32 Easy French Side Dishes

French side dishes provide beautifully balanced and flavorful dinners when paired with the main protein courses. Whatever you are cooking, there is almost likely a French side dish that will complement and enhance its flavor.

Although these side ideas seem straightforward in terms of presentation and ingredients, their cooking techniques are relatively unique. As a result, you have a food category whose recipes are creamy and flavorful.

This article is a must-read if you are unsure what to prepare for these straightforward side dish ideas. It will provide you with exceptional side dish ideas to relieve your headache regarding meal planning. Let us begin!

Simple Side Dishes To Enhance Your Intricate Main Meals

Whether hosting a French-themed party or a standard potluck, you can always rely on one of the following French side dishes. These delectable accompaniments will elevate your intricate main meals to new heights!

1. Baked Brie Mac And Cheese

TOTAL TIME: 1 hour (Prep Time: 20 minutes + Cooking Time: 40 minutes)

French people have an undeniable fondness for cheese! Therefore, it is no surprise when they generate this simple but crowd-pleasing dish named Baked Brie Mac And Cheese.

This elegant and gooey treat is an appealing side dish to accompany your dinner. Its simplicity is like no others since this winner requires minimal preparation time with pantry-friendly ingredients. Yet, your guests will go wild over it!

Some may think adding Brie with mac and cheese seems excessive. However, it is one of the most extraordinary combinations available. It melts beautifully into the sauce and gives a special touch that other traditional mac and cheese recipes lack.

Following that is the use of sourdough bread and a pinch of garlic to build up an additional layer of delectable, buttery, and slightly garlicky taste. When coupled with the creamy Brie, this dish is a huge success!

Another incentive to learn this recipe is that you can make it ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator until ready to bake.

2. Pommes Lyonnaise (Lyonnaise Potatoes)

TOTAL TIME: 1 hour and 5 minutes (Prep Time: 25 minutes + Cooking Time: 40 minutes)

Name me a combination more delicious and addictive than potatoes, butter, and onion? Impossible, right? Not until you encounter Pommes Lyonnaise (or Lyonnaise Potatoes). This French culinary idea is irresistible with perfectly soft potatoes and crunchy crust!

The dish’s moniker translates as “Lyon style”, which refers to a traditional tuber originating from the French city of Lyon. This recipe is another successful dish in extending the renowned gastronomic heritage of Lyon.

Layers of sliced potatoes and onions are sprinkled with butter and baked until the inside becomes pillowy, soft, and flavorful, while the top crisps up and roasts to a beautiful golden-brown color.

Lyonnaise Potatoes may be served as an extra special weekday side dish or as a festive companion with prime ribs, beef tenderloin, or other abundant main courses! Garnish with parsley, serve immediately, and watch your visitors swoon!

Lyonnaise Potatoes recipe is another successful dish that extends Lyon’s gastronomic heritage.

3. Haricots Verts Amandine (Green Bean Almondine)

TOTAL TIME: 25 minutes (Prep Time: 10 minutes + Cooking Time: 15 minutes)

Haricot Verts Amandine is a French term for steamed and gently cooked green beans with minced shallots and toasted almonds. The dish seems simple, yet its taste will wow you.

Toasted almonds lend a satisfying crunch to the barely cooked but still crisp green beans. Plus, the brightness of lemon juice elevates these plain beans to a gourmet and festive level.

Together, all ingredients produce an exquisite spectrum of tastes as they travel over your tongue. Their delicate taste complements well with fish and poultry dishes. Its buttery and nutty flavors are the perfect thing you desire in a side dish for holidays.

4. French Spinach Au Gratin

TOTAL TIME: 40 minutes (Prep Time: 10 minutes + Cooking Time: 30 minutes)

Are you in the mood for another cheesy, gooey side dish? If the answer is yes, this French Spinach Au Gratin is a must-read recipe. Briefly speaking, you will enjoy vegetables folded into a cheesy texture.

Thus, this French delicacy is a very smooth and creamy meal with a unique, delectable taste when paired with a pinch of Parmesan. It strikes an ideal mix of green veggies and cheese, a delightful surprise to provide at dinner tables.

