Vegetarian Cassoulet Recipe | Cooking On The Weekends (2024)

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This Vegetarian Cassoulet Recipe is one of the best vegetarian comfort food recipes ever! It's a vegetarian twist on a classic duck dish, packed with hearty and delicious flavors. And it's dairy free, making it vegan as well.

Vegetarian Cassoulet Recipe | Cooking On The Weekends (1)

This hearty Vegetarian Cassoulet recipe overflows with warm, rich flavors. It's absolutely dreamy.

It's incredibly satisfying, not only to eat, but to cook as well. Your home will be filled with the delicious scent of fresh herbs, caramelized onions and roasted garlic, blended together with its star ingredient, cannellini beans. Their creamy texture is one of the keys to the comfort in this dish.

Vegetarian Cassoulet takes a good amount of time to make, and every minute is worth the results.

It's the cooking time that allows for the flavors and textures to marry together so perfectly. Please note though, that the majority of the time is inactive.

What is Cassoulet?

  • Cassoulet is a rich, slow-cooked bean stew or casserole originating in the south of France.
  • Traditionally it includes white kidney beans, pork sausages, pork, goose, duck confit and sometimes mutton. (Duck confit is duck cooked in its own fat.)

Not exactly what you're going for if you're a vegetarian. Clearly.

Other than the beans and slow-cooking method, there's nothing traditional about this Cassoulet recipe. It's vegetarian, after all.

In fact, the title, "Vegetarian Cassoulet" is pretty much an oxymoron. And it's truly amazing! You won't be able to get enough!

Vegetarian Cassoulet Ingredients

Vegetarian Cassoulet Recipe | Cooking On The Weekends (2)
  • extra virgin olive oil - I like this one.
  • onion - Try to choose onions that are firm, heavy for their size and without bruises.
  • roasted garlic - Roasted garlic is creamy, subtly sweet and much less pungent than raw garlic. Here's How to Roast Garlic.
  • carrots - Look for firm, plump carrots, preferably without little roots on the bottom.
  • kale - I use Lacinato kale. The leaves are slightly thinner and more tender than those of curly kale.
  • marinated artichoke hearts
  • Cannellini beans - If possible, start with dry beans.
  • canned tomatoes - Crushed or diced. Try to use the best possible quality canned tomatoes. This is one of my favorites.
  • cream sherry - Medium or dry sherry is okay too, just slightly less sweet.
  • vegetable stock - Preferably low sodium.
  • breadcrumbs - I use Panko (breadcrumbs without the crust).
  • dried thyme
  • fresh oregano
  • salt
  • black pepper - Preferably freshly ground.

(See recipe card below for quantities.)

Vegetarian Cassoulet Recipe | Cooking On The Weekends (3)

Substitutions and Variations

  • Roasted garlic. If you want to use raw garlic it will be much sharper, so use about half of the amount listed in the recipe card. It should also be added with the onions, rather than after the onions become soft.
  • Kale. Spinach is the best substitute for the kale. Use about 1 ½ times the amount you would kale -- it's tends to shrink a lot more when cooked. You can also use swiss chard or collard greens.
  • Cream sherry. Vermouth is a great substitute. Or you can skip it all together if you'd like. If you do, make up the difference with more vegetable stock.
  • Dried thyme. Fresh thyme can also be used. Use 3 times the amount listed in the recipe card.
  • Fresh oregano. You can use dried oregano if you don't have fresh. Use about ⅓ of the amount listed in the recipe card.
  • You can also mix up the fresh herbs and use rosemary, marjarom, or any combination of all of them.
  • Gluten-free version. This is an easy fix. Just use gluten-free breadcrumbs.

Recipe Tips

My best advice for this recipe is to follow the cooking times as closely as you can. It's worth every minute.

How to Make it

- Before you begin, the garlic should be roasted (here's how), and the beans should be cooked (here's how.) Both of these things can be done up to a few days in advance. (You can also use canned, well-drained Cannellini beans.)

Vegetarian Cassoulet Recipe | Cooking On The Weekends (4)
Vegetarian Cassoulet Recipe | Cooking On The Weekends (5)

- Use about 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to coat the bottom of a large (about 4 quart), heavy-bottomed pot (A Dutch Oven is perfect). Place the pot over medium-high heat and add the onions. Stirring every few minutes or so, cook until they're very tender and are beginning to brown, about 15 minutes. Add the roasted garlic and stir to blend.

- Add the carrots and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring a few times.

Vegetarian Cassoulet Recipe | Cooking On The Weekends (6)
Vegetarian Cassoulet Recipe | Cooking On The Weekends (7)

- Then add the kale and cook until it’s completely wilted, about 5 minutes. Stir in the artichokes, oregano and thyme, and cook for a couple of minutes, until it’s very aromatic.

- Deglaze the pot with the tomatoes, sherry and stock. Use a flat-bottomed wooden spatula to scrape any stuck bits of food from the bottom of the pot, back into the mixture.

