Classic French cooking doesn’t have to be complicated. These easy French recipes bring timeless flavors to your home kitchen, from comforting soups and savory mains to elegant desserts, all designed to be approachable, satisfying, and perfect for everyday cooking.

Chocolate Bread (Pain au Chocolat)

Serve 12 | Prep time 3 hours | Cook time 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1½ tablespoons quick rise yeast
• ½ cup water (lukewarm)
• 3½ cups bread flour
• ½ cup milk
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 9 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons milk

Directions

1. Stir the yeast into the lukewarm water in the bowl of a stand mixer, and let it sit for 3 minutes or so until it begins to bloom.
2. Add the flour, milk, sugar, and melted butter, and mix on low speed until it is combined. You can add a little more flour if it’s too sticky.
3. Cover, and let it rest at room temperature for half an hour.
4. Roll out the dough into a 10×15” rectangle, and let it sit for 30 minutes more.
5. Brush the dough with softened butter. Fold the outer thirds over the center third, so it now has three layers.
6. Roll the dough out again into a 10×15” rectangle, and repeat. Let it rest again, this time for 1 hour.
7. Repeat the rolling, buttering, folding, and resting one more time.
8. With a sharp knife, cut the dough into 12 triangles. Place about 2 teaspoons of chocolate near one corner, and then starting at that corner, roll the dough around the chocolate, ending with a little cylinder.
9. Grease a baking sheet and arrange the pastries on it about 2 inches apart. Cover with plastic wrap and let them rise for 45 minutes.
10. Preheat the oven to 400°F, and make an egg wash with the egg and milk. Gently brush the pastries with the mixture.
11. Bake for 12–15 minutes, until golden brown.

French Onion Soup (Soupe à l’Oignon Gratinée)

Serves 6 | Prep time 15 minutes | Cook time 1 hour

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter, plus more for greasing
• 4 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 (8-ounce) baguette, cut into slices
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 8 cups beef broth
• ½ cup dry red wine
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups grated Gruyère

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions, and season them with salt and pepper. Cover, and cook on medium-low heat for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F and butter a baking sheet. Arrange the bread slices on the sheet and toast them in the oven until they are nicely browned, about 15 minutes. Turn them over halfway through. Set the toasted bread aside.
3. When the onions are cooked, raise the heat to medium-high and add the sugar. Cook until they are a deep golden brown.
4. Add the beef broth, wine, and bay leaf, and bring the pot to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.
5. Preheat the broiler, and raise the oven rack to high.
6. Set out 6 heatproof bowls, and ladle soup into each. Top with a slice or two of bread, pressing it into the top of the liquid. Add a layer of cheese.
7. Broil until the cheese is melted and golden. Serve, and enjoy!

Chicken with 40 Garlic Cloves (Poulet aux 40 Gousses d’Ail)

Serves 4 | Prep time 20 minutes | Cook time 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 40 cloves garlic, about 3 heads of garlic
• 1 large whole chicken, about 3 ½ to 4 pounds
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 onion, sliced thick
• 1 teaspoon dry thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
• 1 cup white wine
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon cognac

Vegetables (optional)

• 12 trimmed carrots
• 4-6 white turnip, trimmed and quartered
• 12 baby potatoes (optional)

Directions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400°F. Prepare a Dutch oven or metal baking pan by brushing bottom and sides with olive oil.
2. Peel the garlic cloves. You can blanch them for 1-2 minutes in boiling water.  It makes it easier to peel.
3. Wash the chicken insides under cold running water. Drain and pat dry with paper towels. Brush the skin and the inside of the chicken with the apple cider vinegar. Season generously with salt and black pepper.
4. Arrange the onion slices to the bottom of a Dutch oven or baking pan. Add the chicken on top of the onions. Arrange the garlic all around the chicken. Season the chicken generously with salt and freshly cracked black pepper and the thyme. Add the white wine all around the chicken. Arrange the carrots, potatoes and turnip around the chicken. Cover and bake for 1 hour.
5. After an hour, uncover and continue cooking for 45 minutes. The chicken is done once the vegetables, if using, are tender and the internal temperature of the chicken at its thickest part reads at least 165°F on a meat thermometer.
6. Once the chicken is cooked, remove from the oven and place it on a serving plate and all the vegetables all around the chicken. Cover lightly with foil to keep warm.
7. In the meantime, prepare the sauce. Place the Dutch oven or pan on the stovetop. Add the cognac and the cream and bring to a boil over high heat. With a whisk or wooden spoon, stir to release the browned bits of flavor stuck to the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat to medium and let simmer until the sauce thickens, about 2-3 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if needed.
8. Serve the chicken and veggies warm with the sauce on the side.

