This Vegetarian Cassoulet Recipe is one of the best vegetarian comfort food recipes ever! It's a vegetarian twist on a classic duck dish, packed with hearty and delicious flavors. And it's dairy free, making it vegan as well.
This hearty Vegetarian Cassoulet recipe overflows with warm, rich flavors. It's absolutely dreamy.
It's incredibly satisfying, not only to eat, but to cook as well. Your home will be filled with the delicious scent of fresh herbs, caramelized onions and roasted garlic, blended together with its star ingredient, cannellini beans. Their creamy texture is one of the keys to the comfort in this dish.
Vegetarian Cassoulet takes a good amount of time to make, and every minute is worth the results.
It's the cooking time that allows for the flavors and textures to marry together so perfectly. Please note though, that the majority of the time is inactive.
What is Cassoulet?
- Cassoulet is a rich, slow-cooked bean stew or casserole originating in the south of France.
- Traditionally it includes white kidney beans, pork sausages, pork, goose, duck confit and sometimes mutton. (Duck confit is duck cooked in its own fat.)
Not exactly what you're going for if you're a vegetarian. Clearly.
Other than the beans and slow-cooking method, there's nothing traditional about this Cassoulet recipe. It's vegetarian, after all.
In fact, the title, "Vegetarian Cassoulet" is pretty much an oxymoron. And it's truly amazing! You won't be able to get enough!
The Key Vegetarian Cassoulet Ingredients
- extra virgin olive oil - I like this one.
- onion - Try to choose onions that are firm, heavy for their size and without bruises.
- roasted garlic - Roasted garlic is creamy, subtly sweet and much less pungent than raw garlic. Here's How to Roast Garlic.
- carrots - Look for firm, plump carrots, preferably without little roots on the bottom.
- kale - I use Lacinato kale. The leaves are slightly thinner and more tender than those of curly kale.
- marinated artichoke hearts - These will be drained and offer an excellent rich and flavorful texture contrast to the other ingredients.
- Cannellini beans - If possible, start with dry beans.
- canned tomatoes - Crushed or diced. Try to use the best possible quality canned tomatoes. This is one of my favorites.
- cream sherry - Medium or dry sherry is okay too, just slightly less sweet.
- vegetable stock - Preferably low sodium.
- breadcrumbs - I use Panko (breadcrumbs without the crust).
(See recipe card below for quantities.)
Substitutions and Variations
- Roasted garlic. If you want to use raw garlic it will be much sharper, so use about half of the amount listed in the recipe card. It should also be added with the onions, rather than after the onions become soft.
- Kale. Spinach is the best substitute for the kale. Use about 1 ½ times the amount you would kale -- it's tends to shrink a lot more when cooked. You can also use swiss chard or collard greens.
- Cream sherry. Vermouth is a great substitute. Or you can skip it all together if you'd like. If you do, make up the difference with more vegetable stock.
- Dried thyme. Fresh thyme can also be used. Use 3 times the amount listed in the recipe card.
- Fresh oregano. You can use dried oregano if you don't have fresh. Use about ⅓ of the amount listed in the recipe card.
- You can also mix up the fresh herbs and use rosemary, marjarom, or any combination of all of them.
- Gluten-free version. This is an easy fix. Just use gluten-free breadcrumbs.
Recipe Tips
My best advice for this recipe is to follow the cooking times as closely as you can. It's worth every minute.
How to Make it
- Before you begin, the garlic should be roasted (here's how), and the beans should be cooked (here's how.) Both of these things can be done up to a few days in advance. (You can also use canned, well-drained Cannellini beans.)
- Use about 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to coat the bottom of a large (about 4 quart), heavy-bottomed pot (A Dutch Oven is perfect). Place the pot over medium-high heat and add the onions. Stirring every few minutes or so, cook until they're very tender and are beginning to brown, about 15 minutes. Add the roasted garlic and stir to blend.
- Add the carrots and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring a few times.
- Then add the kale and cook until it’s completely wilted, about 5 minutes. Stir in the artichokes, oregano and thyme, and cook for a couple of minutes, until it’s very aromatic.
- Deglaze the pot with the tomatoes, sherry and stock. Use a flat-bottomed wooden spatula to scrape any stuck bits of food from the bottom of the pot, back into the mixture.
