Description
Hearty French sausage cassoulet brings rustic comfort from southwest France’s countryside kitchens. Rich layers of slow-cooked beans, tender meats, and golden breadcrumbs invite you to savor classic culinary tradition with each delicious spoonful.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat:
- 1 pound lean boneless pork loin roast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1/2 pound reduced-fat smoked sausage, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 2 slices bacon
Beans and Vegetables:
- 2 (15-ounce) cans of Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups chopped onion
- 2 (14.5-ounce) cans of diced tomatoes, drained
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
Herbs and Seasonings:
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 8 teaspoons finely shredded fresh Parmesan cheese
- 8 teaspoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
- Render bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until crisp and golden, then remove and crumble into small pieces.
- Sauté onions, minced herbs, and garlic in the residual bacon fat for approximately 3 minutes until onions become translucent and fragrant.
- Return crumbled bacon to the pan, season with salt and pepper, then incorporate diced tomatoes and briefly combine.
- Partially mash half the beans in a mixing bowl, creating a rustic, chunky texture to help thicken the cassoulet.
- Gently fold in whole beans, pork, and sausage into the mashed bean mixture, ensuring even distribution of ingredients.
- Layer the bean and meat mixture into a slow cooker, alternating with the tomato mixture to create distinct flavor stratification.
- Set slow cooker to LOW temperature and cook covered for 5 hours, allowing ingredients to meld and develop rich, deep flavors.
- Once cooking is complete, carefully transfer the cassoulet into serving bowls, garnishing with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.
Notes
- Use thick-cut bacon for a richer, more intense flavor that adds depth to the cassoulet’s overall taste profile.
- Mash some beans to create a creamy texture that helps bind the ingredients and thicken the dish naturally.
- For a gluten-free version, ensure all sausage and bacon are certified gluten-free and check tomato ingredients carefully.
- Consider using smoked sausage for an extra layer of complexity that elevates the traditional cassoulet flavor.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 hours
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 292 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 734 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 29 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg