Having been each vegetarian and vegan in France, I can guarantee you that eating out is quite a bit simpler for many who eat egg and dairy merchandise like cheese and cream. And though Italian, Chinese language, Indian, or Center Jap eating places are likely to have extra meat-free dishes obtainable, you don’t should bypass conventional French institutions to seek out vegetarian-friendly fare. You don’t even should plead together with your waiter for alterations or substitutions normally, as there are many conventional French meals which might be really vegetarian, even when they don’t use that label. Listed below are a couple of examples of basic vegetarian starters and essential dishes you’ll discover in conventional French eating places and brasseries.
Vegetarian Starters and Soups
French Onion Soup (soupe à l’oignon or gratinée à l’oignon): It doesn’t get any extra conventional than this! Nothing like a heat bowl of this comforting basic on a wintry Parisian day. It’s produced from caramelized onions simmered in vegetable broth, topped with a toasted baguette slice and melted cheese, akin to Gruyère or Comté. That is fairly simple to seek out in conventional French bistros and brasseries, particularly in Paris, akin to Le Grand Colbert close to the Palais Royal.
Eggs with Mayonnaise (oeufs mayonnaise or oeufs dur mayonnaise): Exhausting-boiled eggs served chilly with a beneficiant dollop of selfmade mayonnaise, usually garnished with contemporary parsley or chives. This starter fell out of favor for a couple of many years (no less than in Paris), however is again with the renewed reputation of brasseries and ‘bouillons’ returning to menus of easy, reasonably priced classics. Notice that it’s additionally nonetheless attainable to identify somewhat wire rack of hard-boiled eggs nonetheless of their shell on the zinc countertop of conventional cafés (my buddies visiting from the US final week pointed one out to me in shock at a café within the Marais, Le Decide Clops).
Tomato Tart (tarte à la tomate): This savory tomato tart is made with a flaky pastry crust, coated with a skinny layer of Dijon mustard, and topped with ripe tomatoes and a mix of herbs akin to thyme and oregano. My French sweetie makes the most effective tomato tart at house, in fact, however you need to see this on restaurant menus within the summertime. A barely totally different model of that is the tarte tatin à la tomate, a hearty and scrumptious upside-down tomato pie that I’ve solely ever seen on the menu at Café Les Philosophes within the Marais.
Inexperienced Lentils (lentilles de Puy): That is one other seemingly easy dish the French excel in seasoning to perfection with onions, carrots, celery, and herbs like thyme and bay leaves. There are numerous sorts of lentils in France however the inexperienced ones from the Puy-en-Velay are the primary European vegetable to be awarded an AOP (Appellation d’Origine Protégée, or Protected Designation of Origin), identical to wine, to confirm its high quality. Lentils could also be served sizzling or (most frequently) chilly, and may embrace a poached egg on high. Don’t confuse it with “pétit sale aux lentilles”, which is cooked and served with pork, normally bacon or sausage.
Leeks with French dressing (poireaux French dressing): A easy and conventional starter of ender, steamed leeks drizzled with a (normally mustard-based) French dressing dressing, typically dressed up a bit with a sprinkle of nuts and a poached egg on high.
Celery Root Remoulade (céleri rémoulade): One other easy, usually cheap starter present in old school French brasseries and bouillons (conventional employees’ canteens, now recognized for cheap and unfussy French meals). It’s principally a salad made with thinly sliced celery root, tossed in a creamy rémoulade sauce produced from mayonnaise, mustard, and herbs.
Endive Salad (salade d’endives): Historically a lightweight, crisp salad of Belgian endives, paired with Roquefort cheese, typically topped with a couple of walnuts and apple for added texture and taste. There are numerous variations on this, particularly in fancier bistros who wish to be inventive, so ensure you perceive what all the substances are (in case they sneak in some bacon or different meat).
French Inexperienced Beans (haricots verts): These might be starters or served as a facet dish. The standard solution to cook dinner them is sautéed with garlic or shallots and seasoned with salt and pepper, though typically there can be extra substances like poached egg or bacon (lardons), which might be talked about on the menu. They could be served sizzling or chilly, as you’ll discover on the well-known Café de Flore in St-Germain-des-Prés. I’ll admit that I didn’t know inexperienced beans might style good after rising up with the canned, boiled selection within the US. If you happen to really feel this manner, give the French model a strive!
Grated Carrots (carottes râpée): I nearly left this off the listing as a result of I’m not a fan of the pile of grated carrots swimming in French dressing dressing. However they’re certainly making their look once more in Parisian brasseries, and no less than there’s no threat they’ll be overcooked, as a result of they’re served uncooked (which, for those who’ve been overindulging in French cheese, could be a welcome addition of crunchy fiber to your digestive tract).
