Quick French Comfort: Ina Garten’s Cassoulet Recipe for Hearty Warmth

Nestled in the heart of French countryside cooking, this rustic cassoulet with an Ina Garten twist brings comfort and elegance to your dinner table.

Rich, hearty flavors dance through every spoonful of this classic dish.

Slow-cooked meats meld perfectly with creamy white beans, creating a symphony of textures that warm you from the inside out.

Garten’s approach simplifies this traditional French recipe without losing its soulful charm.

Each ingredient is carefully selected to deliver maximum depth and satisfaction.

The magic happens when tender duck, smoky sausage, and perfectly seasoned beans come together in one stunning pot.

You’ll fall in love with this luxurious yet approachable cassoulet that promises to become a cherished staple in your culinary repertoire.

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours 20 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes

Calories: 400 kcal

Servings: 6

What You’ll Need for Ina Garten’s Cassoulet

• Sausages: Bring robust, meaty flavor and rich depth to the cassoulet, selecting high-quality pork or chicken varieties with good seasoning.
• Chicken Breasts: Provide lean protein and absorb delicious cooking flavors, choosing fresh, organic cuts for best texture and taste.

• Onion, Carrot, Leeks: Create foundational flavor base with sweet and earthy undertones, selecting crisp and firm produce for maximum freshness.
• Shallots, Garlic: Deliver intense, complex aromatic notes that elevate the entire dish's flavor profile, picking firm, unblemished bulbs.

• White Wine: Adds sophisticated complexity and helps deglaze the pan, selecting a dry variety like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio.
• Salt, Pepper: Essential seasonings that enhance and balance other ingredients, using freshly ground black pepper for maximum flavor impact.
• Herbs: Contribute bright, fresh notes and depth, choosing fresh herbs over dried for more vibrant taste.
• Parsley: Provides fresh, green garnish that adds visual appeal and light herbaceous finish.
• Beans: Offer hearty texture and protein, selecting high-quality dried or canned white beans for authentic cassoulet experience.

Gear for Preparing Cassoulet à la Ina

• Dutch Oven or Heavy-Bottomed Saucepan: Essential for browning sausages, cooking chicken, and simmering the entire cassoulet.
• Sharp Knife: Perfect for chopping sausages and preparing vegetables like onions, carrots, leeks, shallots, and garlic.
• Cutting Board: Provides a clean surface for chopping ingredients.
• Wooden Spoon or Spatula: Helps stir and scrape the bottom of the pan while cooking.
• Measuring Spoons: For accurately seasoning with salt and pepper.
• Oven Mitts: Necessary for handling hot cookware safely.
• Small Bowl: Useful for setting aside cooked meats.
• Fresh Parsley: Needed for garnishing the final dish.

How to Layer a Perfect Cassoulet the Ina Way

• Oven Preparation

Warm your oven to a gentle 325℉, creating the perfect environment for a slow-cooked French classic.

• Sausage Foundation

Brown hearty sausages in a sturdy Dutch oven, releasing their rich flavors and creating a delicious base for the cassoulet.

• Chicken Layer

Carefully cook chicken pieces in the same pot, seasoning with aromatic salt and pepper until perfectly tender.

• Vegetable Harmony

Sauté a colorful mix of onions, carrots, and leeks in the flavorful pan drippings, then introduce shallots and garlic for an extra depth of taste.

• Wine Deglaze

Pour white wine into the pot, gently scraping the caramelized bits from the bottom, which will add incredible complexity to the dish.

• Slow Baking

Combine all ingredients in the Dutch oven, allowing them to meld together during a leisurely two-hour bake in the oven.

• Final Touch

Sprinkle fresh parsley on top and serve this rustic French masterpiece directly from the pot, inviting everyone to enjoy its comforting warmth.

Customize Your Cassoulet with Protein Options

• Swap chicken breasts with tender duck legs or replace sausages with pancetta for a different flavor profile.
• Experiment with cannellini, Great Northern, or navy beans to add unique textures and subtle taste variations.
• Mix fresh thyme, rosemary, and sage for a robust aromatic blend that deepens the cassoulet's traditional French countryside essence.
• Sprinkle breadcrumbs mixed with grated Parmesan cheese on top during the last 30 minutes of baking to create a golden, crunchy crust that adds delightful textural contrast.

