This French onion skillet beef casserole is for the onion lovers! Caramelized onions, beef, seasoning, orzo and Gruyere cheese come together in a comforting and simple one-pot casserole!
This skillet beef casserole recipe is definitely for onion lovers. I have always loved French onion soup. It does bring back certain memories. I remember the first time I had French onion soup I was on a date with my high school boyfriend.
We were at a local pizza restaurant that made the best onion soup around. In hindsight, it probably wasn’t the most romantic thing to eat, but he wasn’t the most romantic boyfriend either. He and I ate at that same pizza restaurant every weekend for months and I always ordered the soup.
There were so many things that made that soup delicious. The caramelized onions were one reason of course, but it was also the way the salty broth worked with those slightly sweet onions and then there was the thick piece of crusty bread that soaked up the soup all while holding up gooey, melted cheese.
I don’t think I have had French onion soup since he and I stopped frequenting that restaurant (and stopped dating). My kids would never go for that kind of soup; a pot full of onions is not really their thing. BUT onions mixed with orzo in a skillet beef casserole are a completely different story!
I am a huge one-pot meal fan. I make skillet chicken, skillet turkey tetrazzini and many other skillet meals for my family. This beef recipe is going to become a regular part of our dinner rotations.
I start with caramelized onions to which I add ground beef and simple seasoning. I use orzo pasta in this recipe because I like how it plumps up and fills out during the cooking process. However, rice would work if you prefer.
Beef broth and fresh herbs round out the flavor and just before serving a sprinkling of Gruyere cheese is broiled until bubbly. This might not be the French onion soup I remember, but that’s ok, I like this much better!
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French Onion Skillet Beef Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons Olive Oil
- 1 Onion sliced
- 1 pound Ground Beef
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 16 ounces Orzo Pasta
- 32 ounces Beef Broth
- 1 teaspoon Fresh Thyme
- 1 teaspoon Fresh Rosemary
- 1 cup Gruyere Cheese shredded
- 2 tablespoons Melted Butter
- 1/2 cup Breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onion slices and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often. The onions are ready when they turn golden in color and are very soft. Remove the onions and set side.
- Add beef to the same skillet. Brown the beef and season with salt and pepper. Stir in garlic and Worcestershire sauce. Add dried orzo. Return onions to the pan and add the beef broth and fresh herbs. Reduce heat to medium, low, cover and cook mixture for 10 minutes or until the pasta is al dente and the liquid has absorbed.
- Sprinkle Gruyere over the top of the casserole. In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter and the breadcrumbs. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over the top of the skillet and place under the broiler until the breadcrumbs are slightly toasted and the cheese is bubbly.