Cozy French Recipes for Chilly Winter Nights
Warm up with wild mushrooms, gooey gratin, and slow-simmered meats, and more.
As temperatures drop, there's nothing quite like a warm and comforting meal. French cuisine is known for its rich flavors and hearty dishes, making it a cozy choice for cold winter nights. In this list, you'll find a selection of classic French recipes, from a light Cheese Soufflé to a hearty Boeuf Bourguignon, that are sure to bring a touch of warmth to your home.
Boeuf Bourguignon
This recipe for the decadent beef stew comes from Jacques Pépin. He doesn't use stock, demi-glace, or even water in his stew, relying on robust red wine for the deep-flavored sauce.
Gateway Cassoulet
By cooking several recipe components separately in the same pot before combining them all to meld in the oven, Sylvie Bigar reduces the active cooking time for cassoulet to a little over an hour, while retaining the long-cooked, richly developed flavor of the traditional recipe.
Best-Ever Cheese Soufflé
Cara Cormack
This light and airy soufflé boasts both Parmigiano-Reggiano and Gruyère cheeses and gets a little sharp complexity from Dijon and dry mustard. Wrap the ramekins with tin foil to keep them from overflowing.
Sauvignon Blanc-Steamed Mussels with Garlic Toasts
Toasted garlic bread and mussels steamed in Sauvignon Blanc come together in this recipe. You can use this recipe to make the classic version with wine and butter, or customize the flavors in your pot of mussels by swapping out the white wine in favor of clam broth, sake, or lager.
Caramelized Onion and Bread Soup with Brûléed Blue Cheese
In this vegetarian version of classic French onion soup, blue cheese and oloroso sherry add depth and layers of flavor. Notes of toasted nuts and fruit compote in the sherry pair well with caramelized onions, and its briny acidity cuts through the richness of the cheese.
Seared Scallops with Pomegranate and Meyer Lemon
At Bavel in Los Angeles, chef Ori Menashe serves shallow bowls of scallop aguachile, and diners can't get enough. Our riff on his raw dish sends scallops to the skillet for a quick sear before serving them with fresh lemon, orange, and pomegranate juices and serrano chile to bring heat and fresh, fruity flavor to sweet scallops.
Roasted "Reblochon"
In the French Alps, Reblochon, a bloomy-rind cow's milk cheese, is melted in a special brazier for reblochonnade — a meal of the melted cheese served with roasted sausages, boiled potatoes, and other bites. While unpasteurized Reblochon isn't imported to the United States, there are many American farmhouse cheeses (such as Jasper Hill Farm Little Hosmer or Sweet Grass Dairy Green Hill) that make wonderful substitutes for this reblochonnade.
Coq au Vin
This classic French dish translates to "rooster in wine," and is a celebration of rich, hearty flavors, with tender chicken braised in a flavorful red wine sauce with bacon, mushrooms, and onions. The result is a mouthwatering and comforting meal that is perfect for a special occasion or a cozy night in.
Creamy Chicken-and-Mushroom Fricassee
This is a classic French recipe that combines tender chicken, earthy mushrooms, and a rich, creamy sauce to create a mouthwatering meal. This recipe is perfect for a special occasion or a cozy night in and can be served with a side of mashed potatoes or rice to soak up all of the delicious sauce.
Warm Camembert with Wild Mushroom Fricassee
Daniel Boulud makes this oozy appetizer with Vacherin Mont-d'Or, a creamy cheese sold at cheese shops. Camembert is as rich and runny as Vacherin Mont-d'Or, but much easier to find.
Cauliflower Gratin
Gratins are the gooiest way to cook vegetables with "loving care," as Julia Child once said. This cheesy casserole gets spice from a pinch of nutmeg and white pepper. This outrageously rich sauce, flavored with salty, nutty Manchego, gets poured over sautéed cauliflower and baked until it's golden and bubbling.
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