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    Home » Recipes » Main Dishes » Shortcut French Cassoulet: a Peasant Stew You’ll Love!

    LAST UPDATED: October 23, 2020 • FIRST PUBLISHED: September 9, 2018 By Toni Dash 82 Comments

    Shortcut French Cassoulet: a Peasant Stew You’ll Love!

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    This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Shortcut French Cassoulet title image

    Cassoulet is a French country stew with white beans, chicken, sausage, bacon and vegetables. It’s a comfort food recipe you’ll love!

    Shortcut French Cassoulet bean chicken and sausage stew in a white bowl

    Cooler weather calls for hearty soul-warming recipes. A long time favorite of mine is Cassoulet, a French country stew that’s hearty, relaxed and brimming with great ingredients and flavors.

    When made traditionally Cassoulet takes three days. I’ve come up with a modified version, staying true to the original flavors but whittling it down to a few hours to make!

    Shortcut French Cassoulet is sure to become a favorite; if not for the flavors and textures, then for the flexibility to change it up with ingredients you love.

    Shortcut Cassoulet stew ingredients

    What is Cassoulet?

    It is an iconic white bean and meat stew, and perhaps the best example of peasant country food.

    It is said to try the most authentic Cassoulet when in France, do not go to a restaurant but rather have a Farmer’s wife make it for you!

    Recipes vary greatly for this dish as it originally was made with what was available however meat, pork and beans are a constant.

     


    A traditional cassoulet would include white beans, duck or duck confit, pork, sausages, and/or mutton. However, it was a peasant’s stew, constructed based on availability of ingredients therefore varying readily.

    Typically, it is a long cooking dish often taking days to prepare. This recipe is a shortcut, staying true to the rustic intentions of the stew but timed for more modern lifestyles when lengthy cooking projects are challenging.

    French Cassoulet stew wtih chicken and sausage in white bowl

    How to pronounce Cassoulet?

    Cas-sue-lay.

    Where is it From?

    The origins of the dish reside in Southwestern France in the areas of Gascony and Languedoc.

    How to Make Cassoulet

    When reviewing current day recipes, whether they be from traditional French chefs or chefs with a more contemporary perspective, they also vary wildly.

    More than a particular ‘recipe’ it is more of a cultural dish.

    Other than the white beans (which can also vary between traditional Tarbais beans, haricot blanc, to Cannellini), one might find any type of meat as long as there is some pork if not two forms.

    With the goal of making a Shortcut version I made some modifications to allow enjoying the dish without slaving to make it!

    Shortcut French Cassoulet with breadcrumb top

    Recipe Shortcuts

    To make Cassoulet in a reasonable amount of time I changed up some of the ingredient preparations to creatively meet the flavors of the dish without the time.

    I was also mindful of using ingredients that were easily available.

    • I used canned beans to bypass the time to cook them from dried form.
    • There is no duck meat in this recipe. Instead the meat is browned in duck fat as my nod to the presence of duck. I also did not include duck confit which is often traditional (note: butter may also be substituted).

    Time-Saving Tip: To make the cooking even faster, the vegetables may be prepared the day prior to cooking and stored sealed in the refrigerator until cooking is ready to begin! AND I use a mini chopper to prepare them.

    A Note on Duck Fat

    Duck fat may be found in gourmet kitchen stores or online. It’s not cheap however. That being said, duck fat can be subsituted anywhere you’ll be sauteeing for a wonderful flavor and it lasts a long time.

    Butter can be substituted and the cassoulet will be delicious! Olive oil can be used in a pinch but will not conjure the same flavor.

    If you are a duck fan, you can also add some duck instead of the chicken to change the recipe up!

    Step-by-Step Instructions for Making Shortcut French Cassoulet recipe

    This recipe is soul-warming with simple, homey flavors. The ease of preparation allows this shortcut recipe to pay homage to the more time-intensive version, and to be more of a mainstream consideration rather than something one saves up days to prepare (though that would be fun too).

    The oven is preheated to 350 degrees

    In a heavy 5 1/2 quart Dutch/French oven, the duck fat or butter is melted.

    Shortcut French Cassoulet process steps 1-4

    The chicken thighs are placed skin down in the pan to cook for 8 minutes (photo 1 above); then flipped with tongs and cooked 3 minutes longer then removed from the pan (photo 2).

    The sausages are added to the pan and browned for 3-4 minutes (total) then removed from the pan. (photo 3)

    The bacon is sauted just to render the fat (‘render the fat’ means to allow the fat to begin to melt and liquify); 3 minutes, then removed from the pan with a slotted spoon.(photo 4)

    shortuct french cassoulet steps 5-8

    Most of the fat is then removed from the pan and onion sauteed (photo 5).

    The other vegetables,herbs, cannellini beans and chicken stock are added to the pan (photo 6), followed by the bacon (photo 7), chicken and sausages (photo 8).

