French Onion Orzo with Meatballs

French Onion Meatballs with Orzo in skillet with gruyere cheese foodiecrush.com

French Onion Orzo with Meatballs

This saucy French onion orzo is loaded with jammy-sweet caramelized onions and topped with melty Gruyère cheese for the ultimate comfort food dinner.

Course Main Course

Cuisine French

Keyword French onion orzo

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 32

Total Time 1 2

Servings

Calories 503kcal

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

1 large egg
½ pound ground beef
½ pound ground pork
¼ cup Panko
⅓ cup shredded Gruyère cheese
2 cloves garlic , minced
2 tablespoons milk
½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 ½ teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

For the onions and orzo

3 tablespoons butter
3 large Vidalia onions , halved and thinly sliced (2 pounds)
3 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves , divided
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ cup dry white wine
3 ½ cups beef stock*
1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
⅔ cups shredded Gruyère cheese

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.
Prepare the meatballs. Whisk the egg well in a large bowl and then add all of the rest of the meatball ingredients. Mix well with your hands (they’re your best tool!). Use a tablespoon to scoop out the mixture and form into balls, arranging them in an even layer on the sheet pan (You should have about 25).
Bake the meatballs. Bake the meatballs until cooked through and lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Remove the meatballs from the oven and set aside while you caramelize your onions.
Caramelize the onions. Heat a 10-inch cast iron skillet (or other oven-safe skillet) over medium heat, and add the butter. Once melted, add the sliced onions, 1 teaspoon of thyme leaves, and salt, and sauté, stirring so they don’t crisp or brown in spots.
Cook for about 30 minutes, or until the onions are nice and jammy, giving off a rich nutty aroma, and stirring them every few minutes, to prevent burning. If the onions look like they’re beginning to burn or crisp, stir in a splash of water and scrape the caramelized fond from the bottom of the skillet for the onions to absorb.
Add the seasonings. Add the flour to the onions and stir well to combine, cooking for 1 minute to cook the flour. Then, whisk in the white wine to deglaze. Next, stir in the beef stock, 1 teaspoon of thyme leaves, and ½ teaspoon of salt, and bring to a simmer over medium-low.
Cook the orzo. Stir in the orzo and cook for about 10-12 minutes, or until the orzo is al dente, frequently stirring and scraping the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon to make sure the orzo doesn’t stick.
Top with cheese and broil. Arrange the top rack of your oven so it’s directly under your broiler. Turn the broiler on low. Nestle the cooked meatballs into the skillet, top with shredded Gruyère, and place in the oven, under a low broil for about 5 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the remaining 1 teaspoon of fresh thyme.

Notes

Beef stock: I prefer Better Than Bouillon Beef Base, dissolved in water per label instructions.

Caramelized onions: If you need help troubleshooting or just want more info on caramelizing onions, check out my detailed guide on How to Caramelize Onions.

Storage: Leftover orzo will keep stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3 days. You could also freeze it for up to 3 months.

Nutrition