What is French cuisine?
Sometimes elegant, sometimes rustic, but always seasonal and full of flavour, French is one of the worlds most celebrated cuisines. From the seafood specialties found along coastal Normandy to the hearty stews that dominate the rugged interior, French food is as regional as it is diverse, and there are many recipes that have now left its borders and become classic worldwide. While we could wax lyrical about the savoury dishes, equal praise should be reserved for its sweets. There is no other cuisine that has elevated dessert to such great heights, turning dishes laden with butter, chocolate and sugar into works of art that take years to perfect. It is this commitment to perfection, and a love of using only the best ingredients, that defines French cuisines, creating a collection of recipes that speak of the people and the land that they come from.
Iconic main dishes
Step inside French bistros and homes throughout the country and you'll discover these dishes cooking away.
French onion soup
The sweet, caramelised flavours in this French classic make it a perennial favourite. For best results it needs long, slow cooking which will bring out the natural sweetness in the onions. And whatever you do, don't forget to stir it or the onions will burn, ruining all your hard work. Pair it up with parmesan toasts and you have a dish that is warming, restorative and just a little bit fancy.
- French Onion Soup
- French Onion Soup
- French Onion Soup
Quiche Lorraine
Made from a crisp pastry shell filled with bacon, eggs, cream and cheese there's no denying this classic French quiche is very hard to resist!
- Quiche Lorraine
- Quiche Lorraine
- Quiche Lorraine
For even more tips, check out this guide to quiche Lorraine:
- Discover the dish: quiche Lorraine
- Tips for perfecting quiche
Souffle
Urban legend would have you believe that soufflés are one of the culinary world's trickiest creations. However, the reality is that with a few nifty tricks, they are surprisingly easy to perfect – and are guaranteed to wow any crowd!
- Eggplant Souffle
- Spicy Pumpkin Souffle
- Potato Cheese Souffle
To ensure your soufflé gets a great rise, follow these tips:
- Tips for a successful soufflé
Croque monsieur
This oozy toasted ham and cheese sandwich is the go-to snack of choice in cafes and bars throughout the country. Easy to perfect, it's made with plenty of cheese (either Emmental or Gruyere) and is toasted in plenty of melted butter in a hot pan.
- Croque Monsieur
Coq au vin
Don't be fooled by the fancy name, this dish of chicken slowly cooked in red wine is actually easy to cook at home, and a wonderful addition to any slow cooker. The wine of choice is traditionally Burgundy, but different regions have adapted the recipe as their own creating coq au Riesling (Alsace) or even coq au Champagne – so feel free to experiment with what you have on hand.
- Coq Au Vin
- Braised Chicken in Wine
Omelette
Master the art of making an omelette and you will be able to whip up a quick, yet delicious, meal at any time.
- Fluffy Cheese Omelette
- Easy Savoury Omelette
- Omelette
For more ideas and all the tips to perfect a French omelette, check out this guide:
- How to make an omelette
Beef bourguignon
When it comes to wine-scented beef stews the beef bourguignon is king. This French dish magically turns tough cuts of beef to fork-tender perfection. Rich, flavourful and packed full of vegetables, this is slow cooking at its best.
- Beef Bourguignon
- Beef Bourguignonne
For more on beef bourguignon, including its history and cooking tips, visit our guide:
- Discover the dish: beef bourguignon
Mussels in white wine
Nothing beats getting your hands messy eating a giant bowl of mussels cooked in white wine, butter and garlic. A favourite in seaside Normandy, but now popular throughout the country, don't forget to serve this dish with plenty of paper towels and a bowl of water to clean up messy fingers.
- Mussels in Garlic Butter
Tasty sides
French dishes are often made up of a main dish accompanied by a few tasty sides. From shoestring fries with steak to buttered carrots alongside a hearty stew, these sides are just as important to the final dish, and are given much care to ensure they have maximum flavour. Try pairing up your own meals with some of these classic sides for a French touch:
- Celeriac Potato Mash
- Rocket and Parmesan Salad
- Decadent Potato Puree
- Home Style Garlic Bread
- Chevre and Pear Salad
- French Potato Salad
All about sauces
If there is one thing that defines French cuisines, and earns it much praise, it is its sophisticated range of sauces. Every meal is matched with an accompanying sauce, and here are a few of the favourites you can try at home:
Bechamel
This classic white, made from a mix of flour, butter and milk, can turn even accomplished cooks into a fluster by its ability to become lumpy. To combat this make sure you cook the flour into the butter and never stop stirring as you add the milk.
- Bechamel or White Sauce
- Bechamel Sauce
Bernaise
This sauce is served hot and is made from a mix of egg yolks and butter that are then flavoured with tarragon and vinegar.
- Avocado Bernaise Sauce
Hollandaise
This sauce is made from a mix of butter, egg yolks and lemon juice that is carefully beaten together in a double boiler until thick and creamy. Serve it alongside vegetables, fish and as part of a classic eggs Benedict.
- Hollandaise Sauce
- Quick Microwave Hollandaise Sauce
Mayonnaise
This much loved dressing is made from an emulsion of oil, egg yolks, lemon juice or vinegar and a little seasoning. You can use it as a spread, dressing or dipping sauce or you can adapt it to make tartar sauce, thousand island dressing, aioli or remoulade.