- Preheat the oven to 300°F.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Then uncover the pot, turn the heat to medium and cook to reduce the liquid by about half. This should take about 20 minutes.
- Fold in the beans and season generously to taste with salt and pepper. Pour the mixture into a 9 x 13 x 2½ inch baking dish, or two 9 inch pie dishes.
- Sprinkle the bread crumbs evenly on top and then drizzle with the remaining olive oil.
- Bake uncovered in the preheated 300°F oven for 1½ hours. Then cover loosely with foil, and bake for another 30 minutes. (If the top isn't as golden as you'd like, you can place it under the broiler for about 30 seconds.)
- Let it rest for at least 20 minutes before serving.
Making it Ahead and Storage
- You can make vegetarian cassoulet a day ahead of time. In fact, if anything, it's even better. Let it cool completely, cover it tightly with foil or plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Let it come to room temperature before reheating it in a 300°F oven until it's hot, covered lightly with foil.
- Leftovers (if there are any!) should be refrigerated, are great for at least 4 days.
- Freezing. You can freeze leftovers for up to a couple of months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight, then bring to room temperature before reheating it in a 300°F oven until it's hot, covered lightly with foil.
Frequently Asked Questions About this Vegetarian Cassoulet
Q: Do I have to cook the Cannellini beans myself, or can I used canned?
A: Absolutely you can use canned. If you do, be sure to drain them well.
Q: Do I need to use the full amount of olive oil.
A: Yes, if you want the results we're going for, which is for the consistency to mimic that of a classic cassoulet as closely as possible, (considering it's vegetarian). 😉 The oil and the long cooking time are what make it so rich and creamy, and utterly delicious.
Q: Do the vegetables become soggy with the long cooking time?
A: Nope!
Oh, and if you want a cassoulet with meat, you'll want to try this Chicken Sausage Cassoulet.
Other Vegetarian Stews
- Tuscan White Bean Stew
- Slow Cooked Red Cabbage Stew
- Curry Potato Stew
- Roasted Butternut Squash Chili
- Vegetarian Tofu Chili
I hope you enjoy every last bite of this amazing vegetarian comfort food.
Vegetarian Cassoulet Recipe
*You can cook dry beans ahead of time (here's how), or use canned, draining them first.
*Please note that the majority of the cooking time is inactive.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2½ cups yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons roasted garlic, roughly chopped
- 2½ cups carrots, peeled and cut into ¼ to ½-inch rounds
- 5 cups packed kale (preferably Lacinato), washed and dried, tough stems removed, roughly chopped
- 1½ cup oil marinated artichoke hearts, drained, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1¼ cup canned tomatoes, peeled, chopped
- ½ cup cream sherry
- 2¼ cups vegetable stock
- 3¾ cups cooked Cannellini beans
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook onions and mix with garlic. Use about 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to coat the bottom of a large (about 3½ quart), heavy-bottomed pot (A Dutch Oven is perfect). Place the pot over medium-high heat and add the onions. Stirring every few minutes or so, cook the onions until they are very tender and are beginning to become brown, about 15 minutes. Add the roasted garlic and stir to blend.
- Add remaining vegetables. Add the carrots and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring a few times. Then add the kale and cook until it’s completely wilted, about 5 minutes. Stir in the artichokes, oregano and thyme, and cook for a couple of minutes, until it’s very aromatic.
- Deglaze. Deglaze the pot with the tomatoes, sherry and stock. Use a flat-bottomed wooden spatula to scrape any stuck bits of food from the bottom of the pot, back into the mixture.
- Preheat the oven to 300°F.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Then uncover the pot, turn the heat to medium and cook to reduce the liquid by about half. This should take about 20 minutes.
- Fold in the beans and season generously to taste with salt and pepper. (Here's How to Season to Taste.)
- Assemble. Pour the mixture into a 9 x 13 x 2½ inch baking dish, or two 9 inch pie dishes. Sprinkle the bread crumbs evenly on top and then drizzle with the remaining olive oil.
- Bake. Bake uncovered in the preheated 300°F oven for 1½ hours. Then cover loosely with foil, and bake for another 30 minutes. (If the top isn't as golden as you'd like, you can place it under the broiler for about 30 seconds.)
- Let it rest for at least 20 minutes before serving.
