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French Onion Meatball Skillet

French Onion Meatball Skillet with deeply caramelized onions, simmered meatballs, and a blanket of melty Gruyère. Browned in one oven-safe skillet, then broiled until golden and bubbly.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: French-American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Meatballs
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 0.25 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.5 salt to taste
  • 0.5 pepper to taste
French onion base
  • 3 onions large, thinly sliced
  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 0.5 cup dry white wine
  • 1.5 cup beef broth
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme
  • 2 cup Gruyere shredded

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Mix and shape the meatballs
  1. In a bowl, mix ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, Worcestershire, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until just combined.
  2. Roll the mixture into meatballs and keep them ready for browning in the skillet.
Brown the meatballs
  1. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat, then add meatballs and brown on all sides for about 3-5 minutes.
  2. Remove the meatballs to a plate and keep the skillet drippings in place.
Caramelize onions and build the sauce
  1. Lower heat to medium-low and add remaining 2 tablespoons butter, then cook onions, stirring occasionally, for 30-35 minutes until deeply caramelized.
  2. Add minced garlic and fresh thyme and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
  3. Pour in dry white wine and deglaze, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the skillet, then let it bubble for 2 minutes.
  4. Stir in beef broth and Worcestershire, then bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
Simmer, add cheese, and broil
  1. Nestle browned meatballs into the caramelized onion sauce, then simmer for 10 minutes, turning once so they absorb sauce.
  2. Scatter shredded Gruyère over the entire surface so it melts into a browned layer.
  3. Broil for 3-5 minutes until golden and bubbly, watching closely to prevent burning.

Notes

Pro tip: slice onions evenly and keep the heat at medium-low so they caramelize, not scorch. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stovetop until hot. Freezing is not recommended because Gruyère texture can change after thawing. For a lighter option, use 90% lean ground beef and reduce butter to 3 tablespoons total while still cooking onions low and slow.