Easy Cassoulet Recipe with lots of Vegetables

Fresh, simple, and delicious, this cassoulet recipe tastes very real. The fresh vegetables retain their colour and flavour and the dried beans cook up deliciously as they are simmered with the meat. I can only imagine how amazing it would be with homemade stock and duck leg confit, as this was done with ingredients I could easily find.

I remember the first time I saw this Mark Bittman recipe in his Food Matters book.  This is the book he wrote that explains his philosophy of eating vegan until Dinner.  The book itself contains quite a few recipes that sound good which are either vegan, vegetarian, or more frequently emphasize vegetables as the main ingredient.  Personally, I found the book to be a watered down, or more nicely simplified, Michael Pollan philosophy. However, I do generally buy into this thinking and moreover like his recipes.

This particular recipe is an interpretation of a cassoulet, a stewy French dish which focuses on dried beans and an assortment of meats.  Although Bittman includes a version of this recipe using canned beans, I chose to use dried and was glad I did. I also added rosemary and mushrooms.  If you are making this cassoulet recipe on a weeknight do choose the canned bean version.

Print Recipe

Easy Cassoulet Recipe with lots of Vegetables

(serves 4-6)
Adapted from Food Matters

3 tablespoons olive oil

Use 1lb of meat sausages, duck breast or leg confit, or bone-in pork chops (I used 1 bone in pork chop, one sausage.)

1/2 lb dried cannelini beans

2-4 cups chicken stock

2 small onions, small dice

2 medium zucchini, small dice

6 cremini mushrooms, small dice

3 small carrots, small dice

2 stalks celery, small dice

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 large can of whole tomatoes

2 bay leaves

handful of fresh thyme sprigs

1 sprig fresh rosemary

salt and pepper

In a large dutch oven heat oil to medium and add meat, cook until well browned on all sides. Add beans and enough stock to cover. Cover with a lid and bring to a light simmer. Cook for 60 minutes.

Heat a large skillet to medium low, add oil, all chopped vegetables and a pinch of salt. Sweat for 5 minutes then add herbs and tomatoes as well as some pepper. Bring to a simmer and add to the beans. Continue cooking beans and meat until beans are tender. It should be about 30-90 minutes depending on the age of the beans. Remove bay leaves and any herb stalks. Remove meat to a cutting board. Trim off any bones, chop into pieces and add back to stew. Taste and correct for seasoning.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cooking Time: 150 minutes | Total Time:160 minutes