NOTES
NUTRITION
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Tori @ The Shiksa in the Kitchen
This also sounds really delicious! Could I sub spinach for the kale? I know kale is super healthy but it's a little bitter for me...
valentina
Thanks so much, Tori! Yes, spinach would be fantastic -- I'd use twice as much since it shrinks more than the kale. 🙂 xo
Andrea
Do you think this could be freezer-friendly? If so, would you freeze before or after baking?
valentina
I think you could freeze this after baking it. Place it in the refrigerator the at least 24 hours before you want to reheat it. Enjoy! 😀
Diane
Hi there,
Try as I might I just don't care for Kale. Is spinach an OK substitute?
valentina
Absolutely! 🙂
SHANIKA
This Vegetarian dish looks great! I'm loving all of the flavors and that crunch on top!
valentina
Thank you!
Jillian
This dish looks amazing! Vegetarian or meaty this will get gobbled up in my home!!
valentina
Yay! Enjoy it!
Natalie
Looks so delicious and comforting! Perfect for a healthy balanced dinner ♥
valentina
Indeed. Hope you try it. 🙂
Noelle
Love all the ingredients in this recipe, can't wait to make it with some of my fresh herbs and veggies!
valentina
Thank you, Noelle! Hope you love it.
Dannii
What a lovely warming comfort meal. I love how many veggies you have managed to pack in to it too.
valentina
Thanks so much, Dannii. 🙂
Marissa
I'm with you about Cannellini - definitely my favorite bean. (My husband is allergic to chickpeas so hummus, minestrone, you name it, we make with Cannellini instead). Cassoulet is one of my favorite comfort foods. Love the idea of a vegetarian version!
valentina
Here's to Cannellini! 😀 Good thing your husband's not allergic to those. Thank you, Marissa, for visiting. Hope you have a lovely (and delicious) weekend. 🙂
Kathryn
Mmmm....Cannellini Beans are also my favourite and I am a recent convert to Kale, much to the delight of my daughter. I think it all came down to how I cook it and I've found several lovely dishes....and this one I can add to the collection. Lovely Valentina.
valentina
Thanks, Kathyrn. It took me a while to get into kale, too, and I generally prefer it cooked. Enjoy! 🙂 ~Valentina
Gerlinde @ Sunnycovechef
Making cassoulet is on my to do list , maybe I start with your vegetarian version. It looks fantastic and is so much healthier.
valentina
Thank you, Gerlinde! It's yummy. Enjoy!
Eha
*smile* After decades of regularly cooking cassoulet avec duck and sausage it will feel slightly different doing your version. Looks good tho' I shall stay with spinach, use dry sherry and artichoke hearts for the first time . . . interesting trying . . .
valentina
Yes, it's quite different from the traditional duck and sausage (which I also love). I hope you find this delicious. Thank you for stopping by and I hope you're having a lovely weekend. 🙂
angiesrecipes
Healthy and comforting! I love that crusty topping.
valentina
Thank you, Angie! 🙂
David
Well, as you know, I just posted on cassoulet and I think a vegetarian version is a great idea! While I love the duck and pork version, it’s not exactly heart healthy! And all the ingredients in this are lovely! Thanks so much, Valentina!
valentina
Thank YOU, David. Non heart healthy is okay too -- in moderation, right!? 😉 Enjoy all the versions.
James
Looks so good. I'm sure it will be great without the duck fat, seems like there's a ton of flavor here!
valentina
Thanks, James! Enjoy!
Ron
A wonderful variation of a classic dish that I quite enjoy. But as David pointed out, cassoulet is not particularly heart healthy. Truth be known, I think the classic dish can be a bit too rich for me, so this is great. Love, love cannellini beans and veggies of all types. Can't wait to give this a try, but I might sneak in a piece of grilled chicken on the side Thanks for sharing.
valentina
Happy you like this, Ron. Hope you love it and it would be excellent with a "side" of grilled chicken. 😀
Naveen Sohail
What a delicious recipe. I am going to try this tonight.
valentina
Great! I hope you love it!
