Cassoulet (French White Bean and Meat Casserole)
In short: White beans slow-baked with garlic sausage, pork and duck confit under a crisp golden crust, the great winter casserole of southwest France. It takes about 4 h 15 min in total and makes 8 servings.
- Prep
- 45 min
- Cook
- 3 h 30 min
- Resting
- 12 h
- Total
- 4 h 15 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 720 kcal
Cassoulet is the great winter casserole of Languedoc in southwest France, and towns there still argue over the right recipe. Soft white beans bake slowly with garlic sausage, pork and duck confit until the top forms a golden crust that is pushed back into the beans and re-formed. The dish takes time but little skill, and it feeds a crowd. Start the day before, since the beans need soaking.
Instructions
- Drain the soaked beans and put them in a large pot with the pork belly, studded onion, carrots, garlic head, bouquet garni and the water. Bring to a boil and skim off the foam.
- Simmer gently for 1 hour until the beans are nearly tender, adding the salt for the last 15 minutes. Lift out the pork belly, onion, carrots, garlic and bouquet garni, and keep the cooking liquid.
- Heat the oven to 160°C (325°F). Brown the sausage slices in 1 tbsp of the duck fat in a skillet for 5 minutes. Cut the pork belly into chunks.
- In the same skillet, cook the chopped onion in the remaining duck fat for 8 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste for 1 minute, then pour in the wine and reduce by half.
- Warm the duck legs in a hot skillet for 5 minutes per side to melt off excess fat, then cut each leg in two.
- Spread half the beans in a deep casserole. Add the pork belly, sausage, onion mixture and duck, then cover with the remaining beans. Pour over the stock and enough bean liquid to just cover.
- Mix the breadcrumbs with the parsley and pepper and scatter over the top. Bake uncovered for 2 hours, until a golden crust forms.
- Twice during baking, break the crust with a spoon and push it down into the beans, adding a little hot bean liquid if the dish looks dry. Let the final crust stay on top and rest for 15 minutes before serving.
Tips
- Duck confit is sold in jars and cans in many shops. If you cannot find it, use 4 roasted chicken or duck legs and add an extra 2 tablespoons of duck fat or lard.
- Add the salt toward the end of the bean cooking so the skins soften evenly. Beans cooked in very hard water may need an extra 20 minutes.
Questions and answers
Can I make cassoulet ahead of time?
Yes, and it is better the next day. Bake it, cool it and refrigerate for up to 3 days, then reheat covered at 160°C (325°F) for 45 minutes, uncovering at the end to crisp the top.
What can I use instead of duck confit in cassoulet?
Roast bone-in chicken thighs or duck legs, or leave out the duck and add more sausage and pork. The dish will be lighter but still good.
What beans are best for cassoulet?
Traditionally Tarbais or Lingot white beans are used. Dried cannellini or great northern beans are easy substitutes and hold their shape well.
How long does it take to make Cassoulet (French White Bean and Meat Casserole)?
About 4 h 15 min in total: 45 min of preparation and 3 h 30 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Cassoulet (French White Bean and Meat Casserole)?
About 720 kcal per serving, with 42 g of protein, 45 g of carbohydrates and 41 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 720 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 42 g |
| Carbohydrates | 45 g |
| Fat | 41 g |
| Fiber | 12 g |
| Sugar | 5 g |
| Sodium | 1180 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
