FRENCH ONION SOUP MEATBALLS

This is a quick comfort food recipe for anytime of the year.  I make the meatballs similar to my Italian-American meatballs.  I don't usually have a processed ingredient in my recipes, but the addition of onion soup mix really pumps up the flavor.  

Onions:

1 T olive or avocado oil

1 large yellow onion, cut in half and thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

1 t sea salt

½ t fine ground black pepper

1 t fresh thyme leaves or ½ t freeze-dried thyme leaves

¼ cup dry white wine

2 T unsalted butter

Meatballs

1 lb lean ground beef

1 egg, whisked

¼ cup plain breadcrumbs

2 T minced parsley or parsley flakes

1 T minced dried onions

½ t sea salt

¼ t fine ground black pepper

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 T olive or avocado oil

Sauce

2 T all-purpose flour

2 ½ cups beef or chicken broth

1 package dry onion soup mix (I use Lipton's)

1 t Worcestershire sauce

¼ cup dry sherry

1 cup freshly grated Gruyere cheese 

Mashed potatoes or egg noodles, for serving

In a large cast-iron skillet, heat the oil over medium-low heat.

Add the onions and cook about 20 minutes.

Add the garlic, salt, pepper, thyme leaves, and cook another 10 minutes.

Add the wine and butter and cook another 5 minutes.

Transfer contents to a bowl and set aside.

Save the skillet.

In a large bowl, combine the beef, whisked egg, breadcrumbs, parsley, minced dried onions, salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese.

With wet hands, gently form into 1 ½-inch balls (about 25).

Add the oil to the cast-iron skillet and cook the meatballs for about 10 minutes.

Sprinkle the flour over the meatballs and cook about 2 minutes, while gently turning.

Add the beef or chicken broth, French onion soup mix, Worcestershire, sherry, and the onions.

Gently stir and simmer about 10 minutes.

Preheat your broiler.

Turn off stove and sprinkle the Gruyere cheese over the meatballs and sauce.  

Broil until the cheese is melted, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Serve over mashed potatoes or egg noodles.

Serves 4