Vegetarian Cassoulet Recipe | Cooking On The Weekends (8)
Vegetarian Cassoulet Recipe | Cooking On The Weekends (9)

- Preheat the oven to 300°F.

- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Then uncover the pot, turn the heat to medium and cook to reduce the liquid by about half. This should take about 20 minutes.

- Fold in the beans and season generously to taste with salt and pepper. Pour the mixture into a 9 x 13 x 2½ inch baking dish, or two 9 inch pie dishes.

- Sprinkle the bread crumbs evenly on top and then drizzle with the remaining olive oil.

Vegetarian Cassoulet Recipe | Cooking On The Weekends (10)
Vegetarian Cassoulet Recipe | Cooking On The Weekends (11)

- Bake uncovered in the preheated 300°F oven for 1½ hours. Then cover loosely with foil, and bake for another 30 minutes. (If the top isn't as golden as you'd like, you can place it under the broiler for about 30 seconds.)

- Let it rest for at least 20 minutes before serving.

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Making it Ahead and Storage

  • You can make vegetarian cassoulet a day ahead of time. In fact, if anything, it's even better. Let it cool completely, cover it tightly with foil or plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Let it come to room temperature before reheating it in a 300°F oven until it's hot, covered lightly with foil.
  • Leftovers (if there are any!) should be refrigerated, are great for at least 4 days.
  • Freezing. You can freeze leftovers for up to a couple of months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight, then bring to room temperature before reheating it in a 300°F oven until it's hot, covered lightly with foil.

Frequently Asked Questions About this Vegetarian Cassoulet

Q: Do I have to cook the Cannellini beans myself, or can I used canned?
A: Absolutely you can use canned. If you do, be sure to drain them well.

Q: Do I need to use the full amount of olive oil.
A: Yes, if you want the results we're going for, which is for the consistency to mimic that of a classic cassoulet as closely as possible, (considering it's vegetarian). 😉 The oil and the long cooking time are what make it so rich and creamy, and utterly delicious.

Q: Do the vegetables become soggy with the long cooking time?
A: Nope!

Vegetarian Cassoulet Recipe | Cooking On The Weekends (13)

Oh, and if you want a cassoulet with meat, you'll want to try this Chicken Sausage Cassoulet.

I hope you enjoy every last bite of this amazing vegetarian comfort food.

Vegetarian Cassoulet Recipe | Cooking On The Weekends (14)

Vegetarian Cassoulet Recipe

Valentina K. Wein

An amazing vegetarian twist on a classic. Packed with hearty and delicious flavors, you won't be able to get enough!

*You can cook dry beans ahead of time (here's how), or use canned, draining them first.

*Please note that the majority of the cooking time is inactive.

5 from 19 votes

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 4 hours hrs

Resting Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 4 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine French, American

Servings 10

Calories 341 kcal

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • cups yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons roasted garlic, roughly chopped
  • cups carrots, peeled and cut into ¼ to ½-inch rounds
  • 5 cups packed kale (preferably Lacinato), washed and dried, tough stems removed, roughly chopped
  • cup oil marinated artichoke hearts, drained, roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh oregano, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon dried thyme
  • cup canned tomatoes, peeled, chopped
  • ½ cup cream sherry
  • cups vegetable stock
  • cups cooked Cannellini beans
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Cook onions and mix with garlic. Use about 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to coat the bottom of a large (about 3½ quart), heavy-bottomed pot (A Dutch Oven is perfect). Place the pot over medium-high heat and add the onions. Stirring every few minutes or so, cook the onions until they are very tender and are beginning to become brown, about 15 minutes. Add the roasted garlic and stir to blend.

  • Add remaining vegetables. Add the carrots and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring a few times. Then add the kale and cook until it’s completely wilted, about 5 minutes. Stir in the artichokes, oregano and thyme, and cook for a couple of minutes, until it’s very aromatic.

  • Deglaze. Deglaze the pot with the tomatoes, sherry and stock. Use a flat-bottomed wooden spatula to scrape any stuck bits of food from the bottom of the pot, back into the mixture.

  • Preheat the oven to 300°F.

  • Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Then uncover the pot, turn the heat to medium and cook to reduce the liquid by about half. This should take about 20 minutes.

  • Fold in the beans and season generously to taste with salt and pepper. (Here's How to Season to Taste.)

  • Assemble. Pour the mixture into a 9 x 13 x 2½ inch baking dish, or two 9 inch pie dishes. Sprinkle the bread crumbs evenly on top and then drizzle with the remaining olive oil.

  • Bake. Bake uncovered in the preheated 300°F oven for 1½ hours. Then cover loosely with foil, and bake for another 30 minutes. (If the top isn't as golden as you'd like, you can place it under the broiler for about 30 seconds.)

  • Let it rest for at least 20 minutes before serving.

NOTES

Nutritional information is only an estimate.

