heat butter in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and brown meatballs, then transfer to a plate.
Caramelize onions and build the sauce
  1. In the same skillet, cook thinly sliced onions in butter over medium-low heat for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally until deeply caramelized.
  2. Deglaze with white wine (or beef broth) and scrape up browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
  3. Add beef broth, Worcestershire, and fresh thyme, then bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
Simmer and broil with cheese
  1. Return browned meatballs to the sauce and simmer for 15 minutes until tender and coated.
  2. If your skillet is not oven-safe, transfer meatballs and sauce to a baking dish, then scatter Gruyère–provolone over the top.
  3. Broil for 3-4 minutes at high heat until the cheese is golden and bubbly.

Notes

Pro tip: caramelize the onions slowly over medium-low heat so they turn jammy and sweet rather than browned too fast. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet or microwave until hot. Freezing is not recommended because the cheese layer and onion texture can change after thawing. For a lighter swap, use 90% lean ground beef to cut fat without changing the method.