French Onion Meatballs
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
1 hr
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Cook Time
25 mins
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Total Time
1 hr 25 mins
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Servings
16 meatballs
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
American
French Onion Meatballs
Description
This recipe starts by caramelizing thinly sliced onions slowly with olive oil and salt over medium-low heat until they are golden and soft, developing a rich sweetness. Half of these onions are chopped to blend directly into the turkey mixture, which includes minced garlic, grated Gruyere and Parmesan cheeses, seasoned bread crumbs, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper.
The mixture is formed into small 1-inch meatballs and browned in olive oil. The final cooking and finishing are done in an oven-safe skillet, where a chicken or beef stock is combined with flour to make a light gravy. Additional cheese is used as a topping. This method results in moist, tender meatballs infused with the caramelized onion flavor and cheesy richness.
French Onion Meatballs make a comforting protein dish suitable for a main course, possibly served with sides such as mashed potatoes, rice, or vegetables that can act as a foil to the savory sauce.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 onion thinly sliced, medium
- 1 pound ground turkey I like 94%, lean, or ground chicken
- 2 garlic minced, cloves
- 1 cup gruyere cheese plus extra for topping, finely grated
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan Cheese freshly grated
- 1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
- 3 tablespoons parsley fresh
- 1 teaspoon thyme dried
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil for browning the meatballs
- 1 ½ cups chicken stock or beef stock
- 1 teaspoon flour
Instructions
- Heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium-low heat and add the olive oil. Stir in the onions with a big pinch of salt. .Cook, stirring often, until the onions caramelize, about 30 to 40 minutes. Once the onions are golden and caramelly, transfer them to a plate. (Note: if you’re really in a rush, you can add 1 teaspoon of sugar, honey, maple syrup, etc to speed along the caramelization process. Be sure to stir often and check on the progress!)
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Take half of the cooled caramelized onions and chop them up a bit - just so they easily mix into the meatballs.
- In a bowl, stir together the turkey, garlic, ½ cup gruyere, all the parmesan, the breadcrumbs, parsley, thyme, salt and pepper. Add in the chopped caramelized onions. Mix until the meatballs are just combined - do not over mix!
- Use your hands to form the mixture into 1-inch meatballs. It helps if you wet your hands with water before rolling. It’s okay if the meatballs are not perfect rounds!
- Heat the same skillet over medium heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Add the meatballs in a single layer and brown them on all sides - let them cook for 1 to 2 minutes, before flipping.
- Once the meatballs are completely browned, fill a shaker cup or water bottle with the stock and flour. Shake it for 30 seconds. Pour the mixture into the skillet with the meatballs. Add in the remaining caramelized onions. Top the meatballs with the remaining gruyere cheese.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until cooked through (you want the internal temp to read 165 degrees F). Serve immediately! I love serving these on sourdough bread, like a meatball melt!
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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