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It’s not every day that a cassoulet-style French bean stew recipe comes along and proceeds to absolutely blow your mind. This recipe is an 8-hour, multi-step method that I approach in 3 parts over 3 days, so plan accordingly. But the recipe is surprisingly easy, and as my readers can attest, the results are well worth it!
If you love cozy soups and stews, don’t miss these great recipes for Normandy French onion soup and this thick and hearty beef stew.
Quick Look: Cassoulet-Style French Bean Stew Recipe
- ⏲️ Prep Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- ⏲️ Cook Time: 6 hours
- ⏲️ Total Time: 8 hours 30 minutes (split up over 3 days)
- 👨👩👧👦 Servings: 12 servings
- 🌽 Cuisine & Heritage: French (with an American twist)
- 🍽️ Calories: 938 calories per serving (more nutritional info in recipe card)
- 🥦 Dietary Info: Gluten Free & Dairy Free
- 🟢 Difficulty: Easy
- 🔥 Cooking Method: Stovetop
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: earthy and flavorful with melt-in-your-mouth meat and beans.
- 🔑 Top Tip: Many elements of the cassoulet can be made 3 days in advance and simply refrigerated and assembled later when you’re ready to serve it.
- 🍷 Drink Pairings: Pair this hearty French cassoulet-style bean stew with a robust red wine like a Grenache or Côtes du Rhône, or a malty amber ale.
- ❄️ Storage: Leftovers will keep in the fridge for 3-5 days, or can be frozen for up to 3 months.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Comfort in Every Spoonful: This stew is hearty and soulful, with tender beans and savory sausage that wrap you up like a warm hug on a cool night. Every spoon brings a mix of creamy beans, aromatic herbs, and rich broth; it’s the kind of dish that makes you feel fed, not just full.
- Big Flavor & Simple Method: Even though the method is long, the technique is easy and leads to a delicious stew you’ll want to make again and again!
- Perfect for Making Ahead & Leftovers: This recipe requires a 3-day process, but the components may be made ahead up and refrigerated for up to 3 days. It really is an easy recipe, and it makes a good amount, so there are fabulous leftovers for busy weeknights.
“This stew came out great! My whole family just loved it. Like you said, it was absolutely worth it. I’ll be making this again for our Super Bowl party. Thanks so much!”
Table of Contents
Ingredients
Wondering what key ingredients you’ll need for this cassoulet-style French bean stew? Grab these key ingredients, along with a few others, and you’ll be ready to start cooking.
- Pork or Lamb Meat: Use either, or a combination of both; I also like to add French-style fresh pork sausages, smoked ham hocks, salt pork, and fat back (pork skin with a fat cap attached). If you do not consume pork, look for smoked beef sausages, duck sausages or chicken sausages (raw, not fully cooked).
- Dry Beans: A true Cassoulet or white bean stew uses cannellini or white beans, but I like to make this with a mixture of beans. Experiment with a mixture of dry cannellini beans, white navy beans, tarbais beans, pinto beans, or kidney beans. I have been known to dump a can of rinsed cannellinis into this recipe at the end, but I do not recommend canned beans solely in this recipe as the ensemble loses the earthy and complex layers of flavor intended.
- Six Legs Duck Confit: Confit simply refers to duck or chicken cooked slowly over a long period of time in its own fat to preserve it. You can oftentimes find confit duck or chicken in your butcher’s case in the grocery. Otherwise, consider purchasing from reputable provision sellers such as D’Artagnan.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations & Substitutions
- Duck Confit Substitutions: Duck confit may be the classic option, but roasted duck legs or chicken thighs can be used instead, as they bring depth and richness without compromising the spirit of the dish.
- Sausage Options: Toulouse sausage is ideal, yet any mild pork garlic sausage (or even plain Italian sausage without fennel) is a good substitute.
- Don’t Have Duck Fat on Hand? Rendered bacon fat or good olive oil are excellent alternatives.
How to Make Cassoulet-Style French Bean Stew
Scroll down for the full printable recipe or stick around for the step-by-step breakdown with photos to walk you through every delicious detail.