Potatoes (pommes): When in a pickle, there’s nearly all the time potatoes on the menu in France. Positive, you can go for the fries (pommes frites), however the tender sautéed child potatoes (usually seasoned with rosemary) referred to as pommes grenaille are superb. You also needs to strive no less than one respectable purée, a smoother and creamier model of mashed potatoes, no less than as soon as whilst you’re in France. Notice: You nearly by no means see the total identify, pomme de terre, used on a menu, but when it’s within the dessert part it’s an apple.
Creamy Soups (velouté): I wished to verify to provide somewhat shout out to the class of French soups recognized for his or her easy, creamy texture (velouté means “velvety”). They’re usually made by puréeing cooked greens with cream or milk, to attain the specified consistency. In style variations embrace velouté de potimarron (a kind of winter squash much like pumpkin), velouté de champignons (made with a wide range of mushrooms, akin to button, cremini, or wild mushrooms), and velouté d’asperges (with contemporary, inexperienced asparagus). Velouté soups might be served sizzling or chilly, and are sometimes garnished with contemporary herbs, croutons, or a drizzle of cream. These soups are usually loved as a starter or a lightweight meal, accompanied by slices of baguette.
Notice that, like in lots of French soups, they may use rooster inventory as the bottom, so examine with the waiter if that’s a priority.
Vegetarian Major Dishes
Ratatouille: Let’s all faux we knew about this conventional Provençal dish earlier than the Disney movie concerning the rat got here out. 😉 Served as a starter, a facet, or a essential dish (relying on the dish measurement), ratatouille is a vegetable stew made with eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers, onions, and tomatoes, and seasoned with herbs like thyme, basil, and oregano (aka herbes de Provence). It’s additionally appropriate for vegans. You actually ought to solely eat this in season (and usually no respectable restaurant would put it on their menu in winter), when tomatoes are at their peak ripeness, though I usually cheat within the winter with Picard’s frozen ratatouille (which has no extra rogue substances, and tastes infuriating higher than the ratatouille I attempt to make contemporary myself, d’oh!)
Omelet with Herbs (omelette aux fines herbes): Whereas omelets within the US are usually a breakfast merchandise, in France you’ll see them on the lunch menu, particularly in conventional Parisian cafés. A basic French omelet is normally cooked with a mix of finely chopped contemporary herbs, akin to parsley, chives, tarragon, and chervil. There might also be mushrooms and Parmesan cheese, akin to the normal omelet served at Les Deux Magots Café in St-Germain-des-Prés.
Vegetable Quiche (quiche aux légumes): A savory pie made with a flaky pastry crust and full of a wide range of substances sure along with eggs and cheese. The well-known Quiche Lorraine is made with bacon, but it surely’s additionally fairly widespread to seek out ones made with combined greens (normally carrot, zucchini and onion), or typically with spinach (épinards), mushrooms (champignons), or leeks (poireaux). You possibly can usually discover quiche bought by the slice in bakeries at lunchtime (they’ll normally ask for those who wished it heated up).
Heat Goat Cheese Salad (salad de chèvre chaud): After I was a vegetarian again in my scholar days in Paris within the late 90s, this was my go-to dish in most Parisian cafés (I didn’t have the funds to eat wherever fancy). The fundamental model is normally offered as a couple of slices of toasted bread topped with melting medallions of heat goat cheese, served on a big mattress of iceberg lettuce and tomatoes, and the same old mustard French dressing dressing. Fancier variations might need combined greens and extra substances within the salad (together with inexperienced beans, cucumber, perhaps even some grated carrot).
Cheese Soufflé (soufflé au fromage): This mild and ethereal dish is normally made with a cheese-flavored béchamel sauce, whipped egg whites, and grated cheese, akin to Gruyère or Comté. Usually making excellent soufflés is an artwork unto itself, so that you’ll discover it in eating places focusing on it moderately than simply any French brasserie. One of the well-known in Paris is the aptly-named Le Soufflé close to the Tuilleries Gardens, however I like to recommend Le Récamier close to Le Bon Marché for the lovable setting in a hidden alleyway.
Gratin Dauphinois: Thus is a creamy potato dish originating from the Dauphiné area in southeastern France. The primary substances are thinly sliced potatoes, milk, cream or crème fraîche, garlic, and nutmeg, baked to golden perfection in a casserole dish within the oven. Some variations additionally embrace grated cheese, akin to Gruyère or Comté, though purists argue that the unique recipe doesn’t comprise cheese. Like ratatouille, it might be served as a facet dish, but it surely’s hearty sufficient to be served by itself.
