Slow Cooker French Onion Meatballs

Close up of the meatballs with sauce and shredded gruyere cheese on top

Slow Cooker French Onion Meatballs

Slow Cooker French Onion Meatballs are tender, juicy meatballs simmered in a rich, savory French onion sauce. Slow-cooked to perfection, this family favorite easy dinner recipe make a cozy dinner for busy nights, and they're so easy to prep with frozen meatballs, condensed French onion soup, and fresh onions.

Course Dinner, Slow Cooker

Cuisine American, French

Keyword slow cooker french onion meatballs

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 5

Total Time 5 5

Servings

Calories 454kcal

Author Jessica - Together as Family

Equipment

Ingredients

1 bag (32 oz) frozen homestyle meatballs
2 medium yellow onions (thinly sliced in half-moon shapes)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 can (10.5 oz) condensed French onion soup
1¼ cups beef broth
2 cloves garlic minced or pressed
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1½ cups shredded Gruyere cheese
chopped fresh parsley (optional garnish)

Instructions

Lightly spray the inside of your slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Dump the frozen meatballs into the slow cooker.
1 bag (32 oz) frozen homestyle meatballs
Layer the thinly sliced onions over top the meatballs.
2 medium yellow onions
Cut the butter into small pieces and scatter them across the onions.
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
In a medium bowl, whisk together the condensed French onion soup, beef broth, garlic, and black pepper. Pour the mixture over the meatballs and onions.
2 cloves garlic, 1 can (10.5 oz) condensed French onion soup, 1¼ cups beef broth, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Cover and cook on LOW heat for 4-5 hours.
Sprinkle the shredded gruyere cheese evenly over the top. Cover again, and let it cook for an additional 10 minutes or until the cheese has fully melted and is gooey.
^{*See notes for tips if you want a thicker gravy sauce}
1½ cups shredded Gruyere cheese
Serve the meatballs hot, directly from the slow cooker with a side of Texas toast for dipping.
^{*My family likes them served over mashed potatoes, you could also serve them over buttered egg noodles, pasta, or rice.}
chopped fresh parsley

Notes

Want A Thicker Gravy Sauce? : If at the end of the cook time you feel the sauce is too thin - simply remove 1 cup of the liquid from the slow cooker and place it into a small mixing bowl along with 1 tablespoon cornstarch - whisk it together until it's smooth and combined well. Pour the liquid back into the slow cooker, stir well, and let it cook for about 10 minutes or until thickened. Do this BEFORE you add the shredded gruyere cheese.

Gruyere Cheese : Buy a block of this specialty cheese (usually found up in the deli area by the meat counter and other fresh ingredients) and use a cheese grater to shred it yourself. Another option is white cheddar but I highly recommend the Gruyere as it's the classic French onion flavor.

Onions : Yellow onions or sweet onions can be used in this recipe.

Beef Broth : Beef stock, beef bone broth, or water + beef bouillon can all be used. There are low-sodium or no salt options of all of them, so use them if there are dietary needs or restrictions. I use full salt beef broth (or sometimes I also use beef bone broth) and the unsalted butter.

Nutrition