Description
Savory Crockpot French Onion Meatballs blend classic comfort with rich, caramelized flavors that dance across your palate. Cheesy, tender meatballs swimming in a deeply aromatic sauce promise a meal that satisfies right down to your soul.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Protein:
- 1 pound (0.45 kilogram) ground beef
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ cups shredded Gruyère cheese
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Seasonings and Herbs:
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Base and Binding Ingredients:
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 (10.5 ounces) can condensed French onion soup
- 1 cup beef broth
Instructions
- Combine ground beef with breadcrumbs, egg, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl. Gently form uniform meatballs, ensuring they are compact but not overly dense.
- Warm olive oil in a skillet over medium heat (around 350°F). Carefully brown meatballs on all sides until golden, creating a flavorful exterior crust.
- Transfer browned meatballs into the crockpot, maintaining their shape and integrity.
- Using the same skillet, sauté sliced onions until they become deeply caramelized and rich golden brown, approximately 8-10 minutes.
- Add caramelized onions directly into the crockpot, spreading them evenly around the meatballs.
- Pour beef broth and sprinkle French onion soup mix over the meatballs and onions, ensuring complete coverage.
- Cover crockpot and slow cook on low temperature for 6-8 hours or high temperature for 3-4 hours, allowing flavors to meld and meatballs to become tender.
- During the final 30 minutes of cooking, generously top meatballs with shredded Gruyère or Swiss cheese, allowing it to melt completely.
- Once cooking is complete, garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately over mashed potatoes, steamed rice, or alongside crusty artisan bread.
Notes
- Ensure meat is freshly ground for maximum flavor and tender texture.
- Browning meatballs before slow cooking creates a delicious caramelized exterior and locks in juices.
- Use low-sodium beef broth to control salt levels and prevent overly salty dish.
- For gluten-free version, replace breadcrumbs with almond flour or gluten-free breadcrumbs.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 444
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 31 g
- Cholesterol: 125 mg