False Pal Warning: Look out for one thing referred to as “fromage de tête”. It interprets to “head cheese,” however is just not a cheese dish in any respect, however moderately a meat-based terrine produced from the pinnacle of a calf or pig.
Vegetarian Regional Specialties
Crêpes: With the numerous crêpe stands discovered throughout Paris, particularly within the Latin Quarter (the place college students take pleasure in them as an inexpensive meal), it’s simple to overlook that these skinny French pancakes are a specialty from Brittany, or “Bretagne” in French, a area within the northwest of France. Buckwheat, or “blé noir” (black wheat) in French, was a hardy, nutritious crop that might thrive within the area’s poor, rocky soil, making it an important meals supply for the Breton individuals. Buckwheat crêpes referred to as galettes have been historically savory and full of substances like cheese, eggs, ham, or greens. As wheat flour turned extra broadly obtainable and reasonably priced within the twentieth century, candy crêpes produced from wheat flour gained reputation, served with candy fillings like sugar, jam, or chocolate. In my scholar days I in all probability ate no less than one banana-Nutella crêpe a day from the stands alongside the Rue Mouffetard , however if you wish to take pleasure in genuine Breton crêpes it’s finest to eat them in a crêperie such because the connoisseur Breizh Café (a number of in Paris, together with the Marais) or, my private favourite, Des Crepes Et Des Cailles on the Butte aux Cailles (13th arrondissement).
Piperade: This can be a candy and spicy dish you’ll discover within the Basque area or in Basque eating places in Paris, that includes a smoky sauce of tomatoes, candy pink chilies, inexperienced bell peppers, onions, and garlic. Typically it’s served with eggs cracked immediately onto the greens or poached eggs on high.
Quenelles: These mild, dumpling-like creations are a specialty from Lyon, made with flour, eggs, butter, and water. Fashioned into sausage shapes and cooked in a pan, quenelles are usually coated with a wide range of totally different sauces (vegetarian choices embrace béchamel, cheese, tomato, Provençal, and mushroom). Each time I’ve seen them in Paris they’re served with fish (brochet) or crayfish (écrevisses), but when I ever make it to Lyon they’re on my listing.
Aligot: Made by mixing mashed potatoes, garlic, butter, and contemporary tome (an unsalted curd cheese produced from cow’s milk), this consolation meals from the Aubrac area dates again to the 12th century when it was made by native monks to climate the lengthy winters. I attempted a little bit of it for the primary time whereas visiting buddies on their rural farm in Auvergne, and may vouch for its stick-to-your-ribs high quality!
La Socca: A culinary specialty from Good, la socca is a big, skinny tart made with chickpea flour and olive oil, sprinkled with pepper. I used to eat these sizzling from the road distributors on the Cours Saleya market in Good once I lived in Antibes again within the early 2000s. Some individuals examine them to crêpes, however la socca is often simply chopped into items eaten by itself, not stuffed or served with different substances. It’s actually extra of a avenue meals than one thing you’d discover in eating places (however for those who did, it could solely be in Good or surrounding cities on the French Riviera).
Raclette and Fondue: These are two widespread cheese-based dishes widespread within the French Alps. Raclette entails melting a wheel or massive piece of semi-hard raclette cheese, both by holding it near a warmth supply or utilizing a specialised raclette grill and scraping it onto plates (the French verb racler means ‘to scrape’) to be loved with potatoes and greens, or charcuterie for non-vegetarians. This isn’t to be confused with fondue, a communal dish the place diners dip items of bread, greens, or fruits right into a pot of melted cheese. The cheese fondue combination usually consists of grated cheese, akin to Gruyère and Emmental, melted with white wine and typically flavored with garlic, nutmeg, or kirsch (cherry brandy). Basically a cold-weather meals, you’ll discover these served on the Christmas market stands in Paris, but in addition at eating places in Paris specializing in Savoyard delicacies akin to Les Marmottes close to Les Halles.
Nearly French?
With globalization and fixed adjustments in style, it’s really uncommon to seek out eating places in Paris serving what could be thought-about a 100% “French” menu. Italian dishes akin to risotto, pizza and pasta are widespread (particularly the favored penne à la Arrabbiata, pasta with a spicy tomato and garlic sauce). A few of the hottest eating places within the Marais are the falafel joints on or close to the Rue des Rosiers. And even essentially the most conventional French eating places are highlighting no less than one vegetarian – if not vegan – choice on their menu lately. At the very least in Paris! 😉
One of the dependable on-line guides for locating vegetarian eating places or eating places with vegetarian choices all through France is the Pleased Cow (filter by sort of cooking if you’d like solely French delicacies choices).
I’d love to listen to about your individual experiences discovering non-meat choices hidden amongst conventional menu choices when eating in France.