Despite its fancy appearance, Spinach Au Gratin is so simple to prepare. Whether you are having a casual family dinner or hosting a festive holiday feast, this recipe is always applicable!

5. French Peas

TOTAL TIME: 20 minutes (Prep Time: 10 minutes + Cooking Time: 10 minutes)

You can always count on the French to spice up even the most mundane garden pea. With less than half an hour, you can generate this simple side dish from easy-to-find ingredients.

This French peas recipe truly showcases how the French process this refreshing ingredient, cooking it with salty diced ham, shallows, and sweet cream to elevate the peas’ flavor. The resulting tastes are simple yet absolutely impressive.

The nice thing is that no ingredient in this recipe overpowers the peas’ sweetness, allowing you to enjoy all aromas beautifully.

French peas are ideal for Easter, Sunday supper, or a side dish that pairs nicely with a plethora of main courses, including pig, ham, chicken, and duck.

6. Ratatouille

TOTAL TIME: 1 hour and 30 minutes (Prep Time: 20 minutes + Cooking Time: 1 hour and 10 minutes)

Though Ratatouille did not gain popularity until the 1930s, by the 1980s, it had appeared in some of the most amazing French cookbooks and become the highlight of every dinner party.

Regrettably, nowadays, most people only recognize “Ratatouille” as a beloved Disney movie!

French Ratatouille has a vibrant look, thanks to the abundance of vegetables combined in one pot. Traditionally, it calls for courgettes, eggplants, zucchinis, onions, and peppers, although other combinations of vegetables would work perfectly.

The term “ratatouille” derives from the old Occitan word “ratatolha” and the French verb “touiller”, both of which mean to toss or stir, referring to the cooking process of this vibrant vegetable medley.

Ratatouille is a simple, economical, and delectable complement to any dinner meal. You can enjoy it on its own, hot or cold, with toasted garlic bread. Or, you can pair it with French chicken dishes, roasted or grilled meats, particularly.

Before consuming, top this Provencal dish with fresh chopped basil for an additional layer of flavor.

7. French Broccoli Gratin

TOTAL TIME: 40 minutes (Prep Time: 10 minutes + Cooking Time: 30 minutes)

French Broccoli Gratin can persuade even the pickiest vegetable-haters into grabbing more of its deliciousness. This traditional French dish will elevate your broccoli game to a new decadent level.

Who can say no to consuming veggies bubbling in hot cream and smothered in melting cheese? Simply toss blanched broccoli with Cantal or Cheddar cheese, then sprinkle with more Parmesan cheese and panko.

Watching the sauce flavoring the broccoli’s little florets while the top becomes gooey and crispy is the best scene of your day! The outcome complements various cuisines and helps you overcome any cheese cravings effortlessly!

8. Gratin Dauphinois (Scalloped Potatoes)

TOTAL TIME: 1 hour (Prep Time: 15 minutes + Cooking Time: 45 minutes)

While Gratin Dauphinois may seem elegant, it is only a potato side dish served with garlic cream and Gruyère cheese. This tempting French classic becomes bubblier and cheesier with a lovely caramelized top!

The chopped potatoes used in this recipe will combine with these layers of shredded cheese and be incorporated into a herbaceous scream sauce.

Be careful when watching it! The bubbling and cheesy surface view will make your mouth thirst profusely!

Do not mistake this delectable dish with Potato Gratin as they are not identical. The distinction is that when making regular Potato Gratin, the potatoes are pre-cooked before going into the oven. On the other hand, Gratin Dauphinois uses raw potatoes.

This recipe is the ideal side dish for a memorable supper! It pairs well with Coq Au Riesling or roast dishes, particularly beef. In all its cheesy, creamy splendor, this meal is ideal for impressing visitors or a special someone!

Gratin Dauphinois is one of the most popular side dishes on a French plate.

9. Honey Glazed Carrots

TOTAL TIME: 40 minutes (Prep Time: 5 minutes + Cooking Time: 35 minutes)

This delectable French side dish calls for roasting sliced carrots in garlic salt, honey, ground black peppers, olive oil, and vinegar.

The mix of sweet and savory ingredients imparts a rich and delectable flavor to the soft carrot slices while being extremely simple to prepare for a meal.

This recipe is a hearty vegetable side dish that pairs nicely with various main courses. Indeed, it is just how French people spice up boring veggie dishes and infuse marvels into their dinners!

10. Easy French Lentils

TOTAL TIME: 1 hour and 5 minutes (Prep Time: 10 minutes + Cooking Time: 55 minutes)

This easy French Lentils recipe is the ideal Provencal accompaniment to any grilled or roasted meat or seafood.

Made with French green lentils and traditional French seasonings, this dish transports you to a picnic table among lavender trees, sipping a beautiful Provence-style rose wine bottle.

Compared to other lentils, French lentils have a distinctive green hue and an earthy, nutty taste, which contributes to the dish’s particular flavor. They are more robust and retain their forms better than other lentil varieties, which tend to get mushy.

By boiling in veggies and broth, this recipe imparts a savory taste to the lentils, resulting in a more attractive meal.

11. Creamed Leeks

TOTAL TIME: 25 minutes (Prep Time: 10 minutes + Cooking Time: 15 minutes)

Creamed Leeks are an exceedingly adaptable recipe that go well with everything from green peas and cheese to roasted meat and crumbled bacon. However, this recipe is the simplest form, utilizing and processing mainly leeks.

Leeks have a mild taste that falls between onion and garlic. When cooked alone, they are just soft vegetables. Yet, when combined with a creamy, homemade sauce, they become more delectable and vibrant.

Besides its yummy flavor, leeks also infuse brilliant health benefits into the recipe. The high concentration of sulfur compounds in leeks is critical for your body’s antioxidant and detoxification processes and the production of connective tissues.

Leeks are also a valuable source of many essential nutrients, including manganese, copper, folate, and vitamins. All in all, you get to enjoy a dish that is both delicious and healthy!

There are countless variations of Creamed Leeks. You can experiment and create Creamed Leeks with peas or cheese, as these two versions are the most straightforward ones.

No matter what version you make, Creamed Leeks pair beautifully with tons of main dishes, such as beef, pork, chicken, or even fish.

12. Pommes Frites (Classic French Fries)

TOTAL TIME: 45 minutes (Prep Time: 30 minutes + Cooking Time: 15 minutes)

Without a doubt, Pommes Frites (or French Fries) recipe is one of the most popular treats of all time.

The crunchy stuff is so adaptable that people use it as a scrumptious addition to sloppy joes, salmon patties, or fried chicken to take courses to another level. Or, you can simply enjoy the recipe as a snack (an extremely appealing one).

There are three secrets that bring these restaurant-quality French fries to your kitchen: pick the appropriate potatoes, cut them evenly, and cook them twice.

For this classic recipe, russet potatoes, with their high starch content, are particularly suggested. Other potato types like red potatoes and Yukon golds have high water content, resulting in mushy, thick treats when frying.

Once you have tried these flawless Pommes Frites, you will never want to eat fast-food fries again.

13. Truffled French Fries

TOTAL TIME: 1 hour and 30 minutes (Prep Time: 10 minutes + Cooking Time: 20 minutes + Soak time: 1 hour)

The truffled French Fries recipe is one of those dishes that utilize the rich, salty, and earthy truffle oils.

These inexpensive truffle-infused oils are a viable substitute for the real thing of truffles. Truffles have long been regarded as a delicacy in haute cuisine. Due to the difficulty in obtaining truffles and their high price, they were formerly out of reach for most people.

In contrast, these fries are casual and unique, making them an excellent addition to your dish repertoire. Indeed, nothing gets better than the awe-inspiring combination of crispy potatoes, truffle oil, and Parmesan cheese.

These fries are crunchy on the outside and soft inside, nicely salted and topped with cheese. Drooling already, right?

If you do, then let’s prepare them to pair with your meat, poultry, and fish dishes. You can even enjoy it as a stand-alone meal or as a great companion for a beer.

Truffled French Fries are one of those recipes that utilize the rich and earthy truffle oils.

14. French Sweet Potato Soufflé

TOTAL TIME: 1 hour and 5 minutes (Prep Time: 15 minutes + Cooking Time: 35 minutes)

If you seek the best sweet potato meal to amaze your visitors, go no further than this Sweet Potato Soufflé recipe. For those who are unfamiliar, Soufflé is a light, fluffy, and highly adaptable French casserole that you can enjoy any time of day.

Created with mashed potatoes and eggs, flavored with sugar and spices, you can serve this brilliant dish as a side to various main meals. It tastes like a cross between a casserole and a custard, guaranteeing a melt-in-your-mouth eating experience.

With egg yolks and cream, this recipe seems much lighter than the American version. Given how glutenous Thanksgiving is, switching things up with a side dish like this French food idea may appeal to some of your guests.

The nicest thing about it is that you can prepare the dish many hours in advance without fear of it deflating. In the end, it is just a fancier way that the French enjoy sweet potatoes during the holidays!

15. Cauliflower Gratin

TOTAL TIME: 55 minutes (Prep Time: 15 minutes + Cooking Time: 40 minutes)

Cauliflower gratin is a far cry from the traditional Thanksgiving gratin that you used to! This recipe is what genuine cuisine is all about: a hearty, homey gratin prepared entirely from scratch!

This delicious Cauliflower Gratin is ideal for any occasion, but mainly for the holidays! It is created with soft cauliflower and Mozzarella cheese, then baked and topped with more cheese (Parmesan). It turns out melty, cheese-filled, and delicious!

The brilliant French dish can actually draw the family closer together than ever before. Eating the creamiest Cauliflower Gratin and exchanging uncomfortable looks at the final serving as no one wants to be that person, isn’t that scene familiar and cozy to you?

16. French Pumpkin Soup

TOTAL TIME: 55 minutes (Prep Time: 10 minutes + Cooking Time: 45 minutes)

Driving through the French countryside in fall, you will see nothing but pumpkins! These adorable products are a fixture of French cuisine, appearing in various fall and winter dishes, from sweets to drinks.

French Pumpkin Soup is one of those enduring classics. Like Lobster Bisque, it has a basic yet pleasing look. Plus, it is so simple to prepare and freezes so well that you can have it all year!. Additionally, it is highly nutritious, so what’s not to like?

This effortless French soup idea calls for only commonly used ingredients, such as pumpkin, potatoes, milk, and spices. It is an excellent alternative green soup when you are fed up with meat soup.

17. Potatoes Savoyarde

TOTAL TIME: 45 minutes (Prep Time: 20 minutes + Cooking Time: 25 minutes)

Potatoes Savoyarde is a traditional French side dish comparable to both gratins and scalloped potatoes but without the cream. This potato dish is named after Savoy, a region high in the French Alps.

To prepare, top thinly sliced potatoes with spices, garlic, and cheese, and then pour a hot broth (traditionally beef broth) along the edges of the dish to add moisture and flavor. The result is a lighter version of Gratin Dauphinois.

As you would expect, the cheese utilized in this dish is Swiss, which is frequently bland and waxy. Thus, you can turn to Gruyère or Emmentaler, as long as it fits your preferences.

This magnificent potato dish is the ideal companion to practically any kind of meat or poultry. Combine it with beef daube, smoked salmon, or saltimbocca veal.

Thyme adds a beautiful earthy accent to this meal, but feel free to substitute another herb to better suit the main course or any side dishes you select.

18. French Rouille Sauce

TOTAL TIME: 10 minutes.

In about 10 minutes, you will have Rouille, a typical French sauce recipe, with a hint of spiciness. This Rouille sauce from Provence is an exception to French cuisine since spiciness is not a common flavor here.

As a spicy, no-cook sauce, Rouille enhances the taste of everything it touches, from meat and vegetables to sandwiches and seafood.

Brimming with olive oil, garlic, saffron, and cayenne pepper, Rouille is an indispensable element when enjoying Bouillabaisse (a French fish stew).

Besides, it pairs well with almost any Aperitif finger food, from French fries to Escargot (French cooked snails) and Charcuterie (French cured meats).

Alternatively, you can serve it with garlic-rubbed Pain Complet country bread or baguette. When it comes to beverages, Rosé wine is a nice idea to go with Rouille. A mild Rosé from the Cotes De Provence region would be ideal!