1
Day 1: Salting the Meats
Grab a large baking dish and place the smoked ham hocks, pork or lamb stew meat cubes and fat back inside; season lightly with Kosher salt and black pepper before covering to refrigerate overnight. In a stockpot, cover the beans with enough water to exceed by 3 inches and soak overnight.
What Type of Beans to Use?
I recommend using a mixture of different beans, but here’s two in particular that I recommend including in this stew:
- Tarbais beans are described by those who swear by them as an edible tour de force. They are ultra-creamy, and are the quintessential ingredient in cassoulet. You’ll find them on the menu for all types of meals everywhere in the south of France.
- Cannellini beans are described as silky when cooked and mildly nutty tasting. They are a meatier bean than white beans or great northern beans, and retain both their shape and texture even with long cooking times.
2
Day 2: Beginning the Stew
- The following day, cover the salt pork and fat back with water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer over moderate heat, about 30 minutes.
- Drain and cool slightly before cutting the fat back into 5 long pieces. Roll each piece as you’d roll up a rug and tie/secure with kitchen twine. Refrigerate the salt pork for now.
3
Building the Ragout
- Dry the ham hocks and stew meat cubes with a paper towel. In your largest Dutch oven, heat the duck fat.
- Add half the stew meat and cook over moderately high heat until lightly browned all over. Transfer to a plate using a slotted spoon and repeat with the remaining stew meat.
- Add the smoked ham hocks to the Dutch oven and brown them lightly. This is the beginning of “building” your ragout and it’s important to take your time.
4
Sautéing Veggies & Simmering
- Sauté the carrots and onions and the single clove and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden, about 7 minutes. Use a spoon to remove the clove.
- Add the hunk of pancetta and brown it lightly. Add the hunk of prosciutto, the head of garlic and the tomato and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
- Remove the Dutch oven from the heat and add the white wine. Return to the heat and add 2 quarts of the homemade chicken stock, the bouquet garni, the fat back rolls, and all the seared stew meat and any collected juices and bring to a boil. Cover the casserole and gently simmer the ragout over low heat for 1½ hours, stirring occasionally.
4
Cook the Beans & Refrigerate
- Drain the beans. In a large saucepan, cover the beans with fresh water and bring to a boil over moderate heat. Simmer the beans for 3 minutes, then drain again. Spoon the beans into the ragout and simmer until the beans are just tender, about 2 hours.
- Let the ragout cool, then refrigerate overnight to allow the fat to rise to the surface and solidify.
5
Day 3: Completing the Ragout
- The following day, remove as much of the solidified fat as you can from the surface of the ragout, reserving about 1/4 cup. Let the ragout return to room temperature, about 1 hour.
- Pick out the ham hocks, pancetta, and prosciutto. Cut the meats into bite-size pieces; discard the bones, skin, and gristle. Pick out the pork skin bundles and the head of garlic and reserve. Discard the bouquet garni.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bring the ragout to a simmer.
- Cut the refrigerated, boiled salt pork into small pieces. Squeeze the cooked garlic cloves into a food processor. Add the salt pork and the raw garlic cloves and process to a smooth paste. Stir this paste into the ragout and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in all the cooked meats.
6
Assembling Ragout
- Meanwhile, arrange the duck confit legs in a baking dish and roast just until heated through, about 15 minutes. Remove the meat from the bones in large pieces. Cut the skin into strips. Discard the bones.
- Turn the oven down to 325°F. Untie and unroll the fat back rolls. Line the bottom of a 5- to 6-quart earthenware casserole with the fat back. Using a large, slotted spoon, transfer half of the ragout to the earthenware casserole.
- Top with the torn pieces of duck confit in an even layer, then cover with the remaining ragout. Add the remaining 2 cups of broth to the cooking liquid in the cast-iron casserole and season lightly with salt and pepper.
7
Baking & Serving
- Pour the liquid over the ragout and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the reserved skimmed fat. Bake the cassoulet for 1½ hours.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a medium skillet. Add the sausages and cook over moderately high heat until browned all over. Let cool, then cut the sausages into 3-inch chunks.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 275°F. Gently stir in the skin that has formed on the cassoulet. Nestle in the sausage chunks and drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of reserved fat. Sprinkle with the breadcrumbs.
