Description
Comfort meets French-inspired elegance in this Crockpot French Onion Meatloaf, where caramelized onions and melted Swiss cheese create a hearty dinner sensation. Slow-cooked to perfection, you’ll savor each bite of this rich, flavorful classic that brings home-style warmth to your table.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 4 oz. Swiss Gruyère (or provolone cheese)
- 1 egg
Aromatics and Vegetables:
- 3–4 large sweet onions, sliced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
Dry Ingredients and Seasonings:
- 1 cup Italian herb breadcrumbs
- 1 cup milk
- 1 oz. package French onion soup mix
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup cooking sherry
- Fresh thyme sprigs for garnish
Instructions
- Gently separate and distribute sliced onions across the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker, creating an even layer. Enhance flavor by sprinkling with salt, pepper, and a touch of sugar. Strategically place small butter pads throughout the onion base.
- Alternatively, pre-caramelize onions in a skillet over medium heat for 15-20 minutes until golden and deeply fragrant, developing rich flavor complexity.
- Combine ground beef with bread crumbs, milk, egg, and onion soup mix in a mixing bowl. Carefully shape the mixture into a compact, uniform loaf that will fit comfortably in the slow cooker.
- Drizzle cooking sherry and Worcestershire sauce evenly over the prepared onion base, creating a flavorful liquid foundation for the meatloaf.
- Gently position the formed meatloaf atop the seasoned onion layer. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 hours, ensuring the internal temperature reaches 160°F for food safety.
- During the final 20-30 minutes of cooking, layer Swiss cheese slices across the meatloaf’s surface. Allow cheese to melt completely, creating a golden, bubbly topping.
- Once cooking is complete, carefully transfer meatloaf to a serving platter. Accompany with the caramelized onions and aromatic cooking juices.
- Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs to add a bright, herbaceous finish to the dish. Slice and serve immediately while warm.
Notes
- Caramelize onions separately for deeper, richer flavor if time allows, enhancing the overall taste profile of the dish.
- Use lean ground beef (90/10) to prevent excessive fat pooling in the slow cooker and ensure a firmer meatloaf texture.
- Add grated Parmesan to the bread crumb mixture for extra umami and complexity in the meat’s seasoning.
- For gluten-free adaptation, replace bread crumbs with gluten-free alternatives like almond flour or crushed gluten-free crackers.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 570 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 820 mg
- Fat: 38 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 21 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 34 g
- Cholesterol: 130 mg