Healthy French Recipes

Traditional braises usually call for the meat to be browned first to seal in the juices, but here that step is skipped so it can absorb the wonderful taste of mushrooms, which completely permeate the sauce. If you find them, chanterelle mushrooms can be used in place of the shiitakes. Serve with whole-wheat egg noodles or spaetzle and a mixed green salad.

Dry white wine and Gruyère cheese give this fish casserole a rich flavor that hides its virtue. Before baking, we top the dish with seasoned whole-wheat breadcrumbs, which add a wholesome, nutty flavor and dietary fiber. For variety, you can substitute almost any mild white fish.

These crustless mini quiches are like portable omelets. Turkey sausage and sautéed mushrooms keep them light and savory. Small and satisfying, they're also a good finger food for your next cocktail party.

Here's our weeknight version of choucroute garni, “dressed sauerkraut,” made with chicken sausage. The flavor of the dish will vary depending on what type of chicken sausage you choose. We like the taste of roasted garlic sausage or sweet apple sausage in this recipe. And although any type of sauerkraut can be used, we prefer the crisp texture of refrigerated kraut over canned. Serve with roasted carrots and some mustard to spread on the sausage.

Pork shoulder is an inexpensive and juicy cut that lends itself to roasting, grilling and braising. Here it's paired with prunes, which is a natural marriage of flavors, but you can also use butternut squash combined with a few dried apricots. Serve with polenta and roasted carrots.

This versatile red-wine vinaigrette recipe is a healthy dressing for your salad but it's also delicious drizzled on grain salads or over grilled or roasted vegetables.

This creamy broccoli-and-cauliflower casserole is a hassle-free side dish that just about everyone loves. Our healthier version skips the heavy cream and butter found in most recipes--saving about 160 calories and 12 grams of saturated fat compared to a traditional version.

Ratatouille, a classic French dish with tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, bell pepper and onion, is frequently cooked low and slow until it turns silky and luscious. We kept the classic flavor but gave it a makeover by thinly slicing the vegetables and layering them in a cast-iron pan. We brighten up the flavor at the end with a splash of red-wine vinegar.

To get the most flavor out of this easy vinaigrette dressing recipe, dried oregano is rubbed between your fingers and toasted before being whisked with the remaining ingredients.

With fresh mussels increasingly available at supermarket fish counters, you can easily make this bistro favorite at home.

In this genius slow-cooker soup recipe, two types of onions are caramelized for hours before adding a sherry-spiked broth. For a bistro-worthy presentation, ladle the soup into ovenproof crocks, top with the bread and cheese and broil.

This impressive-looking asparagus salad recipe is actually very easy to make. After quickly boiling the asparagus, the same water is used to soft-boil the eggs. Piment d'Espelette is a sweet, spicy ground pepper from the Basque region of France. While it's not essential, it does add a subtle kick to the otherwise mellow flavors of this salad. Look for this spice at specialty stores and well-stocked markets--or substitute smoked paprika.

Calling this “the best” custard recipe may seem like a bold statement, but it's true. In this healthy dessert recipe, the rich eggy custard is silky-smooth and infused with loads of vanilla, making it worthy of its name.

Ratatouille is a type of veggie-forward, Provençal-style stew. Our sheet-pan ratatouille features tangy goat cheese and sweet balsamic glaze that complement the tender charred vegetables. Bake the tomatoes on a separate pan so that the steam from the tomatoes won't steam the other vegetables.

Make this creamy carrot-and-parsnip casserole for your next holiday meal--everyone will beg you for the recipe! Our healthier version skips the heavy cream and butter found in most recipes--saving about 160 calories and 12 grams of saturated fat compared to a traditional version.

In this budget-friendly salmon recipe, canned salmon tops lentils, carrots and celery--ingredients you probably have on hand already. Fiber-rich lentils come in a variety of colors and they typically cook faster than dried beans, so they're a great choice for a fast weeknight dinner.

A gratin is any dish topped with cheese or breadcrumbs mixed with butter, then heated until browned--but it needn't be heavy. This one has plenty of garden-fresh tomatoes and herbs, a touch of full-flavored cheese and a crispy crumb topping.

With fresh cherries and a creamy thyme-spiked ricotta spread, this easy tartine recipe is perfect for a healthy breakfast. Serve with a green salad for an easy lunch or light dinner.

Bursting with fresh vegetables, this classic Provençal stew is wonderful with eggs, pasta or grilled fish.

This healthy creamed spinach gratin calls for frozen spinach so it's a quick and easy side dish that's sure to become a dinnertime staple.

This Provençal sandwich literally means "bathed bread" and gets its name from the juicy dressed vegetables piled liberally into a crusty loaf. This recipe is perfect for toting along to soccer games and concerts in the park. We suggest bringing plenty of napkins.

A homemade cousin of bottled French dressing.

For this elegant dish, boneless chicken breast and asparagus are smothered in a luxurious white-wine sauce with just the right amount of melted Gruyère cheese. Tarragon and lemon add a delicious light flavor that is perfect with asparagus.

Zucchini, onion, tomatoes and bell peppers stud this paella-inspired rice dish. You may add other vegetables, such as mushrooms and peas, or if you like something heartier, some slightly spicy Italian sausage is a good choice.