- Bake the cassoulet for 1 hour longer, until it is bubbling around the edges and richly browned on the surface. Transfer to a wooden board or towel-lined cooling rack and allow to rest for at least 25 minutes before serving.
Recipe FAQs
Bean stew is comprised of a richly seasoned broth, heavily caramelized vegetables, and of course, beans. Creamy white beans are a traditional ingredient when assembling a true Cassoulet, however in this method, I am using an array of beans. Whether a white bean stew recipe or a mixed bean stew recipe, this method follows the same protocols.
Cassoulet is a traditional French dish of white beans baked and braised with meats. Its name comes from the type of pot it’s cooked in, the cassole d’Issel. Cassoulet originated in the Languedoc region in southwest France, a place I am VERY familiar with. Cassoulet was once considered a working man’s or farmhouse fare. It’s very hearty and fills the soul. I bring a modified version of a complex dish that you will find easy to work through.
To prepare dried beans for cooking, you’ll need to soak them first. Soaking helps leach out the complex sugars responsible for gas, making the beans easier to digest and quicker to cook. Begin by rinsing the beans in a colander and picking through them carefully to remove any debris or small stones.
For a long soak, place the beans in a large stockpot, cover with water by two to three inches, cover, and soak for at least 6 hours or overnight, but no longer than 10 hours.
For a quick soak, add the beans to a deep saucepan, cover with water by two to three inches, and bring to a boil for 2 to 2½ minutes. Remove from the heat, cover tightly, and let the beans soak for 1 hour. Once soaked, the beans should be swollen and tender, with skins that slip easily when pressed. Drain and continue with the recipe.
Yes, but only the last part of it. Why only in the end? This stew will absolutely go low and slow, the very reason we whip out those trusty crockpots in the first place. But in this method, there are many varying degrees of doneness individual ingredients need to get to before they are combined in the ‘final’ stew.
If you want to finish this dish in the slow cooker, it will merely be to re-warm it after a complete cool down. To sauté onions, parboil sausages, and caramelize the vegetables you will need a large frying pan or cast-iron skillet, Dutch oven, and other saucepan(s).
Yes, any leftovers may be portioned and frozen for up to 3 months. Simply thaw in the refrigerator overnight and warm over medium heat in a large saucepan. Et voilà!
Serving Suggestions
When shopping for the ingredients for this recipe, be sure to pick up one or two baguettes. Crusty bread is a must to accompany this rich yet inexpensive meal.
This hearty cassoulet-style bean stew shines alongside bright, fresh sides and salads that balance its richness. Strawberry Blueberry Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette or a vibrant Peach and Tomato Caprese Salad to add color and acidity to the table. A heartier option like Old-Fashioned Potato Salad or a simple salad like Jamie Oliver’s “Mothership” Tomato Salad are perfect sides. Enjoy with a slice of apple cheese Danish for dessert!
Expert Tips
- If you are like me and save ham bones from Christmas and Easter, this recipe is the perfect time to use them!
- Soak and cook the beans gently to ensure creamy interiors without split skins or mushy texture.
- Build flavor in layers. Browning the meats and aromatics before adding the beans creates a deep, savory foundation that defines a proper cassoulet-style stew.
- Don’t try to rush the process. Slow cooking allows the beans to absorb the broth and rendered fat, developing the dish’s signature richness.
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Cassoulet-Style French Bean Stew
Equipment
- 5- to 6-quart earthenware casserole dish
Ingredients
- 1 pound pork stew meat, or lamb stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 smoked ham hocks, or 2 leftover ham bones
- 2 ounces salt pork, skin removed
- 6 ounces fat back , trimmed, leaving ¼-inch fat cap intact
- Kosher salt
- black pepper
- 2 pounds dried cannellini beans, white navy beans, tarbais beans, pinto beans or kidney beans or a combination thereof, rinsed and picked through
- ⅓ cup duck fat, may also use goose fat; I purchase mine from D'Artagnan
- 3 medium carrots, thinly sliced
- 2 medium onions, diced
- 5 ounce chunk pancetta
- 5 ounce chunk prosciutto
- 1 head + 4 cloves garlic
- 1 large plum tomato, chopped
- 9 cups homemade chicken stock
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 fresh bouquet garni, 4 parsley sprigs, 3 small celery ribs, 2 thyme sprigs and 1 bay leaf, tied with string
- 1 single whole clove
- 6 confit duck legs, I purchase these from D'Artagnan
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 pound pork sausages, I purchase these from D'Artagnan
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs
Instructions
Day 1
- Season the meat. Grab a large baking dish and place the smoked ham hocks, pork or lamb stew meat cubes, and fat back inside; season lightly with Kosher salt and black pepper before covering to refrigerate overnight.
