Crock Pot French Onion Meatballs Recipe You’ll Love

Honestly, This Is Comfort Food Gold

Let me tell you—if you’ve ever been stuck staring into your fridge at 5:30 pm, wondering what magical concoction will save dinner without making you crazy, Crock Pot French Onion Meatballs have absolutely swooped in to rescue me. First time I tried them, it was one of those unplanned Wednesdays (kids yelling, my phone somewhere under a couch cushion) where I just wanted something easy, cheesy, and a little bit fancy. And, well, these meatballs are like bringing your favorite diner order home—with barely any work.

I remember my aunt Noreen swearing by French Onion everything, so maybe I picked up the habit of tossing onions in, well, all sorts of dishes. By the way, my cousin tried to put pickles in these once, and… let’s just say, some things are sacred.

Why I Keep Coming Back To This Recipe

I make this whenever I need something soul-warming (and, not gonna lie, something that’ll impress my husband when I’ve only been half-listening to the recipe podcast). My kids go nuts for the sweet onions and cheesy top. There’s also the part where the whole house smells incredible—like you’ve been slaving away, when really, it’s the crock pot doing the heavy lifting. Sometimes I toss in frozen meatballs (shhh) when I can’t be bothered making them myself, and nobody’s ever complained. If only all cooking was this easy—no fiddling with timers every ten minutes, just dump, stir, forget.

And, OK, sometimes the onions have made me cry more than a rerun of Steel Magnolias, but it’s worth it.

What You’ll Need (And What You Can Sub In)

• Meatballs – You can totally use frozen (I do it more often than not) or homemade if you’re feeling fancy; beef, turkey, or even those veggie ones if you’re adventurous.
• 2 big onions, sliced thin – White, yellow, or whatever you’ve got. My gran always said “Vidalia or bust,” but really any big ol’ onion’s fine.
• 2 tablespoon butter – Or margarine if the fridge is a barren wasteland. Olive oil in a pinch, but you lose a bit of flavor.
• 1 can (10.5 oz) beef broth – Low sodium, regular, homemade if you’re a rock star.
• 1 packet onion soup mix – I usually grab Lipton, but Aldi’s works just as well, don’t stress.
• 2 cloves garlic, minced – Lazy nights? The jar stuff is fine, I won’t tell.
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce – Unless you’re out, and then, well, skip it; it’s not the star.
• 1 cup shredded Gruyère or Swiss – Or plain old mozzarella if cheese snobs aren’t in your kitchen.
• 1 handful fresh parsley (optional) – For that "I tried" look.

Let’s Get Cooking (It’s Easier Than It Sounds)

1. Start with the onions: Melt the butter in a skillet (or directly in your crock, if it’s got a sauté setting—fancy pants). Toss in your onions and cook over medium heat until they’re all soft and golden. Sometimes I wander off and burn them, but as long as you don’t leave them for, like, an hour, you’re good. It’s OK if they look a bit mushy, that’s what you want.
2. Add garlic and let it do its thing for about a minute (I usually take a whiff here, honestly, just to feel fancy).
3. Transfer onions to the crock pot. Dump in your meatballs—no need to thaw if they’re frozen, honestly. Sprinkle the soup mix all over, then pour in the broth and add the Worcestershire. A quick stir, and that’s it.
4. Cook low and slow—I usually do 4 hours on low, or if I can’t wait, 2 hours on high. Sometimes I peek early and sneak a meatball (chef’s privilege!). If it looks a bit soupy, that’s normal; it thickens as it cools, promise.
5. Cheese time! Sprinkle the Gruyère or whatever cheese you’ve got over the top. Pop the lid back on for the last 10-15 minutes, till it’s all melty. I’m guilty of sometimes giving it a blast under the broiler to really brown the top, but the slow cooker version is perfectly fine. Parsley is optional, but it does make it look restaurant-y.

Recipe Notes Nobody Told Me (You’re Welcome)

• Don’t panic if it’s too runny at first—let it sit with the lid off for a few minutes. Thickens up.
• I’ve forgotten the Worcestershire before, and still… fantastic.
• Homemade meatballs taste best, but honestly, frozen ones are gold on a weeknight.
• Big onions make a difference, but smaller work if that’s all you’ve got. I once used a bunch of green onions—odd, not bad, but not quite right.

