This Vegetarian Cassoulet Recipe is one of the best vegetarian comfort food recipes ever! It’s a vegetarian twist on a classic dish, and it’s packed with hearty and delicious flavors.
I’m in. Deep in, my friends. Deep into my cannelloni bean phase, that is. Oh yes, it’s on!
First we cooked the beans, then we made that super scrumptious salad, and today I’m serving up this one of the most amazing vegetarian comfort food recipes with them: Vegetarian Cassoulet Recipe!
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 and sometimes mutton.
Not exactly what you’re going for if you’re a vegetarian. Clearly!
I’m not sure people realize that there are just as many wonderful vegetarian comfort food recipes as ones with meat.
Other than the beans and slow-cooking method, there’s nothing traditional about this Vegetarian Cassoulet recipe. It’s vegetarian, after all! If you want a meatier version, you’ll want to try this Chicken Sausage Cassoulet (pictured just below.)
What are you doing this weekend, anyway? Cooking the beans? Perhaps discovering one of your favorite vegetarian comfort food recipes? 😉
Oh, and if you’re interested in a vegan cassoulet, this one looks fantastic.
Enjoy every last bite!
Timeline for Vegetarian Cassoulet Recipe:
up to 4 days and at least 1 day ahead: Cook the beans.
up to 1 week and at least 1 day ahead: Roast the garlic.
3-1/2 hours ahead: Begin prepping and cooking the ingredients for the cassoulet.
2-1/2 hours ahead: Bake the cassoulet!
This entire dish can be made 1 day ahead. (Once it comes to room temperature, cover it tightly and keep it refrigerated. To get ready to serve, bring it back to room temperature, and then reheat it in a 300 degree F oven until it’s hot all the way through, about 20 minutes.)
A vegetarian twist on a classic dish, and it's packed with hearty and delicious flavors. This is a recipe that takes a good amount of time, and it's totally worth every minute!
*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.
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 2 1/2 cups yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons roasted garlic
- 2 1/2 cups carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4 to 1/2-inch rounds
- 5 cups packed kale, washed and dried, roughly chopped ( prefer Lacinato)
- 1 1/4 cup oil marinated artichoke hearts, drained, roughly chopped
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh oregano, finely chopped
- 2 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 1/4 cup canned tomatoes, peeled, chopped
- 1 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 2 1/2 cups vegetable stock
- 3 3/4 cups cooked cannellini beans
- 2 cups bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
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Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
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Use about 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to coat the bottom of a large pot. 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.
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Add the carrots and cook until they begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Then add the kale and cook until it’s completely wilted, again, about 5 minutes.
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Stir in the artichokes, oregano and thyme, and cook for a few minutes, until it’s very aromatic.
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Deglaze the pot with the tomatoes, wine 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.
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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.
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Fold in the cooked cannellini beans and season generously with salt and pepper.
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Pour the mixture into a baking dish a 9 x 13 x 2 1/2-inch baking dish.
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Sprinkle the bread crumbs evenly on top and then drizzle it with the melted butter and the remaining olive oil.
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Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 1 1/2 hours. Then cover loosely with foil, and bake for another 30 minutes.
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Let it “rest” for at least 20 minutes before serving.
Yes, you can buy cooked cannellini beans, but making them is fantastic (and more delicious)!
Gluten-free? Easy — use gluten-free bread crumbs! I make mine with the ends of our gluten-free bread. (Toast in the oven, let it cool, then use a food processor to blend.)
This cassoulet is lovely served in individual baking dishes, as well. (A 4 x 6 x 2-inch would serve 1 to 2 — and for this recipe use 5 of them).
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…
Thanks so much, Tori! Yes, spinach would be fantastic — I’d use twice as much since it shrinks more than the kale. 🙂 xo
Do you think this could be freezer-friendly? If so, would you freeze before or after baking?
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! 😀
Hi there,
Try as I might I just don’t care for Kale. Is spinach an OK substitute?
Absolutely! 🙂
Hi Linden, Thanks so much for trying the recipe and sharing your experience. It is time intensive — many of my recipes are, as I’m a big fan of the process. 🙂 Yes, it calls for a good amount of olive oil and butter — this is intentional and ultimately creates a confit of sorts. I tried to (in a vegetarian fashion), mimic a true cassoulet, which is a slow-cooked casserole and with duck confit, which is duck cooked in it’s own fat. As for the breadcrumbs, I can see how less might be good, however I love how it combines with the butter and olive oil during the long cooking process, forming a lovely, crisp crust. Your suggestions are great, especially upping he amount of garlic. 🙂