19. Soufflé Aux Carottes (Carrot Soufflé)

TOTAL TIME: 1 hour and 10 minutes (Prep Time: 10 minutes + Cooking Time: 1 hour)

Created with mashed carrots and your favorite seasonal spices, this lightly sweet and fluffy soufflé dish is the ultimate indulgent side for dinner parties and holiday festivities! Trust me when I say this timeless accompaniment will never fail to please your visitors.

Apart from mashed carrots, the soufflé foundation is typically made with butter, flour, and eggs. After that, season the meal with sugar and other fragrant spices such as vanilla and cinnamon.

Don’t be intimidated by the fancy name and its long list of ingredients! To be honest, you can hardly go wrong with this soufflé dish, as its preparation is nothing but simple! Transforming plain carrots into something special is not that difficult!

A mouthful of this soufflé is brimming with tastes, from earthy to sweet. Serve warm and dust it with powdered sugar if desired. As holiday winters are coming, learn to make this Carrot Soufflé as it is a must-have side to pair with roasted turkey or baked ham!

Let’s transform plain carrots into something special with this Carrot Soufflé.

20. Pommes Fondantes (Fondant Potatoes)

TOTAL TIME: 1 hour (Prep Time: 10 minutes + Cooking Time: 50 minutes)

Also known as melting potatoes, Fondant Potatoes are a typical French side dish that includes peeling potatoes being roasted in butter and chicken broth until completely tender.

When cooked correctly in this manner, the potatoes become exceedingly delicate while retaining enough of a crispy, flavorful surface. In other words, Fondant Potatoes have a fluffy, tender inside, with a crisp top and a chewy base bursting with flavors.

A good practice is to consume these mouth-watering potatoes immediately. They are perfect as a romantic date-night supper or a side dish to battle over at the Christmas or Thanksgiving table.

21. Pommes Anna (Potatoes Anna)

TOTAL TIME: 1 hour and 5 minutes (Prep Time: 20 minutes + Cooking Time: 45 minutes)

Pommes Anna, a traditional French side dish, is a gorgeous and buttery substitute for weary mashed potatoes on your Christmas table. This recipe is all about using simple ingredients to create a refined meal.

This visual stunner comprises thinly sliced potatoes piled into a cake of elegantly circular pattern, forming layers upon layers of a spherical flower-shaped cake. Then, it is baked until delicate on the inside and crisp, golden on the outside.

The dish was invented in the 19th century by a chef called Adolf Dugléré, who named it after one of these two actresses: Anna Deslions or Anna Judic. It is also a side dish taught in culinary school. Apart from its colorful history, it is a tasty dish you can create at home.

This Thanksgiving, let’s swap up your regular mashed potatoes for this buttery, golden-topped side dish. It is sure to wow everyone it serves.

22. Fougasse (French-Style Flatbread)

TOTAL TIME: 1 hour and 35 minutes (Prep Time: 15 minutes + Proving Time: 1 hour and 20 minutes)

Although baguettes are the quintessential kind of French bread, they are far from the only kind. Indeed, some other bread kinds are more fascinating, if not more delectable, such as this wonderful loaf.

Fougasse is the French version of Italian Focaccia bread since it is baked with fresh herbs and high-quality olive oil. It is particularly popular in Provence and across Southern France.

Originally cooked in Roman times, this flatbread was primarily used to check the oven’s temperature. Nowadays, Fougasse comes in a plethora of varieties, with olives, cheese, and figs often mixed into the dough.

You will note that Fougasse is somewhat different in form and think it is challenging to generate at home. Yet, preparing Fougasse is easier than you think. Simply stretch the dough into an oval shape and slash it in various locations to create its distinct appearance.

Fougasse is the ideal bread for a tapas event, where the company is small enough for everyone to enjoy nibbling at this delectable bread throughout the evening. It also pairs well with a range of foods and is useful in creating a variety of sandwiches.

Fougasse is so simple to make that you can nail it even if it is your first time!

23. Honeyed Fruit Salad

TOTAL TIME: 15 minutes.