NUTRITION

Calories: 341kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Sodium: 459mg | Potassium: 681mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 9173IU | Vitamin C: 46mg | Calcium: 208mg | Iron: 5mg

Keywords comfort food recipes for fall and winter, vegetarian comfort foods

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Vegetarian Cassoulet Recipe | Cooking On The Weekends (2024)

FAQs

What are the best beans for cassoulet? ›

All the ingredients for a good cassoulet can be found in most grocery stores. Purists will argue that you need to find real tarbais beans but I have found white kidney beans work just as well.

What does cassoulet mean in French? ›

(ˌkæsəˈlei, French kasuːˈle) noun. a white-bean stew of French origin, often containing pork, mutton, garlic sausage, and preserved goose or duck. Word origin. [1925–30; ‹ F ‹ Pr (Languedoc) dim.

What is a good side dish for cassoulet? ›

Roasted potatoes: Potatoes are a great side dish to pair with cassoulet because they help soak up all the rich meaty sauce.

How do you thicken cassoulet? ›

A casserole is an easy and delicious dish that's perfect for when you are craving something warm and hearty. But they can sometimes turn out too watery. One way to thicken it is putting flour on it in order to soak up the juices and fat in the pan. Or you can make roux.

What do the French eat with cassoulet? ›

A good cassoulet really needs nothing else, everything is in the casserole, it's a complete dish in its own right.. About all you need is some nice crusty bread, buttered of course, a French baguette cut into thick slices is ideal.

What kind of sausage is used for cassoulet? ›

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.

What is the Holy Trinity of cassoulet? ›

There are three types of cassoulet – the Holy Trinity. There's the 'Father' (pork and goose), the 'Son' (mutton and partridge), and the 'Holy Ghost' (sausage, mutton, and duck).

What French town is famous for cassoulet? ›

It originated in the town of Castelnaudary in the Aude department in the Occitanie region. Variants of the dish are local to other towns and cities in the Aude.

What wine goes with cassoulet? ›

The richness of the dish is balanced out by the acidity in the wine, while the buttery notes in the Chardonnay complement the texture of the beans and meat in the Cassoulet. We recommend choosing a full-bodied Chardonnay with notes of oak and vanilla, as this will complement the earthy flavours in the Cassoulet.

What is a substitute for cassoulet beans? ›

They have canned cannellini, or I could get dry great northern beans which appears to be the closest substitute.

What are the 3 regional styles of cassoulet? ›

Convention has it that the cassoulet of Castelnaudary is based largely on pork and pork rind, sausage, and (sometimes) goose; the Carcassonne variety contains leg of mutton and (occasionally) partridge; and the cassoulet of Toulouse includes fresh lard, mutton, local Toulouse sausage, and duck or goose.

Why is cassoulet so special? ›

Part of what makes cassoulet so special is the golden brown crust that forms on top of the stew near the end of the process. But when asked what forms this crust, most home cooks would probably give the wrong answer.

What is a good substitute for Toulouse sausage? ›

Conran suggests Polish kielbasa as a Toulouse substitute, but the smoky sort I use makes everything taste like a frankfurter, so I'd steer clear – basically, you need something with a very high meat content, and preferably a hefty whack of garlic.

What is the difference between a casserole and a cassoulet? ›

The main difference between a casserole and a cassoulet is that a casserole is more of a food category than one specific dish. In contrast, cassoulet is the name of a particular dish. This dish combines meat, usually pork or mutton, with white beans and seasonings. The dish originated in France.

Is it better to thicken stew with flour or cornstarch? ›

this is the easiest hack for thickening soups stews sauces and it does it instantly. instead of a roux or flour use cornstarch or arrowroot . equal parts water to cornstarch and arrowroot. mix that up and then you add it to simmering sauce or whatever.

What is a cassoulet bean? ›

Cassoulet is traditionally made with dried white beans like flageolet or regional specialty beans like these ones from Tarbais.

Which beans are the best beans to eat? ›

  1. Chickpeas. Also known as garbanzo beans, chickpeas are a great source of fiber and protein. ...
  2. Lentils. Lentils are a great source of vegetarian protein and can be a good addition to soups and stews. ...
  3. Peas. Peas are also a type of legume. ...
  4. Kidney beans. ...
  5. Black beans. ...
  6. Soybeans. ...
  7. Pinto beans. ...
  8. Navy beans.

What is the best bean to use? ›

The 7 Healthiest Beans to Eat, According to Dietitians
  1. Lentils. Lentils are rich in polyphenols, plant-based compounds that have both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. ...
  2. White Beans. ...
  3. Black Beans. ...
  4. Chickpeas. ...
  5. Pinto Beans. ...
  6. Red Kidney Beans. ...
  7. Lupini Beans.
Aug 14, 2023

What is the creamiest white bean? ›

Baby Lima Beans. Also called “butterbeans”, Baby Lima beans are small, smooth, and creamy with a rich, buttery texture. They're starchier than other beans and are often used in soups, stews, succotash, and casseroles, or just cooked simply with herbs and spices.

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