How to Make Cassoulet

duck confit

🥗Healthier: chicken thighs

💰Cheaper: canned duck

Chicken thighs are leaner and more affordable.

pork sausage

🥗Healthier: turkey sausage

💰Cheaper: beef sausage

Turkey sausage is lower in fat.

white beans

🥗Healthier: lentils

💰Cheaper: canned beans

Lentils are high in protein and cheaper.

pork shoulder

🥗Healthier: lean beef

💰Cheaper: pork loin

Lean beef offers a healthier fat profile.

Soak Great Northern beans overnight.

Drain the soaked beans and place them in a soup pot with a bay leaf, garlic, dried rosemary, dried thyme, and half an onion with a clove pushed inside.

Add water to the pot and bring it to a simmer without adding salt. Simmer for 1 hour until the beans are fairly tender.

Drain the beans, reserving the liquid, and remove the onion and bay leaf.

In a heavy Dutch oven, lightly brown some bacon without making it crisp.

Add mirepoix (carrot, celery, onion) to the bacon and stir in the hot bacon fat, adding a little salt. Sauté for about 10 minutes.

Brown the pork sausage and duck legs in a teaspoon of olive oil until browned on both sides.

Once the veggies are translucent and caramelized, add salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and a pinch of herbes de Provence, followed by a can of diced tomatoes. Cook for another 10 minutes until the liquid evaporates and the bottom deglazes.

Mix the sautéed veggies with the reserved beans, then layer half of this mixture back into the Dutch oven.

Place the browned meats on top of the first half of the bean mixture, then pour the rest of the bean mixture over it.

Add reserved bean liquid until just barely covering the beans, saving a couple of cups for later. Bring to a simmer, cover, and bake in the oven at 350°F for 30 minutes.

Prepare the breadcrumb mixture by melting half a stick of butter with 4 cloves of crushed garlic, then mixing in 2 cups of panko breadcrumbs and chopped parsley, seasoning with salt, pepper, and olive oil.

After 30 minutes, check the liquid level in the Dutch oven. If too dry, add more reserved liquid. Sprinkle half of the breadcrumb mixture on top and bake for another 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven, sprinkle the remaining breadcrumb mixture on top without pressing down, and increase the oven temperature to 375°F. Bake for an additional 20-25 minutes until the top is crispy and bubbles are slow and sticky around the edges.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level: