Make Decadent French-Inspired Meatballs With This Canned Soup

Sometimes, two cuisines have no business being on a plate together. There are a lot of great ways to experiment with fusion cuisine, but it doesn't always work. However, we don't think that's the case with Italian and French cuisine. It brings to mind gnocchi bolognese, or maybe a chicken Parmesan using Camembert or Roquefort, two stinky cheeses everyone should try once. Another example that comes to mind when we think of these two cuisines is none other than French onion meatballs.

This is a top-tier Italian-French comfort food fusion. You can always make your own meatballs, but it's easier to use frozen Italian-style meatballs, or even regular meatballs if you don't want the fusion element. No need to cut up several onions and let them simmer for hours, either — unless that's your thing. You can simply use a can of French onion soup, in addition to a French onion soup packet, to bring the French flavors.

We recommend using a Crock-Pot, letting the frozen meatballs simmer for a few hours (about two to three hours on high or about five to six hours on low, until reaching an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit) with the canned soup, soup packet, and some beef broth. Toward the end of your cooking time, add shredded mozzarella and some French-style croutons (or regular, if needed). Add a little cornstarch to thicken the mixture or, conversely, some water to thin it out. It's the perfect easy weeknight comfort meal.

While we recommend the Crock-Pot method, there's no harm in choosing the stovetop. You might not get the same results, but you still get a good dish in a faster amount of time — though you need to be a little more hands-on. For frozen meatballs, cook them in the soup and broth mixture until cooked through and hot. Add the other elements as mentioned above, then serve.

If you're using raw meatballs, sear them in a pan to get a nice color before dropping them in the broth mixture. Alternatively, cook them in the oven, rotating about halfway through cooking time to get a nice color, then place them in the broth. The kids might like this one, too. If the onion soup throws them off, pull a couple of meatballs with that beefy, oniony flavor and serve them solo with a little French bread, or atop a bed of pasta (maybe with a little of that sauce clinging to the noodles).

French onion soup is such a versatile classic that you can use it in all sorts of ways, such as on a grilled cheese, as a pasta sauce, or as the main ingredient of a French dip sandwich, but we love this dish. So, if you want to test a little fusion meal that combines a bit of Italian and French cuisine, this is a perfect place to start.