Don’t you just love a steaming hot pot of French Onion soup? Especially when it’s loaded with Gruyere cheese and tons of flavor! I absolutely love it AND this way of preparing the dish is so clutch. It’s like all the flavors you love in one amazing bite!
French Onion Soup Meatballs
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 good pinch of Kosher salt
1 good pinch of black pepper
1 pound of ground chuck
2 slices of bread
1/2 cup of milk (or half and half)
1 teaspoon of Kosher salt
1 teaspoon of black pepper
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon of dried fennel
1/2 teaspoon of Herbs de Provence
1/2 cup of onion
4 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup of green pepper
1/2 cup of celery
1/2 cup of good brandy
1 cup of good beef stock
2 cups of Gruyere cheese, shredded
To make the onions, add the oil and onions to a pan and cook on low heat for 30-35 minutes, or until the onions are caramelized. Be sure to season with salt and pepper.
For the meatballs, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, add the bread and milk and set aside. Then, using a food processor, add the onion, garlic, green pepper, and celery, and pulse until a paste has formed. Add the paste to a large bowl. Also, add in the ground chuck, salt, pepper, garlic powder, dried fennel, and Herbs de Provence. Lastly, take the wet bread and squeeze it slightly to remove just a small amount of milk. Add the bread to the bowl with the beef, seasonings, and vegetable paste.
Mix the beef with the other ingredients until all combined. Then, form into meatballs and place into a braising pan. Pour the beef stock and brandy around the meatballs and arrange the caramelized onions over the meatballs. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes. Then, remove for a moment, top with cheese, and then place the meatballs under the broiler until the cheese browns.
Garnish with chopped parsley and serve while warm.