    Cassoulet with garlic and breadcrumb topping before baking

    Homemade soft breadcrumbs (see Recipe Notes) are tossed with garlic and added to the top of the stew (this will help thicken the cassoulet too). NOTE: regular or gluten-free bread may be used.

    The recipe is baked for 1 hour 15 minutes. Periodic pressing of the breadcrumb topping into the cooking liquid of the stew while cooking helps thickening. 

    Finally it is broiled to crisp the top. The sausages are cut into 2-inch lengths, added back and it is ready! Enjoy with a glass of white wine!

    How to Make Homemade Bread Crumbs

    Whether making soft breadcrumbs as used in this recipe, or hard breadcrumbs used in many recipes such as meatloaf, meatballs or for breading, they are very easy to make at home.

    I use my mini chopper for everything. It’s essentially a mini food processor so great for smaller jobs and easy to clean up (pop the vessel in the dishwasher).

    To make homemade breadcrumbs, fresh bread is used for this cassoulet recipe. I use baguettes (gluten-free for me but regular work if you aren’t gluten-free).

    Making soft breadcrumbs with a mini chopper

    1. Tear off large pieces of the baguette and place into the container of a mini chopper or food processor.
    2. Process until large crumbs are created.

    If making hard breadcrumbs for a different recipe, toast the bread first in a toaster or under the broiler. Let it sit out until it cools and any moisture has dissapated. Then follow these same steps.

    Shortcut French Cassoulet in a French oven and white bowl

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    Shortcut French Cassoulet bean chicken and sausage stew in a white bowl

    Shortcut French Cassoulet

    This shortcut Cassoulet takes time out of the making without sacrificing any of the flavor!
    5 from 47 votes
    Print Save Recipe Recipe Saved! Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: French
    Prep Time: 30 minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 839kcal
    Author: Toni Dash
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 1 ½ tablespoons Duck Fat* (or butter may be substituted)
    • 8 bone-in skin-on Chicken Thighs , patted with paper towels and lightly salted and peppered
    • 1 pound Garlic Sausages , uncooked**
    • ½ pound thick-cut Bacon , cut across the bacon into 1 inch pieces 1 medium Yellow Onion, chopped
    • 1 medium Yellow Onion chopped
    • 2 small Carrots , chopped (unpeeled)
    • 1 large stalk Celery , chopped
    • 1 tablespoon fresh Italian Parsley , diced
    • 1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence
    • 1 29-ounce can Cannellini (or White Kidney) Beans drained
    • 4 cups (1 quart) Low Sodium Chicken Stock
    • 3 large Garlic Cloves , minced
    • 2 cups fresh Soft Bread crumbs from a baguette (I used a gluten-free Baguettes)+

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
    • In a 5 ½ quart (or larger) pot or French/Dutch oven, liquefy the duck fat at medium heat. 
    • Add chicken thighs skin down in the bottom of the pan. Allow to cook for 8 minutes on Medium to Medium High, periodically checking to be sure the skin is not sticking to the pan (if it is gently slide a heat-proof spatula underneath to free the skin).
    • Using heatproof tongs, turn the chicken thighs over and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Remove from pan to a plate; set aside.
    • Add the sausages to the same pan (be careful of hot fat splattering!) and cook until lightly browned on each side (approximately 3-4 minutes total). Remove and set aside (can be added to the plate with the chicken)
    • Add the bacon to the pan. Sauté to render the fat only (about 3 minutes). NOTE: The fat will turn a gray color and be more translucent though the bacon will still be supple and pliable. Remove with a heatproof slotted spoon, allowing excess fat to drain back into the pan before setting the bacon aside.
    • Reserve 2 tablespoons of the pan fat (leave it in the pan) and discard the remaining fat.
    • Add the onions to the pan and sauté over medium-high heat scraping all the browned bits from the bottom and sides of the pan. Sauté until the onions begin to turn translucent but are not limp. TIP: if you allow the onions to sit before stirring they will pick up more of the pan drippings.
    • Add the carrots, celery, parsley, herbes de Provence, beans and chicken stock; stir to combine. 
    • Add the bacon to the pot; stir to combine.
    • Insert the chicken thighs and sausage into the stew so they are covered.
    • In a small bowl combine the bread crumbs and diced garlic. Sprinkle it evenly over the stew. 
    • Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, periodically pressing the bread crumbs into the stew which will help thicken it.
    • Place the stew underneath the broiler to slightly brown the top crumbs and remove from oven. 
    • Allow to sit for a few minutes, cut sausages into 2 inch pieces stirring them back into the stew, and serve. The stew is even more flavorful the second day too!

