French Onion Meatballs

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French onion meatballs are a soul-warming pan of ground beef in caramelized onion sauce with all the flavor—and melty cheese topping—of French onion soup, making for a hearty, crowd-pleasing dinner.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons butter, divided
  • 1 large onion, thinly sliced
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
  • 1 teaspoon pepper, divided
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
  • 3 tablespoons dry red wine
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups beef stock
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 teaspoons italian seasoning
  • 1 cup shredded gruyere cheese
  • french bread baguette slices, toasted, optional

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°. Fit a 15x10x1-in. baking sheet with a wire rack; coat with cooking spray. Set aside.
  2. In a large oven-safe skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium-low heat. Add onion; stir to coat. Cook until onion slices begin to caramelize and are very soft, stirring occasionally, 15-20 minutes. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and rosemary. Add wine; cook until evaporated, 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly.
  3. Stir in remaining butter; once melted, whisk in flour until lightly browned. Slowly whisk in beef stock; bring to a simmer until thickened, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat; set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, combine ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, parsley, garlic, Italian seasoning, remaining 1 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bake until internal temperature reaches 165°, 15-20 minutes. Transfer meatballs to skillet with cooked onions; stir to combine. Top with shredded Gruyere.
  5. Preheat broiler. Broil skillet 3-4 in. from heat until cheese is melted, 2-3 minutes. If desired, serve with toasted baguette slices.
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