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Loading...A legendary slow-baked bean stew from the city of Toulouse in southern France, this cassoulet unites creamy white beans with duck confit, pork shoulder, and garlicky Toulouse sausage under a golden, crusty lid. The dish is traditionally assembled in a clay cassole and cooked low and slow until the beans turn silken and a savory crust forms, then is broken and re-baked several times. Hearty, deeply savory, and meant for a long winter table.
Prep Time45 mins
Cook Time240 mins
Total Time285 mins
Servings6
Yield6 generous servings
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 820 kcalCalories
- 42 gFat
- 14 gSaturated Fat
- 58 gCarbs
- 14 gFiber
- 5 gSugar
- 48 gProtein
- 1050 mgSodium
- 1280 mgPotassium
- 160 mgCalcium
- 6.5 mgIron
- 10 mgVitamin C
- 150 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the beans
- 1 lb (450 g) dried Tarbais or cannellini beans, picked over and soaked overnight
- 1 large yellow onion, peeled and halved
- 2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 head garlic, halved crosswise
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
For the meats and assembly
- 4 duck confit legs (about 2 lb / 900 g total)
- 1 lb (450 g) boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
- 8 oz (225 g) thick-cut bacon lardons or pork belly, diced
- 6 fresh Toulouse-style pork sausages (about 1 1/2 lb / 680 g)
- 3 tablespoons duck fat or lard
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) dry white wine
- 3 cups (720 ml) warm chicken or duck stock
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup (50 g) coarse fresh breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
Directions
- Drain the soaked beans and place them in a large pot with the halved onion, carrots, garlic halves, bay leaves, thyme, and 1 tablespoon salt. Cover with 2 inches of cold water, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook uncovered for 45 to 60 minutes, until the beans are just tender but not falling apart. Reserve 2 cups of the cooking liquid, then drain the beans and discard the aromatics.
- Meanwhile, pat the pork shoulder dry and season lightly with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the duck fat in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown the pork in batches until deeply golden on all sides, about 8 minutes total. Transfer to a plate. Add the lardons to the same pot and cook until the fat renders and they turn crisp, about 5 minutes, then scoop them out and add to the pork.
- Add the fresh sausages to the pot and brown them on all sides, about 6 minutes; remove and set aside. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat, reduce the heat to medium, and add the diced onion. Cook, stirring, until softened and lightly caramelized, 6 to 8 minutes, then stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste and cook 1 minute more. Pour in the white wine and scrape up the browned bits, letting it reduce by half.
- Stir the cooked beans, pork shoulder, lardons, and 2 1/2 cups of the reserved bean cooking liquid into the pot along with the warm stock. Nestle the duck confit legs skin-side up and the browned sausages into the beans; the liquid should just barely cover the beans. Bring to a gentle simmer, taste, and adjust salt and pepper.
- Cover and transfer to a 325°F (160°C) oven. Bake for 2 hours, then carefully lift the lid and press the back of a spoon into the surface to break the forming crust, allowing it to sink back into the beans. Drizzle a little of the reserved bean liquid around the edges if the cassoulet looks dry, then sprinkle with half the breadcrumbs and return, uncovered, to the oven for 30 minutes more.
- Repeat the crust-breaking once more, top with the remaining breadcrumbs and the parsley, and bake uncovered for a final 20 to 30 minutes, until the crust is deeply golden and crisp and the beans are bubbling underneath. Let the cassoulet rest for at least 20 minutes before serving directly from the pot at the table, breaking the crust with a spoon as you go.
Cook’s Notes
- Authentic Tarbais beans have a delicate skin and creamy texture, but cannellini, Great Northern, or even navy beans work well; always soak them overnight to ensure even cooking.
- Duck confit can be made at home by salt-curing duck legs for 24 hours and then slowly cooking them in their own fat, or you can use high-quality store-bought confit to save time.
- Cassoulet is famously even better the next day; cool completely, refrigerate, and reheat gently with a splash of stock, then refresh the crust under the broiler before serving.
- The crust-breaking ritual is not just tradition: it lets moisture circulate so the beans stay creamy while the top turns golden and crisp. Do not skip the final breadcrumb layer.
- Serve with a crisp green salad, a crusty baguette, and a young, fruity red wine from the Southwest such as a Madiran or a Cahors for the full Languedoc experience.
