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    Home » France » Escargot Recipe from France

    Escargot Recipe from France

    Published on Nov 11, 2024 Modified: Jan 20, 2022 by Alexandria Drzazgowski.

    Jump to Recipe

    This Escargot Recipe is surprisingly easy to prepare and full of delicious garlic and butter flavor. Prepare this rich appetizer to impress your friends with some authentic French cuisine.

    Small toasted french baguette slices laying next to a bowl of Escargot.

    Hello Reader! I try my hardest to research recipes as best as I can before posting to ensure I am representing each culture correctly. If this recipe is from your country and I have made a mistake or you have suggestions for how to make it more authentic, I would love to hear! Please leave a comment below letting me know what should be different, and I will rework the recipe. It is always my intention to pay homage and respect to each cultural dish that I cook. Thanks for reading!

    If I’ve learned anything from making dishes from around the world it’s not to judge a dish by its ingredients. Also, if it’s considered a delicacy, there’s probably a reason why it is so popular. 

    Escargot is no exception. You may be nervous about eating snails, but I promise once you taste all the butter, garlic and parsley that goes into this appetizer, you’ll forget any former hesitation. 

    Escargot is classic French cuisine, as French as French Onion Soup or Ratatouille. It has a rich history and a decadent flavor. It’s a perfect appetizer for a delicious French meal (add Creme Brulee for dessert and you’ll really surprise your guests!). 

    When I was a child, my cousin owned a restaurant that made incredible escargot. Even as a 7 year old, I would order it off the menu constantly. I grew up loving Escargot, and when I finally sat down in Paris, in a sweet little cafe, with a view of the Eiffel tower out the window I might add, I knew I had to order Escargot. 

    The heavens opened…. Angels sang….. I was in Paris, eating Escargot. And it really is one of the best appetizers out there. 

    I have made this recipe at least 20 times, and it is always a hit when hosting. Any guest that is brave enough to try it, is going to love it instantly. Trust me! 

    Jump to:
    • Recipe Origins
    • Why Make This Recipe
    • Ingredients for this Escargot Recipe
    • Tools You’ll Need
    • How to Make This Recipe
    • Expert Tips
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Classic Escargot Recipe from France

    Recipe Origins

    Most people associate escargot with France, as escargot is the French word for snails, but humans have been eating snails for centuries. There’s even evidence that snails were eaten in prehistoric times as an easy meat source for hunters and gatherers and that they were enjoyed by the Romans.

    While snails have been eaten for many, many years, they were traditionally considered a poor man’s protein source. They were easy to farm and could be found in Spain, Morocco and even some African countries.

    There are different stories for how the dish became so popular in France but the one I’ve seen most gives credit to Napoleon’s chief diplomat, Prince Talleyrand, who served the dish to Tsar Alexander in the 1800’s. 

    There are two stories for how this came about. One is that the Tsar arrived late for his visit and so snails were the only suitable thing on hand to serve. The other is that the snails were prepared to give the Tsar a taste of something unique. 

    Either way, it’s from then on that escargot became popular in France.

    Despite what Americans may believe, escargot is not served daily in France. It is usually served as an appetizer for special meals like Christmas or New Year’s, and can be found on the menu in some restaurants. While France does consume a good amount of snails, snails are also popular in Spain, Morocco and Italy.

    Why Make This Recipe

    1. A Unique Appetizer: Escargot is an extremely popular appetizer in France, but in other countries it’s less common. This appetizer will get you out of your comfort zone and show you that eating unique dishes can be so rewarding! You’re going to love it! 
    2. Simple: This dish is as easy to make as blending garlic butter, layering butter and snails, and baking. It takes only a few minutes of active work but feels so fancy that it will seem like you took hours to prepare it.  
    3. “Travel” to France: If you’ve ever wanted a taste of France, this Escargot Recipe is the way to try it. You won’t get much more French than a delicious snail covered in garlic and parsley butter. And you’ll be hooked on French food forever more! 

    Ingredients for this Escargot Recipe

    Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.

    Ingredients shown are used to prepare escargot.
    1. Canned Snails: It’s very difficult to find fresh escargot, so this recipe actually uses canned snails, which you can find at Whole Foods, Walmart, or Amazon. Canned escargot are fully cooked, so this recipe is just about adding additional flavor.
    2. Shallot
    3. Butter: I use unsalted butter. Allow it to soften to room temperature. The higher quality butter, the better. I highly recommend Kerrygold! 
    4. Garlic and Parsley: Fresh garlic and parsley are a MUST in this recipe. 
    5. White Wine: Any dry wine will do. Chardonnay is the recommended wine to drink with escargot, so you could also prepare the recipe with it if desired.
    6. Breadcrumbs: I used premade, unflavored bread crumbs.
    7. French baguette: The baguette is the perfect vessel to get the garlicky, buttery escargot in your mouth. Don’t miss out on it!

    Tools You’ll Need

    1. Escargot Pan: You can also use a mini muffin tin
    2. Pan(s): For sauteing the snails
    3. Food Processor: You can also use a mini blender. As a last resort, you can chop everything finely and mix well, but a food processor makes it a much easier process
    4. Pastry Brush
    5. Baking Sheet & Oven Mitt

    How to Make This Recipe

    YouTube video
    Skillet with Escargot and shallots sauteing.

