50 French Recipes That'll Make You Feel Like Julia Child

Quick Beef Bourguignonne Recipe

Julia Child may not appreciate this super quick, super easy beef bourguignonne, but we sure do. This classic recipes comes together in just under 20 minutes.

French-Style Beef Stew Recipe

Classic technique layers flavors for rich, robust broth, and a late veggie add-in preserves texture.

French Onion Soup With Ham Recipe

Classic French onion soup gets a tasty upgrade with leftover ham. Though you might be tempted to add a little sugar to speed up the caramelization of the onions, resist; there are few culinary delights that equal the rich savory-sweet balance of slowly caramelized onions. A dash of sherry cuts through the rich soup with just the right amount of tang.

Creme Brulee French Toast Recipe

Don’t forget the brulee torch—that’s what makes this dessert-inspired French toast recipe so impressive. Torches are available at many local retailers and online at very reasonable prices. You could also just place the creme brulee French toast under preheated broiler, sugar side up, until it's golden brown and caramelized.

Croissant Breakfast Casserole Recipe

Our Test Kitchen has made dozens and dozens of breakfast casseroles over the years, but this one is our latest favorite. Made with day-old mini croissants, caramelized onions, and a rich and cheesy egg custard flavored with a touch of Dijon, this Croissant Breakfast Casserole is a real crowd-pleaser and can be made-ahead.

Ratatouille Tart Recipe

This simple and vibrant vegetable tart is great go-to recipe for entertaining. Encasing all of the classic flavors of ratatouille in a buttery, flakey crust (not to mention, adding a sprinkling of creamy goat cheese), is a beautiful and delicious way to enjoy a bounty of summer produce.

Basic Crepes Recipe

A quick and easy meal, crepes make the ultimate addition to the breakfast, brunch, or even dessert table! Although you'll only need about three tablespoons of batter to make each crepe, we found a 1/4-cup dry measuring cup is the best tool to scoop and pour the batter into the pan so the crepes cook evenly.

Potato-Butternut Gratin With Poblano Béchamel Recipe

The mild sweetness of butternut squash pairs particularly well with Mexican flavors of poblano chile and cumin. Goat cheese brightens and enriches the flavor, and toasty almonds offer a welcome textural contrast. Try to get a squash with a long neck, as slices from that section are easiest to work with.

Strawberry-Lemon Crêpe Cake Recipe

If you’ve ever enjoyed a glass of strawberry lemonade, you know this is a refreshing combination. And this company-worthy crepe cake will make everyone swoon with its ethereal layers and rich lemon filling. Be sure to save the liquid after macerating the strawberries–it’s delicious drizzled over each serving.

Zucchini and Goat Cheese Quiche (Quiche de Courgettes au Chèvre) Recipe

This dish is a bit of a project, but once you have the pastry rolled and pressed into the tart pan, most of the work is done, and you can do that well in advance. Keep the dough in the freezer, ready to bake when you need it.

Vegan French Crepes Recipe

Brunch at home is the way to go. Add in a homemade hazelnut chocolate spread if you really want to make your friends love you. These crepes aren’t super sweet, so you could also fill them with something savory (like sautéed onions and sweet potatoes) and they’d be a delicious breakfast-for-dinner.

Instant Pot Ratatouille Recipe

Our Instant Pot Ratatouille certainly looks like it requires a lot of hard work to make, but the real beauty of this recipe is that it couldn’t be easier. Plus, this speedy take on the classic French dish just happens to be one of the most perfect ways we can imagine to enjoy late summer produce.

Summer Salmon Niçoise Salad Recipe

A crisp, colorful main-dish salad is just the kind of simple, vibrant, hot-weather food we love. You can sub steak or chicken for salmon.

Easy Macarons Recipe

This simplified method for making classic French Macarons is the perfect recipe for a first-timer to practice with. Just be sure to wait for a day that isn’t rainy or humid to embark on this baking adventure, as the delicate cookies need dry air in order to set.

Easy Croque-Monsieur French Toast Recipe

Making perfect Hollandaise is a great trick to have up your sleeve. Although it’s totally possible to whip up a batch of “broken” Hollandaise sauce, and even though you won’t care to eat it, you are able to learn more about how it works as an emulsification, so all is not lost.

Brussels Sprouts Tarte Tatin Recipe

The key to delicious Brussels sprouts is to cook them just enough so their flavor stays earthy-sweet and their texture tender without too much give. Use our “knife test” as described in this recipe to check for doneness. They’re best served right away (they’re not a great make-ahead option), so plan accordingly.

