1. Tartiflette savoyarde: the mountain gratin
Originally from Haute-Savoie, tartiflette is the ultimate ski dish: potatoes, onions, bacon, and above all, reblochon, the melt-in-the-mouth cheese from the mountain pastures.
tartiflette : photo depositphotos for Monsieurdefrance
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 1 kg potatoes
- 1 reblochon (or a mixture of ⅔ fontina + ⅓ brie)
- 200 g smoked bacon (or thick-cut bacon)
- 2 onions
- 20 cl crème fraîche
- 1 glass of dry white wine
- Butter, salt, pepper
Preparation
- Cook the potatoes for 10 minutes in salted water.
- Sauté the onions and bacon, then deglaze with white wine.
- Add the cream and season with pepper.
- Arrange the potatoes and topping in a gratin dish.
- Cover with the Reblochon cheese cut in half, rind side up.
- Bake for 25 minutes at 200°C.
Reblochon cheese. Photo selected by Monsieurdefrance.com: slowmotiongli via depositphotos.
Tip
Serve with a salad and a glass of Savoie white wine or Chardonnay.
Nothing beats the aroma of real Reblochon, but Fontina and Brie are good substitutes.
2. French raclette: conviviality melted together
Photo depositphotos.com
Originating in the Alps, raclette is a way of life. The cheese is melted and poured over hot potatoes, surrounded by cold cuts and pickles. It's the perfect dish for winter evenings.
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 800 g raclette cheese (or Wisconsin raclette, Gruyère, provolone)
- 1.2 kg potatoes
- Assorted cold cuts
- Pickles, pickled onions
Preparation
- Steam the potatoes.
- Melt the cheese in a raclette machine or in the oven.
- Pour the cheese over the potatoes and serve with the cold cuts.
French raclette, made from raw milk, has a unique mountain flavor that cannot be found anywhere else.
3. Aligot de l'Aubrac: the magical purée
Originating in the mountains of the Massif Central, aligot is a potato purée mixed with fresh tome cheese, butter, and cream, which is stretched until it becomes stringy.
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 1 kg potatoes
- 400 g fresh tome (or a mixture of mozzarella and Monterey Jack)
- 20 cl cream
- 50 g butter
- 2 cloves garlic
- Salt, pepper
Here's what you need to make a success of your aligot. Illustration chosen by Monsieurdefrance.com: studioM via depositphotos.
Preparation
- Cook the potatoes and mash them.
- Add the butter, cream, and garlic.
- Stir in the cheese a little at a time, stirring constantly until the purée becomes stretchy.
Even with American cheese, aligot is magical—but Tome d'Aubrac cheese makes the purée dance.
4. Gratin dauphinois: French-style sweetness
A classic dish from southeastern France, simple and refined. This gratin is made without cheese, thanks to the cream and slow cooking that melts the potato slices.
Ingredients
- 1 kg potatoes
- 50 cl cream
- 25 cl milk
- 1 clove garlic
- 30 g butter
- Salt, pepper, nutmeg
Gratin dauphinois ready to be enjoyed, with melt-in-the-mouth potatoes and a golden crust, a gourmet emblem of traditional French cuisine.
Preparation
- Rub the dish with garlic.
- Arrange the sliced potatoes in layers.
- Pour over the cream and milk mixture, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
- Add a few knobs of butter.
- Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes at 160°C.
The secret? Slow cooking. An hour of patience, and everything becomes silky smooth.
5. Croque-Monsieur: the king of Parisian bistros
Bread, ham, béchamel sauce, and cheese: a classic served in every café in France. Simple, golden, and crispy.
croque monsieur Image by Jamie Rogers/Shutterstock
Ingredients
- 8 slices of bread
- 4 slices of ham
- 100 g grated cheese (Emmental or Swiss cheese)
- 30 g flour, 30 g butter, 30 cl milk
Preparation
- Prepare a béchamel sauce: butter + flour + milk.
- Assemble the croques: bread, béchamel sauce, ham, cheese.
- Cover with béchamel sauce and bake for 15 minutes at 200°C.
- “Madame” variation: add a fried egg.
A croque-monsieur is Paris in a bite. Enjoying a croque monsieur at home is like being in Paris.
croque monsieur Image by Mironov Vladimir/Shutterstock
6. Onion soup: comfort food from the bistros
Caramelized slowly, onion soup is a tribute to slowness. It is served au gratin with bread and cheese.
Onion soup / Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com: Nathalie1973 via depositphotos.
Ingredients
- 5 onions
- 1 liter beef broth
- 50 g butter
- 8 slices of bread
- 150 g cheese (Gruyère, Provolone, or Swiss)
- Salt, pepper
Preparation
- Caramelize the onions in butter (30 minutes).