Skirting Tradition: Here’s How I’ve Twisted It

• I tried chicken meatballs with Monterey Jack once—oddly, not my favorite. Too bland?
• You can toss in mushrooms (I do this sometimes for extra veg-guilt relief); they go all earthy and yummy.
• Once I swapped in cheese curds—midwestern experiment—and let’s just say, stick to melty cheese for best results.
• Friend of mine throws in a squirt of sriracha; wild, but actually kinda works if you like heat.

What If I Don’t Have A Crock Pot?

No worries! I’ve made this in the oven (covered, low-ish heat, like 325°F) or even on the stovetop in a big ol’ Dutch oven. Crock Pot just lets me be lazy, but any big pot with a lid will do. Actually, I’ve even done a half-batch in my Instant Pot on slow cooker mode—sorta works, I guess.

The Truth About Leftovers

Listen, I think this tastes even better the next day, if miracles happen and you’ve got leftovers. Fridge in a closed container for up to 3 days; I usually scoop it into a Tupperware (or just leave it in the slow cooker insert, shh). Just rewarm gently—microwave, stovetop, whatever. It’s so good over bread the next day. But I have to admit, in my house, it never survives long enough to need storing.

How I Serve These (But You Do You)

My personal favorite is piling these over toasty baguette slices—a little crunchy, a lot of oozy cheese. My kids prefer plain old mashed potatoes (with extra sauce, obviously). Sometimes we do ‘em over egg noodles or rice. The only thing we don’t do is eat them with a fork and knife; way too formal for this house. Oh! Once, for a party, I stuck toothpicks in and called it an "appetizer," and nobody argued.

Stuff I Learned The Hard Way (So You Don’t Have To)

• Don’t rush the onions! I tried to speed it up once and just ended up with weird, half-raw onion soup.
• More cheese is better. Trust me; the one time I skimped, everyone noticed.
• If you add the cheese before the sauce is hot, it won’t melt right—no bueno. Wait till the end.
• I’ve forgotten to stir once; it all stuck to one side, but a good scrape and it was fine. Happens to the best of us!

Got Questions? So Have My Friends…

And if you’ve made it this far and you’re still reading—cheers to you! Do yourself a favor: put on a good playlist, let that slow cooker do its thing, and give yourself a little pat on the back when dinner basically makes itself.

★★★★★ 4.20 from 45 ratings

Crock Pot French Onion Meatballs

yield: 6 servings

prep: 15 mins

cook: 20 mins

total: 50 mins

A savory and comforting dish featuring juicy meatballs slow-cooked in a rich French onion sauce, perfect for an easy family dinner.

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Ingredients

• 2 pounds frozen beef meatballs
• 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 packet (1 oz) dry onion soup mix
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 ½ cups shredded Gruyère cheese
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)

Instructions

1. 1
   In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter and add sliced onions. Cook until onions are caramelized, about 8-10 minutes.
2. 2
   Transfer caramelized onions to the crock pot. Add frozen meatballs on top.
3. 3
   Sprinkle dry onion soup mix, garlic powder, and black pepper over meatballs. Pour in beef broth and Worcestershire sauce.
4. 4
   Cover and cook on low for 4 hours, or until meatballs are heated through and flavors are blended.
5. 5
   During the last 10 minutes, sprinkle shredded Gruyère cheese over meatballs and let it melt.
6. 6
   Garnish with fresh parsley before serving. Serve hot.

CLICK FOR NUTRITION INFO ↑

Approximate Information for One Serving

Serving Size: 1 serving

Calories: 370 caloriescal

Protein: 22gg

Fat: 23gg

Saturated Fat: 0g

Trans Fat: 0g

Cholesterol: 0mg

Sodium: 0mg

Potassium: 0mg

Total Carbs: 19gg

Fiber: 0g

Sugar: 0g

Net Carbs: 0g

Vitamin A: 0

Vitamin C: 0mg

Calcium: 0mg

Iron: 0mg

Nutrition Disclaimers

Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.

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