Don't forget to order your copy of Mom's Pantry's By Heart Cookbook! Volume 1 and 2 are available HERE now, as well as our brand new full-length cookbook "Tried and True"

French Onion au Gratin Meatballs

I originally found this recipe on Pinterest and since then I've been haunted by it, seeing it everywhere. I decided it was time to give it a go. The original recipe didn't call for the onions to be added to the final sauce, but they were so yummy, and the recipe made much more than I needed for the filling so I decided to toss it in with the sauce. It was a good decision I think. Mr Mom loved these, and the recipe made enough to store for another meal. A great company recipe, although it does take a bit of time to stuff the meatballs. If you were in a hurry you could make them without stuffing them and simply use the onions in the end sauce.

Ingredients

2 onions, sliced thin
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp thyme
1/4 cup red wine
1/4 cup beef broth
----------
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 egg
1 tbsp parsley
1 tbsp olive oil
16 small pieces of mozzarella cheese
sauteed onions from first part of the recipe
-----------
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1/4 cup red wine
2 tbsp water/1/4 cup beef broth slurry
------------
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella
parsley for garnish

In a skillet, cook onions, salt and pepper in olive oil until soft and caramelized. This will take a few minutes. Be careful not to burn them. Add in thyme and cook a couple of minutes longer, before adding beef broth and wine. Continue to cook until the liquid has been reduced to almost nil. Set onions aside.

In a bowl combine ground beef, bread crumbs, egg and seasonings. Form into 16-18 meatballs. (I was able to get 18). Place a small amount of the sauteed onion and a piece of mozzarella cheese in the center of each meatball.

Brown meatballs in skillet in olive oil. Place in an oven proof dish.

In a saucepan heat beef broth and red wine. Add slurry to thicken. Add in remaining sauteed onions. Spoon sauce over meatballs. Bake for 20 minutes at 350F.

Sprinkle meatballs with shredded mozzarella and parsley and bake another 15 minutes.

Follow Moms Pantry's board Mom's Pantry: Casseroles on Pinterest.