Description
This Crock Pot French Onion Meatballs recipe combines tender frozen meatballs with caramelized onions, rich beef broth, and melted Gruyere cheese for a comforting and flavorful slow-cooked meal. Perfect for an easy dinner, it delivers the classic French onion flavor in a hearty, protein-packed dish.
Ingredients
Meatballs and Onions
- 2 medium yellow onions, sliced
- 26 ounces frozen meatballs
Sauce
- 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1 ounce package brown gravy mix
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tablespoons corn starch
Topping
- 1½ cups Gruyere cheese, grated
Instructions
- Prepare the base: Place the sliced onions at the bottom of a 6-quart crock pot to form a flavorful bed for the meatballs.
- Add meatballs: Pour the frozen meatballs evenly over the sliced onions in the crock pot.
- Mix and pour sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together beef broth, brown gravy mix, minced garlic, black pepper, dried thyme, and white wine vinegar until fully combined. Pour this mixture over the meatballs in the crock pot.
- Slow cook: Cover the crock pot and cook the meatballs and onions on high for 2½ to 3½ hours or on low for 5 to 6 hours, allowing flavors to meld and the meatballs to become tender.
- Thicken sauce and add cheese: In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and water to create a slurry. Stir this into the crock pot contents and mix well. Sprinkle the grated Gruyere cheese evenly over the meatballs, then cover and cook for an additional 10 minutes or until the cheese has fully melted.
- Serve: Spoon the cheesy French onion meatballs over rice or mashed potatoes for a hearty comfort meal.
Notes
- Cooking times vary depending on crock pot settings; adjust accordingly.
- For a deeper onion flavor, consider caramelizing onions slightly before adding to crock pot.
- Gruyere cheese can be substituted with Swiss or mozzarella if preferred.
- Serve with crusty bread to soak up extra sauce.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: French-American
