French Onion Soup Meatloaf

With so many weeknight dinner options, French Onion Soup Meatloaf elevates the ordinary into the extraordinary! The flavors taste like they've simmered for hours, but it really comes together in minutes. Using French Onion Soup Mix (Lipton or French's) to boost flavor has been a secret that seasoned cooks have used for decades. Big flavor with minimal impact, will have your family asking for seconds.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Easy and Flavorful - the French Onion Soup mix does all the heavy lifting, plus with a tangy glaze topped with Swiss Cheese, you've hit a flavor home run with 15 minutes of prep time, plus a easy to make gravy
• Budget Friendly- but doesn't taste like it! You have all the ingredients in your pantry and freezer already (yes frozen beef is practical and is great for meatloaf)
• Family Friendly Comfort Food - a bit of nostalgia that takes you back to your childhood, and I promise you your kids will love it
• Versatile for Meal Prep or Leftovers - easy to enjoy hot for dinner, prepare for freezer lunches, excellent sliced in sandwiches or roughly chopped into pasta sauces

Ingredients

Meatloaf Ingredients

• 2 pounds (1kg) Ground Beef
• 1 packet French Onion Soup Mix (Lipton or Store Brand Seasoning)
• 1 cup Breadcrumbs (Regular or Panko which I used)
• 2 large Eggs lightly beaten
• 2 cloves minced Garlic (or 1 teaspoon of Garlic Powder)
• ½ cup Milk (Whole or 2%)
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
• ¼ cup chopped Parsley
• ½ teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
• ¼ teaspoon Dried Thyme

Meatloaf Glaze Ingredients

• ½ cup Ketchup
• 2 tablespoons Brown Sugar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard (or Yellow Mustard)
• 1 teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar (or Worcestershire)
• ½ cup grated Swiss Cheese or Gruyere (for last 10 minutes of baking like real French Onion Soup)

Equipment

• 2 Pound Loaf Pan
• Large Bowl for Mixing
• Small Bowl for Glaze
• Small Brush for Glazing
• Stick Thermometer
• Cheese Grater

How to Make French Onion Soup Meatloaf

1. Preheat - lightly grease surface Loaf Pan. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. Combine - in a large bowl, mix Ground Beef, French Onion Soup Mix, Breadcrumbs, beaten Eggs, Milk, Worcestershire Sauce, minced Garlic, Parsley, Black Pepper and Thyme. Use your hands or a spoon to gently mix, but don't over-mix. Should feel moist and sticky. If too dry add a splash of milk, if too wet sprinkle in a tablespoon of breadcrumbs.
3. Rest - allow to rest for 5-10 minutes for Soup Mix to rehydrate and flavors to meld together.
4. Shape Loaf - place meat mixture into loaf pan. Make a slight groove along the width of the length of the loaf, to add cheese at the end. This keeps the cheese in place. If not Loaf Pan, place Parchment Paper on Baking Sheet and form meat mixture in the shape of a loaf. (About 8 inches long, 5 inches high and 4 inches wide)
5. Prepare Glaze - in a small bowl, whisk together Ketchup, Brown Sugar, Mustard, and Vinegar. Spread half the glaze over the Meatloaf, and keep the rest to baste at the end, or when serving on the table.
6. Bake - place into preheated oven and bake for about 45 minutes.
   Remove and brush with remaining glaze. Bake for another 15-30 minutes. It's ready when internal temperature is 160°F (71°C) for Beef or 165°F (74°C) for Poultry). Insert a stick thermometer into center of Meatloaf to check.
7. Add Cheese - in the final 5 minutes of baking, add grated Cheese into the groove on top of the Loaf. Briefly broil until bubbly (but careful as it can quickly burn)
8. Rest and Serve - remove from heat and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes. Don't skip this step, this results in juicier meatloaf and it will slice cleaner). Slice into ¾ inch pieces and serve with French Onion Gravy, Mashed Potatoes and your favorite Roasted Vegetables.

French Onion Soup Gravy

• 2 cups of Beef Broth
• 1 teaspoon French Onion Soup Mix (or a bit more)
• Pan Drippings
• Cornstarch Slurry - 1 tablespoon Cornstarch and 1 tablespoons cold water
• Splash of Worcestershire
• Instructions: in a saucepan, whisk Broth, Soup Mix, Worcestershire and Pan Drippings together. Simmer until heated through (about 5 minutes). Mix in Cornstarch Slurry can cook for another minute until thickens. TIPS: Too thick: add splash of water. Too thin: add a ½ teaspoon of Cornstarch in a slurry and cook to thicken.

