10 Best Julia Child Recipes

With these Julia Child recipes, you’ll almost feel like you’ve been to culinary school!

I’ve recognized Julia Child as a household name ever since I was young, but it wasn’t until I saw the film, Julie and Julia, that I truly gained an appreciation for just how much of an icon she was. 

If you aren’t familiar with her story, Julia Child was an American woman who developed a passion for food and wound up graduating from the Cordon Bleu cooking school in Paris. 

She then studied with master chefs, and through her book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, she brought the techniques of French cooking into the kitchens of millions of Americans.

She also went on to star in a cooking show, The French Chef, in which she connected with many American housewives for being real and authentic.

Julia’s tried-and-true recipes have been celebrated for decades, and they’re still being made in plenty of homes today. 

I’ve rounded up some of my all-time favorite Julia Child recipes, so get ready to venture into the world of French cooking with the master herself! 

1. Julia Child’s French Onion Soup

This is perhaps one of Julia’s most highly sought-after recipes.

The hearty beef and onion broth is topped with toasted bread and melted cheese for a soup that’s so delicious, it’ll almost make you weep.

Serve this one with extra French bread on the side for dipping so you can soak up all the onion goodness.

2. Quiche Lorraine

I’m sure you’ve heard of quiche Lorraine before, right? That’s all thanks to Julia Child, as her recipe is the one that made it so popular.

Made with bacon, onion, eggs, cream, three types of cheese, and spices, this classic is perfect for breakfast, brunch, or even dinner. 

To save yourself a bit of time, use a store-bought pie crust. The filling is so decadent, nobody will notice if you don’t make it from scratch.

3. Beef Bourguignon

It really doesn’t get much more decadent than beef bourguignon. It’s basically beef that’s slow-simmered in a rich, red wine gravy, and it’s to die for.

While you can cut corners and make this in a slower cooker or Instant Pot, if you want to do it the Julia Child way, it’s a long, slow process on the stovetop that will take you all day.

However, the effort is more than worth it for how amazing the resulting stew is. Prepare to be incredibly impressed with yourself after making this recipe.

4. French Crepes

Treat yourself this weekend and turn your kitchen into a Parisian cafe with this recipe for French crepes. 

Learning to perfect crepes can take a bit of patience, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll whip these up all the time.

You can fill them with whatever you like, whether it be chocolate, fruit, or different kinds of cheese.

Crepes are so versatile, plus, they’re light and wonderful. 

5. Julia Child’s Coq au Vin

This recipe may look intimidating, but it’s actually one of Julia’s easier ones!

Coq au vin is basically just what it sounds like — chicken and wine. Well, it’s slow-cooked chicken and vegetables in a wine sauce, that is.

Using the slow cooker for this dish won’t take away from the experience, so I highly suggest it. Plus, your house will smell amazing as it cooks all day. 

6. Potato Leek Soup

This rich, velvety soup is a great vegetarian option, though it does call for chicken stock and a touch of cream.

If you want to make it vegan, use vegetable stock instead and omit the cream or use a plant-based cream product.

If you want to get the best texture for this soup, you’ll need a food mill, as it results in a better consistency than a blender or food processor.

7. Julia Child’s Roast Chicken

This is the recipe to bring out when you’re having guests and truly want to impress them.

Roast chicken may be a simple dish, but it’s a classic that no one can resist. 

It really isn’t all that difficult, though you’ll want to follow Julia’s recipe exactly, including basting the bird and rotating it so that the skin turns out nice and golden.

Served with a baguette, roasted vegetables, and a side salad, this is a winning meal that you can’t go wrong with.

8. Dauphinoise Potatoes

Stop reading this post right now and bookmark the recipe for these potatoes. They’re seriously the side dish of all side dishes.

They’re similar to scalloped potatoes but so much creamier.

They have layers of thinly-sliced potatoes, cream, butter, cheese, and then there’s thyme for seasoning. I swear, each bite of these babies is better than the last.

When these come out of the oven bubbling, you’ll barely get them to the table before people are asking for seconds.

9. Julia Child’s Chicken Breasts with Mushroom Cream Sauce

Oh my goodness. I served this to some friends recently when they came over for dinner, and everyone at the table was ooh-ing and ahh-ing over how incredible this dish is!

The mushrooms, chicken, and cream come together and create the most irresistible sauce.

I picked up a crusty French bread to go along with this meal, and we were all sopping up the sauce to clean our plates when dinner was over.

And not surprisingly, everyone at the party asked me for the recipe, and they were over-the-top delighted to hear it was from Julia Child! 

10. Julia Child’s Madeleines

No Julia Child meal is complete without her French Madeleines.

These light cookies are flavored with lemon zest and vanilla extract, so they’re a delicious ending to whatever you’re serving.

Biting into one of these cookies is reminiscent of being in a French bakery, especially with their cute shell shape. 

You’ll want to buy molds for these if you want them to come out truly authentic, but it’s worth the small expense. These silicone Madeleine molds are just $8.99 on Amazon.