Cassoulet (French White Bean and Pork Stew)

Quick answer

Total time: 175 min
Level: Hard
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients: 9

About this dish

Cassoulet is a slow-cooked stew from the Languedoc region of southwestern France, combining white beans, pork shoulder, and sausage in chicken stock over a minimum of two hours.

As the beans absorb broth during the long simmer, they gradually release their starch into the liquid. This natural thickening is what produces the stew's characteristic dense, coating texture without any added roux or flour. Collagen from the pork shoulder breaks down completely over the extended cooking time and dissolves into the broth, adding body, while the fat from the sausages emulsifies into the stew rather than pooling on the surface. Thyme manages the richness of the meats, and tomato paste provides acidity and structural depth. Preparing cassoulet a day in advance and allowing it to rest overnight lets the beans and meat exchange flavors fully, producing a noticeably deeper result than the freshly made version. This is a dish that requires time as an ingredient. Served in cold weather with a thick slice of crusty bread, a single bowl constitutes a complete meal.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

white beans400 gg

pork shoulder500 gg

pork sausage300 gg

onion1 eaea

carrot1 eaea

garlic4 pcspcs

tomato paste1 tbsptbsp

chicken stock800 mlml

thyme1 tsptsp

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Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Heat

Soak 400g white beans in water for at least 8 hours.

Drain, rinse, blanch in fresh water for 30 minutes to par-cook, then drain again. Fully soaked beans are essential for achieving the right tenderness after 2 hours of cooking.
2

Control

Heat a heavy pot over medium-high heat.

Cut 500g pork neck into 4cm pieces and brown them in 2 to 3 batches on all sides. Brown 300g sausage in the same way.
3

Heat

Cook 1 coarsely chopped onion in the same pot for 4 minutes.

Add 1 carrot cut 1.5cm thick and cook for 3 more minutes. Add 4 minced garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes.
4

Control

Add the blanched beans, 800ml chicken stock, 1 teaspoon thyme, and the browned pork and sausage.

Bring to a boil over high heat, skim the foam, and reduce to low heat.
5

Control

Cover and simmer over low heat for at least 2 hours.

Check after 1 hour and lower the heat further if the liquid is reducing too quickly. The cassoulet is nearly ready when a bean crushes easily under a fork.
6

Finish

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

The dish is done when the pork pulls apart easily with a fork and the beans have melded with the sauce into a thick, cohesive stew. Serve with crusty bread.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: French Cassoulet slow-braises white beans and pork until the broth naturally thickens into a stew.
Finish cue: The dish is done when the pork pulls apart easily with a fork and the beans have melded with the sauce into a thick, cohesive stew.
Storage and reheating: Flavor improves significantly the next day.