- Add the broth, salt, pepper, and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Pour into bowls, add bread and cheese, then brown in the oven.
It's more than just soup: it's the scent of a winter evening in Paris. And above all, it is a very old French tradition found in rural areas. In the past, onion soup was even served at the end of a wedding celebration.
7. Beef bourguignon: slow cooking with a hint of wine
A monument of French cuisine. Beef simmered in red wine with bacon, onions, and carrots: simple and profound.
Ingredients
- 1.2 kg beef for simmering
- 150 g bacon
- 2 onions, 2 carrots
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 75 cl red wine (Pinot Noir or Merlot)
- 1 bouquet garni
- 2 tbsp flour
Preparation
- Brown the bacon and set aside.
- Brown the beef, add the flour, vegetables, wine, and bouquet garni.
- Simmer for 2 hours 30 minutes.
- Serve with fresh bread.
A dish that requires patience and conversation. The cooking time is everything but it's worth it! And there's nothing more French than this dish.
8. Coq au vin: tender simmered chicken
A symbol of Burgundy, this dish combines chicken, red wine, vegetables, and mushrooms in a silky sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 chicken, cut into pieces
- 150 g bacon
- 2 carrots, 2 onions
- 50 cl red wine
- 25 cl broth
- 200 g mushrooms
Preparation
- Brown the bacon, then the chicken.
- Add the vegetables and flour, pour in the wine and broth.
- Cook for 1 hour and 30 minutes, then add the mushrooms.
They say that a good coq au vin has no time limit: it simmers for as long as it wants.
9. Quiche Lorraine: the tart that has traveled around the world
Originating in Lorraine, this savory tart combines eggs, cream, and bacon on a golden crust.
Quiche Lorraine / Image by SGM/Shutterstock.com
Ingredients
- 1 shortcrust pastry
- 200 g bacon
- 3 eggs
- 25 cl cream, 25 cl milk
- 100 g cheese (Gruyère, cheddar or Swiss) but in the authentic Lorraine recipe, no cheese is added. The choice is yours.
par Amina Boughaba de Pixabay
Preparation
- Fry the bacon bits.
- Beat the eggs, milk, cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
- Add the bacon bits and cheese.
- Pour onto the pastry and bake for 30 minutes at 180°C.
In Lorraine, it is eaten hot at lunchtime, warm in the evening, and cold at picnics.
10. Crème brûlée: the crunch of sweet France
A legendary dessert, crème brûlée combines sweetness and crunchiness. The spoon breaks the crust, the scent of vanilla is released: the magic happens.
Ingredients
- 4 egg yolks
- 50 cl cream
- 80 g sugar
- Vanilla
- Brown sugar for the topping
A typical crème brûlée / Photo chosen by Monsieur de France: depositphotos
Preparation
- Heat the cream with the vanilla.
- Whisk the eggs and sugar, pour in the hot cream.
- Bake for 45 minutes at 150°C in a bain-marie.
- Cool, then caramelize with a blowtorch.
Beneath the golden crust, the whole of France melts away.
The art of French dining
Cooking these dishes is much more than just preparing a meal: it's embracing a certain idea of French-style pleasure.
In France, meals are sacred. We don't just eat to nourish ourselves, but to share, exchange, and reconnect. Every meal is a ritual of balance and conviviality: we set a beautiful table, sometimes light a candle, and take our time. We sit down, talk, laugh, and above all, savor. Cheese often arrives between the main course and dessert, accompanied by a small glass of wine, before a sweet touch to conclude. This rhythm—starter, main course, cheese, dessert—tells the story of a way of life classified as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage: that of the “gastronomic meal of the French.”
It's a way of being in the world: a combination of slowness, respect for ingredients, attention to the seasons, and a love of company. Eating French means remembering that a meal can be a journey in itself. And even from New York, Los Angeles, or Miami, these simple, authentic recipes allow you to recapture some of the warmth of a French table.
We set the table Image by Karolina Grabowska from Pixabay
❓ FAQ – French recipes to make in the United States
Can you cook French food without French ingredients?
Yes, by adapting the cheeses and wines, you can keep the spirit of the dish.
What is the easiest dish to make?
Croque-monsieur or gratin dauphinois: quick and foolproof.
What cheese can replace Reblochon?
A mixture of Fontina and Brie or American raclette cheese.
Are these dishes expensive to prepare?
No, most of them use potatoes, eggs, and cream.
Which wines should you choose?
Dry white wine for cheese dishes, red wine for stewed meats.
