45 French Recipes That'll Turn Your Kitchen into a Bistro (2024)

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Transform your kitchen into a private bistro with classic French recipes like cassoulet and beef bourguignon. We'll help you master macarons, clafoutis, brioche and much more. Bon appetit!

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Classic Creme Brulee

My favorite dessert is this creme brulee recipe. Recently I was at a party where the guests finished preparing their own desserts by “broiling” the sugar on their portions with a small torch. What a great idea! —Joylyn Trickel, Helendale, California

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Strawberry Macarons

These strawberry macarons have a sweet surprise in the filling: strawberry jam. To keep the jam contained, pipe the frosting around the outer edge before adding the jam in the center. —Josh Rink, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Beef Bourguignon

This stovetop stew is loaded with taste, but is easy to do. While the name sounds fancy, even a beginning cook can master it. It's our traditional holiday meal.—Elodie Rosinovsky, Brighton, Massachusetts

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Nicoise Salad

More and more people in my workplace are becoming vegetarians. When we cook or eat together, the focus is on fresh produce. This salad combines some of our favorite ingredients in one dish—and with the hard-boiled eggs and kidney beans, it delivers enough protein to satisfy those who are skeptical of vegetarian fare. —Elizabeth Kelley, Chicago, Illinois

5/45

Country Cassoulet

This bean stew is fantastic with fresh dinner rolls and your favorite green salad. It's a hearty meal that's perfect after a long day in the garden. —Suzanne McKinley, Lyons, Georgia

Pair this stew with a fresh hunk of a homemade French baguette.

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Blood Orange Caramel Tarte Tatin

That sweet blood orange flavor with some brown sugar is a perfect combination. Whenever I have something to go to, my friends demand that I bring this dessert. —Pamela Butkowski, Hermosa Beach, California

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Coq au Vin

This quick coq au vin recipe is really fabulous served with rice. I love being able to fix this gourmet dish in 30 minutes and still have it turn out so delicious. To reduce fat, I use chicken tenderloin pieces or skinless chicken breasts. —Judy VanCoetsem, Cortland, New York

8/45

French Lentil and Carrot Soup

It’s crazy how just a few ingredients can make such a difference. Using finely chopped rotisserie chicken in this recipe makes it perfect for a busy weeknight meal, but you can leave the chicken out if you prefer. —Colleen Delawder, Herndon, Virginia

9/45

Basic Crepes

This is my favorite simple crepe recipe. It's best to make the batter at least 30 minutes ahead so the flour can absorb all the moisture before you start cooking the crepes. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

10/45

Summer Ratatouille

Make use of your garden’s surplus with this comforting dish from the Provence region of France. It’s a vegetable dish traditionally made with eggplant, tomatoes, onions, zucchini, garlic, bell peppers and various herbs. I highly recommend accompanying it with some freshly baked bread. —Phyllis Jacques, Venice, Florida

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Bouillabaisse

This golden-colored soup is brimming with an assortment of seafood and is paired with savory, colorful sourdough toast with spread.— Lauren Covas, New Brunswick, New Jersey

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Blueberry Clafoutis

This blueberry clafouti is somewhere between a fruit-filled pancake and a fruity egg custard. Wrong season for fresh berries? Use frozen berries thawed in a colander and discard the juice. —Ken Hulme, Venice, Florida

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The Best Quiche Lorraine

Nestled in a buttery, rustic crust, this quiche is filled with sweet onions, bacon bits and cheese. It's truly the best quiche Lorraine recipe. —Shannon Norris, Cudahy, Wisconsin

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Slow-Cooker Beef Burgundy

Tender cubes of beef are braised in a wine sauce with savory vegetables. I made this slow-cooker beef burgundy often when I worked full time. It’s good over noodles or mashed potatoes. —Sherri Mott, New Carlisle, Indiana

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Fruit Tart

It’s well worth the effort to whip up this creamy fruit tart bursting with juicy berries. A friend gave me the recipe, and it always receives rave reviews at gatherings. —Susan Terzakis, Andover, Massachusetts

16/45

Brioche Rolls

At 10 o'clock each morning, it's coffee time at our house. Friends, neighbors and relatives stop by just to grab a bite of these brioche rolls fresh from the oven. —Wanda Kristoffersen, Owatonna, Minnesota

Learn more about other types of French bread.

