Discover croziflette, a classic French Alps pasta bake made with crozets, smoky bacon and creamy reblochon cheese. A rich, cozy mountain dish that’s perfect for cold days and hearty comfort‑food cravings.
So here we are, me and the hubs.
Visiting Switzerland and the French Alps region by car.
We set up camp in the beautiful town of Chamonix located right next to the Mont Blanc mountain, the highest mountain in Europe.
And because our rental apartment has this fully equipped kitchen I am ready to start cooking some local specialty dishes.
Like this croziflette!
Chamonix
Off we go to the local supermarket to buy lovely diots sausages, dried porcini mushrooms, several local cheeses, some wine, raclette, potatoes and a box of corsets pasta.
I am read to start cooking!
So for this croziflette I needed the crozets pasta, reblochon cheese and bacon.
Check.
You can also make this recipe with cured ham instead of bacon. I like to use bacon because it makes this croziflette dish look very much like another French classic, tartiflette: a potato gratin with scalloped potatoes, bacon, onions and reblochon cheese.
Reblochon Cheese
I grated the reblochon cheese and then added some leftover cheddar also.
Because reblochon has a rather soft texture, I leave the cheese in the fridge for a couple of days and grate it when it is ice cold in the middle. No need to remove the rind! Some croziflette recipes will ask you to slice the reblochon cheese into large slivers and put those on top of the crozets, onion and bacon mixture.
Enjoy this croziflette savoyarde!
So here is my croziflette recipe: a French pasta bake with local crozets, bacon and reblochon cheese. One of my favorite French Alps mountain dishes!
Enjoy!
Easy French Pasta Bake Croziflette Recipe
Croziflette, a French pasta bake with local crozets, bacon and reblochon cheese. One of my favorite French Alps mountain dishes!
- 12,5 oz crozets pasta (350 g)
- 5,5 oz salted bacon (155 g), diced
- 7 oz reblochon cheese (200 g), grated
- ½ cup cream (120 ml)
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 medium garlic clove chopped
- 2 tsp unsalted butter
- nutmeg
- pepper
- salt
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Fill a large pan with water and season with salt. Place it over high heat. Bring it to boil. Then ad the crozets pasta.
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Boil the pasta for about 8 minutes. The pasta will rise to the surface. In the meantime add the butter to a large non-stick pan. Melt it over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, garlic and bacon.
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Gently fry it all in the butter for 5 to 6 minutes. The onion should be soft and the bacon cooked. Once the crozets pasta is tender, drain it. Rinse the pasta under cold running tap water. Let it drain a bit. Then add the cooked crozets pasta to the pan with bacon and onion. Season with a dash of pepper, nutmeg and salt.
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Stir the pasta and bacon well. Add half of the grated reblochon cheese.
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Stir the pasta well again. Transfer the pasta to a baking dish and drizzle with the cream. Then sprinkle the pasta dish with the remaining reblochon cheese. Season with a last dash of pepper and salt.
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Put the dish in a preheated oven at 356°F (180°C) and bake the crozets gratin for 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese on top has melted nicely. Then remove the hot dish from the oven and scoop the pasta bake onto deep plates. Serve hot.
Spring (or Lighter) Version of Croziflette
Croziflette is the ultimate cold‑weather comfort dish — rich, cheesy, and perfect for winter evenings when you want something hearty and warming. But this Savoyard classic doesn’t have to disappear once the snow melts.
If you love croziflette but want something a bit lighter for spring, try this fresh twist.
Swap the lardons for sautéed mushrooms or grilled zucchini, add a handful of spring greens like spinach or peas, and use a slightly milder cheese such as raclette or tomme. You still get that cozy, creamy croziflette vibe, but with a brighter, more seasonal feel.
It’s a great way to enjoy the dish beyond winter without feeling weighed down.
How to Make Croziflette in the Air Fryer (2026 Edition)
Croziflette is traditionally baked in the oven, but in 2026 more and more home cooks are turning to the air fryer for quicker, smaller‑batch, and more energy‑efficient cooking.
And the good news?
Croziflette adapts beautifully to the air fryer. You still get that irresistible golden, bubbly cheese layer on top, but in a fraction of the time — and without heating up your entire kitchen. It’s the perfect solution for weeknights, solo dinners, or anyone who wants the comfort of croziflette without committing to a full oven bake.
Why the Air Fryer Works So Well for Croziflette
Air fryers excel at creating a crisp, browned surface while keeping the inside soft and creamy.
That’s exactly what croziflette needs: a melty, gooey center of crozets, bacon, and onions, topped with a lightly caramelized layer of reblochon. The circulating hot air mimics the effect of a traditional oven but concentrates the heat, giving you faster results and a beautifully even finish.
It’s also ideal for smaller portions — perfect if you’re cooking for one or two.
Choosing the Right Dish
For air fryer croziflette, use a small, oven‑safe dish that fits comfortably inside your basket or drawer.
Ceramic, glass, or metal mini‑casseroles all work well. The key is to avoid overcrowding: a shallow dish gives you the best melt and browning. If your air fryer has a dual‑zone setup, you can even prepare two individual portions at once.
How to Prepare Croziflette for the Air Fryer
Start by cooking the crozets according to package instructions.
While they simmer, sauté your onions and bacon until lightly golden. Combine everything in a bowl with a splash of cream, season well, and transfer the mixture to your small baking dish.
Top generously with slices of reblochon — the cheese will melt down into the pasta and create that signature Alpine richness.
Air Fryer Cooking Time & Temperature
Set your air fryer to 180°C (350°F) and cook the croziflette for 10 to 14 minutes, depending on your model. You’re looking for a bubbling, melted top with slightly crisp edges. If you prefer a deeper golden crust, increase the temperature to 200°C (390°F) for the final 2 to 3 minutes.
Keep an eye on it: air fryers vary, and croziflette can go from perfect to overly browned quickly.
Portioning & Meal Prep Tips
One of the biggest advantages of the air fryer method is portion control.
You can assemble several small croziflette dishes ahead of time, refrigerate them, and cook them individually as needed. This makes it ideal for meal prep or for households where everyone eats at different times. Leftovers reheat beautifully in the air fryer too — just 5–6 minutes at 180°C brings the cheese back to life.
A Lighter, Spring‑Friendly Air Fryer Version
If you want something less heavy, the air fryer is perfect for a lighter croziflette.
Swap the lardons for mushrooms or zucchini, add a handful of spinach or peas, and use a milder cheese like raclette. The quicker cooking time keeps the vegetables vibrant and the dish fresher, making it a great spring alternative to the classic winter version.
What is Crozets Pasta?
Apart from this croziflette, another local recipe that I picked up in the French Haute-Savoie was crozotto.
The Savoie provence was part of Italy until France annexed it in 1860. So not surprisingly pasta is well known here. Crozets is a typical Savoie pasta variety.
- made of buckwheat flour, semolina or plain flour + eggs, water and salt
- it has a typical square shape, traditionally 5mm long by 2mm thick
- the fresh pasta is dried for 48 hours at 70°C (160°F) max
The French mainly serve it as a side dish for red meat and (diot) sausages in wine sauce.
Or as a pasta dish with local cheese and other ingredients such as onions, bacon and/or white wine. Other recipes: pasta salads, soups, stews, cheese gratin (croziflette).
Crozotto (Crozets Risotto)
I added grated beaufort cheese and dried porcini mushrooms to my crozotto.
If you can’t find porcini, add any other type of mushroom or replace it by bacon for instance. And you can add cheddar cheese instead of the beaufort cheese.
Crozotto: a French pasta ‘risotto’ with local crozets… in a creamy beaufort cheese, dried porcini mushroom and white wine sauce!
Enjoy!
Easy Crozotto (Crozets Risotto) Recipe
Crozotto: a French pasta 'risotto' with cheese, porcini mushroom and white wine!
- 9 oz crozets pasta (250 g)
- 2 oz beaufort cheese (55 g), grated
- ½ oz dried porcini mushrooms (16 g)
- 1 cup vegetable stock (240 ml), warm
- 1 240 ml dry white wine
- 2 small garlic cloves chopped
- 3 tbsp onion chopped
- olive oil
- pepper
- salt
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Let the porcini mushrooms soak in warm water for about 15 minutes until rehydrated.
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Pour some olive oil in a large saucepan. Then add the chopped garlic and onion. Season with a little pepper.
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Place the pan over medium heat until hot. Cook the onion and garlic for 5 minutes until a little soft. Then add the crozets pasta.
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Give it a good stir and then add the white wine.
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Bring the pasta to a light boil and let the white wine vaporize. Then little by little add splashes of warm vegetable stock like you're making a risotto. After 5 minutes add the soaked porcini mushrooms and its flavorful soaking liquid.
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Let the liquid vaporize and keep adding warm stock. Check the tenderness of the crozets. Right before it is al dente, add the grated beaufort cheese.
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Then take the pan off the heat. Stir well and let the cheese melt nicely for another 2 minutes until the pasta is tender. You should end up with a gooey cheese pasta.
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Check the seasoning right before serving and add extra pepper or salt to taste if necessary. Then scoop the crozotto onto deep plates and serve.
Savoie Food
Not only the crozotto and the croziflette recipe above are typical Savoie dishes, here is another handful of delicacies that are so famous in Savoie cuisine!
Tartiflette – True, it sounds very similar to ‘croziflette’. What goes into it is a delicious bunch of scalloped potatoes, bacon, onions and (of course) reblochon cheese. Mix it all up and let it simmer away in a hot oven.
Polenta – Isn’t polenta Italian? Hard to believe maybe, but polenta is popular in France! It is traditionally served as a gratin: freshly made thick polenta topped with caramelised onions and grated cheese. Pop the whole lot under a hot grill. Instead of Italian parmesan cheese, this polenta is made with local Beaufort cheese.
Diots Sausages
Diots sausages: these fatty thick sausages contain pork mince and nutmeg. They are mainly prepared with white wine.
Croûte au fromage: another delicious gratin! Bread slices topped with local cheese like Abondance or Reblochon, grilled until golden. There are many local versions of this dish! Some soak the bread in white wine first or add a mushroom and cream sauce to the dish also.
Savoie Cheeses
Are you familiar with Savoie food? French ‘cuisine savoyarde’ is well known for its cheeses.
Not only the Beaufort that I used for my crozotto recipe above and the reblochon that goes into the croziflette are delicious Savoie cheeses.
Here are a bunch of other popular cheese, maybe you know some or have even tasted one: Abondance, Chevrotin, Savoie Emmental, Raclette, Tome de Bauges and Tomme de Savoie.
Tomme de Savoie
I can assure you that every single one of these cheeses are absolutely delicious. And yes, I have tasted them all!
I am crazy about cheese, how about you?
Well now we are talking about cheese, let’s take a quick look at 2 very popular cheese dishes!
Raclette and fondue. Have you ever had one of them? Perhaps both? What is your favorite? I couldn’t possibly choose between the two, I adore them so much!
Raclette
Did you know that raclette is not only the name of this dish?
It is also the exact name of the cheese used for this meal! Raclette is a semi hard cow’s milk cheese. You can buy this cheese in thick slices that you have to bake separately in little pans on a hot raclette set. No need to worry about cutting off the cheese rinds, please!
Once you got that sliced of raclette cheese nicely melting away, pour it on top of cooked potatoes and season it with black pepper.
Epic.
So basically raclette consists of cheese and potatoes.
You traditionally serve it with a charcuterie platter and a mixture of pickled gherkins, silver skin onions and other pickled vegetables on the side. Perfect wine pairing for this cheese feast?
An ice cold crisp dry Savoie white wine or a Swiss Fendant wine!
Fondue
A lovely Savoie cheese fondue is one of the most popular recipes in Savoie cuisine.
You eat this melted cheese with diced bread you dip in it with a metal fondue skewer. Interested in making your own classic fondue savoyarde? Use a mixture of these 3 cheeses: comté, Beaufort and Savoie Emmental.
You can also add gruyere cheese.