Galette Bretonne (French Galette) Recipe

Quick Summary: Galette bretonne is a savory French buckwheat crepe from Brittany, traditionally filled with ham, egg, and cheese (the galette complète). Whisk a simple batter of buckwheat flour, water, egg, and salt; let it rest, then cook thin galettes and add your fillings. The batter is naturally gluten-free and takes about 25 minutes to cook, plus resting time.

What is galette bretonne?

Galette bretonne, also called French galette, is a thin, savory pancake made from just three ingredients: buckwheat flour, water, and salt. Unlike sweet crepes, it has an earthy, nutty flavor and a lacy, slightly crisp edge, and it is naturally gluten-free.

It is the signature dish of Brittany (Bretagne), a coastal region in northwest France. That is why these crepes are also known as Brittany crepes, or crêpes bretonnes and galettes bretonnes in French.

In Brittany, they are traditionally cooked on a billig, a flat, round, rimless cast-iron griddle about forty centimeters wide. Because authentic galettes are hard to spread in a regular crepe pan, many home recipes add a little all-purpose flour, giving an easier, adapted version for the home kitchen.

In French, they also go by crêpes de blé noir, crêpes de sarrasin, or galettes de sarrasin, where galette means "flat cake" and blé noir and sarrasin both mean buckwheat. Buckwheat arrived in France in the 14th century and peaked in the 19th, thriving in regions with poor soil such as Brittany, Limousin, and Auvergne.

French galette vs. crepe

In France, crepes made with wheat flour are called crêpes de froment, meaning "wheat crepes." They are usually thin, tender, and served with sweet fillings.

Crepes made with buckwheat flour are called galettes, or galettes de sarrasin (also crêpes de sarrasin). They are heartier, gluten-free, and served savory rather than sweet.

The French are very particular about this difference: a galette is never called a crepe, and a crepe is never called a galette.

Why you'll love this recipe

• Naturally gluten-free. The batter is made with buckwheat flour, so galettes are a great option if you avoid gluten.
• Simple ingredients. You need just buckwheat flour, water, egg, and salt for the batter, all easy pantry staples.
• Quick and easy. Once the batter has rested, the galettes cook in minutes, even on a busy weekday.
• Endlessly customizable. Fill them with the classic ham, egg, and cheese, or any savory topping you like.
• Perfect for entertaining. Galettes are a fun idea for a crepe bar or a savory brunch spread.

Ingredients

For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.

• Buckwheat flour: Use fresh, organic buckwheat flour. The buckwheat gives you an earthy, nutty flavor that will keep you feeling full and energized all day.

• All-purpose flour: Add to help the crepes cook. Since it contains gluten, it helps make the galettes more forgiving.

• Eggs: The recipe calls for large eggs at room temperature.

• Milk: Use either 2% reduced-fat milk or semi-skimmed milk (1.7% fat).

• Salted butter adds the necessary salt to the batter. If you use unsalted butter, add a pinch of salt.

Equipment

You need only a few basic tools to make galette bretonne:

• crepe pan or carbon steel skillet
• crepe spreader
• ladle
• electric mixer
• offset spatula

How to make galette bretonne

Step 1. To make the buckwheat crepe batter, place the two flours in a large mixing bowl, mix them, and make a well in the center. Use an egg separator and separate egg whites and yolks.

Step 2. Add the yolks to the flour mixture and mix with a hand whisk, gradually pouring in the cold milk (photo 1).

Step 3. Melt butter in a pan until lightly golden, add it to the batter, and continue whisking.

Step 4. Use an electric mixer and beat the egg whites until stiff. Gently fold the whites into the batter, being careful not to deflate them (photo 2).

Step 5. Cover the bowl with a tea towel, and let the batter rest for 1 hour.

Pro tip: Buckwheat crepe batter is thicker than classic wheat crepe batter. To test, pass a ladle through the batter, turn it, and pass your finger across it. The mark must hold for a few seconds.

Step 6. To cook galettes, heat a carbon steel crepe pan or a nonstick crepe pan (skillet) over medium-high heat. Grease the pan base with a small amount of oil.

Step 7. Mix the batter well, pour it into the center of the pan, and swirl it in a circular motion to get an even, thin layer.

Step 8. Cook the galette on a hot pan for about 2 minutes (photo 3); flip it and cook the second side for another minute (photo 4). Continue with the remaining batter.

Step 9. To make the blue cheese filling, place sour cream, crumbled cheese, and butter in a saucepan (photo 5) and bring to a simmer over low heat, stirring regularly (photo 6).

Step 10. To serve, fold the galettes, top with blue cheese filling and pecans, and serve with pear slices on the side.

Expert tips

1. Preheat the pan well before cooking crepes, and brush it with oil between each crepe. Discard the first crepe; it seasons the pan and confirms it is hot.
2. Stir the batter while frying crepes since the flour tends to sink to the bottom of the bowl.
3. Replace Gorgonzola cheese made from cow's milk with another type of blue cheese, such as French sheep's milk cheese Roquefort.
4. Use raw or candied pecans, or replace them with freshly cracked walnuts.

Recipe variations

• Galette complète. The most traditional filling: crack an egg in the center, add cooked ham and grated Emmental or Gruyère, then fold the edges around a runny yolk.
• Galette forestière. Fill with sautéed mushrooms, béchamel, and cheese for a heartier, vegetarian-friendly version.
• Goat cheese and honey. Add creamy goat cheese, a drizzle of honey, and a handful of greens or walnuts.
• Spinach and egg (Florentine). Wilt spinach and top with an egg for a lighter, meat-free galette.
• Sweet galette. Skip the savory fillings and add butter and sugar, salted caramel, or jam for a dessert version.

How to serve galette bretonne

Galette bretonne is endlessly versatile, and savory fillings can be anything from cheese and vegetables to eggs, meat, or fish.

The most traditional way to serve it is the galette complète, a Breton classic topped with a fried egg, a slice of ham, and grated cheese (usually gruyère or comté). Regional favorites include the galette forestière with mushrooms, and, in Rennes, the galette saucisse wrapped around a hot grilled sausage.

For a crowd, host a crepe party: set out a spread of fillings so guests can build their own savory galette (crêpe salée) or sweet crepe (crêpe sucrée).

Although buckwheat galettes are traditionally savory, they also make a wonderful dessert. Simply dust them with icing (powdered) sugar or finish with one of these sweet toppings:

Storing & freezing

Store cooked Breton galettes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep any filling separate and assemble just before serving so the crepes stay tender.

Plain galettes freeze well for up to 2 months. Stack them with a sheet of parchment paper between each crepe, wrap the batch tightly in a double layer of plastic wrap and then aluminum foil, and freeze. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) or in the microwave until warm, and add fresh fillings.

Recipe FAQ

What is galette bretonne?
Galette bretonne is a savory French crepe from Brittany made with buckwheat flour. It is thin with crisp edges and is usually filled with savory ingredients like ham, egg, and cheese.

What is a galette complète?
The galette complète is the classic version: a buckwheat galette filled with ham, a cracked egg, and grated cheese, with the edges folded around a runny yolk.

Are galettes bretonnes gluten-free?
Yes. When made with 100% buckwheat flour, galettes bretonnes are naturally gluten-free. Check that any fillings and toppings you add are gluten-free too.

What are galette bretonne fillings?
Traditional fillings include ham, egg, and cheese (galette complète), mushrooms and béchamel (forestière), goat cheese, or spinach. You can also make a sweet version with butter and sugar or salted caramel.

Why do you rest the batter?
Resting the buckwheat batter lets the flour fully hydrate, giving the galettes a smoother texture and helping them cook evenly with crisp edges.

Which pan should you use for galettes?
A carbon steel crepe pan is ideal because it can be heated aggressively and retains heat well, though it needs seasoning like cast iron. A nonstick crepe pan also works and skips the seasoning step.

How do you serve galette bretonne?
Serve galettes warm, often with a side salad and a bowl of hard apple or pear cider, in the traditional Breton style. They make a great breakfast, lunch, or light dinner.

How many calories are in galette bretonne?
One galette bretonne has about 214 calories.

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Recipe card

The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.

The recipe was adapted from https://www.academiedugout.fr. It was originally published on February 20, 2018. The recipe has been revised to include improved content and photos.