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Country French Pork with Prunes and Apples

The classic flavors of herbes de Provence, apples and dried plums make this easy slow-cooked pork taste like a hearty meal at a French country cafe. For a traditional pairing, serve the pork with braised lentils. —Suzanne Banfield, Basking Ridge, New Jersey

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Palmiers

It takes just two ingredients to make these impressive but easy-to-do French pastries, which are often called palm leaves. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Vegetable Tian

This colorful, hearty and delicious dish originated in Provence, France. A mandoline makes easy work of slicing all the vegetables but a knife will work just fine if you don't have one. —Francine Lizotte, Surrey, British Columbia

20/45

French Buttercream

French buttercream has a custard-like texture and is great if you're going to be piping shapes or decorations. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

21/45

French Hot Chocolate

One of my fondest memories of Paris is sipping a cup of thick, dark hot chocolate at one of the patisseries there. Parisian hot chocolate is velvety smooth, rich and decadent and almost the consistency of a molten chocolate bar. It is meant to be sipped slowly and savored. I bought Parisian espresso cups so we could enjoy this at home. — Darlene Brenden, Salem, Oregon

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Beef Daube Provencal

This dish is perfect on cold winter days, especially after we have been out cutting wood or white-tail hunting. If you are lucky enough to have venison, try it here for melt-in-your-mouth goodness. —Brenda Ryan, Marshall, Missouri

23/45

Grand Marnier Frozen Souffles

This delicious frozen souffle is perfect for summer and will impress just about anyone. It's a great make-ahead dessert! —Andrea Potischman, Menlo Park, California

24/45

Crusty French Loaf

A delicate texture makes this French bread absolutely wonderful. I sometimes use this French bread recipe to make breadsticks, which I brush with melted butter and sprinkle with garlic powder. —Deanna Naivar, Temple, Texas

25/45

Duck with Brandy Cherry Sauce

Elegant, delicious and colorful, this French duck dish is perfect to serve for special occasions. —Francine Lizotte, Langley, British Columbia

26/45

French Butter Cookies

The Brittany region of France is known for its use of butter. These French butter cookies, also known as sable Breton, shine the spotlight on the famous ingredient. This recipe is mildly sweet, rich, crisp and has a hint of salt. You won't be able to resist having a second—or third. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Classic French Onion Soup

Enjoy my signature French onion soup the way my granddaughter Becky does: I make onion soup for her in a crock bowl, complete with garlic croutons and gobs of melted Swiss cheese on top. —Lou Sansevero, Ferron, Utah

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Lemon Macarons

These light and airy lemon macarons are perfect for special occasions or to give as gifts. —Josh Rink, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Herb-Crusted Rack of Lamb with Mushroom Sauce

With this easy, surefire recipe, you don't have to be afraid to prepare a rack of lamb for a holiday dinner. Rice pilaf and roasted asparagus are a lovely way to round out the meal. —Mary Kay LaBrie, Clermont, Florida

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Potatoes Lyonnaise

I learned how to make this classic dish in culinary school. It’s comforting and simple to prepare. I like to switch up the herbs to give it a different flavor every time. The side is fantastic for casual dinners but also elegant enough for any holiday. —James Schend, Dairy Freed

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Socca

Socca is a traditional flatbread from Nice, France. It's a common street food, cooked on a grill and served in a paper cone, usually chopped and sprinkled with salt, pepper or other delicious toppings. Bonus: It's gluten free. — Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Creamy Chicken Vol-au-Vent

My friends and I have been getting together for "ladies lunches" for years. These vol-au-vents are the perfect no-fuss fancy food; they look complicated, but are actually simple and fun to make. Whenever I think of good friends and good company, I think of these savory pastries. —Shauna Havey, Roy, Utah

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Chocolate-Glazed Raspberry Eclairs

