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Home / Recipes
2 hours 40 minutes
4.53 from 70 votes
31 Comments

Classic French Cassoulet

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  • 394
by: Joanna Cismaru

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This Classic French Cassoulet is a classic and simple yet delicious casserole with beans, pork sausage and chicken breast. Served with a french baguette and salad? Oui Oui!

overhead shot of french cassoulet in a white bowl

Classic French Cassoulet

The great Julia Child once said, “In France, cooking is a serious art form and national sport”, and although I think she may not have expected the North American obsession with competitive cooking shows, her point still rings true today. There’s just something about the french passion and dedication to their food that sets it apart. From classics like beef bourguignon and coq au vin, to the lesser known but equally delicious cassoulet, the french have never shied away from complex flavors and rich dishes.

I wanted to introduce this dish to my readers today, many of whom may not have had the pleasure of eating much French fare before. It may take a little longer than other dishes but labors of love are always worth it in the end. From Julia and I both – bon appetite!

What is French Cassoulet?

Forget the French name for a moment, cassoulet is simply casserole. It’s rich, cooked low and slow, and full of chicken, beans, and pork. Unlike the casserole Canadians and Americans are so familiar with, French cassoulet is prepared in a dutch oven and does not include any creams, canned soups, fried onions as garnish, or any breakfast cereals (ahem, corn flakes).

The actual dish itself is not difficult to make, it just takes time. So in the interest of making this recipe as easy to follow as possible, let’s break it up into some steps.

overhead shot of all the ingredients needed to make french cassoulet

Ingredients In Classic French Cassoulet

  • Sausages – I used Italian pork sausages for this recipe as it was the easiest kind to find. Usually Toulouse sausage is most commonly used in traditional french cassoulet, a sausage made from a blend of pork and duck meat.
  • Chicken breast – I used boneless and skinless chicken breast but thighs can be substituted if that’s all you have.
  • Salt & pepper – To taste.
  • Veggies – The veggie base of this dish is leek, carrot, shallots, and onion. If you have trouble finding leeks, more shallots can be used in their place.
  • White wine – I like to use a dry white wine such as a sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio.
  • Garlic – Lots of fresh garlic is crucial to the flavor of this dish. If minced is all you have, 1 1/2 teaspoons is equivalent to one fresh clove.
  • White beans – We want the mild flavor and texture of white beans specifically, so substitutions aren’t recommended.
  • Herbs – I used dried rosemary and herbes de provence; a spice blend with lavender, oregano, basil, mint, fennel seeds, etc. It can be found in most grocery stores.
  • Parsley – For garnish.
process shots showing how to make french cassoulet

How To Make Classic French Cassoulet

  1. Prepare your oven: Set to 325 F degrees.
  2. Brown the protein: In a dutch oven or heavy bottomed sauce pan, brown the sausages whole. I prefer a smaller bite so I dice them up in pieces. Remove them once browned and place chicken breasts that have been cut into bite sized pieces in next, seasoned with salt and pepper, until they too are cooked through. Remove and set aside.
  3. Saute veggies: Add onion, carrot, and leeks to the pot in the residual sausage fat and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Then add the shallots and garlic and saute for an additional minute.
  4. Finish the cassoulet: Deglaze the pot with your white wine, being sure to scrape up as many brown stuck bits as possible.  Return the protein to the pot and add beans, herbs, water and seasoning. Bring to a simmer then cover and transfer to the oven to bake for 2 hours. Garnish with parsley and serve.
french cassoulet in a dutch oven

Storing Cassoulet

French cassoulet is a dish whose flavors develop better the longer it sits, to a point. If refrigerated in an airtight container it should last up to 4 days, with its flavor peaking around the third day.

To freeze, transfer the casserole to an air tight container and allow to fully cool before freezing to ensure it lasts up to 3 months.

Tips For Making The Best Cassoulet

  1. Duck breast is a rich, delicious substitute for chicken in this dish and is quite true to the original French recipe.
  2. Want more flavor? Try adding bay leaves before placing the dish in the oven, just be sure to remove them before serving.
  3. You can also use dried cannellini beans, just make sure to soak them overnight in water. This is a great way to bring even better texture and flavor to your French cassoulet.
  4. If you just can’t find toulouse sausage anywhere and would like to be as authentic as possible, this recipe will replicate it nicely.
french cassoulet in a white bowl

Craving more French cooking? Try these recipes:

  • Beef Bourguignon
  • Coq Au Vin
  • Sole Meuniere
  • Chicken Fricasse
  • French Onion Soup

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side view of a bowl full of french cassoulet

Classic French Cassoulet

4.53 from 70 votes
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 2 hrs 20 mins
Total: 2 hrs 40 mins
Author: Joanna Cismaru
Serves: 6
Print Pin Rate
This Classic French Cassoulet is a classic and simple yet delicious casserole with beans, pork sausage and chicken breast. Served with a french baguette and salad? Oui Oui!

Ingredients

  • 4 links Italian pork sausages or similar, whole or cut into smaller pieces
  • 1 pound chicken breasts boneless and skinless, cut into bite size pieces
  • ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon pepper or to taste
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 1 medium carrot chopped
  • 1 leek chopped (white and green part)
  • ½ cup white wine such as a sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio
  • 2 small shallots chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 19 ounce cannellini beans (1 can), drained
  • 1 teaspoon rosemary dried
  • ½ teaspoon herbes de provence
  • 1½ cup water
  • 2 tablespoon parsley for garnish
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 325 F degrees.
  • Brown the sausage: In a dutch oven or heavy bottomed sauce pan, brown the sausages whole. I prefer a smaller bite so I dice them up in pieces. Remove them once browned. 
  • Cook the chicken: Add the chicken breasts to the Dutch oven next, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the chicken is no longer pink and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
  • Saute veggies: Add onion, carrot, and leeks to the pot in the residual sausage fat and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Then add the shallots and garlic and saute for an additional minute.
  • Deglaze pot: Add the white wine to deglaze the pot, scraping any brown bits from the bottom.
  • Finish the cassoulet: Return the protein to the pot and add beans, herbs, water and seasoning. Bring to a simmer then cover and transfer to the oven to bake for 2 hours. 
  • Garnish with parsley and serve.

Video

Recipe Notes

Leftovers: If refrigerated in an airtight container it should last up to 4 days, with its flavor peaking around the third day.
Freezing: To freeze, transfer the casserole to an air tight container and allow to fully cool before freezing to ensure it lasts up to 3 months.
Nutrition: Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 430kcal (22%)Carbohydrates: 22g (7%)Protein: 33g (66%)Fat: 22g (34%)Saturated Fat: 7g (44%)Cholesterol: 102mg (34%)Sodium: 970mg (42%)Potassium: 619mg (18%)Fiber: 5g (21%)Sugar: 3g (3%)Vitamin A: 2130IU (43%)Vitamin C: 8.7mg (11%)Calcium: 97mg (10%)Iron: 3.9mg (22%)
Course:Main Course
Cuisine:French
Keyword:french cassoulet, french recipe
Tried this recipe? Rate it belowtag @jocooks on instagram and hashtag it #jocooks!

Originally shared February 2014. Updated with better pictures, video and better instructions, recipe remains unchanged.

  • 394

Meet Joanna Cismaru

I’m Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

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Comments

  1. Cynthia says

    January 29, 2021 at 7:02 am

    5 stars
    I made it exactly as the recipe was written and it was delicious! Thanks for the great recipe.

    Reply
    • Jo Cooks Team says

      January 29, 2021 at 9:16 am

      So glad you like it!

      Reply
  2. Mike R. says

    October 31, 2020 at 8:18 pm

    5 stars
    This was my first time making the cassoulet. I followed the recipe but used canned cannellini beans. Not only was it delicious, but I got rave reviews from everyone who had it. The chicken and sausage were tender and the beans flavorful. I will make this again. Thanks so much for the easy and wonderful recipe.

    Reply
    • Joanna Cismaru says

      November 1, 2020 at 8:21 am

      My pleasure, so glad you liked it!

