Dinner for 5

French Onion Meatballs

Name: French Onion Meatballs
Total time: 135 min
Yield: 5 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 3 tbsp butter; 2 tbsp olive oil; 6 cups sliced yellow onions; 3/4 tsp fine salt; 1/4 cup dry sherry (optional); 3 tbsp all-purpose flour; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce; 2 cups beef stock (optional); 1 tsp better than bouillon beef base; 4 sprigs fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons dried thyme; 1/2 tsp sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar; 1 tbsp black pepper (optional); 1 cup shredded gruyère cheese; 1/2 cup milk; 1 large egg; 1/4 cup grated pecorino romano; 3/4 tsp fine salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 1/2 tbsp dried thyme; 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley; 1 tbsp fresh minced garlic; 2 slices white bread; 1 lb ground beef; 1/2 cup diced caramelized onions

$11.35for 4135 minServes 5

Beef meatballs simmer in rich onion gravy, then finish with Gruyere for a warm French-inspired dinner.

French Onion Meatballs with its ingredients

What it costs

Pick your city to see which ingredients are on sale

Ingredient	Amount	Cost
	Butter, 1.5 oz$0.40/oz typical	1.5 oz	$0.60Typical price
	Onions, 1.9 lb$1.29/lb typical	1.9 lb	$2.42Typical price
	Canned tomatoes, 1 oz$0.08/oz typical	1 oz	$0.08Typical price
	Broth, 8.5 oz$0.07/oz typical	8.5 oz	$0.59Typical price
	Swiss, 4 oz$0.40/oz typical	4 oz	$1.60Typical price
	Milk, 4.25 oz$0.04/oz typical	4.25 oz	$0.17Typical price
	Eggs, 1$0.30 each typical	1	$0.30Typical price
	Blue cheese, 1 oz$0.80/oz typical	1 oz	$0.80Typical price
	Fresh herbs (cilantro, a little$1.49 each typical	a little	$0.05Typical price
	Garlic, a little$0.75 each typical	a little	$0.08Typical price
	Sandwich bread, a little$2.49 each typical	a little	$0.30Typical price
	Ground beef, 1 lb$5.49/lb typical	1 lb	$5.49Typical price
	Marshmallows and candy, 1 oz$0.25/oz typical	1 oz	$0.23Typical price
Total for the servings shown		$14.19

Swaps

Swap ground beef for ground turkeyabout $0.50/lb less at typical prices
Swap onions for red onionsabout $0.20/lb more at typical prices
Swap milk for almondabout $0.01/oz more at typical prices
Swap butter for margarine and vegan butterabout $0.15/oz less at typical prices

Pantry staples you likely have

Olive and cooking oilSalt and pepperWine, beer and spiritsFlourAsian sauces and pastesDried herbs, spices and seasoning blends

Not included in the cost.

135 minstart to table
Involveddifficulty
5servings (the source says 12, which counts pieces)
$$typical cost tier

French Budget Dinners

Typical price

$2.84 per serving$11.35 for 4

City Store

Typical price: Salefork's estimate of an everyday US shelf price for each ingredient. Pick your city to price it from this week's ad.

Ingredients

3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
6 cups sliced yellow onions
3/4 tsp fine salt
1/4 cup dry sherry (optional)
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
2 cups beef stock (optional)
1 tsp better than bouillon beef base
4 sprigs fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 tsp sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
1 tbsp black pepper (optional)
1 cup shredded gruyère cheese
1/2 cup milk
1 large egg
1/4 cup grated pecorino romano
3/4 tsp fine salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tbsp dried thyme
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp fresh minced garlic
2 slices white bread
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup diced caramelized onions

Steps

Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat, add the onions and salt, and cook for 45 minutes.
Stir in the sherry, flour, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, beef stock, beef base, thyme, vinegar, and pepper, then simmer for 20 minutes.
Heat the oven to 400 F and soak the bread in the milk for 5 minutes.
Mix the soaked bread, egg, pecorino, salt, pepper, dried thyme, parsley, garlic, caramelized onions, and ground beef.
Shape the mixture into meatballs, place them on an oiled baking sheet, and bake for 20 minutes, until they reach 160 F.
Add the meatballs to the onion gravy and simmer for 10 minutes.
Top with Gruyere and bake in a 9-by-13-inch pan for 10 minutes, until the cheese melts.

Main ingredient on sale this week? See what to make with ground beef on sale.