Discover the Charm of French Cuisine: 19 Recipes for an Elegant Three-Course Meal
French cuisine, often associated with fine dining, has its roots in humble peasant dishes. Impress your dinner guests with classic recipes like boeuf bourguignon or delicate meringues. While French cooking may seem daunting to many American chefs, you’ll find that these rustic dishes are surprisingly approachable for home cooks. From rich lobster bisque to savory coq au vin and delightful cherry clafoutis, we’ve curated a collection of 19 exquisite recipes to help you create a sophisticated three-course French meal.
Main Courses
Traditional French Cassoulet
By J. Kenji López-Alt
Our cassoulet recipe features a hearty stew that’s soupier than traditional versions, brimming with poultry, sausage, pork, and beans beneath a beautifully caramelized crust. While duck confit is commonly used in cassoulet, we opt for tender raw chicken to stay true to the dish’s rustic origins and affordability.
[Get the recipe for Traditional French Cassoulet »]
Coq au Vin (Chicken Braised in Red Wine)
By Daniel Gritzer
In our take on coq au vin, we substitute rooster with tender roasting hens that are marinated in wine before being cooked quickly for maximum flavor without sacrificing tenderness.
[Get the recipe for Coq au Vin (Chicken Braised in Red Wine) »]
Boeuf Bourguignon (Beef Stew With Red Wine) By Vicky Wasik For this classic beef stew, we recommend using collagen-rich boneless chuck. We sear large pieces of beef before simmering them with aromatics and wine while adding lardons, mushrooms, pearl onions, and carrots towards the end to maintain their texture.
[Get the recipe for Boeuf Bourguignon (Beef Stew With Red Wine) »]
Eggs en Meurette (Poached Eggs in Red Wine Sauce)
By Vicky Wasik
This dish offers similar flavors as coq au vin but presents them more subtly by topping a rich red wine sauce with perfectly poached eggs instead of meat.
[Get the recipe for Eggs en Meurette (Poached Eggs in Red Wine Sauce) »]
Choucroute Garnie à l’Alsacienne (Braised Sauerkraut With Mixed Meats)
By Vicky Wasik
A hearty dish featuring various meats such as pork loin and sausages served over sauerkraut; each component requires careful cooking to achieve optimal flavor.
[Get the recipe for Choucroute Garnie à l’Alsacienne »]
The Best Moules Marinières (Sailor-Style Mussels)
By J. Kenji López-Alt
Mussels are not only elegant but also quick to prepare! Cooked simply with aromatics and dry cider before being enriched with butter and mayonnaise—perfect even on busy weeknights!
[Get the recipe for The Best Moules Marinières »]
French Crepes With Spinach and Feta By J. Kenji López-Alt Crepes may seem fancy but they’re just thin pancakes! Fill them creatively—our favorite is sautéed spinach mixed with red onions and crumbled feta cheese.
[Get the recipe for French Crepes With Spinach and Feta »]
Starters & Sides
Black Olive Tapenade With Garlic & Capers By Vicky Wasik This modern tapenade blends black olives into a flavorful spread enhanced by garlic anchovies; use either a food processor or mortar & pestle depending on your preference!
[Get the recipe for Black Olive Tapenade With Garlic & Capers »]
Salmon Rillettes With Chives And Shallots By Vicky Wasik A lighter alternative to pork rillettes made from poached salmon mixed elegantly with mayo along with shallots—perfectly creamy after chilling![Get the recipe for Salmon Rillettes With Chives And Shallots »
Rich Lobster Bisque
- By Vicky Wasik * Crafting lobster bisque can be intricate; however at its core it’s about creating an exquisite stock from sautéed shells combined later into creaminess—a true delight when done right![ Get The Recipe For Rich Lobster Bisque »
Pressure Cooker French Onion Soup
- By J.Kenji Lopez Alt * No need spending hours caramelizing onions! A pressure cooker allows you achieve deep flavors quickly while still delivering comfort food satisfaction topped off nicely bread cheese combo![ Get The Recipe For Pressure Cooker French Onion Soup »
Un-Composed Niçoise Salad
- By Vicky Wasik * Forget composed salads where everything sits separately; our version mixes all ingredients together making it easier eat while still looking appetizing too![ Get The Recipe For Un-Composed Niçoise Salad »
Pommes Aligot (Cheesy Mashed Potatoes) By Vicky Wasik Indulge yourself! This decadent side combines mashed potatoes blended generously half weight cheese resulting gooey goodness everyone will love![ Get The Recipe For Pommes Aligot »
Haricots Verts Amandine(French Green Beans Almondine)
- By J.Kenji Lopez Alt *
Pair those cheesy potatoes something light yet flavorful: toasted almonds sautéed garlic shallots tossed blanched green beans lemon juice sauce makes perfect accompaniment any meal![ Get The Recipe For Haricots Vert Amandine »
Desserts
Classic Cherry Clafoutis
- By Daniel Gritzer *
When seeking dessert worthy company without fuss look no further than clafoutis—a simple batter poured over cherries baked skillet yielding delicious results every time!
[ Get The Recipe For Classic Cherry Clafoutis »
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Simple Pear Galette W/ Vanilla -Vicky wasik Pears can be tricky balance sweetness so here’s galette flavored subtly vanilla bean splash apple cider vinegar cutting through fruitiness.
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Apple Pear Tarte Tatin
Lauren Weisenthal
Double fall flavor tart combining apples pears caramelized butter topped puff pastry baked golden brown perfection.
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French Madeleines W/ Almond Apricot Glaze Nila Jones Impressive tea cakes flavored almond extract apricot glaze brown butter giving nutty complexity requiring specialized pan easily found online under $15.
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***Chocolate Cinnamon Swirl Meringues*** Nila Jones
Rustic desserts like these chocolate cinnamon cookies require minimal effort scoop onto baking sheet drying time varies humidity levels taking up four hours sometimes!
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With these delightful recipes at hand you’ll be well-equipped host an unforgettable three-course feast inspired by France’s culinary heritage!