Ways to Plate Ina Garten’s Cassoulet for Guests

• Pair with Crusty Bread: Slice a warm, rustic baguette or artisan sourdough to soak up the rich, flavorful sauce from the cassoulet.
• Create a Fresh Side Salad: Toss a light green salad with a tangy vinaigrette to balance the hearty, robust flavors of the main dish.
• Complement with Wine: Pour a glass of French red wine like Bordeaux or Côtes du Rhône to enhance the deep, complex flavors of the cassoulet.
• Garnish with Fresh Herbs: Sprinkle chopped parsley or thyme over the top for a burst of fresh color and added aromatic depth.

Save Cassoulet and Keep It Tasting Fresh

• Batch Cook Smartly: Prepare double the recipe and divide into meal-prep containers for easy weeknight dinners. Refrigerated cassoulet stays delicious for 3-4 days when stored in airtight containers.
• Freeze for Future Feasts: Transfer cooled cassoulet to freezer-safe containers, leaving some space for expansion. Frozen dishes maintain top quality for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
• Reheat with Care: Warm cassoulet gently in a covered oven-safe dish at 325℉ to maintain moisture and prevent drying out. Add a splash of chicken broth if the mixture seems too thick during reheating.
• Portion Control Pro: Divide the cassoulet into individual serving sizes for quick grab-and-go meals. Use glass containers with tight-fitting lids to keep flavors fresh and ingredients separated.

Rustic Ina Garten Cassoulet Recipe

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4.7 from 19 reviews

• Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
• Yield: 6 1x

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Description

Hearty Ina Garten cassoulet from France brings rustic charm to dinner tables with rich layers of meat and beans. Savory ingredients meld together, creating a comforting dish you’ll crave during chilly evenings.

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Ingredients

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• 4 links Italian pork sausages
• 1 lb (454 g) chicken breasts (boneless and skinless, cut into bite-size pieces)
• 1 large onion (chopped)
• 1 medium carrot (chopped)
• 1 leek (chopped (white and green part))
• 2 small shallots (chopped)
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 19 oz (540 g) cannellini beans (1 can, drained)
• ½ cup (118 ml) white wine (such as a sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio)
• 1 ½ cups (355 ml) water
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• ½ tsp herbes de Provence
• 2 tbsps (30 ml) parsley (for garnish)

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Instructions

1. Preparation: Calibrate oven to 325°F with center rack placement, creating optimal cooking environment.
2. Protein Searing: Execute golden-brown sausage caramelization in Dutch oven over medium-high heat, removing and potentially slicing after achieving crisp exterior.
3. Chicken Technique: Season chicken breasts with pepper and salt, cooking thoroughly in identical pan until no pink remains, then transferring to separate holding plate.
4. Aromatic Foundation: Leverage residual sausage drippings to develop vegetable flavor profile, sautéing onions, carrots, and leeks until softened. Integrate shallots and garlic, releasing intense aromatics for approximately one minute.
5. Deglazing Process: Introduce white wine to pan, using wooden spoon to liberate caramelized essence clinging to cookware surface, creating rich flavor base.
6. Consolidation and Slow Cooking: Reunite sausage and chicken within pot, incorporating beans and selected herbs. Modulate seasoning with additional salt and pepper. Cover and transfer to preheated oven, allowing two-hour slow-cooking transformation to meld ingredients harmoniously.
7. Presentation: Garnish with freshly chopped parsley, serving immediately to showcase complex, layered culinary experience.

Notes

• Preheating Precision: Position the oven rack exactly in the center for even heat distribution and optimal cooking results.
• Meat Browning Magic: Achieve golden, crispy sausages and chicken by using medium-high heat and allowing proper caramelization in the pan.
• Flavor Building Technique: Deglaze the pan with white wine to capture and incorporate all the delicious caramelized bits, creating deeper, more complex flavor profiles.
• Slow Cooking Secrets: Cover and bake for exactly 2 hours to allow ingredients to meld together, transforming individual components into a rich, harmonious cassoulet.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: French

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 6
• Calories: 400
• Sugar: 2 g
• Sodium: 600 mg
• Fat: 15 g
• Saturated Fat: 5 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 40 g
• Fiber: 10 g
• Protein: 30 g
• Cholesterol: 70 mg