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Meat, South and mountains

Garbure béarnaise with country bread

Garbure béarnaise is a hearty soup from Southwest France made with cabbage, white beans, root vegetables and duck confit, served with country bread. It serves 4, takes 2 hours 10 minutes, is easy to make, and costs €3.40 per serving. The key is cooking the vegetables slowly and shredding the duck meat before stirring it back in.

Garbure béarnaise, this meal in a bowl with cabbage, white beans and duck confit, served with country bread for dipping.

Garbure béarnaise with country bread
Total time
2 h 10
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€3.40
Calories per person
740 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall

Garbure is the kind of soup that counts as a full meal on its own. Cabbage and white beans give it body, carrots, turnips and leeks add sweetness, and shredded duck confit flavors the whole broth. Every spoonful has that thick, almost silky texture typical of Southwest French dishes built to warm you up after a day outside.

This is a great recipe for a lazy winter Sunday, when the pot can simmer away while you handle other things. It appeals to adults who enjoy bold flavors and rich duck confit, a bit less to kids who tend to prefer simpler textures. With a slice of toasted country bread at the bottom of the bowl, it's a dish that stands on its own.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Duck confit legs 2

Pantry

  • Cooked white beansoften in the pantry 400 g
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Green cabbage 0.5
  • Potatoes 400 g
  • Carrots 3
  • Turnips 2
  • Leeks 2
  • Garlic 3 cloves

Bakery

  • Country bread 8 slices

Allergens Gluten

The step by step recipe

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a gentle simmer with the beans and garlic. 30 min

    Keep the bean cooking water, it flavors the soup.

  2. Add the carrots, turnips, leeks and potatoes, cut into large chunks. 30 min

    Cut the vegetables into large chunks so they hold together.

  3. Add the shredded cabbage and the duck confit legs. 35 min

    Scrape off some of the fat from the confit before adding it, the soup stays lighter.

  4. Remove the duck, shred the meat and return it to the soup.

    Discard the bones and skin, shred the meat.

  5. Serve piping hot with toasted country bread.

    Place a slice of toasted bread at the bottom of the bowl, it soaks up the broth.

Our tips to get it right

  • Cut all the vegetables roughly the same size so they cook evenly and hold their shape.
  • Taste the broth before adding salt, duck confit is already salty and may be enough on its own.
  • If you have time, make the garbure a day ahead, it actually tastes better reheated the next day.

The variations

  • Swap the duck confit for Toulouse sausage for a quicker, leaner version.
  • For a vegetarian version, skip the duck and add a piece of parmesan rind or a spoon of olive oil to give the broth more body.
  • For kids, blend part of the soup for a smoother texture with fewer chunks to pick out.

What to serve it with

  • Extra toasted country bread
  • A glass of Southwest French red wine
  • A simple green salad after the soup

Storage

Garbure keeps for 3 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. It freezes well for up to 2 months, ideally without the bread. Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a little water if it has thickened.

Questions about this dish

Can I use dried beans instead of cooked white beans?

Yes, but soak them overnight and cook them for about an hour before following the recipe. Canned or pre-cooked beans are more convenient for a weeknight dinner.

Can garbure be made ahead of time?

Yes, and it's actually recommended. The flavors blend better after a night in the fridge, so just reheat gently before serving.

What bread can I use if I don't have country bread?

A rustic loaf or sourdough works just as well, as long as it's dense enough to hold up in the broth without falling apart.

Can I use fresh duck legs instead of confit?

Fresh duck legs work, but you'll need to cook them longer and add a bit of fat to get that same melt in your mouth texture as confit.

How long does it take to make a garbure béarnaise with country bread?

Count 2 h 10 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a garbure béarnaise with country bread?

About 740 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a garbure béarnaise with country bread cost?

About €3.40 per serving, or €13.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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