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The most popular non-national dishes

Notably known for its traditional dishes, its wide variety of cheeses and its inspired sweet creations, France occupies a place of choice in the world gastronomy. In fact, 97% of French people prefer national dishes on a daily basis, but they are also very open to foreign flavors.
 

2 countries geographically (and culinarily) close

Risottos, pasta, pizzas, cold cuts, tiramisu...: Italian specialties are particularly popular in France. In fact, these 4 timeless dishes are among the top 30 favorite dishes of the French:

Lasagna. Originally from Bologna, this recipe alternating layers of pasta, cheese and meat in tomato sauce is a must. It must be said that, with vegetables alone or with fish, its different variants are all as delicious as each other.

Spaghetti Bolognese. We stay in the inspired city of Bologna and we keep the minced meat with tomato sauce for this dish featuring the most popular pasta: spaghetti from the region of Naples. Simple and often topped with a layer of grated parmesan, this recipe delights French people from 7 to 77 years old.

Tagliatelle à la carbonara. In its original Roman version, this traditional Italian dish did not include cream, onions or mushrooms. Today, this long pasta, larger than spaghetti, is usually served with lardons (or diced salmon), egg yolk and thick cream, which is particularly popular in the land of sauce dishes.

The pizza. Is it its - relative - similarity with the Breton galettes (a salted base and a choice of toppings) or its practicality of consumption that make this globally popular dish a must in France? Or perhaps it is the variety of ingredients that can be added to this bread dough covered with tomato sauce that particularly appeals to the French: what is certain is that the popularity of pizza has not wavered for decades.
 
 Another neighboring country of France providing some of the most appreciated dishes here: Spain with its gazpacho, its Iberian ham and its greedy paella born in the 18th century in the Valencia region. Its traditional recipe included at least fish (shrimps, mussels, squid) on a base of rice, white or black, flavored with saffron. Since then, paella has varied according to the season and the country, but generally includes meat (rabbit or chicken), peppers and tomatoes in addition to these original ingredients.

In Europe and beyond

If Italy and Spain, with also Greece (ah the good taramas, fetas or tzatzikis...) are suppliers of flavors very appreciated by the French, in the top 10 of their favorite dishes we find however recipes coming from... Belgium and the Maghreb!

And yes, we often forget it, but moules frites (2nd on the podium) were invented in Liege in the 19th century. Very quickly adopted by their neighbors in Hauts-de-France, the recipe has since spread throughout the territory to the point that today you can find in most major French cities the Léon de Bruxelles restaurants dedicated to the tasting of these mollusks in sauce with French fries. It should be noted that these are indeed French although they are often attributed to the Belgians.

We end this tour of the favorite foreign dishes of the French with the indestructible couscous, this emblematic Berber recipe served most often with a vegetable stew accompanied by meat. Originally from the Maghreb, it highlights an ingredient that is not often used in French gastronomy: semolina. 

Perhaps this is one of the reasons for its success, as the French particularly like to vary their taste buds?
A study has indeed shown that 94% of them consider it important to discover other cuisines than those they are used to. A fine example of modesty and open-mindedness from a people often caricatured for their chauvinism.
 


Valerie from Comme des Français
 

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