- Soak the beans. For a long soak, place the beans in a large stockpot, cover with water by 3 inches, cover, and soak for at least 6 hours or overnight, but no longer than 10 hours. For a quick soak, add the beans to a deep saucepan, cover with water by 3 inches, and boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover, and soak for 1 hour. The beans should be swollen and tender, with skins that slip easily when pressed.
Day 2
- Cook the salt pork and fat back. The following day, cover the salt pork and fat back with water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer over moderate heat, about 30 minutes. Drain and cool slightly before cutting the fat back into 5 long pieces. Roll each piece as you’d roll up a rug and tie/secure with kitchen twine. Refrigerate the salt pork for now.
- Cook the ham and stew meat. Dry the ham hocks and stew meat cubes with a paper towel. In your largest Dutch oven, heat the duck fat. Add half the stew meat and cook over moderately high heat until lightly browned all over. Transfer to a plate using a slotted spoon and repeat with the remaining stew meat. Add the smoked ham hocks to the Dutch oven and brown them lightly.
- Sauté the aromatics. Add the carrots and onions and the single whole clove and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden, and the clove is fragrant, about 7 minutes. Use a spoon to remove the clove. Add the hunk of pancetta and brown it lightly. Add the hunk of prosciutto, the head of garlic and the tomato and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
- Simmer. Remove the Dutch oven from the heat and add the white wine. Return to the heat and add 2 quarts of the homemade chicken stock, the bouquet garni, the fat back rolls, and all the seared stew meat and any collected juices and bring to a boil. Cover the casserole and gently simmer the ragout over low heat for 1½ hours, stirring occasionally.
- Cook beans briefly. Drain the beans. In a large saucepan, cover the beans with fresh water and bring to a boil over moderate heat. Do not use the water that the beans soaked in. Simmer the beans for 3 minutes, then drain again. Spoon the beans into the ragout and simmer until the beans are just tender, about 2 hours.
- Refrigerate. Let the ragout cool, then refrigerate overnight to allow the fat to rise to the surface and solidify.
Day 3
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Prep. The following day, remove as much of the solidified fat as you can from the surface of the ragout, reserving about ¼ cup. Let the ragout return to room temperature, about 1 hour. Pick out the ham hocks, pancetta, and prosciutto. Cut the meats into bite-size pieces; discard the bones, skin, and gristle. Pick out the pork skin bundles and the head of garlic and reserve. Discard the bouquet garni.
- Make the paste. Bring the ragout to a simmer on the stove top. Cut the refrigerated, boiled salt pork into small pieces. Squeeze the cooked garlic cloves into a food processor. Add the salt pork and the raw garlic cloves and process to a smooth paste. Stir this paste into the ragout and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in all the cooked meats.
- Roast the duck legs. Arrange the duck confit legs in a baking dish and roast just until heated through, about 15 minutes. Remove the meat from the bones in large pieces. Cut the skin into strips. Discard the bones.
- Turn the oven down to 325°F.
- Layer the cassoulet. Untie and unroll the fat back rolls. Line the bottom of a 5- to 6-quart earthenware casserole with the fat back. Using a large, slotted spoon, transfer half of the ragout to the earthenware casserole. Top with the torn pieces of duck confit in an even layer, then cover with the remaining ragout. Add the remaining 2 cups of broth to the cooking liquid in the cast-iron casserole and season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Bake. Pour the liquid over the ragout and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the reserved skimmed fat. Bake the cassoulet for 1½ hours.
- Cook the sausages. Heat the vegetable oil in a medium skillet. Add the sausages and cook over moderately high heat until browned all over. Let cool, then cut the sausages into 3-inch chunks.
