This quick and easy cassoulet recipe includes bacon, sausage, chicken, white beans, and veggies for a cozy and comforting French-inspired stew — in about 1 hour!
Table of Contents
If you love Dutch oven stew recipes, be sure to try this beef stew, a pot of pork stew, and this chicken stew, too!
How to Make this Cassoulet Recipe | 1-Minute Video
This was so delicious. Simple to make but bursting with flavor. Paired this with a French Bordeaux for an easy French date night. Added this to my recipe tracker for meals I’ll definitely make again.
– Kimberly
A traditional cassoulet is a rich, slow-cooked, hearty, French peasant stew. The authentic version can be a daunting meal to tackle, thanks to hard-to-find ingredients (such as French Tarbais beans, precooked garlic sausage or toulouse sausage, Moulard duck legs, duck fat, duck confit, pork skin, mutton, or goose). Also, a traditional cassoulet requires 2-3 days of cooking and preparation — not something that most busy moms are willing to undertake!
That’s where this easy version comes into play. Inspired by a leftover turkey cassoulet that I first saw in Taste of the South magazine, I created this recipe to take advantage of store-bought rotisserie chicken. Some bacon, a couple of cans of white beans, and a package of smoked pork sausages complete the hearty, flavorful, one-pot meal. It might not be an authentic French cassoulet, but this weeknight meal sure is tasty!
A Few Tips Before You Get Started
- While a cassoulet is closer to a stew than a classic American casserole, the dish shouldn’t actually be “soupy.” Instead, you’re looking for a texture that’s somewhere between soupy and dry — without too much cooking liquid — that can be eaten with a fork. Some crusty bread on the side works perfectly for soaking up any remaining broth or juices in your bowl!
- Use the meat from a store-bought rotisserie chicken for a shortcut. If you prefer to cook your chicken at home, you’ll need about 1 lb. of raw boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs. Boil the chicken for about 10-15 minutes, or until cooked through. When cool enough to handle, chop or shred with forks and use in the recipe.
- Canned beans are quick and easy — no soaking or cooking required — just drain them and dump them into the pot! I use cannellini beans (or white kidney beans), but you can substitute with other white beans, including navy beans (also called Yankee beans) and Great Northern beans.
- Use a dry, crisp white wine. Good options for this recipe include Sauvignon Blanc, unoaked Chardonnay, or Pinot Grigio. Rich, oaky whites can become bitter during the cooking process, while sweeter whites add unwanted sweetness. Do not use a bottle of “cooking wine” from the grocery store, which often contains salt and other additives.
Directions
You’ll find step-by-step instructions for this easy cassoulet recipe in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post. Here’s my overview:
- Cook bacon and sausage in a Dutch oven or large saucepan until the bacon is crispy and the sausage is browned. Remove to a plate, reserving the drippings in the pan.
- Sauté vegetables in the bacon drippings. This layers so much great smoky flavor in the dish.
- Add tomato paste, tomatoes, broth, and wine. Use a homemade broth if available, or start with low-sodium broth if you’re sensitive to salt. Bring to a boil.
- Stir in the beans, chicken, vinegar, salt, pepper, and thyme. The vinegar adds a touch of acidity to brighten up the dish. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer for about 20 minutes.
- Return the sausage and bacon to the bean mixture. Cook and stir for 3-5 more minutes, until heated through.
- Garnish with fresh herbs such as fresh parsley or fresh thyme leaves for a bright contrast to the rich, hearty stew.
Serving Suggestions
- Side Dish: In France, cassoulet is not traditionally served with additional sides. That said, if you’d like to offer a couple of other options on your dinner menu, try a simple green salad tossed in Dijon vinaigrette, a loaf of crusty French baguette, or a few slices of rustic no-knead bread.
- Wine Pairing: A boldly-flavored, full-bodied red wine pairs nicely with cassoulet. Look for something from the Languedoc region of France, such as robust blends involving Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvèdre. We’re not too fancy around here, though — any of your favorite red (or white) wines will be delicious with this simple, rustic meal!