While the majority of refreshing salad dishes call for vegetables, you can switch things up by using fresh fruits such as strawberries, pears, cherries, peaches, and kiwis. Sounds incredible, doesn’t it?

Make sure to dice all these fresh ingredients to ensure the salad’s content are well-combined with the sweet-sour dressing. The outcome is a bowl of fresh, ripe fruit brimming with flavors!

The nicest thing is that the freshly-cut fruits laying in the dressing will release their juices. When combined with the dressing, it generates a more amazing sauce.

Children will love this fruit salad and consume a large amount of fruit at once without you having to persuade them. Accompany this delectable Honeyed Fruit Salad with a baguette, various cheese, and a bottle of sparkling for a delightful picnic!

24. French Bistro Salad

TOTAL TIME: 40 minutes (Prep Time: 10 minutes + Pickling finishes in: 30 minutes)

This recipe is a traditional French salad seen at bistros around the country. It is a wonderfully light and clean salad to serve with hearty cuisine like roasts, stews, and dishes with creamy sauces, which is just what France does!

In fact, hearty French bistro staples such as Boeuf Bourguignon, French Onion Soup, and Coq Au Vin benefit from this refreshing salad on the side to cleanse and refresh the palette, allowing for more food to come!

Although French Bistro Salad comprises everyday ingredients, its tastes are anything from simple. The dressing, which gives the salad its signature taste, is brimming with vinegar, sugar, and chopped shallot.

The combination of sweet and tangy sauce and crisp fresh vegetables with a hint of fragrant herbs is ideal for protein-balanced meals!

25. French-Style Lobster Bisque

TOTAL TIME: 1 hour.

Everyone loves Lobster Bisque, right? This soup is thick and smooth, featuring a golden tint that looks stunning on your dinner table. Despite its simple preparation, the French-Style Lobster Bisque has sophisticated flavors, an excellent option to dazzle your guests!

Although cooking with lobster may seem to be a costly endeavor, you can simply substitute a frozen lobster for the live one. Even better, you can use shrimp or prawns instead. Whichever way you choose, these bisque versions are equally delicious!

For the ultimate exquisite soup experience, pair the bisque with baguette slices or an avocado and romaine salad and a cool glass of Chardonnay. The dish will surely infuse a genuine French feel to your dinner party!

26. French Potato And Leek Soup

TOTAL TIME: 55 minutes (Prep Time: 15 minutes + Cooking Time: 40 minutes)

If you are a potato enthusiast, you must not miss this lovely Potato And Leek Soup. It is a luscious, delectable, and simple side dish for a chilly winter day!

Basically, this recipe is all about sautéed potatoes, leeks, and carrots cooked in stock before being blended into a creamy, thickened soup texture. While whipped cream makes your soup savory, the cooked leeks provide natural sweetness to the dish.

After sampling, your family will definitely demand another bowl. Literally, who can stop at just one serving of this rich and warming soup studded with little specks of tender potatoes?

Not to mention, the potatoes give your treat a lovely orange hue reminiscent of pumpkin soup. Garnish your Potato And Leek Soup bowl with clipped chives and enjoy it with thick slices of buttery crusty bread on a frigid winter day.

27. Pommes Aligot (Cheesy Mashed Potatoes)

TOTAL TIME: 45 minutes (Prep Time: 10 minutes + Cooking Time: 35 minutes)

If you are a loyal fan of mashed potatoes, this silky, cheesy Pommes Aligot is a significant upgrade to your repertoire.

Aligot is a mashed potato dish with melted cheese, cream, and crushed garlic. This combination produces a creamy, stretchy, and velvety composition in texture, comparable to Fondue. It is a specialty of L’Aubrac – a Southern area in France.

According to a New York Times article, Aligot is described to rest between buttery mashed potatoes and pure melted cheese. This delightful blend is also perfect as an amazing French starter besides as a side dish.

With Aligot, the abundant natural starch in mashed potatoes will be loaded with melted cheese without the danger of it erupting into a greasy slick. It remains silky and smooth throughout. Serve Aligot immediately, as it will stiffen as it cools.

28. Creamy Broccoli Soup

TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes (Prep Time: 15 minutes + Cooking Time: 15 minutes)

Looking for a side dish on lazy days with minimum food preparation? Look no further than this Creamy Broccoli Soup.