    Step 1: Saute butter and shallot for a few minutes, then add the snails for the last two minutes.

    Food processor with butter, parsley, white wine and garlic.

    Step 2: In a food processor or blender, blend butter, garlic, parsley, and white wine to make a garlic butter.

    Snails in an escargot pan topped with garlic butter and breadcrumbs.

    Step 3: Place one snail in each compartment of your pan and cover with the garlic butter mixture and a sprinkle of bread crumbs. Bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes. 

    French baguette cut into thin slices on a baking sheet, ready to bake.

    Step 4: Lay baguette slices on a cookie sheet and brush with butter. Broil the bread until it toasts.

    Thinly sliced and toasted French baguette topped with seasoned Escargot.

    Step 5: Serve the snails in shells or directly on top of the toasted baguette. Enjoy!

    Expert Tips

    Close up of a bowl of Escargot with seasonings added to a snail shell.
    • Escargot is actually a very simple recipe, but to make it taste the very best, you must use high quality ingredients. Don’t skimp on the real butter, fresh garlic and fresh parsley. It just won’t be the same!
    • Most restaurants in the United States use canned snails for their escargot recipe and they are delicious. Typically, if you see a restaurant serving escargot in the shell, they are normally canned snails stuffed into empty shells for a better presentation, so I would suggest sticking with canned snails for a still-high-quality, easier to make appetizer. 
    • If you want to spread the baguette with garlic butter, you can do this as well, but I found that normal butter was just as delicious. 
    • If you just baked up some fresh brioche bread, you can toast this as well for your appetizer.
    • Occasionally (not often, but it is possible) the escargot will spit hot butter once it’s removed from the oven. Make sure to wear an apron and oven mitts when working with the escargot for the first few minutes after being baked!

    Recipe FAQs

    Top view of baked Escargot on a baking sheet next to a bowl of the seasoned snails in shells, ready to serve.
    What to Serve with this Escargot Recipe

    Escargot is usually served as an appetizer for a special meal like Christmas or New Years. It has a beautiful garlic and butter flavor that would go well with Beef Bourguignon or any other meaty dish.

    Are Canned Escargot Cooked?

    Canned escargot is fully cooked, so most escargot recipes are just for adding extra flavor and warming them up. It makes this recipe very easy and risk-free!

    Should You Rinse Canned Escargot?

    I do recommend rinsing your escargot before adding them to your recipe. Canned liquid tends to be pretty salty and you don’t want that added salt in your appetizer.

    What is the Difference Between Snails and Escargot?

    All escargot are snails, but not all snails are escargot. Escargot are farmed to be eaten and are only found in certain climates. They are slightly larger than your average garden snail. Typically escargot just refers to the French way of preparing snails. Most french recipes use Helix pomatia (Burgundy snails).

    How to Reheat Leftovers

    Reheat your escargot in the oven at about 300 degrees Fahrenheit until warmed through. Do not microwave your escargot recipe, or the meat will toughen. 

    Did you enjoy this Escargot Recipe? If so, make sure to check out these other recipes on my site that I picked out just for you: 

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      What To Serve with Croque Monsieur

    If you tried this Escargot Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!

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    Bowl of escargot in snail shells.

    Classic Escargot Recipe from France

    Escargot is surprisingly easy to prepare and full of delicious garlic and butter flavor. Prepare this rich appetizer to impress your friends with some authentic French cuisine.
    4.77 from 26 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: French
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Servings: 24 snails
    Calories: 82kcal
    Author: Alexandria Drzazgowski

    Equipment

    • Escargot Pan: You can also use a mini muffin tin
    • Pan(s) For sauteing the snails
    • Food Processor You can also use a mini blender. As a last resort, you can chop everything finely and mix well, but a food processor makes it a much easier process
    • Pastry Brush
    • Baking Sheet & Oven Mitt

    Ingredients

    • 7 oz snails, 1 can
    • 1 shallot, finely diced
    • 10 tbsp Butter , softened
    • 3 tsp Garlic , minced
    • ¼ cup Parsley, chopped
    • 1 tbsp white wine
    • 2 tbsp Breadcrumbs
    • 1 french baguette
    • 24 Empty Snail Shells, optional for serving

    Instructions

    • Melt 1 tbsp butter in a pan, then add 1 shallot and saute until they soften. Lastly add 7 oz of snails for about 2 minutes.
    • In a food processor or blender, add 5 tbsp softened butter, 3 tsp garlic, ¼ cup parsley, and 1 tbsp white wine. Pulse until it all comes together to make a garlic butter.
    • Place one snail in each escargot compartment and cover with about ½ tsp or so of the garlic butter mixture. Then, sprinkle each snail with a little bit of breadcrumbs.
    • Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes until they brown.
    • Cut a baguette into slices about ¼ inch thick (make as many slices as you have snails). Lay the pieces of bread on a cookie sheet.
    • Melt 4 tbsp of butter in the microwave. Use a pastry brush to brush the top of the bread with butter.
    • When the snails come out of the oven, set them aside. Turn the oven to a broil. Place your cookie sheet with the bread in the oven with the door slightly ajar. Broil the bread until it toasts. Watch it closely as it is easy to burn while broiling.
    • When the bread is toasted, serve the snails with the toast. Enjoy!