- Dessert: Since the chicken cassoulet is rich and hearty, it’s nice to finish the meal with something light — like fresh fruit or an apple galette.
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Make Ahead: Prepare the cassoulet in advance, cool to room temperature, and then store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- How to Store: Leftover stew will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To extend the life of your cassoulet, pack the cooled leftovers in airtight containers or in freezer-safe Ziploc bags and freeze for up to 3 months.
- How to Reheat: When ready to enjoy, thaw frozen cassoulet in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat, just until warmed through. Thin with additional broth, if necessary. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, or until warm.
Wow, really good! I didn’t have fresh herbs so I used dried thyme and added a bay leaf, but other than that followed the recipe exactly. Great flavor!
– Molly
More Easy Stew Recipes to Try
Virginia Brunswick Stew
1 hour hr 45 minutes mins
Crock Pot Chicken Stew
8 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
Guinness Beef Stew
2 hours hrs 40 minutes mins
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Watch How to Make It
Easy Cassoulet Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 slices bacon, chopped
- 13 ounces smoked sausage, sliced into ¼-inch thick rounds
- 1 small onion, finely-diced
- 1 green bell pepper, finely-diced
- 2 stalks celery, finely-diced
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 2 (14.5 ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups cooked, diced or shredded chicken (such as the meat from a rotisserie chicken)
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven, cook bacon and sausage over medium-high heat until bacon is crispy and sausage is browned. Use a slotted spoon to remove to a paper-towel lined plate, reserving the drippings in the pot.
- Add the onion, bell pepper and celery to the pot. Cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 6-8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 more minute. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 more minute. Add diced tomatoes, chicken broth and white wine; bring to a boil, scraping the bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon as you stir. Stir in the beans, chicken, vinegar, salt, pepper and thyme. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes. Return the sausage and the bacon to the pot. Cook and stir until heated through, about 3-5 more minutes. Remove from heat, stir in parsley, and serve!
Notes
- Use the meat from a store-bought rotisserie chicken for a shortcut.
- If you prefer to cook your chicken at home, use about 1 lb. of raw boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs. Boil the chicken for about 15-20 minutes, or until cooked through. When cool enough to handle, chop or shred with forks and use in the recipe.
- Use a dry, crisp white wine. Rich, oaky whites can become bitter during the cooking process, while sweeter whites add unwanted sweetness. Do not use a bottle of “cooking wine” from the grocery store, which often contain salt and other additives. Good options include Sauvignon Blanc, unoaked Chardonnay, or Pinot Grigio.
- Garnish with fresh herbs for a bright contrast to the rich, hearty stew.
Nutrition
Cassoulet Recipe Variations
- Add carrots to the vegetable medley for even more flavor. A bay leaf would also be a nice addition to the simmering pot (just remember to discard it at the end before serving).
- I use a package of smoked turkey sausage, but you can substitute with any similar fully-cooked smoked pork, beef sausage, or kielbasa.
- This stew would be delicious with leftover pulled pork instead of the chicken.
- This cassoulet gets its smoky flavor from the bacon and sausage. You can use 1-2 smoked ham hocks or salt pork instead, if you like.
- Cooking just for two? Cut the ingredients in half to prepare a smaller pot of cassoulet. Alternatively, make the full batch and freeze extras for another meal.
- Instead of the parsley and thyme, season the dish with herbes de provence, if you have some. This is traditionally a blend of thyme, basil, rosemary, tarragon, savory, marjoram, oregano, and bay leaf.
- For an alcohol-free dish, use extra chicken broth instead of the wine.
This recipe was originally published in January, 2021. It was updated in August, 2024.
Excellent recipe and easy to make! Thank you so much!!
Thank you, Ryan!
Super excited to make
This especially since we leave for
France next week.
Thank you!
Thanks, Kim. I hope you enjoy it! Have a wonderful trip!