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Easy French Cassoulet
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5 from 1 vote

Easy French Cassoulet

Easy French Cassoulet is a perfect meal to ring in the New Year! It's packed with lots of pork, beans, and greens. It's a trifecta of good luck all in one bowl!
Course Main Course
Cuisine French
Keyword Easy French Cassoulet
Author Heather Blake

Ingredients

For the Beans

  • 1 pound navy beans
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3-4 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • water

For the "Meat" of the Stew

  • 6 strips thick cut back, sliced into 2 inch pieces
  • 1 pound kielbasa sausage, cut into 2 inch pieces
  • 1 1/2 pounds cubed pork sirloin roast
  • 2 pounds chicken thighs
  • 2 cups diced onions
  • 1 tablesoon minced garlic
  • 1 cup sliced carrots
  • 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1 tablespoon herbs de Provence
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 3 cups chopped kale (1 small bunch)

For the Bread Crumb Topping

  • 1 cup fresh bread crumbs
  • 4 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

For the Beans

  • Place the beans, rosemary, thyme, garlic, and bay leaves in a large stockpot. Cover the bean mixture with about 3 inches of water. Bring the beans to a boil and boil for 4 minutes (high altitude)  2 minutes at a lower elevation.  Reduce heat to simmer and cover. Cook for 1 hour and add the salt. Cook for another 15 to 30 minutes until the beans are tender. 
  • Drain the beans and remove the bay leaves and the rosemary stem. Leave the garlic in the beans. Set aside. 

To Make the Breadcrumbs

  • Place about 1/4 of a fresh baguette into a food processor. (Add more if needed) Pulse until a semi-chunky mixture develops. Pour in the butter and parsley and pulse to it's combined. Set aside. 

For the "Meat" of the stew

  • In a large stock pot cook the bacon until crispy. Remove the cooked bacon and drain on paper towels. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat and reserve the remaining. 
  • Brown the pork in the bacon fat on medium-low heat. Do this in small batches until all it's all browned. Season each batch with a pinch of salt and pepper. Remove from pan and place in a large bowl. 
  • Add the kielbasa and brown. Once browned add to the bowl with the pork.  
  • Season the chicken with a pinch of salt and pepper on each piece. Add a little more bacon fat to the pan and brown the chicken. This will take 5-8 for the first side. Turn over and cook for another 3 minutes. Remove from the pan and place in the bowl with the other meats. 
  • If needed, add a little more bacon fat to the pan and saute the onions until translucent. Add the carrots and garlic and cook for another minute. Deglaze the pan with the wine, scraping up the brown bits. 
  • Stir in the bay leaves, herbs de Provence, tomatoes, tomato paste, salt and, pepper. Add the meats back to the pan along with the cooked bacon. Stir in the cooked beans and cover with the chicken stock. 
  • Cover the stock pot with the lid and place in a preheated 350-degree oven for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir in the chopped kale. Top the stew with the breadcrumb mixture. 
  • Increase the temperature to 400 degrees and cook for an additional 30 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are browned. Remove from oven and serve in large bowls with fresh baguettes. 

Notes

Click here for my recipe for homemade chicken stock.