It’s Bastille Day—and also Euro Summer week here at Food52—so we’re leaning all the way in with a roundup of our favorite French recipes to help you fête like you’re picnicking beneath the Eiffel Tower (or at least pretending to at your dining table).
From classics Julia Child would definitely approve of (hi, beef bourguignon and crème brûlée) to a few breezier, “lazy girl” picks that rely on good butter, flaky pastry, and fresh herbs, this lineup has something for every level of ambition. There’s plenty of cheese, a generous amount of wine, and more than one dish with an egg on top—just as the French intended.
Whether you’re pouring a French 75, flipping madeleines, or throwing together a Niçoise-inspired salad, these recipes are your passport to a très délicieux celebration. As Julia Child said, “I think careful cooking is love, don’t you?”
Bon appétit!
White Chocolate Pots de Crème with Raspberry Pink Peppercorn Sauce
Dan Leader’s 4-Hour Baguette
Julia Child’s Beurre Blanc (White Butter Sauce)
Chicken Thighs Confit
Steak Frites With Sauce Verte
Classic Croissants
Canelés
Michel Guérard’s Sauce Vierge
Shaheen Peerbhai & Jennie Levitt’s Cold-Oven Roast Chicken
Ham, Egg, & Gruyère Galette Complète
Madeleines
Steak au Poivre
Hervé This’ Chocolate Mousse
Eric Kayser’s Croque-Monsieur
French Lentil Salad
Caramelized Tomato Tarte Tatin
Low-Key Niçoise Salad
Frozen Honey Mousse
Jacques Pépin’s Criques (Crispy Potato Pancakes)
Pommes Aligot
Nouilles Alfredo
Pesto-Rubbed Chicken & Spring Vegetables en Papillote
Herbed Goat Cheese and Root Vegetable Galette
French Tapenade
Dorie Greenspan’s Top Secret Chocolate Mousse
Eric Kayser’s Raspberry-Lime Macarons
David Lebovitz’s Cherry Clafoutis
Bouillabaisse
Mussels Escabeche Crostini with Sunchoke Purée
Ratatouille Galette
Pistachio and Honey Crème Brûlée
Easy Béarnaise Sauce
Instant Pot Beef Bourguignon
Sheet Pan Coq Au Vin
Crème Caramel
Meyer Lemon Eclairs
Pistachio Cream Puffs
Maman’s Cheese Soufflé From Jacques Pépin
Souffl’omelet with Roasted Tomatoes & Whipped Ricotta
Pan Bagnat: Le French Tuna Salad Sandwich
Sherried Mushroom Clafoutis
Traditional French Cassoulet
Roasted Asparagus with Poached Egg and Lemon-Mustard Sauce
Maple Rosemary French Toast with Vanilla Crème Fraîche
Duck Meatballs à L’Orange
Mussels Dijonnaise
What French recipes are you excited to tackle?
