
European · 85 min · Medium · 6 servings
White Bean Cassoulet
White beans and vegan sausage baked slowly under a breadcrumb crust until the top is golden and the beans beneath have gone completely creamy. A weekend pot.
~470 cal per serving — Calories are approximate, per serving — a guide only.
Method
- 1
Brown the sausages
⏱ 8 minHeat the olive oil for the pot in a large ovenproof pot over medium-high heat and brown the sliced vegan sausages on both sides. Lift them out and set aside.
- 2
Build the base
⏱ 13 minAdd the onion, carrot and celery to the same pot and cook until soft and just coloring, then stir in the garlic and thyme for a minute and add the tomato paste, letting it darken.
- 3
Simmer the beans
⏱ 20 minAdd the chopped tomatoes, beans, stock and bay leaf, return the sausages, and simmer on the hob until slightly thickened. Season well — the beans need more salt than you think.
- 4
Bake under crumbs
⏱ 40 minHeat the oven to 400°F conventional (180°C fan). Toss the breadcrumbs with the olive oil for the breadcrumbs and scatter evenly over the surface. Bake uncovered until the crust is deep golden and the edges are bubbling.
- 5
Break the crust
⏱ 10 minTraditionally the crust is broken and pressed back into the beans partway through baking, then allowed to reform. Do that once at the halfway point if you have the patience. Rest for ten minutes and scatter with parsley before serving.
Notes
A long, slow bake is what makes cassoulet — rushing it at high heat browns the crumbs before the beans go creamy. Not gluten-free (breadcrumbs, and most vegan sausages). Reheats beautifully.