Slow Cooker French Onion Meatballs are juicy, melt in your mouth delicious. Made with beef mince then rolled into balls we slow cook them on a bed of sweet onions. To finish with top with melty Swiss cheese and mushrooms then pair with creamy mash for complete indulgence.
Recipes like the French Onion Pork Chops, French Onion Chicken and the French Onion Beef offer a variety of slow cooker French onion flavors.
The French Onion Cob Loaf is a cheesy appetizer that also embraces this flavor profile.
🤍 Slow Cooker French Onion Meatballs
I have summarised everything that you will come to know and love (LOVE ❤) about the recipe in the points below:
- Simple ingredients.
- Homemade: store bought meatballs can be convenient and fuss free. Making your own allows you to know exactly what has gone into the meatballs with no funny unknown ingredients.
- Set and forget: the best thing about slow cooker recipes right! They need only minimal effort and then dinner pretty much cooks itself.
- Family friendly.
- Freezer friendly.
- Beef mince: is a great budget friendly choice compared to more premium cuts of meat. The Slow Cooker Savoury Mince also uses beef mince.
🥗 Ingredients
The photo below is to show you everything you need to make the crockpot French onion meatballs recipe. Please refer to the printable recipe card for specific ingredient measurements as well as detailed instructions.
As you can see the recipe calls for:
- Salt and pepper.
- Garlic.
- Egg.
- Onion powder.
- Thyme: we use dried thyme both in the meatballs themselves and as a herb to season the dish as a whole.
- Butter.
- Chicken stock.
- Worcestershire sauce.
- Brown sugar.
- Panko breadcrumbs.
- Onions.
- Brown sugar.
- Swiss cheese.
- Mushrooms.
- Parsley.
😉 Variations
Here are my sub ins and outs that you might be thinking about as you read the post and I will tell you if I think they will work or why they won't:
- Sauce: the sauce is simply the broth with flavor boosters like the Worcestershire sauce, melted butter, brown sugar and thyme. If you want to use beef broth you can. This combination will also take on the flavor profile of the juicy meatballs. If is great to spoon it over the top when serving.
- Meatballs: if you want to use pork mince (ground pork) in place of the beef to make the meatballs you can. Turkey meatballs are a great choice also. Or if you want to use store bought meatballs or frozen meatballs that will work too.
- Cheese: I like to use swiss cheese slices. I cut these into 4 and then layer them over the meatballs. Another option with great flavor is gruyere cheese. You can grate this and sprinkle over the top as an alternative to the swiss cheese.
- Other vegetables: either in addition or as a change to the mushrooms you can add a cup of frozen peas (at the cheese adding step).
- Herbs: I use fresh parsley for garnish. You can also use fresh thyme if you wish to.
👩🍳 How to Make Slow Cooker French Onion Meatballs
To make the recipe we start by preparing the vegetables. To do this use a sharp knife and cutting board to peel and slice the onions into rings. Then slice each mushroom into thin pieces.
🍳 Instructions
- Slice the onions (Photo 1)
- Slice the mushrooms (Photo 2)
- Add the meatball ingredients to a large bowl (Photo 3)
- Combine (Photo 4)
For the meatballs add the beef mince, panko breadcrumbs, egg, garlic, onion powder, dried thyme, salt and pepper to a large mixing bowl. Then use clean hands to combine.
- Portion the meatball mixture (Photo 5)
- Roll (Photo 6)
- Add the onions (Photo 7)
- Then pour in the chicken stock (Photo 8)
Use a mini cookie scoop to portion the meatball mixture and then use your hands to roll each portion into meatballs.
Next, liberally grease the slow cooker insert with cooking oil.
Then add the sliced onion rings to the base. Pour the chicken stock over the top like you see me doing in the photos above.
- Add the meatballs (Photo 9)
- Then add the brown sugar (Photo 10
- Add the Worcestershire sauce (Photo11)
- Add the thyme (Photo 12)
🍝 Crockpot French Onion Meatballs
Next place the meatballs on top of the onions. Once done add in the brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, dried thyme and butter.
- Add the butter (Photo 13)
- Put the lid on and cook (Photo 14)
- Remove lid, add cheese (Photo 15)
- Then add sliced mushrooms (Photo 16)
Next put the lid on and let the dish cook. I like to use high temperature and set the timer for 4 hours (adding the final ingredients at the 3 ½ hour mark). Or you can use low temperature for 7 hours and add the cheese and mushrooms allowing them to cook for 1 final hour.
Once you have let the cheese and mushrooms cook for the final part of the cook time, take the slid off, garnish with some chopped fresh parsley, black pepper and grab some plates. It is time to serve it up 😉👌.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
I like to keep things super straight forward when serving this recipe. Creamy mashed potatoes is a great choice and you can simply pile it on the plates and dinner is done.
For a bake potato type side you could try the Potato And Cauliflower Bake, Potato And Broccoli Bake or the Creamy Garlic Potatoes.
For more roast style potatoes you could try the Skin on Roast Potatoes or Duck Fat Roast Potatoes.
Or for a quick potato side try the Easy Boiled Garlic Butter Potatoes. These can done on the stove whilst the meatballs finish cooking and are a nice finishing touch for the dish.
If potatoes aren't your thing, try some crusty bread or dinner rolls which you can dunk in the beef juices. Other alternatives are egg noodles or your favorite pasta.
Of course if you are after a dessert to follow the French onion meatballs either the Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding or Baileys Pudding are a great way to finish off the night.
