French cuisine doesn’t always have to mean fine dining: discover 6 delicious French recipes that make the most out of simple, inexpensive ingredients.
While French cuisine is typically associated with Michelin stars and luxury ingredients, the reality for most French home cooks is far different! Typical French recipes are generally more focused on using simple and economical ingredients, such as vegetables from the local farmer’s market, eggs, and legumes like beans or lentils, to create humble yet elegant meals. Here are six of our favourite French recipes:
French baked eggs
This classic dish involves baking eggs in a ramekin until they are set to your liking. As it’s highly customisable, you can consider adding thin slices of prosciutto or bacon under the eggs, topping them with caramelised onions, shallots or creamy mushrooms, or even adding a bit of cheese such as parmesan, blue cheese, goat cheese, or emmental. Finish with a sprinkle of chopped herbs like parsley, thyme, or chives to really make this dish sing!
Elbow macaroni with French ham
Who says a satisfying lunch needs to take more than 15 minutes? This cult French recipe involves cooking elbow macaroni in broth and cheese to boost flavour, adding a pat of butter and seasoning with salt and pepper, before topping it with strips of superior cooked ham. It’s the ultimate in French comfort food!
Rice pudding
The French love to finish a meal with something sweet and rice pudding is a creamy, dreamy dessert that ticks all the boxes. The recipe involves cooking short-grain rice in milk with Tahitian vanilla and sugar on low heat until it’s perfectly soft (about 20 minutes). Then, you can eat it warm or cold! To personalise this dish, consider pairing it with zingy rhubarb compote to liven up the creaminess, or a sprinkling of toasted sliced almonds for a little crunch.
French Onion Soup
French onion soup is a cosy and hearty traditional recipe that’s ideal for warming up during those cold weather months (though we could eat it just about anytime). To make it, onions are caramelised over low heat until deeply golden, then simmered in a combination of wine, sherry, and broth to concentrate the flavour. Once the soup is ladled into a casserole, a slice of bread and generous helping of melted cheese top this delectable dish.
Grilled ham and cheese
You don’t always need a lot of ingredients to create a pleasing meal, and this recipe for a grilled ham and cheese is all the proof we need! Slices of superior cooked ham and grated emmental are sandwiched between thin slices of rustic bread that have been buttered on the outside. Once assembled, the sandwich is popped into a pan to heat until the cheese is melted and the crust is caramelised and crispy.
French Lentils Salad
For a fresh and easily transportable meal to take to work or on a picnic, consider this simple yet succulent salad featuring deliciously high-protein French lentils, lettuce, sweet pears, and Fourme d’Ambert blue cheese, tossed in a simple vinaigrette made of olive oil, raspberry vinegar, and mustard, for a meal that’s authentically French and easy to make.
These recipes show you don’t need to spend hours in the kitchen or blow the budget to create delicious, moreish meals for yourself and your family. For even more inspired everyday cooking ideas, head this way.
