Food World Cuisines European Cuisines French Cuisine 15 French Recipes Every Beginner Cook Should Brave By Nina Friend Nina Friend Nina Friend is a New York-based writer who covers food, drink, travel, lifestyle, and sports. Nina’s work has appeared in Vogue, Air Mail, Bon Appétit, Cherry Bombe, Food & Wine, The BBC, and NBC Sports, among others. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on August 19, 2022 Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Con Poulos Though French cuisine often comes with a side of "that's-too-difficult-to-make-at-home," the basic methods — building a sauce, deglazing, braising, poaching — are quite simple and will carry you far. In fact, as F&W's Justin Chapple points out, "French technique has influenced how we cook at home so much, that you probably already know more than you think." (See: 13 Essential Tools for French Cooking). There are a ton of classic and approachable recipes out there for even the greenest cook. From aioli and bouillabaisse to clafoutis, here are the ABC's of French cooking. 01 of 15 Fromage Fort Photo by Huge Galdones / Food Styling by Christina Zerkis Chef Jacques Pépin's fast toasts are the ultimate way to use leftover cheese, by putting it to use with these crostini-like hors d'oeuvres. Simply blend cheese, garlic, and wine until creamy, spread on toast or crackers, and eat. Get the Recipe 02 of 15 Speedy Ratatouille with Goat Cheese © Johnny Valiant In traditional ratatouille, vegetables simmer together until they're falling-apart tender. Here, cookbook author Melissa Clark cooks them quickly in batches, so they retain their flavor and texture. Get the Recipe 03 of 15 Pistachio Financiers Earl Carter The best thing about financiers is that the reward far outweighs the effort. These small, buttery almond cakes can be made in a pinch and stored overnight in an airtight container. Get the Recipe 04 of 15 Steamed Mussels with Tomato-Garlic Broth This three-step recipe will have you whipping up steamed mussels in no time. The real star here is the flavorful tomato-garlic broth — make sure to have plenty of garlic bread on hand for dipping. Get the Recipe 05 of 15 Leeks Vinaigrette with Fried Eggs and Smoked Prosciutto John Kernick Chef Paul Kahan's leeks vinaigrette is a time-honored French classic, often served with a hard boiled egg. Kahan puts a twist on that dish by pairing his dressing with a fried egg and smoked prosciutto, which complements the acidity in the vinaigrette perfectly. Get the Recipe 06 of 15 Black Olive Tapenade with Figs and Mint © David Malosh Chef Jacques Pépin's tasty tapenade combines two types of olives with dried figs and mint. This goes well as a sandwich spread, a side for crudité, or a topping for crostini. Get the Recipe 07 of 15 Raspberry Clafoutis © Tina Rupp While this custard dessert is traditionally made with cherries, try swapping in raspberries for a fresh twist on the classic. Get the Recipe 08 of 15 Potato and Leek Soup (Vichyssoise) Madeleine Hill While traditional vichyssoise is chilled, Andrew Zimmern's version calls for serving the soup hot. Both options yield a hearty and quintessentially French dish. Get the Recipe 09 of 15 Chicken Dijon © Johnny Valiant Cookbook author Melissa Clark's favorite part of the chicken is the drumstick, because it's juicy and easy to brown. She likes using only drumsticks in this mustardy stew — thickened with tangy crème fraîche — so that all the meat cooks at the same rate. Get the Recipe 10 of 15 Aioli John Kernick You'll never need to buy aioli again after learning to make this quick recipe for a homemade version. While classic aioli calls for garlic, oil, and sometimes egg, you can add in other seasonings for a different type of flavor. The concept of emulsification — binding two ingredients that wouldn't naturally take to one another by whisking vigorously — is a basic technique that will take you far. Get the Recipe 11 of 15 Julia's Favorite Roast Chicken CON POULOS Julia Child seasoned this roast chicken inside and out by packing sautéed vegetables, lemon slices and fresh herbs into the cavity, then rubbing the skin with butter. In typical French fashion, she trussed the bird to promote even cooking. Get the Recipe 12 of 15 French Onion Soup © Dana Cowin Chef Matt Conroy makes a hearty beef broth that becomes the foundation for his richly flavored classic French onion soup. Get the Recipe 13 of 15 Crêpes Suzette © Con Poulos While restaurants traditionally make the buttery, orange-flavored sauce for this famous French dessert tableside from start to finish, chef Jacques Pépin finds it easier to prepare largely in advance when entertaining. He flambés the liquor in front of his dinner guests and pours it over the platter of crêpes while still flaming. Get the Recipe 14 of 15 Bouillabaisse Chloe Crespi Photography Chef Ludo Lefebvre's bouillabaisse starts with a quick-cooking, but deeply flavored, seafood broth. Layering a base of aromatics with fresh snapper, scallops, shrimp, and a mix of Pernod and dry white wine creates a long-simmered flavor in under an hour. Get the Recipe 15 of 15 Burnt Honey-Orange Tuiles Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen The beauty of this cookie-brittle hybrid is that you can make it with any croissant — homemade or store-bought. To ensure a crispy tuile, let the croissant slices bake until they are a deep, golden brown to give the sugar in the syrup time to caramelize and harden to the perfect texture. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit