French Recipes & Food Ideas

Baguette layered with thinly sliced ham, Gruyère cheese, and cornichons — très délicieux!

Fast, flavorful, and super easy.

They're also vegan.

It's a classic frittata meets French onion soup mash-up that is dressed to impress.

Mustard works its magic on braised chicken.

Imagine the tines of your forking breaking through, almost snapping, the velvety crust of a fruit tart. It crumbles a bit, but is far from dry — each bite more rich and buttery than the last. That tender crust is typically known as pâte sablée. Unlike a flaky pie crust, pâte sablée is crisp and more cookie-like. The name literally means “sandy,” although it’s anything but.

This fast and fancy dessert is the ultimate crowd-pleaser.

It feels so fancy to put them on a cookie tray for a spot of afternoon tea.

Here’s what makes a tarte Tatin so fabulous: even if your crust isn’t perfect, even if it crumbles a bit when you flip it (as my buttery crust has done this time), and even if the tarte is not perfectly centered on your serving platter, it will still taste like something that came directly from heaven. Tender apples in a deeply caramelized sauce will cover a multitude of other culinary imperfections.

Aioli is an opportunity to change your thinking about mayonnaise, the condiment we buy in a jar and use primarily for function rather than flavor.

Good enough to eat by itself.

I have been meaning to try a yogurt cake for a long time. Clotilde at Chocolate & Zucchini says that gâteau au yaourt is a simple classic, a cake that is often the first thing that French children learn to bake. It doesn’t need a mixer or more than one bowl — or more than 10 minutes, for that matter. And its tangy, fluffy texture is just a perfect pair for summer berries.

Looking for an easy-to-make alternative to dinner rolls? These cheese puffs are the ticket.

And it uses up leftovers!

You can fill them with any combination of veggies, meat, and cheese.

The creamy, buttery sauce will upgrade everything from eggs Benedict to asparagus.

Clafoutis is an easy French dessert that’s perfect for using up summer fruit. Nothing like homey cobblers or crisps, clafoutis is decidedly more elegant yet even simpler to make. Use whatever fruit you have on hand — cherries are classic — whip up a quick batter in your blender, and bake a dessert to impress both dinner and overnight guests alike.

Sink your teeth into these!

So easy you don't even need a reason.

If you're looking for a classic quiche recipe, this ham and cheese number is your answer. (It's especially perfect for Easter!)

You really can't go wrong with lobster, a brandy cream sauce, and cheese.

It tastes like a buttery almond croissant!

Calling all chocolate-lovers!

One pan and a few staple ingredients are all you need to make the most impressive side dish ever.

Cheesy potato casserole. Need we say more?

Traditionally, it can take two full days to make; this recipe only requires 40 minutes.

It comes together in mere minutes with a handful of ingredients.

Without all the hard work.

Plus a smart time-saving trick.

It's everything there is to love about a fall fruit pie, but way easier to make.

Shirred eggs, or oeufs en cocotte as they are known in France, accompanied by toast soldiers (thinly-sliced sections of toast) are one of the most glamorous, velvety breakfast dishes around. Once you go shirred, you’ll never fry an egg again! Why make such a bold claim? Read on to find out. “Shirred” eggs are essentially baked eggs with the addition of cream, fresh herbs, and a little cheese.

It’s a glorious summer day when your lunch involves a Nicoise salad and a glass of rosé. Although, truthfully, it would be glorious with just the salad alone. And the only thing that could possibly make it better is if I were actually eating it in France. Maybe next summer. Nicoise salad is sneaky. It’s the kind of meal that feels so classy and refined, but when you make it at home, it becomes an easy summer dinner to have any night of the week.

Don't be intimidated by the fancy French term.

Ever had a palmier? A flaky turnover filled with jam? A bite of puff pastry topped with mushrooms at a fancy cocktail party? All these delicious treats start right here, with this dough. Yes, you can buy puff pastry at the store, but if you’re in the mood for a real baking project, you can make it yourself at home. All you need is a pastry scraper and a French rolling pin, and simple ingredients like flour, water, and butter.

Get to know a different kind of onion.

Especially when they're sautéed in lots of butter.

Happy tap, tap, tapping!

It's as luxurious rich and creamy as you'd expect.

Pour this French custard sauce on cakes, cobblers, and beyond.

No fussy recipes here!

Pro tip: It's amazing slathered on toast.

The sweetened whipped cream is good on everything from cakes to fresh fruit.

When I decided to host a casual yet elegant weekend brunch for my book club, I knew immediately that the main dish would be a quiche. For me, quiche is the ultimate special brunch treat, combining flaky, buttery crust with a rich yet light egg custard studded with flavorful mix-ins — in this case, sweet roasted cherry tomatoes, fragrant basil and tangy bits of goat cheese.

Pot au feu, which means “pot on the fire” in French, is a simple, provincial dish made from boiling beef, marrow bone, and vegetables together in a pot. In the old days before homes had modern heating systems, a pot au feu was kept on the fire during the cold winter months.

This thick and silky French stew of eggplant, zucchini, sweet peppers, and ripe summer tomatoes will use up your extra vegetables in one fell swoop.

They're so much easier to make than you think.

Perfect over cheesecake, ice cream, and more.

Use these step-by-step instructions to make this beloved sauce.

Imagine yourself along the Seine with each bite.

This simple, super-savory French mushroom dish can do it all.

A classic French sauce that's worth knowing about.

You'll want to eat it straight from the skillet.

The classic toasted ham and cheese with bubbling béchamel on top is a classic for a reason.