Savory Crêpe Recipe: The Buckwheat Galette Bretonne (2024)
Made with buckwheat flour, the savory crêpe recipe is classic French cuisine. Known as the galette bretonne, this adaptable dish is quick and easy.
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When you think about crêpes, you don’t usually think about savory crêpes filled with meat and cheese. In France, and specifically the Normandy and Brittany regions, these savory buckwheat crêpes are a tradition.
A lighter meal rather than the typical French dinner, a crêpe-filled dinner will involve a crêpe salée (savory crêpe) as a main, and a crêpe sucrée (sugary crêpe) as dessert. Washed down with a jug of cider, it is the perfect meal at home or in a crêperie restaurant.
While crêpes are not difficult to make, there is an art to making the correct number of crêpes. The French saying goes:
And equally at the other end:
There is also a tradition of serving crêpes at during the celebration of Chandeleur, although those usually tend to be sweet crêpes, not savory ones (although never say never!)
Ingredients and Variations
The beauty of the savory crêpe is that you can put whatever you want in it. If you prefer fish instead of meat, or simply don’t like spinach, you can easily alternate with something else.
The traditional ingredients in a galette bretonne are egg, ham and gruyère, but other possible combinations are:
Spinach and goat cheese
Smoked Salmon, crème fraîche and lemon
Mushrooms, bacon lardons and crème fraîche
Roquefort, emmental and goat cheese
Potatoes, smoked ham and munster cheese
If you are using ingredients like mushrooms or bacon lardons, make sure to cook them separately first, before adding them on top of the crêpe.
Typically the cheese used is gruyère, but other cheeses such as emmental or cheddar will also do. Basically, you want ahard cheese, that won’t completely overpower the other ingredients.
What to serve with buckwheat crêpes?
Usually, savory crepes are served with a side salad. You can even serve it with a salad niçoise, if you want a hardier meal.
As I mentioned above, usually, most French people will have one savory crepe with salad, and one sweet crêpe (like the crêpe suzette) for dessert for a filling meal.
Traditionally buckwheat crêpes are usually served with cider. Fun fact: the cider is usually served in a bowl, not a glass! You could also try a light blanche beer or a sparkling crémant(white wine) from the Loire, but the classic pairing is usually with cider.
☞ READ MORE: Easy Guide to the French Wines
Savory Crêpe Recipe
Nassie Angadi
A simple galette bretonne recipe, otherwise known as the buckwheat savory crêpe from Brittany, France. With ham, cheese, and egg, you simply can't go wrong.
Please note: We are not certified nutritionists and these estimates are approximate. Each individual’s dietary needs and restrictions are unique to the individual.
You are ultimately responsible for all decisions pertaining to your health. This website is written and produced for entertainment purposes only.
Keyword crepes, desserts, snacks
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
If you enjoyed that, check out our other classic French recipes and my sweet crêpe suzette recipe that will make an excellent dessert after a savory crêpe. Bon appétit and à bientôt !
In Brittany, an effort is made to differentiate sweet crêpes and "galettes" which are the savoury version of crêpes, made this time with buckwheat flour, and has this sour taste and more brown looking aspect.
Galette, which is more properly called Breton galette, is also the name given in most French crêperies to savoury buckwheat flour pancakes, while those made from wheat flour, much smaller in size and mostly served with a sweet filling, are branded crêpes.
The simple answer is that a galette is a savoury crêpe. Galettes are made with buckwheat flour instead of usual flour varieties. This gives them a slightly stronger flavour than a normal crêpe or pancake and also means they're gluten free.
Buckwheat is a Gluten-Free Flour, so without the gluten in your batter, your crepes will tend to break more when cooked. By allowing the batter to rest, the Buckwheat Flour will have time to soak in all the liquid and become flexible and workable.
A Breton galette is like a crepe but is instead savoury and is made using buckwheat. They're fantastic filled with cheese, ham, mushrooms, eggs and more.
Crêpes are often topped with sweet condiments i.e. caramel, cream, chocolate and fresh fruits. It is often served as a dessert, which explains why it is smaller compared to its savoury counterpart. Galettes are typically savoury and made using gluten-free buckwheat flour as opposed to regular flour.
The Galette du Rois, a French cake baked specifically in early January, does this in perfect style, to celebrate the Epiphany which is celebrated 12 days after Christmas on the 6th of January.
Well, the tradition of Galette des Rois began some 700 to 800 years ago in France, in the 14th century. The tradition is to have this cake on the 12th day of Christmas, i.e., January 6th. However, it is enjoyed throughout January with friends and family. Galette des Rois is eaten to celebrate the Biblical Epiphany.
Savoury crepes (called "galettes in French) are made solely of water, salt and buckwheat flour. This variety of batter is gluten-free. They are more savory than crepes and their color is brown. Galettes are generally filled with salty ingredients, although salted butter caramel can also be used.
A personal and historical exploration of the famous French pancake's origin. Crêpes are an ultra-thin pancake common in France that can be made sweet or savory, typically rolled or folded with a variety of fillings from jam or Nutella to ham and cheese to seafood.
Because you can't par-bake a galette crust to prevent the fruit's juices from making the crust soggy, many folks brush their galette crust with egg white or make a layer of crushed cookies or cake crumbs, either of which work fine.
Typical toppings for crêpes sucrées include: Nutella, chocolate sauce, caramel, sugar, lemon and many more. Restaurant menus for galettes vary, but you'll most likely see the complète, with ham, cheese and an over-easy egg.
The Crêpe bretonne (krampouezenn in the Breton language) is a traditional dish in Lower Brittany, a region of France. It can be served plain, or with sweet or savoury fillings. The Crêpe bretonne can be made of wheat (sweet crêpe) or buckwheat (savoury crêpe).
There are two main categories of crêpes: sucré (sweet) and salé (savory). The first type is traditionally made with wheat flour, the second with buckwheat (or sarrasin) flour. The latter is often referred to as a galette, instead of a crêpe.
Crêpes are usually one of two varieties: sweet crêpes (crêpes sucrées) or savoury galettes (crêpes salées). They are often served with a wide variety of fillings such as cheese, fruit, vegetables, meats, and a variety of spreads.
Of course, the best-known drink to complement the French pancakes is the Breton cider, sweet sparkling wine made of apple juice. Nevertheless, Brittany Chouchen and Pommeau - also made from apple liqueur - are other local aperitifs served with the traditional Crêpes.
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