Name: Hearty Crockpot French Onion Meatloaf: Slow-Cooked Comfort
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 4 h
Total time: 4 h 25 min
Ingredients: Main Meatloaf Mix:; 2 lbs ground beef (80/20 recommended); 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs; 2 large eggs; 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce; 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper; French Onion Flavor Boosters:; 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced; 2 tbsp butter or olive oil; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped; 2 cups low sodium beef broth; Finishing Touches:; 1 cup shredded Gruyere or Provolone cheese

Description

Crockpot French Onion Meatloaf brings rich, savory flavors to your dinner table. Tender meatloaf with caramelized onions, made easy in your slow cooker.

Ingredients

Scale

Main Meatloaf Mix:
2 lbs ground beef (80/20 recommended)
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
2 large eggs
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
French Onion Flavor Boosters:
2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
2 tbsp butter or olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
2 cups low sodium beef broth
Finishing Touches:
1 cup shredded Gruyere or Provolone cheese

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Caramelize the Onions: First things first, get those onions going. Slice ’em thin, then pop them into a skillet with a bit of butter or olive oil over medium-low heat. This is where patience comes in, seriously. Stir ’em occasionally, let ’em get beautifully golden brown and sweet. This usually takes me about 20-25 minutes. Don’t rush it like I used to; that deep flavor is worth the wait. You’ll smell that incredible sweetness filling your kitchen, it’s the best part!
Mix the Meatloaf Base: While your onions are doing their thing, grab a big bowl. Toss in your ground beef, breadcrumbs, eggs, minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, a good pinch of salt, and some black pepper. Now, this is where you get your hands in there. Mix it all together, but be gentle! Don’t overmix, or your meatloaf will get tough, and nobody wants that. I’ve definitely overmixed before, thinking I needed to really combine it, and ended up with a brick. Oops! Just enough to bring it all together.
Form and Brown the Meatloaf: Gently form your meat mixture into a loaf shape. It doesn’t have to be perfect; mine usually looks a bit rustic, honestly. If you have an oven-safe skillet, I like to quickly brown the meatloaf on all sides over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes. This gives it a lovely crust and helps it hold its shape in the slow cooker. If you skip this, it’s fine, but that little sear makes a difference, trust me!
Set Up Your Crockpot French Onion Meatloaf: Carefully place your browned meatloaf into your slow cooker. Now, spread those beautiful caramelized onions all around and over the top of the meatloaf. Pour in your beef broth. You want enough liquid for that French onion gravy, but not so much that it’s swimming. I usually aim for the liquid to come about halfway up the sides of the meatloaf. This is where the magic happens, and your house starts smelling absolutely divine!
Slow Cook to Perfection: Put the lid on your slow cooker and set it to low for 4-6 hours, or high for 2.5-3.5 hours. I always go for low if I have the time; it just makes the meatloaf so incredibly tender and the flavors deepen wonderfully. Resist the urge to peek too much, let it do its thing! I’ve learned that opening the lid too often just adds to the cooking time, and honestly, the anticipation is part of the fun.
The Cheesy Grand Finale: About 30 minutes before your meatloaf is done, sprinkle that glorious Gruyere or Provolone cheese all over the top. Put the lid back on and let it melt into a bubbly, golden, irresistible layer. This is my favorite part, watching the cheese get all gooey and perfect. Once it’s melted and a little bubbly, carefully remove the meatloaf from the slow cooker. Let it rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing. This resting step is crucial for juicy meatloaf; I used to slice it right away and watch all the juices run out. Big mistake!