    Notes

    Recipe Copyright The Foreign Fork. For educational or personal use only.
    • Canned Snails: It’s very difficult to find fresh escargot, so this recipe actually uses canned snails, which you can find at Whole Foods, Walmart, or Amazon. Canned escargot are fully cooked, so this recipe is just about adding additional flavor.
    • Shallot Butter: I use unsalted butter. Allow it to soften to room temperature. The higher quality butter, the better. I highly recommend Kerrygold!
    • White Wine: Any dry wine will do. Chardonnay is the recommended wine to drink with escargot, so you could also prepare the recipe with it if desired.
    • Breadcrumbs: I used premade, unflavored bread crumbs.
    • Escargot is actually a very simple recipe, but to make it taste the very best, you must use high quality ingredients. Don’t skimp on the real butter, fresh garlic and fresh parsley. It just won’t be the same!
    • Most restaurants in the United States use canned snails for their escargot recipe and they are delicious. Typically, if you see a restaurant serving escargot in the shell, they are normally canned snails stuffed into empty shells for a better presentation, so I would suggest sticking with canned snails for a still-high-quality, easier to make appetizer.
    • If you want to spread the baguette with garlic butter, you can do this as well, but I found that normal butter was just as delicious.
    • If you just baked up some fresh brioche bread, you can toast this as well for your appetizer.
    • Occasionally (not often, but it is possible) the escargot will spit hot butter once it’s removed from the oven. Make sure to wear an apron and oven mitts when working with the escargot for the first few minutes after being baked!

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 82kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 114mg | Potassium: 56mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 207IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @TheForeignFork or tag #TheForeignFork!

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    Appetizer, Europe, France, Valentine's Day

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Karen Miller says

      May 05, 2025 at 2:47 pm

      Can you make this recipe ahead of time

      Reply
      • Alexandria Drzazgowski says

        May 11, 2025 at 4:18 pm

        Hi Karen,
        Perhaps you can assemble the escargot in the pan with butter ahead of time, but I would recommend waiting until right before you want to eat to bake them. They are much better when fresh! But you can do all of the other steps ahead of time 🙂

        Reply
    2. Robin says

      April 12, 2025 at 1:52 pm

      4 stars
      The recipe needed some salt. Otherwise very good

      Reply
    3. Thomas says

      January 27, 2025 at 9:05 pm

      I love escargot. First discovered it in a local restaurant and it was love at first. That restaurant had many great dishes but it was the escargot that kept me returning to the place.
      I have not made this yet, but I have every thing except the canned escargot in the pantry and fridge. I must make this soon, will return to report on the adventure.

      Reply
      • Alexandria Drzazgowski says

        January 28, 2025 at 11:10 am

        A great escargot dish is definitely a reason to keep returning! I am so excited for you to make this recipe at home and I can’t wait to hear what you think!

        Reply
    4. Rich says

      August 03, 2024 at 10:30 am

      5 stars
      Prepared Escargot last evening using your recipe for the first time. I even bought ceramic dishes and special serving forks. It came out excellent and impressed my guests. I served them outdoors with a white wine. They wanted my secret recipe and I gave them your website. Than you for adding quality to our evening.

      Reply
      • Alexandria Drzazgowski says

        August 13, 2024 at 3:39 pm

        Hi Rich, I am so glad that you loved the recipe! Thank you for the kind compliments and for sharing my blog with your guests 🙂

        Reply
    5. KimP says

      June 10, 2024 at 10:11 pm

      5 stars
      I haven’t made this (yet) but do you think it would adapt to being cooked in a ramekin? For my own personal escargot and bread and wine dinner.

      Reply
      • Alexandria Drzazgowski says

        June 13, 2024 at 10:45 am

        Hi Kim, Yes you can definitely adapt this to a ramekin! You may need to bake just a little longer because the snails will be together instead of separated.But it should work just fine 🙂 Enjoy!

        Reply
    6. Paul says

      January 31, 2024 at 7:17 pm

      2 stars
      We love escargo, when we visit SXM, we have it almost every day. Some restaurants better than others, but enjoy it so much. I was really disappointed in this receipe. I followed it exactly, was so excited to try it. Was just not the same.

      Reply
      • Alexandria Drzazgowski says

        February 04, 2024 at 4:03 pm

        Hi Paul, Sorry you didn’t like the recipe! Hopefully you can go back to Sint Maarten and get some restaurant Escargot sometime soon 🙂 Or even better… France!

        Reply
        • Dan M says

          February 28, 2024 at 10:17 pm

          5 stars
          I love this dish! 👍 ❤️ Mangia!

          Reply
          • Alexandria Drzazgowski says

            February 29, 2024 at 7:39 pm

            Thank you, Dan! I’m so glad you love it 🙂

            Reply
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    4.77 from 26 votes (14 ratings without comment)

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