- Add sausage and topping. Reduce the oven temperature to 275°F. Gently stir in the skin that has formed on the cassoulet. Nestle in the sausage chunks and drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of reserved fat. Sprinkle with the breadcrumbs.
- Bake, rest, and serve. Bake the cassoulet for 1 hour longer, until it is bubbling around the edges and richly browned on the surface. Transfer to a wooden board or towel-lined cooling rack and allow to rest for at least 25 minutes before serving.
Notes
- If you are like me and save ham bones from Christmas and Easter, this recipe is the perfect time to use them!
- Soak and cook the beans gently to ensure creamy interiors without split skins or mushy texture.
- Build flavor in layers. Browning the meats and aromatics before adding the beans creates a deep, savory foundation that defines a proper cassoulet-style stew.
- Don’t try to rush the process. Slow cooking allows the beans to absorb the broth and rendered fat, developing the dish’s signature richness.
- To make ahead, prepare the bean stew through adding the garlic/salt pork paste up to 3 days ahead. Let cool, then refrigerate. Bring the ragout and beans to room temperature before proceeding.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
With great appreciation, this recipe is modified by the L’hostellerie de l’Eveche in Alet-les-Bains, Occitanie, France from an original by Paula Wolfert, my favorite cookbook author. If you ever find yourself in the South of France, a stay at L’Hostellerie de l’Évêché is worth it for the food, the history, and a truly unforgettable night’s rest.
I love reading history and the photos are beautiful. This recipe is not as simple as it sounds but definitely worth the effort. My family enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing.
Rhonda, I am happy you took the time to prepare this dish. It definitely a comfort meal! Jenny
I made a few substitutions based on what I had on hand, and this bean stew still turned out amazing! I used kidney beans instead of cannellini beans and omitted the duck confit, but it was still packed with flavor. Such a versatile recipe!
Myla, kidney beans are supremely sweet once they’ve cooked for a while, so I imagine this cassoulet took on a uniqueness only found when cooking with these beans. I’m elated you tried it, and even more elated you took the time to mention your modifications. Perhaps others will find your changes something they’d like to try doing, too. Jenny
This stew came out great! My whole family just loved it. Like you said, it was absolutely worth it. I’ll be making this again for our Super Bowl party. Thanks so much!
Oh, I am so happy, Patty! Let me know how your guests receive it! Jenny
The recipe was a bit intimidating to be honest, but it was soooo worth it! I love the flavors and how absolutely comforting it was. I’m definitely going to make this again!
Belle, it is a commitment for sure, but worth the trouble. And really, the hands-on time can’t even be labeled as trouble because it’s minimal. Thank you for letting me know how you liked it! Jenny
I tried and made this for my grandma the other day she really enjoyed it! It was a labor of love since it’s a lengthy recipe but it’s absolutely worth the try. Thanks for the recipe!
Faith, this recipe IS a labor of love because of its length, but I stand by my statement that it is 100% worth the effort! Thank you for trying it and being so kind as to let me know! x – Jenny
Looks delicious. Can’t wait to try it.
Keira, I soooo hope you will try it. Spend out for the confit if you can source it local to you (or online) because it’s 200% worth it. Same goes for the duck fat. Do let me know how you enjoy it! Jenny
Amazing recipy! Seems so delicious! Thanks for sharing 😉
Kelli, thank you! I try to be as good at this dish as my French chef teacher, but I am sure I still have a few skills to hone. What I do know is that this is a spot-on method if followed.
Definitely saving this recipe. Will hunt (shop) and gather and make time. I appreciate the detail and time frames you’ve shared; and I’m excited to make this. Sounds SO delicious. …. Also, what a beautiful photo of the stone walk, wall, structures and door. Incredible. 🙂
Chey, thank you so much for your beautiful comment regarding the photo I took in Alet les Bains. I took so many while we were there that it was hard to select just one to add to the post. If you visit the South of France, please try your best to make it to this tiny and magical place. Everything about it still speaks to me, hence the reason I shared the Cassoulet. Joan of Arc is celebrated in enormity here, and it’s also scarred by the Crusades, so a bunch of ancient energy for sure. Also, if you have difficulty sourcing any of the ingredients, reach out to me as I have affiliates who I can put you in touch with, so you get what you need without having to purchase more than you need. x – Jenny