Cassoulet

Name: Cassoulet
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 180 min
Total time: 210 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: France
Ingredients: 1 lb dried white beans, soaked overnight; 1 lb pork shoulder, cubed; 4 Toulouse sausages; 4 duck confit legs; 6 oz pancetta, diced; 1 onion, studded with 2 cloves; 2 carrots, chopped; 4 cloves garlic; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 6 cups chicken stock; 1 bouquet garni; 1 cup dried breadcrumbs

8 servings30 min prep180 min cookMedium France

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The Story Behind It

The Tale of Cassoulet

Story updated September 17, 2026

Cassoulet, the slow-baked bean-and-meat casserole of Languedoc, is claimed by three rival towns, Castelnaudary, Toulouse, and Carcassonne, each with its own version. A romantic legend ties its creation to a 14th-century siege during the Hundred Years' War, but historians generally treat that as folklore layered onto what was really a long-standing regional peasant bean stew.

Ingredients

Scale:· 8 servings

1 lb dried white beans, soaked overnight
1 lb pork shoulder, cubed
4 Toulouse sausages
4 duck confit legs
6 oz pancetta, diced
1 onion, studded with 2 cloves
2 carrots, chopped
4 cloves garlic
2 tbsp tomato paste
6 cups chicken stock
1 bouquet garni
1 cup dried breadcrumbs

Instructions

1Simmer soaked beans with the studded onion, carrot, and bouquet garni until just tender; drain, reserving liquid.
2Brown pork shoulder and pancetta in a large ovenproof pot.
3Stir in garlic and tomato paste, then add beans and enough stock to cover.
4Cover and bake at 300°F for 1.5 hours.
5Nestle in the duck confit legs and whole sausages, pushing them into the beans.
6Sprinkle breadcrumbs over the top and bake uncovered 45 minutes until a crust forms.
7Break the crust and press it down, then bake 30 minutes more until deeply golden.

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