Kelly | Foodtasia
Valentina, this cassoulet looks amazing! Love how you made it vegetarian. It really is surprising how many vegetarian dishes are tops for comfort food. I definitely wouldn't miss the meat in this. Delicious!
valentina
Thank you, Kelly. I agree. 🙂
Dawn
This sounds absolutely divine, Valentina! Love all the veggies in here. Super hearty and perfect for meatless Monday...or any day really! That golden brown crispy top looks so tempting, I can practically hear the spoon crushing into now 😉 Have a fabulous week ahead!
valentina
Thank you, Dawn! Ooooh I do like the sound of that spoon going in. 😀
David @ Spiced
We made cassoulet not too long ago, and it was quite tasty! But now I'm totally intrigued by this vegetarian version. This one sounds delicious as well! The artichoke hearts + roasted garlic are both calling to me here!
valentina
Thanks, David! Yes, those artichokes and roasted garlic are soooo good! Enjoy!
Nancy
I adore Cassoulet and this vegetarian version is absolutely brilliant!!! So adding to my "must make" list!!!
valentina
Yay! Hope you love it, Nancy. Thank you!
2pots2cook
Oh dear ! We love cassoulet and your twist is so lovely and refreshing spring version. Thank you so much !
valentina
Thanks! It is indeed a tasty twist. 🙂
John / Kitchen Riffs
This is really different! And good, I'll bet -- certainly the combo of ingredients sounds really tasty. Neat recipe -- thanks.
valentina
Thanks for checking it out, John. The combination of flavors and textures really works well for this. In my humble opinion, of course. 😉
Christina
I absolutely love this idea! Although it's a vegetarian version, it's still got lots of protein from the beans and I just LOVE beans! I think cannellini are my #2 favorite (borlotti=1) 🙂
valentina
Cannellini are my no. 1 😀 Thank you, Christina! XO
Nish Kitchen
WOW! This looks delicious!
valentina
Thank you! 🙂
Jeff the Chef
When I was growing up, I never imagined that I'd be one of those people who'd know what cassoulet is, let alone who'd say, "Well, the best cassoulet I've ever had was in Toulouse." But, look at me now. Anyway, I've never had a veggie version - it looks delicious.
valentina
Lucky you to have been in Toulouse! Let alone to have been eating a delicious cassoulet there. 🙂 Sounds lovely. Enjoy!
stella jones
Healthy and delicious food. I must try this!
valentina
Thanks, Stella! Enjoy. 🙂
Rose
Thank you for this AMAZING recipe!! It was so flavourful and delicious and everyone loved it.
I'm a full time caretaker in my home for my Mom with Dementia so I am quite limited in my time for cooking so I just put all the ingredients together in a dutch oven with the lid off (except the spinach and bread crumb topping - I added that the last 15 min or so) and cooked the pot for 1.5 hours at 400 degrees.
I also added in 4 vegetarian Beyond Meat sausage that I pre cooked in a frying pan which gave it an amazing flavour. Since my husband is Irish I HAD to throw in a couple of potatoes as well. LOL
Definitely being added to my favourites!! 🙂
valentina
Hi Rose. Thank you so much for this lovely comment. I so appreciate it. I'm so happy you loved this recipe, and the way you cooked sounds great, and I love that you added potatoes. Yum! I admire you for being a caretaker for your mom. I have helped take care of my parents on and off over the years, but with help. I know how hard it can be with help, so you're amazing doing it full time. Sending love and warmth to both of you. And thank you for checking out my recipes and Cooking On The Weekends. 🙂 ~Valentina
Tom Graham
Can you cook the whole thing In a Le Creuset and omit transferring to a pie dish
valentina
Yes! Excellent idea! Thanks for writing in. 🙂 ~Valentina
Angela W Broyles
I made this for lent and it was so delicious! I used homemade veg. stock and all fresh herbs, but did not put on the breadcrumbs and olive oil. I also added some vegetarian italian sausage. Such a rustic, beautiful meal!