Skirt Steak with Shallot Sauce (Bavette à l’Échalotte)

Serves 2 | Prep time 25 minutes | Cook time 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 8-ounce skirt steaks
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 6 shallots
• Unsalted butter
• Olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup red wine

Directions

1. Take the meat out of the refrigerator. Season generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, and let rest for 10-15 minutes to bring to room temperature. In the meantime, prepare the shallots. Peel and cut them into thin slices.
2. Warm a little butter and a little olive oil in a heavy bottomed frying pan over medium-high heat. The pan should become hot enough to sear the meat. Place the steaks in the pan. Cook for 2 minutes or 2 min 30 to brown the meat well, then turn over. Let cook another 2-3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for another minute. Remove the steak from the pan and then let the steaks rest on a plate. Cover loosely with foil just to keep warm.
3. Meanwhile, add olive oil and butter to the pan and fry the shallots to a medium-high heat for 2 minutes to color them well. Then lower the heat to low heat and continue cooking for 3-4 more minutes, or until tender. Remove the shallots from the pan and place them with the steaks. Deglaze the pan with the balsamic vinegar and the red wine. Add a little butter to bind the sauce. Let the sauce reduce by half on high heat, about 3 minutes.
4. Serve the steaks with the shallots and pour some of sauce on top.

Trout Menieure Amandine (Truite Meunière Amandine)

Serves 4 | Prep time 10 minutes | Cook time 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 8 (10-ounce) trout, cleaned and trimmed
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ½ cup slivered almonds

For the sauce

• ⅓ cup unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• Lemon wedges

Directions

1. Rinse the trout under cold running water, and pat them dry with paper towels. Season them on both sides with salt and pepper.
2. Dredge the trout through the flour one at a time, and tap off any excess. Set them on a clean plate.
3. In  a non-stick skillet over medium heat, sauté the almonds until lightly browned and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Set aside.
4. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the oil and butter, swirling to coat the surface. When the butter stops bubbling, add the fish, being careful not to crowd the pan. Fry until they are cooked through and golden on the outside. Place them on serving plates and cover with foil to keep warm.
5. Wipe out the pan and melt the butter for the sauce. Add the parsley and lemon juice and combine. Heat for one minute and add the almonds. Pour the butter over the fish. Serve immediately, with lemon wedges.

Cheese Soufflé (Soufflé au Fromage)

Serves 4 | Prep time 10 minutes | Cook time 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• ½ cup milk, heated
• 1 cup Gruyère cheese, shredded
• 3 eggs, separated
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly oil 4 soufflé ramequins.
2. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour slowly and whisk until a paste forms.
3. Add the milk slowly, whisking constantly.
4. Reduce the heat to low and keep warm, stirring frequently to prevent burning or sticking.
5. Place the egg whites in a bowl and beat until stiff. Set aside.
6. Lightly beat the egg yolks and add them to the cream sauce, together with the cheese. Mix gently until the cheese has melted. Season with salt, black pepper, and nutmeg.
7. Gently fold in the egg whites and carefully spoon the mixture into the soufflé cups.
8. Place in the oven and bake for approximately 15 minutes.
9. Carefully remove the soufflé cups from the oven and serve immediately.

Tatin Pie (Tarte Tatin)

Serves 8 | Prep time 15 minutes | Cook time 50 minutes

Ingredients

• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 6 apples, peeled, cored and quartered
• 1 pie crust, 11-inch diameter

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. In an 11-inch oven-safe skillet (preferably cast iron) bring the sugar, water, and butter to a boil. Cook until it begins to brown.
3. Stir in the apples until they are well coated and cook for 3 minutes.
4. Arrange the pastry over the apples and cut a few small vents for steam.
5. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 50 minutes.
6. Let it cool for 10 minutes, and then place a serving plate over the top. Invert the pan to transfer the tarte onto the plate.

***These recipes and more are found in Florence Parisien’s Mais Oui! Easy French Cookbook: Classic French Recipes to Make at Home. To get your copy, click on the cover below or click here.

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