20 Best French Recipes

In the western world, France is virtually synonymous with gastronomy. The country has a rich culinary history, from rustic peasant foods to the most technical haute cuisine masterpieces. We've collected our favorite French recipes from across the country.

For breakfast, bake buttery chocolate croissants, or for something more filling, try quiche Lorraine. Then at lunch, try a sandwich like a pan bagnat with tuna and olives, or a decadent croque tartine parisienne, an open-face ham and cheese sandwich topped with béchamel sauce.

Come dinner, start with appetizers—steak tartare and escargot are bistro classics that will you make you feel like you're dining in Paris; if you want something lighter, vegetable soup and salade Lyonniase are healthy starters that will leave your guests ready for their main.

And for the pièce de résistance, France offers endless options. For cooler nights, cassoulet, coq au vin, or choucroute are all warming and hearty. In more of a fish mood? Try trout, turbot, and lobster. For a side, tender poached leeks are delicious, but it's hard to resist classics, like French fries cooked in duck fat.

If you've still got room for dessert, try an apple tart, crêpes Suzette, or lemon mousse; for something equally rustic and impressive, there's classic clafoutis, a custard batter studded with juicy, ripe cherries.

From le petit déjeuner to le diner, and les tartines to le croquembouche, here are 50 of our favorite French recipes for appetizers, sides, entrees, and desserts.