    Video

    Notes

    *Duck fat may be purchased from gourmet or specialty food stores, or online (I bought mine from Amazon.com). It lasts a long time and can be a great substitute for sautéing to add different flavor.
    **I suggest checking with a butcher for garlic sausage (I found some at Whole Foods in the butcher department). If they are not available a kielbasa may be substituted or see what you butcher suggests.
    +To make Soft Breadcrumbs place chunks of baguette in food processor, chopper or strong blender and pulse until they form large crumbs.
    To make the cooking even faster, the vegetables may be prepared the day prior to cooking and stored sealed in the refrigerator until cooking is ready to begin!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 839kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 54g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 203mg | Sodium: 1136mg | Potassium: 713mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 2780IU | Vitamin C: 2.5mg | Calcium: 147mg | Iron: 5.8mg
    Did you make this recipe?Mention @boulderlocavore or tag #boulderlocavore!

    Originally published: December 7, 2014

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    ABOUT THE AUTHOR

    TONI DASH
    Toni Dash head shot

    Toni Dash, is a Certified Nutrition Coach and the writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer and creator of Boulder Locavore®. She has been developing easy to make, well-tested recipes since 2010. Her seasonal recipes bring excitement to the dining table for both gluten-free and gluten diners. Toni has been featured in numerous publications and on culinary websites for her creative, delicious recipes and travel features. For more details, check out her About page.

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Janice says

      November 04, 2019 at 2:21 pm

      5 stars
      Great recipe – I will definitely be making it over and over again. This shortcut version is just as delicious as the traditional cassoulet, in a fraction of the time (I made this on a week night). In keeping with the origins of the dish, I made a few adjustments based on what I had on hand (different type of white beans, boneless skinless chicken breasts, increased the Herbes de Provence and garlic) and it still came out beautifully. We are now happily enjoying the leftovers and looking forward to when this re-appears in our meal rotation. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Toni Dash says

        November 04, 2019 at 4:08 pm

        I’m delighted to read your comment Janice! Thanks for taking the time to share your experience!

        Reply
    2. Christopher says

      August 12, 2019 at 7:50 pm

      5 stars
      I read the three day recipe earlier and it’s quite involved,. But it seems that your recipe removes the timely prepwork and use “substitutes”. But I think I can find duck confit, duck fat and of course the ready to go beans are always available. The fact that your recipe simplifies and streamlines the process is very helpful.

      Reply
      • Toni Dash says

        August 12, 2019 at 8:22 pm

        I’m so glad it’s helpful Christopher. I love Cassoulet and would love to have three days to make it but I just don’t lol. This recipe can be prepared in a reasonable amount of time with key flavors so we can all still enjoy it!

        Reply
    3. TJ Russell-Zapata says

      August 08, 2019 at 10:11 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe is very similar to my cassoulet, with very minor variances. Thyme instead of herbs de provence, pound of bacon, plenty to sprinkle on top while serving, left over pork chops, smoked sausage. This meal makes my kids think I am the world’s greatest cook!

      Reply
    4. Joyce says

      March 24, 2019 at 3:41 pm

      5 stars
      I’d planned on making the 2-3 day version, but due to an unexpected hospital stay, I made this. It’s delicious!

      Reply
      • Toni Dash says

        March 24, 2019 at 3:43 pm

        I’m sorry about the hospital stay but glad this shortcut version could help out!

        Reply
    5. Becky Hardin says

      February 15, 2019 at 9:59 am

      5 stars
      This sounds so amazing. A must try for sure.

      Reply
    6. Steph says

      February 15, 2019 at 8:29 am

      I love the variety of flavors in this stew. Can’t wait to make it this weekend!

      Reply
    7. Katerina @ diethood .com says

      February 15, 2019 at 7:41 am

      5 stars
      Oh boy, this sounds terrific!! I can’t wait to try it!

      Reply
    8. TJD says

      February 03, 2019 at 4:44 pm

      5 stars
      I made this tonight and really enjoyed it. Thank you for a tasty shortcut recipe. I halved the recipe and think maybe next time I will double the beans, stock, celery and carrots. I felt like the meat to beans ratio was heavy on the meat and I love the beans!

      Reply
      • Toni Dash says

        February 03, 2019 at 4:50 pm

        So glad you loved it! It’s a favorite of mine too.

        Reply
      • TJD says

        February 05, 2019 at 12:15 pm

        5 stars
        2 days later I heated up the leftover in the microwave with a little extra broth and OMG so good. I finally found a cassoulet recipe that is manageable and delicious. Thank you so much!

        Reply
    9. Jon Sandler says

      December 02, 2018 at 8:11 pm

      5 stars
      Made it today. Used a good quality kielbasa. Added a bit more herbs de Provence. Fabulous!! My wife loves cassoulet and she was blown away. Thank you!!

      Reply
      • Toni Dash says

        December 02, 2018 at 8:48 pm

        Yay! I’m delighted. And it doesn’t take 3 days to make!

        Reply
    10. Aziel Morte says

      September 13, 2018 at 3:27 am

      Absolutely looks a yummy dish and I am sure mu hubby would love this too. I would love to give this a try

      Reply
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    Welcome! I’m Toni. I’m a Certified Nutrition Coach and my goal is to MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER with delicious, well-tested recipes and travel tips! More About Me …

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