Instant Pot Chicken Cassoulet Recipe

Fast-track your way to a classic French dinner with this Instant Pot Chicken Cassoulet. In our version, chicken leg quarters take the place of traditional duck confit, but that doesn’t make the rustic, rib-sticking meal any less impressive.

Cold Lemon Soufflés with Wine Sauce Recipe

Soufflés have always been an expression of elegant entertaining, but this one is chilled and held in place with a bit of gelatin, which means the hostess doesn’t have to rush the quivering creation to the table before it collapses.

Basic Vanilla Macarons Recipe

To make these light Meringue cookies, gently fold the almond flour mixture into the egg whites, but be careful not to overmix. The end result is a light and fluffy vanilla treat.

Cheese Soufflés with Herb Salad Recipe

Gruyère cheese grows stronger, earthier, and more complex with age, offering an intensely rich profile to these light, fluffy soufflés.

Doughnut Hole Croquembouche Recipe

The classic French croquembouche is a cone-shaped pile of cream puffs bound together with threads of caramel. In theory, a croquembouche absolutely magical, but in execution, if you’re not a pastry chef you may be in over your head. Luckily, we’ve got you covered. The answer is doughnut holes.

Coconut Meringues with Elderflower Strawberries Recipe

This heavenly dessert tops airy meringues with pillows of mascarpone cream and fresh, juicy strawberries in an elderflower-mint syrup. The meringues can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Rich Chocolate Mousse Recipe

A splash of coconut milk adds richness to silken tofu, the mousse's secret ingredient, while whipped egg whites give volume in place of heavy cream. Dates lend natural sweetness with notes of caramel and honey. Don't give in to temptation too soon--the mousse needs to chill at least 8 hours to set properly. Serve chilled with fresh berries.

Blackberry Trifles with Pecan Feuilletage and Mascarpone-Cane Syrup Mousse Recipe

You can’t have enough blackberry dessert recipes, and this one makes brilliant use of the summer’s juicy gems. Feuilletage is flaky puff pastry, and here it is partnered with melted butter, pecans, and sugar, reminiscent of some of our favorite pecan treats. Use frozen blackberries if you want to make this recipe in the cooler months.

Balsamic Onion and Thyme Tarte Tatin Recipe

Caramelized red onion wedges give this tart a lovely stained glass effect once inverted. Use a serrated knife to cut the tart. The slices won't be precise, but that's part of the charm.

Blender Olive Oil Hollandaise Sauce Recipe

This recipe is like a mother sauce’s healthy sister: Using olive oil instead of butter in hollandaise slashes saturated fat by 70% but still makes a wonderfully flavorful, silky-smooth sauce for steamed or sauteed spring veggies like asparagus. It also pairs nicely with salmon.

Smoked-Salmon Benedict with Citrus-Dill Hollandaise Recipe

Brunch just got kicked up a notch. Even traditional hollandaise gets a coastal makeover thanks to the addition of Old Bay Seasoning. Want to try another variation on this weekend classic? Give our Brown-Butter Crab Benedict a go.

Grilled Steak Platter With Brown Butter Béarnaise Sauce Recipe

Sear them all over, and then—rather than grilling them over indirect heat, like the restaurant's cooks do—roast them in the oven while you have your first course. It's like hiring a babysitter, but for beef! When you're ready to eat, throw the steaks back on the grill to build up the crunchy crusts.

Pumpkin-and-Winter Squash Gratin Recipe

Layers of pumpkin, butternut squash, and potatoes are baked in a rich, cheesy sauce until meltingly tender. Serve as a side dish with roasted chicken or pork, or as a vegetarian main dish alongside a green salad.

Pepper-Glazed Goat Cheese Gratin Recipe

This warm, sweet-spicy goat cheese dip is an easy alternative to a cheese plate.

Rice Pilaf with Spring Onion Confit Recipe

A simple brown rice pilaf is the perfect platform for the confit to shine. The slow-roasted aromatics infuse the rice with amazing flavor, while the oil coats the grains and gives the starch a lush mouth feel. A hit of fresh chives at the end adds a little bright color and fresh, verdant allium flavor.

French Onion Pull-Apart Bread Recipe

This French Onion Pull-Apart Bread takes all the savory and cheesy highlights of French onion soup and improves them by adding an entire baguette into the mixture. That’s right, French onion soup you can eat with your fingers. Your secret weapon? Store-bought onion jam, which sheds the time it takes to caramelize your own onions.

Grilled Ratatouille Skewers Recipe

Inspired by the flavors of the classic French dish, we turned ratatouille into a pretty and portable meal that is perfect for the summer grilling season. Ratatouille is typically a mix of seasonal vegetables baked in a dish with tomatoes, garlic, and spices—and a great way to use up a garden’s worth of vegetables.

Lobster Niçoise Salad Recipe

This elevated spin on a classic niçoise salad is the perfect platter for entertaining or a special occasion. Freshly cooked Maine lobster meat provides the richest flavor and is best for a cold salad like this. Hearty purple potatoes, blanched green beans, and hard-boiled eggs are tossed in a tarragon and Dijon vinaiagrette that ties the whole salad together.

Pan-Seared Filet Mignon Recipe

Prepare this simple, but outstanding seared beef tenderloin recipe for guests.

Mushroom, Gruyère, and Spinach Quiche Recipe

Mushroom lovers, meet your new favorite quiche. This spinach mushroom quiche is loaded with savory flavors thanks to a brilliant combination of veggies, thyme, bacon, and gruyere. The texture is rich, but a serving only clocks in at 317 calories. Serve with a salad, or just make it the star of your springtime brunch repertoire.

Chocolate Bûche de Noël Recipe

Potato and Parsnip Gratin Recipe

Parsnips add an elegant twist to this classic. Parboiling the slices saves baking time and keeps them from absorbing too much sauce.

Brie-and-Fig Puffed Pastry Bites Recipe

You don’t need a culinary degree and ample free time to create impressive appetizers for your next party. In fact, all you need is three simple ingredients and about ten minutes of hands-on work to whip up these easy and delectably cheesy bites. They’re yet another reason that puff pastry is the true MVP when it comes to entertaining. 

Cherry Tomato Confit Recipe

Because the oil picks up the flavors of the garlic and thyme, a milder, less expensive oil works best.

Chicken Niçoise Salad Recipe

Warm roasted chicken and vegetables give this traditionally cold composed salad a delicious new twist. Arrange the salad on individual plates or serve it family-style from one large platter. This salad is a complete meal on its own, unless you want to add a crusty piece of French bread, which we always recommend.

Brussels Sprouts Gratin Recipe

Braise the Brussels sprouts and toast the breadcrumbs up to a day ahead. Then assemble and reheat before serving.

Vegetable Soup au Pistou Recipe

A traditional French pistou is a nut-free pesto, but the spinach pesto (or any refrigerated brand) is delicious here. Don't rinse the canned beans after draining; any remaining starches will help bring the soup together.

French Onion Soup Casserole Recipe

This hearty, homey take on French onion soup celebrates Georgia-grown Vidalia onions, which typically come into season in late April. Naturally sweet Vidalias are perfect for caramelizing, and this indulgent casserole with layers of bread, onions, and cheese is a terrific way to enjoy them.

French Onion Pot Pie Recipe

It turns out that you can improve French onion soup. Just add a pie crust and shredded beef. It’s savory, yet wonderfully sweet caramelized onions and calvados add the perfect note of rich balance. Of course, the Gruyere-bread topping remains one of the best parts of the whole experience.

French Onion Cheese Ball Recipe

Rather than serving French Onion soup topped with bread to a crowd, serve a more easily-shared, portable version with all of the same flavor. A  French Onion Cheese Ball with toasted baguette slices makes the perfect game-watching appetizer and it much less likely to spill during the celebration of a big play. 

Steak with Mixed Olive Tapenade, Butternut Squash, and Green Beans Recipe

This bountiful plate comes together in a snap thanks to savvy finds from the supermarket like frozen precooked butternut squash, olives from the olive bar, and spiralized beets (available in the produce section). If you can’t find the beets, you can add 1/3 cup precooked, sliced beets to the cooked and drained green beans.

Ham and Dijon Grilled Cheese Recipe

This grilled cheese takes some major inspiration from the French favorite, croque monsieur with its sliced ham and melty Gruyère cheese. In lieu of a béchamel sauce, we lather some Dijon mustard on this sandwich for added flavor. To achieve that perfectly golden brown sandwich you dream of, you need to coat the outer sides of your grilled cheese with mayonnaise (or butter).

Beef Daube Provençal Recipe

This classic French braised beef, red wine, and vegetable stew is simple and delicious. This recipe ran in a Thanksgiving weekend package. The stew was perfect for that Wednesday night before Thanksgiving when you have guests arriving, but still need to focus on prepping food for the next day.