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The main dish, Regional

Cassoulet de Castelnaudary

Cassoulet de Castelnaudary is a slow baked bean dish from Southwest France with duck confit, Toulouse sausage, and pork belly, for 6 people. It takes about 70 minutes of active work spread over two days, since the beans and meats cook the day before. It rates medium difficulty at €6.50 per person, and the key to success is keeping the broth level just barely covering the beans before baking.

Tonight, you get the real cassoulet, the one that simmered overnight and fills the house with Southwest France the moment your guests walk in.

Cassoulet de Castelnaudary
For
6 people
Work
1 h 10
Total time
10 h
Prep
Prepared the day before
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€6.50
Calories per person
950 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach

Real cassoulet is first a matter of texture, beans that stay soft but still hold their shape, sitting in a broth that has picked up the flavor of duck confit and pork belly. The top cracks under your spoon and reveals meat that has had hours of gentle oven heat to soak up all that rich fat. It is a winter dish, dense and generous, the kind that warms you up after a cold day outside.

It makes a great centerpiece for a family dinner or a get together with friends when you want to impress without spending the whole evening at the stove. Since it is made the day before, you end up almost as relaxed as your guests by the time dinner starts. Keep the sides simple, a sharply dressed green salad to cut through the richness, and let the earthenware dish sit right in the middle of the table.

The schedule

What happens when, so you can be with your guests instead of in the kitchen.

  1. The day before 3 steps, 1 h 30
  2. The same day 1 step
  3. Before the guests arrive 1 step, 1 h 30
  4. When it's time to serve 1 step, 10 min

The day before, soak the beans, simmer them with the aromatics, then brown the meats, and store everything in the fridge covered in broth. On the day, layer the beans and meats in the earthenware dish, moistened with the broth. Right before your guests arrive, bake for 90 minutes, cracking the crust once partway through, then serve straight from the dish after a ten minute rest.

The ingredients

6 people

Pantry

  • Dried cannellini beans 700 g
  • Tomato pasteoften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Clovesoften in the pantry 2
  • Breadcrumbsoften in the pantry 60 g
  • Duck fatoften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 2 tsp
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Butcher

  • Duck confit legs 6
  • Toulouse sausages 6
  • Fresh pork belly 500 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onions 2
  • Carrots 2
  • Garlic 6 cloves
  • Bouquet garni 1

Allergens Gluten

The recipe, moment by moment

The day beforeWhat's better after resting overnight in the fridge.

  1. Soak the beans in three times their volume of cold water, then let them swell overnight.

    Never salt the soaking water, salt toughens the bean skins.

  2. Drain the beans and cook them with the pork belly, an onion studded with cloves, the carrots, garlic, and bouquet garni, at a gentle simmer. 1 h 30

    Start with cold water and skim well at the beginning, you will get a clear broth and beans that hold together while cooking.

  3. Brown the sausages and duck confit legs in duck fat, skin side first, with the tomato paste, then set aside.

    The confit legs already carry plenty of fat, add only what you need to sear the sausages.

The same dayDuring the day, whenever you get a moment.

  1. Layer the cassoulet in a large earthenware dish, a layer of beans, the diced pork belly, the sliced sausages, and the duck legs, then moisten with the cooking broth until it just reaches the top.

    Keep a bowl of broth aside, it will come in handy to rehydrate the dish if the beans soak up too much.

Before the guests arriveThe last hour, right before the doorbell rings.

  1. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs, drizzle with a little duck fat, and bake at 160 degrees, cracking the crust halfway through. 1 h 30

    If the beans look dry, moisten with a ladleful of broth without drowning the crust.

When it's time to serveThe final touches, right in front of your guests.

  1. Take the dish out, let it rest ten minutes, and bring it to the table straight in its baking dish. 10 min

    The rest lets the broth bind with the starch from the beans, giving it a creamy texture.

Our tips to get it right

  • Use this year's dried beans if you can find them, they cook faster and stay creamier than older beans that tend to split or stay tough.
  • If you have a dedicated cassoulet dish, avoid scrubbing it too hard between uses, old Southwest France cooks believed the dish holds onto the flavor over time.
  • Taste and adjust the broth for salt before assembling the dish, since once it goes into the oven you cannot fix the seasoning at the core anymore.

The variations

  • Swap the fresh pork belly for pork shoulder for an even more tender bite after the long cooking time.
  • For a faster version, use canned precooked beans and cut the day before simmering time down to 30 minutes, the dish loses some depth but still works well.
  • Kids often prefer the confit without its crisp skin, so peel it off before serving their portion and keep only the shredded meat mixed into the beans.

What to serve it with

  • Sharply dressed green salad
  • Country bread for soaking up broth
  • Red wine from Southwest France

Storage

Cassoulet keeps for 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container, and the flavor actually rounds out the next day. It freezes well for up to 2 months, thaw it in the fridge first and reheat gently in the oven with a splash of broth or water to bring back the moisture.

Questions about this recipe

Can I use homemade duck confit instead of store bought?

Yes, if you have homemade confit, use it directly, the result will be even more tender. Just check that enough fat remains to brown the sausages in the next step.

Do I really need to crack the crust while it bakes?

Yes, that is what sets this apart from a plain bean bake. Each time you crack it, fat rises back up and forms a new crust, deeper gold and more flavorful than the last.

Can this cassoulet be made for more than 6 people?

Yes, the recipe doubles easily if your earthenware dish is large enough. Just add a bit more oven time, around 15 extra minutes for a bigger dish.

What kind of bread goes best with cassoulet?

A thick crusted country loaf works better than a baguette, it holds up well for soaking up the broth. Avoid soft breads, they tend to fall apart in all that fat.

Can a Cassoulet de Castelnaudary be made ahead?

Yes, it's even recommended. The recipe needs 1 h 10 of work in total, split up like this, the day before, 3 steps, the same day, 1 step, before the guests arrive, 1 step, when it's time to serve, 1 step.

How long does it take to make a Cassoulet de Castelnaudary?

Allow 10 h in total, including resting and cooking time, of which 1 h 10 is actual work. The recipe is rated "medium".

How many calories are in a Cassoulet de Castelnaudary?

About 950 kcal per person, for a recipe meant for 6 people. The calories are calculated by Kiloach, your kilo coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a Cassoulet de Castelnaudary cost?

About €6.50 per person, that's €39.00 for 6 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten. Remember to ask your guests about their allergies before putting your menu together.

To round out your menu

Build a menu
Bordeaux cannelés The dessert

Regional

Bordeaux cannelés

  • 30 min of work
  • Prepared the same day
  • Medium, €0.90 per person

250 kcalcalculated by Kiloach

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