Slow Cooker French Onion Meatballs
These Slow Cooker French Onion Meatballs are an easy dump-and-go dinner made with tender meatballs, sweet onions, a rich and savory French onion gravy, and melted Gruyère cheese. With just a few minutes of prep, the slow cooker does all the work!
Quick Look: Slow Cooker French Onion Meatballs
Ready In: About 5½ to 6½ hours on low (10 minutes hands-on), 2½ to 3 hours on high.
Serves: 6
Calories: 483 Calories
Main Ingredients: Frozen meatballs, yellow onions, beef broth, French onion dip mix, Gruyère cheese
Why You'll Love It: 10 minutes of prep, no thawing or browning, and a cozy French onion gravy the whole family loves
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My kids love meatballs, so I'm always looking for new ways to serve them, and this recipe was no different. The French onion flavor was a hit with everyone at the table, and the kids happily ate their meatballs piled on top of mashed potatoes.
It's also about as easy as a weeknight dinner gets. Frozen meatballs, sliced onions, and a quick whisked sauce go straight into the slow cooker. A few hours later you thicken the gravy, melt Gruyère over the top, and dinner is ready.
If your family loves a cozy crock pot dinner, try my Slow Cooker Cheeseburger Soup, Slow Cooker Chili Cornbread Casserole, or Crockpot Marry Me Chicken Pasta next. You'll find plenty more in my slow cooker recipes.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Minimal Prep - Slice the onions, mince the garlic, whisk the sauce, and you're done.
Dump and Cook - The meatballs go into the slow cooker straight from the freezer.
Kid Approved - Meatballs were already a favorite in our house, and the French onion gravy won everyone over.
French onion flavor without the fuss - You get that cozy French onion soup taste without standing at the stove caramelizing onions.
Easy to Serve - Spoon it over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or rice, or serve it with crusty bread.
Key Ingredients
Frozen Beef Meatballs - I used a 32 ounce but some bags come in 25 ounce bags...either will work. Beef meatballs pair naturally with the beef broth.
Yellow Onions - Two large onions, thinly sliced. They soften in the broth and give the sauce its French onion flavor.
Low-sodium Beef Broth - The base of the gravy. Low sodium keeps things from getting too salty, since the dip mix adds salt too.
Dry French Onion Dip Mix - Adds concentrated onion flavor and seasoning in one step.
Gruyère Cheese - Melts smoothly over the meatballs, just like the top of a bowl of French onion soup.
Substitutions and Variations
Different Cheese - Swiss or provolone are good stand-ins if you can't find Gruyère.
Meatballs - Turkey or chicken meatballs work if that's what your family prefers. Just make sure they're the frozen, fully cooked kind.
Broth - Regular or low sodium beef broth work, just be sure to taste before serving, since the sauce will be saltier with regular beef broth.
Gluten free - Check the labels on your meatballs, Worcestershire sauce, and dip mix, since some brands contain wheat.
How to Make Slow Cooker French Onion Meatballs
Step 1.
Place the sliced onions, garlic, and frozen meatballs in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Add the beef broth, French onion dip mix, garlic Worcestershire sauce, thyme, white wine vinegar, and black pepper and give it a little stir.
Step 2.
Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours or HIGH for 2½ to 3½ hours, until the onions are tender and the meatballs are heated through.
Step 3.
In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and cold water. Stir it into the slow cooker, cover, and cook on HIGH for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.
Step 4.
Sprinkle the shredded Gruyère over the meatballs. Cover and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or rice, or with crusty bread.
Expert Tips
French Onion Dip Mix - Use dry French onion dip seasoning, not prepared dip. Different brands vary in saltiness, so low-sodium beef broth is recommended.
Serving Suggestion - my family loved these meatballs on top of mashed potatoes but noodles and rice would also work. You could also serve them alongside some crusty bread and a nice Autumn Salad.
Slice the Onions Thin - Thin slices turn soft and silky in the broth. Thick slices can stay a little crunchy.
Mix the Cornstarch with Cold Water - Whisking the cornstarch into cold water first keeps the gravy from getting lumpy.
Wait to Add the Cheese - Adding the Gruyère at the very end keeps it melty instead of greasy.
Meatballs - I used frozen fully cooked beef meatballs work best, but turkey meatballs are another option.
Storage - Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Reheating - Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop, adding a splash of beef broth if the gravy has thickened.
Freezer Meal - to make these French onion meatballs into a freezer meal, simply combine the meatballs, sliced onion, French onion soup mix, Worcestershire, garlic, dried thyme, and white wine vinegar in a freezer bag along with 2 beef bouillon cubes. One you're ready to cook, transfer the contents of the bag to your slow cooker, top with 2 cups of water, and cook according to instructions.
Slow Cooker French Onion Meatballs Recipe FAQs
No. This recipe uses frozen, fully cooked meatballs, so they only need to heat through in the slow cooker. If you want to double check, they should reach 165°F in the center before serving.
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove until hot all the way through.
Yes! You can use homemade meatballs in this recipe. I recommend baking them first so they hold their shape while cooking in the slow cooker. You can also use refrigerated, fully cooked meatballs. Cooking times may vary depending on the size of the meatballs.
Yes. If you don't have French onion dip mix, you can substitute 1 teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, and 1 teaspoon beef bouillon paste. You can also add a little extra Worcestershire sauce for more savory flavor.
The easiest way to thicken the gravy is with a cornstarch slurry. Simply whisk together 2 tablespoons cornstarch and ¼ cup cold water, then stir it into the slow cooker during the last 15-20 minutes of cooking. Turn the slow cooker to HIGH and let the gravy thicken.
Yes! You can slice the onions and mix together the sauce ingredients up to 24 hours in advance. Store everything separately in the refrigerator until you're ready to cook. This makes prep even quicker on busy mornings if you're wanting to get it in the slow cooker before you leave the house for the day.
Yes! Allow the cooked meatballs and gravy to cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months for best quality. I recommend freezing them without the Gruyère cheese and adding fresh cheese when reheating.
Other Recipes to Consider
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, or take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #greensnchocolate.
Slow Cooker French Onion Meatballs
Ingredients
- 25-30 ounces frozen fully cooked meatballs
- 2 large yellow onions thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 ½ cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1 packet dry French onion dip mix
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ cup cold water
- 1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese
- Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Place the sliced onions, garlic, and frozen meatballs in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Add the beef broth, French onion dip mix, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, white wine vinegar, and black pepper and give it a little stir.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 5-6 hours or HIGH for 2½-3½ hours, until the onions are tender and the meatballs are heated through.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and cold water. Stir into the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for another 15 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.
- Sprinkle the shredded Gruyère cheese over the meatballs.
- Cover and cook for another 5-10 minutes, until the cheese is melted.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, rice, or with crusty bread.
