Go Back

French Onion Meatloaf

French onion meatloaf with deeply caramelized onions and melted Swiss cheese baked into a tender loaf. This French onion soup meatloaf delivers classic savory flavor with a bubbly, golden cheese top.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Rest 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 610
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Meatloaf
  • 2 lb ground beef Use 80/20 for best texture.
  • 0.667 cup breadcrumbs
  • 2 eggs
  • 0.333 cup milk
  • 1 can (1 oz) French onion soup mix
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 0.25 salt To taste.
  • 0.25 pepper To taste.
Topping
  • 3 large onions Thinly sliced and caramelized.
  • 1 tbsp butter For caramelizing the onions.
  • 6 slices Swiss cheese Lay over the loaf.
  • 0.5 fresh thyme For garnish.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x5 loaf pan with a thin coating so the loaf releases cleanly.
  2. Slice the onions thinly and set them aside while you prep the pan and oven.
Make caramelized onions
  1. Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat and add onions in an even layer.
  2. Cook the onions for 25 minutes, stirring often, until they are deeply caramelized and glossy.
Mix and shape the meatloaf
  1. In a bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, eggs, milk, French onion soup mix, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper.
  2. Press the mixture firmly into the loaf pan to help it hold together after slicing.
Bake and melt cheese
  1. Bake for 50 minutes, until the center looks set and the edges begin to brown.
  2. Top with the caramelized onions and lay Swiss cheese slices over the entire surface.
  3. Return to the oven for 15–20 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the internal temperature reaches 160°F.
Rest and serve
  1. Rest the meatloaf for 10 minutes so juices redistribute and slices stay intact.
  2. Garnish with fresh thyme and serve while warm.

Notes

For cleaner slices, let the meatloaf rest the full 10 minutes before lifting from the pan. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3–4 days; reheat in a 325°F oven until warmed through. Freezing is yes—wrap tightly and freeze up to 2 months, then thaw overnight in the fridge. For a lighter option, swap half the ground beef for ground turkey while keeping the same binder ingredients.