- Real Mayonnaise
- Egg Mayonnaise
Vinaigrette
Add some punch to your salads by dressing them in a tangy vinaigrette that usually consists of a simple mix of oil, vinegar and seasoning. This base can then be altered with your choice of spices, fresh herbs, mustards and flavoured oils.
- Ken's Vinaigrette
- Baby Spinach Salad with Herb Vinaigrette
Iconic desserts
When it comes to desserts it's hard to beat the French. With their buttery tarts, rich cakes and flaky pastries, this the home to many of the world's favourite treats. Here are five of the best that every home cook should have in their arsenal.
Flourless chocolate cake
These rich chocolate cakes require nothing more than a dusting of icing sugar and a dollop of whipped cream to turn them into a sophisticated dessert. The secret to a perfect cake is to use the very best chocolate you can find and to make sure you don't overcook it, so that it's still fudgy in the middle.
- Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Flourless Chocolate and Hazelnut Cake
- Queen of Sheba Cake
Chocolate mousse
Do you like your mousse dark and rich or light and creamy? Perhaps you prefer white chocolate, or maybe milk chocolate is your secret weapon? Everyone has a chocolate mousse style they love – if you haven't found yours, you're guaranteed to have lots of fun trying them all. Here are three killer chocolate mousse recipes to get you started.
- Fail Proof Chocolate Mousse
- Rich Chocolate Mousse
- White Chocolate Mousse
Clafoutis
- Cherry Clafoutis
- Caramelised Apple Clafoutis
- Cherry Clafoutis
Tarts
In France there as many types of sweet tarts as there are days in the year. Here are some of the classics, including apple, lemon and chocolate.
- Lemon Tart
- Warm Chocolate, Cinnamon and Coffee Tart
- French Apple Tart
Crème caramel
The pairing of silky, wobbly custard and dark caramel sauce make this a dessert that few can refuse. Serve with strong espresso coffee or a favourite liqueur for a show-stopping end to a dinner party.
- Creme Caramel
- Coffee Creme Caramel
- Easy Coconut Creme Caramel
If you struggle making caramel and want to perfect your technique, try this guide:
- How to make caramel
Crepes
These delicious wafer-thin pancakes can be made in a jiffy and are a great quick-dessert option. If you struggle to get the right texture, try this simple tip: substitute ½ cup of the liquid in your recipe for beer. The resulting crepes will be lacy, light and irresistibly silky.
- Easy Crepes
- French Crepes with Berries and Ice-Cream
- Rich Chocolate Crepes
For even more crepe making ideas and tips, follow these handy
- Tips for perfecting crepes
- Equipment: steel crepe pans
Crème brulee
Perhaps the most loved of all the French desserts, this classic recipe pairs silky custard with a burnished toffee lid. To access the custard you need to crack the toffee, shattering it into hundreds of little pieces, which then add crunch and texture to the dessert. Endlessly adaptable, a crème brulee can include spices, fruit, chocolate and liqueurs to name a few.
- Raspberry Creme Brulee
- Chocolate Rum Creme Brulee
- Amarula Brulee
Patisserie
The French are the kings of pastry, inventing some of the most loved sweet treats such as eclairs, macarons, croissants and palmiers. Celebrate the finesse of French pastry with this collection of much-loved recipes.
Madeleines
Madeleines, a classic French treat, are essentially miniature sponge cakes flavoured with lemon rind and cooked in a special shell-shaped mould. They are served warm from the oven, meaning they're something that's best made at home rather than bought so that you can have them as soon as they're ready. For more on madeleines, check out our guide:
- Discover the dish: madeleines
Macarons
The current 'it' biscuit is as yummy as it is beautiful. They are available in a whole spectrum of colours, from candy cane pink to brilliant sunshine yellow. Although macarons can be intimidating to make, once you master the base recipe you can alter them to make a whole selection of different flavours.
- Chocolate Macarons
- Macarons
- Macarons
Croissants
Whether for breakfast or a quick snack, you can never go wrong with this buttery and flaky pastry. A well-made croissant takes time to perfect, requiring time to rest and prove, before the dough is folded into endless layers until you're left with a pastry that will melt in your mouth.
- Christmas Croissants
- Strawberry Croissant French Toast
- Caramel Croissant Pudding
Profiteroles and eclairs
These light-as-air pastries get their dramatic puff from choux pastry. The pastry gets its signature airiness from its high water content, which turns to steam as it cooks, pushing the pastry into voluminous shapes and leaving it hollow inside. Filled with crème patissiere, and topped with toffee or chocolate, these are some of the most decadent and highly requested treats in any patisserie.
- Choux Pastry
- Profiteroles
- Chocolate Eclairs
And to fill your choux pastry with a classic crème patissiere, or pastry cream, check out this simple recipe.
- Choux pastry
- How to make pastry cream
Palmiers
Made from rolled up all-butter puff pastry, these delicate leaf-shaped biscuits are crisp, crunchy and sinfully sweet. They are quick and easy to make and can also be made with savoury ingredients.
- Rosemary and Olive Palmiers
- Sugar and Cinnamon Palmiers
- Choc Hazelnut Palmiers
French menus
Can't get enough of our French recipes? Why not try one of these French-inspired menus to continue the adventure. From bistro favourites, to one-pot classics, these menus will see you through any dinner party dilemma.
- One pot French
- Winter bistro favourites
- Bistro classics