👍 How to Guide
How to Store
Once the dish has fully cooked and cooled you can portion it into a sealed, airtight container or multiple depending on how many portions you wish to save for later.
How to Freeze
This dish also freezes and reheats exceptionally well! So you can do the above and portion into containers (especially good if wanting to meal prep) then place these in the fridge or freezer. Refrigerated leftovers can be kept for 3-4 days and need to be reheated before being consumed.
How to Reheat
Add leftover refrigerated portions of the meatballs to a bowl and cover with cling wrap. Reheat on high in the microwave for 2-3 minutes until warmed through. For frozen portions allow these to thaw during the day then reheat following the previous step. I find that thawed frozen portions take an extra minute or so to warm through.
💡 Tasty Tips
Here are my top tips and tricks that I want to share with you so that you master the recipe from the get go:
- Meatball mixture: I like to use clean dry hands to combine the meatball mixture. This helps to make it consistency mixed together and takes only seconds.
- Cookie scoop: once the meatball mixture has been combined, I use a mini cookie scoop to portion out all of the meat onto a chopping board. Then I go back and roll each portion. Doing so helps you keep the meatballs the same size across the whole batch.
- Do you love slow cooker recipes? Then you might like the Pulled Pork Tenderloin, Devilled Sausages, Slow Cooker Chicken And Corn Soup, Pulled Lamb Shoulder, Dahl, Pulled Beef, Slow Cooker Coke Ribs or the Slow Cooker Coke Ham.
🤓 Slow Cooker French Onion Meatballs FAQ's
Yes. The slow cooker can be used to cook both frozen or fresh meatballs.
Adding breadcrumbs to the meatballs is to help ensure that the meatballs stick together.
Use 1 large egg per 500 grams mince to make meatballs.
😍 More Easy Dinner Recipes
Wouldn't it be boring if we did the same thing for dinner every night of the week! Never fear, here I like to give you plenty of options so that you don't have to. The recipes below have a variety of cook times, methods and proteins. I trust you will find something exciting to cook tonight 😉👌.
- More beef recipes: Minced Beef Stir Fry, Beef And Bean Enchiladas, Beef Pesto Pasta, Fusilli Bolognese.
- Other meatball recipes: Baked Ziti With Meatballs, Meatball Rigatoni, Pork Meatballs In Tomato Sauce, Meatballs Alfredo, Wagyu Meatballs, Meatballs With Polenta In Tomato Sauce.
- Other proteins: Thyme Roast Chicken, Baked Chicken Drumsticks And Rice, Tuna And Rice Casserole, Chicken And Rice Tray Bake, Mini Enchiladas.
- Pasta or noodle recipes: Fettuccine Alfredo With Tuna, Soy Sauce Noodles, Garlic Spaghetti, Grilled Chicken Alfredo, Fettuccine Alfredo With Scallops.
- Rice options: Chorizo Fried Rice, Pork Mince Fried Rice or the Thai Minced Pork.
It is time to get our French onion meatballs on my friend! You can also find all of my comfort foods or dinner recipes in the one spot.
Adrianne
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📖 Recipe
Slow Cooker French Onion Meatballs
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 500 grams/16 oz beef mince
- ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg free range
- 1 tablespoon garlic chunky chopped
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Sauce, Cheese And Vegetables
- 4 medium onions skin peeled and sliced into rings then seperated. Note 1
- ½ cup/125ml chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 3 tablespoons/60 grams butter unsalted
- 250 grams/ 1 cup swiss brown mushrooms thinly sliced, Note 2
- 6 slices Swiss cheese each slice cut into 4 small squares
To serve
- freshly chopped parsley and cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Meatballs: add the beef mince, panko breadcrumbs, egg, garlic, onion powder, dried thyme, salt and pepper to a large mixing bowl. Then use clean hands to consistently combine. Use a mini cookie scoop to portion the mixture onto a clean, dry chopping board. Then use your hands to roll each portion into a round meatball.
- Sauce and onions: liberally grease the slow cooker insert with cooking spray. Then spread the onions out across the base. Next pour in the chicken stock. Then place the meatballs on top of the onions. Pour in the Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, dried thyme and butter.
- Cook: put the lid on the slow cooker and set the timer and temperature to either 4 hours on high or 7 hours on low. Let the dish cook. For high temperature remove the lid at the 3 ½ hour mark, for low temperature do this at the 7 hour mark. Lay the cheese pieces over the meatballs and then sprinkle the mushrooms over the top. Put the lid back on and cook for a further 30 minutes (high heat) or `1 hour (low heat).
- To serve: once the final cook time is up remove the lid and garnish the dish with freshly chopped parsley. Portion onto plates with creamy mashed potato and serve with cracked pepper.
Video
Notes
- Note 1 - Onions: the recipe calls for 4 medium onions. They soften during the slow cooking process and are a beautiful compliment to the juicy meatballs. If you want to you can reduce the onions to 2 and add a cup of frozen peas when adding the cheese and mushrooms.
- Note 2 - Mushrooms: I like to use Swiss brown mushrooms. Their taste and color are a great choice for the recipe. I haven't made the recipe using white button mushrooms as I feel they have less flavor.
- Note 3 - Butter: as we add salt to the mushrooms for seasoning we want to be mindful of not adding additional salt to the recipe. For this recipe unsalted butter is recommended.
Rebecca M says
Looks pretty great to me!
Adrianne Jamieson says
Thanks Rebecca 😊.