List of French soups and stews facts for kids

A traditional bouillabaisse from Marseille, France, with the fish served separately after the soup

French cooking is famous for its amazing flavors and long history. It's known for rich tastes and subtle touches. This article explores some of the most delicious French soups and stews.

Butter lettuce soup with croutons

Exploring French Soups and Stews

French soups and stews are a big part of their cuisine. They can be light and clear or thick and hearty. Many use fresh vegetables, meats, and herbs.

Popular French Soups

• Bisque: This is a creamy, thick soup. It's often made with seafood, like lobster or shrimp. Bisque has a rich flavor and smooth texture.
• Consommé: Imagine a very clear, flavorful broth. That's consommé! It's made by simmering meat and vegetables for a long time. Then, it's carefully strained to remove any bits.
• French Onion Soup: This is a classic! It's made with lots of caramelized onions in a rich beef broth. It's usually topped with a slice of bread and melted cheese.
• Lettuce Soup: This simple and light soup uses fresh lettuce as its main ingredient. It's often blended to be smooth and creamy.
• Tourin: A traditional French garlic soup. It's known for its strong garlic flavor, often made with broth and sometimes egg yolks.
• Vichyssoise: This is a creamy soup served cold. It's made from cooked and puréed leeks, onions, potatoes, and cream. Some people debate if it's truly French or an American invention.

Hearty French Stews

• Bouillabaisse: This famous fish stew comes from Marseille, a city in France. It's made with different kinds of fish and seafood. It also has vegetables and a mix of herbs. Often, the fish is served separately from the flavorful broth.
• Garbure: A very thick and hearty soup or stew from southwestern France. It often includes ham, cabbage, and other vegetables. Sometimes, cheese and stale bread are added to make it even more filling.
• Oille: This is an older French stew. It's thought to be an early version of the famous `pot-au-feu`. It usually contains various meats and vegetables cooked together.
• Potée: A traditional French stew. It's made with different meats, like pork or beef, and lots of vegetables. These are all cooked slowly in a pot.
• Ragout: This is a general term for a slow-cooked stew. It can be made with meat, poultry, fish, or vegetables. The ingredients are simmered for a long time to become tender and flavorful.
  • Ragout Fin: While it has a French name, its exact origin in France isn't fully clear. It's also known in Germany as Würzfleisch. It's a rich stew, often made with veal, poultry, and mushrooms in a creamy sauce.
• Ratatouille: A colorful and delicious vegetable stew. It's made with olive oil, eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, and garlic. It's a popular dish from the south of France.

Images for kids

• 

  Lobster bisque

• 

  Garbure

• 

  Tourin

• 

  Vichyssoise

See also

• List of soups
• List of stews