Thanks to its tasty yet light flavor and health benefits, this delectable dish is an excellent accompaniment to your favorite sandwiches, vegan pizza, and substantial salads made with chickpeas or roasted veggies.

Do you know what the greatest part is? It is that the soup comes together in less than 30 minutes in a single pot, making it ideal for a weekday supper! Plus, this vegetarian soup is a clever method to sneak some greens into your family’s diet.

To soak up every last piece of this creamy soup, serve it with toasted buttered bread or baguette. Additionally, you may top the soup with a dollop of cream just before serving to give it another layer of richness.

Do you know that Creamy Broccoli Soup comes together in less than 30 minutes in a single pot?

29. Potato Dauphinoise

TOTAL TIME: 1 hour and 10 minutes (Prep Time: 25 minutes + Cooking Time: 45 minutes)

This delectable French side dish is all about potatoes bathed in garlic-flavored cream and finished with a sprinkle of nutty Gruyère cheese. Then, you bake everything into a substantial casserole that is almost impossible to hate.

Its moniker derives from the Dauphiné area of Southern France, which is also the name of the French throne’s successor, the Dauphin.

With this potato dish, you can have it all: crispy, creamy, soft, and salty. It is the perfect winter warmer, especially on chilly, dark evenings.

Potato Dauphinoise is an unsurpassed accompaniment to roast lamb, especially when served hot with crispy bacon and salty anchovies.

30. Wild Mushrooms Bordelaise

TOTAL TIME: 27 minutes (Prep Time: 20 minutes + Cooking Time: 7 minutes)

Wild Mushrooms Bordelaise is one of a few summer recipes that need no embellishment. It provides you with soft and earthy mushroom tastes, guaranteeing to get you hooked.

This recipe is not a meal to cook using store-bought mushrooms. Although acceptable, such a practice will take the mushroom diversity out of the equation, making the outcome less intriguing.

Garlic, a staple of Bordeaux cuisine, is a must-have element while flavoring the mushrooms. To produce a genuine taste, you may leave the garlic cloves whole and remove them after the dish has absorbed their flavors.

This haute cuisine sauce elevates common steaks and roasts to a new level of elegance. It acts perfectly as a topping for grilled steaks, hamburger steaks, roasted meat, or venison.

31. Balsamic Peppers

TOTAL TIME: 15 minutes (Prep Time: 5 minutes + Cooking Time: 10 minutes)

Bell peppers are popular not only for their sweet flavor but also for their array of vibrant hues, which bring liveliness to the meal. They are great when sautéed, roasted, or grilled on their own but also pair nicely with other foods and flavors.

With the addition of acidic, nuanced balsamic vinegar and a pinch of salt, this recipe transforms sautéed peppers into a delicious side dish that goes well with various entrées, including beef tenderloin and roasted fish.

Plus, these Balsamic Peppers make an excellent sandwich topping and greatly enhance the flavor of a simple salad. You may elevate the dish’s flavor to new heights by utilizing some chopped onions.

32. Pommes Persillade (Potatoes With Parsley And Garlic)

TOTAL TIME: 45 minutes (Prep Time: 15 minutes + Cooking Time: 30 minutes)

While the dish’s moniker may seem elegant, Pommes Persillade comprises just cubed potatoes having been cooked in butter and oil and then seasoned with garlic and other spices.

This traditional French side dish will amaze any potato lover. What makes this meal special is how rustic and straightforward it is. Include it as a side to your main dinner!

Make sure to garnish these crispy potatoes with grated Parmesan cheese to enhance their savory flavor. However, it is completely optional. The side dish is still delectable even when you omit the added cheese.

Which French Side Is Your Top Pick?

French side dishes bring harmonious tastes to your main meals, generating mesmerizing dinners for you and your family!

Ranging from basic roasted vegetables to sophisticated casseroles, these accompaniments live up to France’s culinary history of distinctive and savory cuisine.

Feel free to share your top French with me in the comment section below. Which recipe impresses you the most? Is there any side idea that I miss out on? For now, thank you for reading!