Meatloaf Flavor Variations

• Cheesy Stuffed French Onion Soup Meatloaf - when placing into loaf pan, make a tunnel in the middle, stuff with Swiss Cheese and caramelized Onions and seal the meat around it carefully before baking
• Spicy Meatloaf - be basic and add Chili Flakes or add finely diced Chili Peppers into your meat mixture (bonus points for a Habanero) or add a generous tablespoon of Chili Crisp to your glaze (or Sriracha for basic version 👀) or default to chopped pickled Jalapeños
• Mushroom Onion Meatloaf - sauté 8oz (225g) of diced Mushrooms with minced Garlic and mix into the meat mixture before baking
• Turkey or Chicken - this is a dryer meat, so add an extra egg and ¼ cup of grated zucchini or carrot for extra moisture
• Italian French Onion Meatloaf - swap Thyme for Basil, use Marinara or Pasta Sauce for the glaze, and top with Mozzarella and grated Parmesan
• Caramelized Onion Gravy - caramelize 1 large Onion in Oil or Butter. Add 1 cup of Beef Broth, 1 teaspoon French Onion Soup Mix, Worcestershire Sauce and a Cornstarch Slurry (1 teaspoon of Cornstarch with 1 teaspoon Water). Simmer ingredients together, then add Cornstarch Slurry and cook to thicken for 1 minute.

Recipe Tips and FAQs

• No French Onion Soup Mix? Make your own! ¼ cup dried minced Onions, 2 tablespoons Beef Bouillon Powder, ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder, ½ teaspoon dried Parsley, pinch of Celery Seed and Black Pepper
• Don't Overmix - super important! Handle gently to preserve texture
• Free Form vs Baking Loaf - I am on team Baking Loaf (nice and easy), but baking free form on a baking sheet allows fat to drain away leaving a firmer crust
• Make the Night Before - sometimes you just don't have the time, so make ahead the night before, cover with cling wrap and refrigerate until ready to bake (add another 10 minutes to bake from cold). Or freeze unbaked for up to 3 months, thaw overnight in fridge before baking
• Always Use a Thermometer - don't guess the time, too many things can go wrong if not cooked properly. Overcooked is too dry, meat probe ensures its cooked perfectly
• Moisture Tips - add a fresh grated Onion, soaked Breadcrumbs before adding into meat, or a ¼ cup of Sour Cream to boost flavor and juiciness
• Cheese Variations - if you don't have Swiss Cheese, can substitute with Gruyere (this is to make it like a French Onion Soup). Or use what you have like a Sharp Cheddar Cheddar Cheese

Best Meat for French Onion Meatloaf

You don't want to use a Lean Ground Beef as fat keeps the Meatloaf moist. Ultimately at 80% meat and 20% fat mixture. Super important if using poultry to add extra moisture. Fat carries extra flavor and prevents dry, dense meatloaf. Here are some suggestions in your countries;

• USA - use an 80/20 Ground Beef - meaning 80% Lean and 20% Fat
• Australia - 3 Star Mince - regular Beef Mince
• Canada - Medium Ground Beef - around 23% fat
• UK - 20% Fat Mince - might say Ground Chuck

Can I Use A Slow Cooker?

Yes. Shape loaf and place on foil rack or liners in crockpot. Glaze and slow cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours until internal temperature reaches 160°F (171°C). Broil quickly after adding cheese for a crust

Why Is My Meatloaf Falling Apart?

Likely due to overmixing or incorrect binders like egg and milk ratio. Don't skip the rest period.

Storage

• Fridge - place in airtight container and refrigerate for 3-4 days
• Freezer (cooked Meatloaf) - place in freezer proof container and freeze for 2-3 months. Defrost in fridge overnight.
• Reheating Oven - place slices in baking dish. Add moisture (like a few tablespoons of Gravy or Broth over each piece). Cover with foil and bake at 325°F (160°C) for about 20 minutes. Remove foil and allow to crisp.
• Reheating Air Fryer - place on a liner in Air Fryer. Add at tablespoon of Gravy over each piece, or brush with Oil. Bake at 325°F (160°C) for about 8-10 minutes.

Serving Suggestions You'll Love

• French Onion Soup Potato Bake
• Air Fryer Parmesan Broccoli
• Roasted Chickpea Salad
• Air Fryer Garlic Asparagus
• Garlic Butter Green Beans
• Honey Roasted Carrots
• Oven Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
• Bell Pepper Salad

This surprising meatloaf recipe will become your next go-to comfort food dinner recipe. Quick and easy to prepare, packed with flavors and bring everyone to the table with smiles. Make it your own and happy cooking! Bon Appetit! Приятного аппетита!