French dinner recipes are the foundation of Western cooking: butter, cream, wine, stock and patient technique. From a buttery croissant at breakfast to a slow-braised bœuf bourguignon at dinner, French food rewards care — a sauce reduced properly, a pastry laminated by hand, a stew simmered for hours.
The French table moves with the day: a light breakfast of bread and coffee, a proper lunch, and a slow dinner. Regional cooking varies widely, from the butter of Normandy to the olive oil of Provence and the wine-rich dishes of Burgundy.
Browse French recipes below for croissants, bœuf bourguignon and the classics that define French cooking.