Description
Savory slow cooker French onion meatballs bring classic French comfort to your dinner table, melding rich caramelized onion flavors with tender, juicy meatballs. Cheese-topped and simmering in a luscious broth, these meatballs will transport you straight to a charming Parisian bistro.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 0.5 lbs ground pork
- 1 large egg
Onion and Aromatics:
- 3 large yellow onions
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Seasoning and Binding:
- 0.5 cup breadcrumbs
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
Liquid and Sauce:
- 2 cups beef broth
- 0.5 cup red wine
- 2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
Cheese Topping:
- 1 cup gruyère cheese
- 0.5 cup mozzarella cheese
Garnish:
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)
Instructions
- Slice yellow onions into thin, uniform rings, ensuring even cooking and caramelization in the slow cooker.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet and gently sauté onions over medium-low heat until deeply golden and soft, approximately 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Mince garlic finely and set aside while preparing meatball mixture.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef and ground pork, creating a harmonious blend of meats for enhanced flavor and texture.
- Crack the egg into the meat mixture, then incorporate breadcrumbs, salt, black pepper, dried thyme, and dried rosemary, mixing thoroughly but gently to prevent dense meatballs.
- Form the meat mixture into uniform, golf ball-sized meatballs, ensuring consistent size for even cooking.
- Layer caramelized onions across the bottom of the slow cooker, creating a flavorful base.
- Arrange meatballs carefully over the onion layer, avoiding overcrowding.
- Whisk together beef broth, red wine, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato paste to create a rich, complex braising liquid.
- Pour the liquid mixture evenly over meatballs and onions in the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low temperature for 6-7 hours, allowing flavors to meld and meatballs to become tender.
- During the final 30 minutes of cooking, sprinkle gruyère and mozzarella cheeses over the meatballs.
- Once cheese is melted and bubbly, turn off the slow cooker.
- Garnish with freshly chopped parsley before serving for a vibrant, aromatic finish.
Notes
- Caramelize onions slowly to develop deep, sweet flavor without burning, watching heat carefully and stirring periodically.
- Use a mixture of ground meats for richer taste and more tender meatballs, balancing fat content for juiciness.
- Choose low-moisture mozzarella to prevent watery sauce and ensure creamy cheese coverage on meatballs.
- Create gluten-free version by substituting breadcrumbs with almond flour or gluten-free panko for binding meatballs.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6-7 hours
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg