Easy Cassoulet Recipe (2024)

by Tanya Schroeder · 19 Comments · Last updated:

Chicken

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This easy cassoulet recipe is loaded with beans, veggies, Andouille sausage, and chicken! The perfect one pot meal for those cold wintry nights!

Easy Cassoulet Recipe (1)

What Is Cassoulet?

A cassoulet is a slow-cooked stew or casserole that contains both meat and beans. The origin is French, and the name comes from the pot it was cooked in (a cassole). It is meant to be eaten with good crusty bread to sop up all the sauce and juices and it pairs beautifully with a full-bodied wine.

Traditional cassoulet is often made with some sort of rich-tasting fat like duck fat and it usually has beans that have been soaked overnight. Ingredients may vary from region to region or even household to household, but a cassoulet is ALWAYS made by cooking ingredients in layers and bringing them all together at the end.

Easy Cassoulet Recipe (2)

WHERE IS THE CASSOULET RECIPE?

If you’d rather skip cooking tips, suggestions, handy substitutions, related recipe ideas – and get straight to the Cassoulet Recipe simply scroll to the bottom of the page where you can find the printable recipe card.

Easy Cassoulet Recipe (3)
How To Cook Cassoulet

Traditionally Cassoulet is rich tasting and time-consuming. While I imagine the taste is stupendous, most of us have a limited amount of time to put towards our family meal. This easy cassoulet recipe does not compromise on flavor, but the method is much simpler.

This recipe starts by browning some smoked sausage. I like using andouille sausage because I love the flavor and the spice, but a regular smoked sausage, chicken or turkey sausage or kielbasa will work just fine. Once the sausage has browned it is removed and set aside. Chicken is added next. I like to use chicken tenders for this recipe. I like how quickly they brown and I think it is easy to dice them into similar size pieces (having everything the same size, ensures even cooking). A mix of vegetables is cooked after the chicken along with a white bean such as Great Northern Beans (although any bean would work). Chicken broth and tomato paste are brought to a simmer and the chicken and sausage are returned to the pan.

I topped my cassoulet with a breadcrumb mixture just before it goes into the oven. The cassoulet will stay in the oven for about 35 minutes or until the mixture has thickened and bubbles around the edges. The breadcrumbs should be perfectly toasted at this point.

Easy Cassoulet Recipe (4)

Can Cassoulet Be Frozen?

Yes! If you find yourself with a big batch of cassoulet, store any leftovers in an airtight container and place in the freezer for 2- 4 months.

Cassoulet can also be made 24 hours in advance as well. Prepare as directed, however, add the breadcrumb mixture just before baking.

Easy Cassoulet Recipe (5)

This cassoulet recipe isn’t the only stew to try. Check out This Southwestern Chicken Stew, or this Ropa Vieja recipe1

Yield: 6

Easy Cassoulet Recipe

Easy Cassoulet Recipe (6)

This easy cassoulet recipe is loaded with beans, veggies, Andouille sausage,and chicken! The perfect one pot meal for those cold wintry nights!

Prep Time20 minutes

Cook Time35 minutes

Total Time55 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 lb chicken tenders cut into bite sized chunks
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 12 oz Andouille sausage, sliced
  • 1 cup onion, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 1 red pepper, chopped
  • 2 whole carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 2 teaspoons Italian blend seasoning
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 14.5 oz can Great Northern beans rinsed and drained
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs
  • 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375.
  2. In a large Dutch oven or deep oven-proof skillet, heat sausage in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until browned and slightly crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add chicken to the same skillet, season with salt and cook until browned. Remove chicken with a slotted spoon and set aide
  3. Add olive oil to pan and stir in vegetables. Cook the vegetables until softened, about 6-8 minutes. Stir in Italian blend seasoning and garlic. Add the beans, broth, tomato paste and vinegar; stir
  4. Return chicken and sausage to pan, stirring until mixed. Allow the mixture to come to a simmer.
  5. In a small bowl combine the bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese, add olive oil and stir to coat. Sprinkle the brad crumbs over the top of the cassoulet.
  6. Bake cassoulet for 35 minutes or until thick and bubbly.

Nutrition Information

Yield

6

Serving Size

1

Amount Per ServingCalories 644Total Fat 37gSaturated Fat 9gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 24gCholesterol 73mgSodium 2210mgCarbohydrates 47gFiber 8gSugar 7gProtein 31g

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Easy Cassoulet Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is a classic cassoulet made of? ›

Cassoulet, a hearty slow-simmered stew of sausage, confit (typically duck), pork, and white beans, is one of the great hallmarks of French country cuisine. The best versions are cooked for hours until the beans and meat meld into a dish of luxuriant, velvety richness.

What is the main ingredient of the French dish cassoulet? ›

The basic cassoulet from the town of Castelnaudary adds to the beans fresh pork and ham plus tomatoes, garlic, onions, herbs, and stock; that of Carcassonne contains in addition mutton and partridges in season, while in Toulouse to the basic cassoulet are added duck or confit d'oie (pieces of goose poached and ...

What is the best sausage for cassoulet? ›

Saucisse de Toulouse - The Best Sausage. Toulouse Saucisse (Toulouse Sausage) is a fresh sausage made in Toulouse, France, in the southwest. It's a classic French pork sausage cooked with white wine and onions. Cassoulet is a fantastic way to use it.

What are the 3 regional styles of cassoulet? ›

According to his book French Regional Food, co-authored by historian Loïc Bienassis, Castelnaudary cassoulet generally contains confit goose or duck, Carcassonne's has pork chops, and the Toulouse version uses mutton and the city's famous sausage.

What is the best bean for cassoulet? ›

The Best Beans for Cassoulet

Cassoulet is traditionally made with dried white beans like flageolet or regional specialty beans like these ones from Tarbais. It might be a stretch to locate these beans in your local market, but great northern beans, navy beans, or cannellini beans are all great alternatives.

What is traditionally served with cassoulet? ›

You can serve cassoulet on its own with a salad and bread on the side, but it's traditional to accompany it with something colorful . . . usually greens of some sort. If you're looking for a great meal to prepare for the colder weather, try making a cassoulet.

What is the Holy Trinity of cassoulet? ›

Cassoulet is divided into three types depending on which meats are used. Prosper Montagne, a famed culinary artist, called these three various cassoulets the “Trinity.” He designated the “Father” as coming from Castelnaudary, the “Son” from Carcassone and the “Holy Ghost” from Toulouse.

What is the English word for cassoulet? ›

cas·​sou·​let ˌka-sə-ˈlā : a casserole of white beans baked with herbs and meat (such as pork, lamb, and goose or duck)

What does "cassoulet" mean in English? ›

Meaning of cassoulet in English

a dish of white beans cooked slowly in a small amount of liquid with meat and herbs, originally from France: I went there for a Sunday supper and they were serving cassoulet.

What kind of beans are in cassoulet? ›

All the ingredients for a good cassoulet can be found in most grocery stores. Purists will argue that you need to find real tarbais beans but I have found white kidney beans work just as well. They will mention that there are 3 versions of true cassoulets (Castelnaudary, Carcassone, and Toulouse).

What is the horrible French sausage? ›

Andouillette (French pronunciation: [ɑ̃dujɛt]) is a French coarse-grained sausage made from the intestine of pork, pepper, wine, onions, and seasonings.

What is a substitute for Toulouse Sausage? ›

Conran suggests Polish kielbasa as a Toulouse substitute, but the smoky sort I use makes everything taste like a frankfurter, so I'd steer clear – basically, you need something with a very high meat content, and preferably a hefty whack of garlic.

Which southern city is renowned for cassoulet? ›

It is mentioned as far back as the 14th century. Legend has it that our beloved cassoulet, so prominent in Occitan cuisine, emerged during the 100 Years War when Castelnaudary was under siege by the English. Under the threat of famine, the inhabitants came together to offer whatever food they had to the town's troops.

What is the oldest cassoulet? ›

According to tradition, cassoulet was invented in 1355 in the town of Castelnaudary, under siege by the English during the Hundred Years' War. In medieval times the dish was referred to as an estouffet. The Dictionnaire de l'Académie française dates the term cassoulet to no earlier than the 19th century.

What is the difference between cassoulet and cassolette? ›

A cassoulet, of course, is something else entirely, and usually refers to that long-simmering stew from southwest France of duck, lamb or pork, and white beans. Confused? Maybe it will help if you roll up your sleeves and bake this cassolette recipe—a luscious gratin of chicken and noodles rife with French flavors.

What exactly is cassoulet? ›

A cassoulet is a slow-cooked stew that contains white beans, sausages, and duck and is a recipe that originates from southern France. It is typically prepared over two days in a tapered pot such as a French Oven, Dutch Oven, or cocotte.

Why is cassoulet so special? ›

Part of what makes cassoulet so special is the golden brown crust that forms on top of the stew near the end of the process. But when asked what forms this crust, most home cooks would probably give the wrong answer.

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