French Onion Meatloaf

plate of meatloaf with a fork next to it with green beans and mashed cauliflower

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This French onion meatloaf takes everything you love about classic French onion soup—the caramelized onions, the toasty cheese, the deep savory flavor—and tucks it into the coziest meatloaf you’ve ever made.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 361kcal

Author: Abra Pappa, MS, CNS, LDN

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef I prefer organic, grass-fed
1 large egg
¼ cup breadcrumbs
2 large onions about 4 cups, thinly sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
1.5 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
3 cloves garlic minced
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 cup Gruyère cheese grated
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp sea salt

Instructions

Caramelize the onions:

Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add sliced onions and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until deeply golden and caramelized, 25–30 minutes.
1 tbsp olive oil, 2 large onions
Add garlic, thyme, Worcestershire, and balsamic; cook 2–3 minutes more. Season with salt.
1.5 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 3 cloves garlic, 4 sprigs fresh thyme, 1 tsp balsamic vinegar

Prepare the meatloaf mixture:

In a large bowl, combine ground beef, egg, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, and half of the caramelized onions. Mix gently until combined.
1 lb ground beef, 1 large egg, ¼ cup breadcrumbs, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp sea salt

Shape + bake:

Preheat oven to 325°F. Shape the mixture into a loaf and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet or loaf pan.
Bake for 30 minutes.

Top with onions + cheese:

Spoon the remaining caramelized onions over the partially baked meatloaf, then top with shredded Gruyère.
1 cup Gruyère cheese

Broil:

Increase oven to broil. Broil for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden.

Rest + serve:

Let the meatloaf rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve warm with your favorite sides.

Notes

Caramelizing shortcut: If the onions start sticking or browning too quickly, add 1–2 tablespoons of water or broth to deglaze the pan and keep them cooking evenly.
Let the onions cool: Mixing hot onions into raw meat will melt the fat and make the meatloaf dense—give them a few minutes to cool down.
Do not overmix: Combine the meatloaf ingredients gently. Overmixing leads to a tough loaf.
Shape matters: A slightly flattened loaf (rather than a tall, rounded one) cooks more evenly and gives you more surface area for the onion + cheese topping.
Check for doneness: If you want to be precise, the internal temperature should hit 160°F before serving.
Broil carefully: Broilers vary—keep a close eye during the final 1–2 minutes so the cheese gets toasty without burning.
Resting is key: Let the meatloaf rest 5–10 minutes before slicing so it holds together neatly.
Gluten-free option: Use gluten-free breadcrumbs; nothing else in the recipe needs to change.

Nutrition