      Reply
  3. Christine Bayaca says

    September 14, 2020 at 7:43 pm

    5 stars
    Made this tonight after being inspired by a character in a book I am reading made cassoulet…. I knew this would be delicious because all the Jo Cooks recipes I’ve made have been phenomenal! Thanks!

    Reply
    • jo says

      September 14, 2020 at 9:17 pm

      Ha, I do that too all the time. 🙂 Glad you liked it!

      Reply
  4. Cobi says

    May 2, 2020 at 12:54 am

    5 stars
    Delicious! Will make again, only with more water as it dried out quite a bit

    Reply
  5. Jenna says

    February 21, 2020 at 10:56 pm

    5 stars
    New favorite recipe and definitely worth the cooking time! The herbes de Provence works so well in this!

    Reply
  6. Christine says

    December 9, 2019 at 4:26 am

    Absolutely gorgeous, have made it twice but meat started to dry so both times added extra pint of vegetable stock. This is a winner.

    Reply
  7. Carol says

    September 9, 2019 at 4:29 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe had the most amazing flavors which melded so well together! This recipe is certainly company worth! Will share with my family.

    Reply
  8. Sophie says

    May 22, 2019 at 11:48 pm

    Hi, does the meat dry out given you cook it and then put it in the oven for 2 hours?

    Reply
    • Nicole Beaulieu says

      May 23, 2019 at 10:22 am

      It doesn’t! It stews in the liquid and becomes tender.

      Reply
  9. Susan says

    May 1, 2019 at 9:07 am

    Hi Jo, I hav always wanted to make Cassoulet and your recipe sounds very doable. I have one question. I would like to use dried beans so how does that affect the cooking time and when and how would I cook them. Do I cook them alone first and then add to the proteins and vegetables??
    Thanks so much
    Susan Becker

    Reply
    • Joanna Cismaru says

      May 1, 2019 at 9:57 am

      If you soak the beans overnight, cooking them in the oven with the cassoulet for 2 hours, might be enough to cook them through. I haven’t tried this though so I’m not sure. Usually dried beans that have been soaked overnight take about 45 min to 2 hours to cook. 🙂

      Reply
  10. Debbi says

    May 1, 2019 at 8:24 am

    5 stars
    Excited to make on Sunday when I have the time. Thank you for the recipe.

    Reply
  11. Patty M says

    February 11, 2014 at 5:16 pm

    We never have white wine in the house as we are red only. What can I substitute for the 1/2 cup of white wine? Or, can I even do that? Will it change the whole flavor of the dish?

    Reply
    • jo says

      February 12, 2014 at 12:52 am

      Hi Patty,
      You can use chicken broth instead, it shouldn’t change the flavor too much. 🙂

      Reply
      • Susan says

        May 1, 2019 at 9:09 am

        I always have dry vermouth in my cabinet just in case someone wants a martini. I have found it works very well in recipes calling for white wine.

  12. TeoBucatar says

    February 7, 2014 at 10:16 am

    It looks awesome! I will definitely try this recipe!t

    Reply
  13. Lori @ Foxes Love Lemons says

    February 5, 2014 at 10:21 pm

    Oh gosh, I’m drooling just thinking about cassoulet. And you took such beautiful photos of it!

    Reply
    • jo says

      February 6, 2014 at 12:35 am

      Thanks Lori 🙂

      Reply
  14. Joel A. says

    February 5, 2014 at 4:36 pm

    I haven’t try this dish before. I will definitely make this recipe on Saturday, I’m pretty sure I’ll get a lot of compliments. 🙂 Bookmarking this now!

    Reply
    • jo says

      February 6, 2014 at 12:35 am

      Thanks Joel!

      Reply
  15. Margarida says

    February 4, 2014 at 10:54 pm

    My husband likes this cassoulet! When we went to France,he ate it and still remember it! kisses

    Reply
    • jo says

      February 5, 2014 at 1:00 am

      Oh it’s my kind of comfort food. 🙂 Someday I’d love to go to France!

      Reply
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I'm Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

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