valentina
Hi Angela, thanks so much for writing in. I'm so happy this dish was a success for you, and I think adding the vegetarian sausage was a great idea! You made my day. 🙂 ~Valentina
Sassy
Hi, I am wondering, does this freeze well, do you know? I am vegan but have been really craving a cassoulet and this looks like it would fit the bill. It sounds amazing. But with only 2 of us eating it, it would be fiddly to try and reduce it to just 2 servings. Thanks and can’t wait to kook this! 🙂
valentina
Hi there, Thanks for writing in. Yes, it will freeze well. I would portion it into serving sizes to freeze, wrapped very well, so no air can get in. I think it would freeze well this way for up to a month. Defrost it in the refrigerator about 24 hours before you're ready to reheat it. Enjoy! 🙂 ~Valentina
Vicki O’Brien
Am going to try this but ai don’t have sweet sherry and we only buy the dry. Would port substitute well or do you have any other suggestions? Thanks Vicki
valentina
Hi Vicki, you can actually use the dry sherry. The cream/sweet just adds some subtle sweetness, but the flavor of the sherry will still work well with the dry. I think I'd do that before using the port because that would likely be too sweet. Enjoy! 🙂 ~Valentina
Brynna
I made this tonight and it was great. I had to make several substitutions because I am moving and didn’t have everything. I didn’t have broth, so I used a whole can of tomatoes, a whole can of artichokes (in water) including the juice, a cup of white wine instead of sherry. And I completely left our any spinach or kale. It turned out fantastic! I saved the recipe to try with the correct ingredients in the future, but either way this is a keeper. Thanks for sharing it.
valentina
Hi Brynna. Thanks so much for writing in. I'm so happy enjoyed this recipe, and so great you went ahead with it with the substitutions. Love that that worked out, and hope you like with the other ingredients too. This is definitely a good one that you can switch it up with. Thanks for checking out my site and recipes, and have a great day. 🙂 ~Valentina
Kathy
Can you just keep it in the dutch oven for the whole cooking time? I don't understand why you need to transfer it to a different pan. Please advise. Thanks!
valentina
Hi Kathy. Thanks for writing in. 🙂 Yes, you could do the whole process in the Dutch oven -- however, since there's a topping/crust, it's better to have it in a shallower baking dish. This way most of the bites include the crust. In a deeper dish, like the Dutch oven, There's less crust on top of a very deep stew. It presents more like a pie or casserole, instead of a stew. All of that said, it'll still be very tasty either way. Enjoy! 🙂 ~Valentina
Erin
The slow cooking really concentrates the flavors - very nice vegan recipe. I did not use the artichoke hearts. Instead I soaked about 0.5 oz of dried mushrooms (shitake) in a cup of boiling water. Sliced them and put them instead of artichokes. and used the soaking water as part of the broth. And I added miso to broth.
valentina
Hi Erin. Thanks so much for writing in and for trying my recipe. I'm so happy you liked this cassoulet so much. The addition of the mushrooms sounds fantastic, and so smart to add the soaking liquid. I love it! 🙂 ~Valentina
mimi rippee
Fabulous! This is a perfect dish for me, since I don't eat much meat. Of course a little bacon would work, too. But I love it!
Valentina
Thanks, Mimi. Enjoy! And a little bacon would definitely work. When doesn't it!? 😉 ~Valentina
Marta
What is a good substitute for the artichoke hearts? What setting would be used to make this in the instapot (if possible)?
Valentina
Hi Marta, Thanks for writing in. The best artichoke heart substitute would be hearts of palm, though they might be slightly softer. Just cut them into bite-sized pieces for the recipe, or roughly chop them. As for the instant pot, I can't say for sure because it hasn't been tested with one -- I don't have one. I found this guide, though, that might be useful. 🙂 Hope this helps! ~Valentina
JT
I'd love to make this in advance for Thanksgiving as an option for our vegetarian friends. You thoughtfully give instructions for making it the day before but I'm wondering if I should leave it covered when reheating at 300.
Valentina
Hi there. Great question, and I will edit it into the post after responding here. Yes, cover it with foil lightly. It can more or less be placed on top, and not crimped tightly around the edges of the pan. I hope you love it! 🙂 ~Valentina
Tammy
We aren't vegetarians but my family does not like duck. I was perusing google for a duck free cassolet recipe and came across yours. I did add 2 lbs pork boneless country ribs cut into small pieces but other then that followed most of the recipe sans wine. We are kale family so used it as you suggested.
This was so delicious even my bean hater enjoyed it. They even want me to make it fully vegetarian next time. So thank you for posting. Having meat free alternatives for our family to help with my budget and so we lower our meat usage helps. I look forward to trying more of your recipes.
Valentina
Hi Tammy, Thanks so much for writing in. I'm so happy you and your family loved this recipe. Awesome that your pork addition worked well -- I love when people tweak the recipes a bit to suit their tastes. And getting a "bean hater" to enjoy beans is no small feat, so yay to that! Thanks again for sharing and for checking out more of my recipes. I hope you have a lovely weekend. 🙂 ~Valentina