I first made choux pastry in high school for a French class assignment, and I was fascinated. Since then, chocolate-glazed raspberry eclairs have been my favorite pastry to make. I garnish each eclair either with a single fresh raspberry or with a sprinkling of crushed freeze-dried raspberries. —Elisabeth Larsen, Pleasant Grove, Utah

35/45

Pressure-Cooker Coq au Vin

Don’t be intimidated by the elegant name. The classic French dish is now made easier in one appliance! This Instant Pot coq au vin has all the classic flavors of a rich red wine-mushroom sauce but is so simple to make. My family loves it with whole grain country bread or French bread for dipping into the extra sauce. —Julie Peterson, Crofton, Maryland

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French Potato Salad

French potato salad is vinegar-based instead of creamy, made with Dijon mustard, olive oil, scallions or shallots, and fresh herbs. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

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French Macarons

Even decorated simply—a sprinkle of sugar, a drizzle of icing—these stylish beauties are part of our creative Christmas cookies collection. They will be the showstoppers on any cookie tray. —Josh Rink, Photo Stylist Taste of Home

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Quick Bearnaise Sauce

Bearnaise sauce is similar to Hollandaise but features wine and tarragon. This speedy recipe is delicious served over cooked vegetables or beef tenderloin. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

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Roasted Chicken

This Dutch oven roast chicken recipe gets wonderful flavor from the celery, onion and parsley tucked inside. This is my family’s favorite way to make roast chicken. When my daughter was away at school, she even called home to ask me for the recipe so she could make it herself. —Judy Page, Edenville, Michigan

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Chocolate Yule Log

A Yule log cake, also called a Buche de Noel, is a rolled sponge cake shaped and decorated to resemble a wooden log. This fanciful dessert is a holiday baking tradition that dates back to 19th-century France. This particular chocolate Yule log recipe from Bernadette Colvin of Tomball, Texas, has been a favorite Christmas dessert for her family. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

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French 75

The original French 75 drink was created at Harry's New York Bar in Paris, France during WWI. The original version had a powerful kick, like a French 75 mm artillery gun. The version here uses less gin. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

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Pressure-Cooker French Onion Soup

I love French onion soup on a cold night, but I don't love the time it takes. This is my quick version for when we're short on time. —Teri Rasey, Cadillac, Michigan

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Poached Pears with Vanilla Sauce

This dessert is a great ending to a special-occasion meal. Whole pears are lightly spiced and chilled, then served with a heavenly custard sauce.—Al Latimer, Bentonville, Arizona

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Croque-Madame

My son and I love having a croque-madame (a fried egg atop our grilled ham and cheese) for lunch. If eggs aren't your favorite, you can make the sandwich without it (which makes it a croque-monsieur). —Carolyn Turner, Reno, Nevada

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Lemon Vinaigrette

Versatile and delicious, this lemon vinaigrette is a favorite among homemade salad dressings. The fresh lemon flavor brightens up simple green salads as a dressing but it's also a lively addition to fresh steamed vegetables, like broccoli, green beans or cauliflower. —Sarah Farmer, Taste of Home Culinary Director

Dana is an editor and writer who shares her passion for travel, food and the beauty of American landscapes. When she's not wielding her red pen, she can be found tending her flower gardens, remodeling her house, creating one-of-a-kind jewelry or dancing to "Uptown Funk."

Caroline has been with Taste of Home for the past seven years, working in both print and digital. After starting as an intern for the magazine and special interest publication teams, Caroline was hired as the third-ever digital editor for Taste of Home. Since then, she has researched, written and edited content on just about every topic the site covers, including cooking techniques, buzzy food news, gift guides and many, many recipe collections. Caroline also acts as the editorial lead for video, working with the Test Kitchen, videographers and social media team to produce videos from start to finish.When she’s not tip-tapping on a keyboard, Caroline is probably mixing up a killer co*cktail, reading a dog-eared library book or cooking up a multi-course feast (sometimes all at once). Though she technically lives in Milwaukee, there is a 50/50 chance Caroline is in Chicago or southwest Michigan visiting her close-knit family.