Julia Child has long been one of the most popular cooks in the country, celebrated for strict interpretations of culinary classics. However, her take on a classic Italian dish caused an uproar.
This Controversial Julia Child Recipe Caused Quite a Stir
Updated on Apr. 29, 2024
Julia Child has been beloved by home cooks for decades. She’s particularly well-known for her meticulous recipes for French classics, like this coq au vin.
It surprised everyone, then, when Julia decided to showcase a lasagna on her show, The French Chef. Rather than the carefully translated recipes cooks had come to expect, Julia dissed the classic Italian dish. After the episode aired, Italian-Americans sent her scathing letters, offended by everything from her lack of familiarity with lasagna to her bizarre ingredient choices. Here’s the scoop on this culinary scandale.
Did you know Julia Child was a spy? Learn more surprising facts about the famous cook.
The Scandal
For Italian purists, lasagna is an occasion. The layered pasta dish is a labor of love to create, from mixing and rolling homemade noodles to making sauce from scratch to carefully layering the meat, cheese and noodles. It’s a special occasion dish that, done right, is a true showstopper.
Rather than sharing the pride and joy of Italian cookery with her viewers, Julia declared that lasagna was “a great way to use up leftovers,” and proceeded to prepare what she called Lasagne a la Francaise. During the half-hour show, she called lasagna “peasant food,” used canned tomatoes and a generic “Italian seasoning” mix in her sauce, and—sacrilege!—forgot to add garlic.
To top it off, she admitted that she didn’t know exactly how lasagna should be assembled. Then, she started layering, and things got really weird.
Julia Child’s Unusual Lasagna Recipe
To appreciate the oddness of Julia’s lasagna, it’s worth going layer by layer:
In addition to her homemade tomato sauce, she made a white sauce with wine and onion—so far, so good.
She boiled boxed pasta noodles to al dente—again, right on track.
Here’s where things take a turn. As Julia layered the noodles into the pan, she admitted that she wasn’t sure how Italian cooks did it. Uh-oh. The ratio of noodle to sauce to meat is important, lest cooks end up with dry, sauce-less bites or sodden, over-stuffed pockets.
As she layered, she added “yesterday’s roast, be it poultry, veal or pork.” Diced, cubed or ground? No matter! Other leftovers, she advised, could be tossed in as well. Cooked spinach? Go ahead! Poached eggs? Sure. Mushrooms? Just fine.
In between emptying her crisper drawer onto the sheets of pasta, Julia also managed to slather on cottage cheese.
Shockingly, Julia’s recipe also called for saffron threats and dried orange peel, a Mediterranean twist that veers closer to Morocco than Italy. (Nothin’ wrong with that, maybe, but it’s far from authentic.) Curious? Watch the full episode here.
The Takeaway
It’s understandable that Italian-American cooks were upset by the recipe. At the time, many Americans might not have heard of lasagna, and Julia Child’s introduction was probably not ideal.
Today, home cooks are more familiar with a diverse array of cuisines, and recipes are more casual, simplifying complicated processes to suit a hectic lifestyle. Even Taste Recipes is guilty of besmirching the classic: our most popular lasagna recipes include versions with buffalo chicken, Mexican spices and even lasagna made with ravioli.
It’s also fair to note that, even as Julia Child’s cookbooks contain precise renderings of time-honored dishes, her TV show revealed a confident, casual cook who might forget the garlic or add too much cottage cheese, but who soldiered on without apologizing. Now that’s a model worth following.
Enjoy our favorite Julia Child quotes.
25 French Recipes Inspired by Julia
French BreadOnce you make this easy French bread recipe, you'll never go back to store-bought loaves. Here are our best tips on how to bake it.
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Cauliflower GratinThis is a lower-carb side dish that pairs well with pork, ham or beef. It's so creamy and delicious! If you like a bit of crunch, sprinkle buttered bread crumbs over the top for the last five minutes in the oven. — Mary Zinchiak, Boardman, Ohio
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Slow-Cooker Beef BourguignonSlow-cooker beef bourguignon simmers all day so you can enjoy a traditional French dinner tonight.
Inspired by: Chocolate MousseA friend shared this rich velvety chocolate mousse recipe with me. I love to cook and have tons of recipes, but this one is a favorite. Best of all, it's easy to make. —Judy Spencer, San Diego, California
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Meringue Shells with Lemon CurdWe love a dazzling dessert of meringue shells filled with sunny lemon curd. It’s sweet and tart, crunchy and fluffy. Top this lemon curd dessert with whipped cream and berries. —Kris Brill, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Chicken Nicoise SaladThis salad makes it easy to eat what’s good for you. It’s versatile, so you can use asparagus in place of green beans and salmon instead of tuna, or add garden tomatoes. And if you follow the keto diet, you'll be happy to know this is a keto chicken salad. —Nick Monfre, Oak Ridge, New Jersey
Lemon & Sage Roasted ChickenWhether it’s soaking in marinade or baking in the oven, this easy-to-prepare chicken allows ample hands-free time. —Jan Valdez, Chicago, Illinois
Homemade MayonnaisePssst! Did you know America’s top-selling condiment and go-to dressing for chicken, tuna and potato salad can be prepared with a handful of everyday pantry items? This mayonnaise recipe will be a new favorite. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen
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French Onion SoupThis rich and comforting French onion soup recipe is surprisingly simple to make at home. And it rivals the soup you’ll find at any restaurant.
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