Classic Cassoulet with Duck Confit and Sausage

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Slow-cooked comfort: creamy beans, rich duck confit, and garlicky sausage in one cozy dish.
• Authentic technique adapted for home cooks—no specialty cassole required.
• Make-ahead friendly: it tastes even better the next day.
• Golden, crackly breadcrumb crust for irresistible texture.

Grocery List

• Produce: 2 onions, 1 head garlic, 2 carrots, 2 celery ribs, fresh thyme, parsley
• Dairy: None
• Pantry: Dried white beans, tomato paste, dry white wine, low-sodium chicken stock, bay leaves, kosher salt, black pepper, rustic bread (for breadcrumbs), olive oil, duck fat

Full Ingredients

Beans & Aromatics

• 1 lb (450 g) dried white beans (Tarbais, cannellini, or great Northern), sorted and rinsed
• 1 tbsp kosher salt (for soaking water)
• 8 cups water, plus more as needed
• 1 small onion, halved
• 1 head garlic, halved crosswise
• 2 carrots, peeled and halved
• 2 celery ribs, halved
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 sprigs thyme (or 1 tsp dried)
• 1 tsp kosher salt (to season beans during simmer), plus more to taste

Meats

• 4 duck confit legs (about 2–2.5 lb / 900–1135 g total)
• 6 oz (170 g) slab bacon or pancetta, cut into 1/2-inch lardons
• 1 lb (450 g) boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 lb (450 g) Toulouse-style or mild garlic pork sausage, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 tbsp duck fat + 1 tbsp olive oil (for browning meats)

Base & Assembly

• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
• 3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Crust & Finish

• 2 cups coarse fresh breadcrumbs (about 4 oz / 115 g rustic bread, torn and pulsed)
• 2 tbsp duck fat, melted
• 2 garlic cloves, grated or very finely minced
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Soak the beans

Add beans to a large bowl, cover with 3 inches cold water and 1 tbsp kosher salt. Soak 12 hours (or at least 8). Drain and rinse.

Step 2: Simmer beans with aromatics

In a large pot, combine soaked beans, 8 cups water, onion halves, halved garlic head, carrots, celery, bay leaves, and thyme. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce to low and cook gently, uncovered, 60–75 minutes until beans are tender but intact. Stir in 1 tsp salt during the last 15 minutes. Reserve 3 cups bean cooking liquid; drain the rest. Discard aromatics.

Step 3: Brown the meats

Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). In a 6–7 quart Dutch oven, heat 2 tbsp duck fat and 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Cook bacon lardons until rendered and lightly crisp, 5–7 minutes; remove to a plate. Season pork shoulder lightly with salt and pepper; brown in batches until well caramelized, about 8–10 minutes total; remove. Brown sausage pieces until golden, 5 minutes; remove. Pour off all but 2 tbsp fat.

Step 4: Build the flavor base

Add diced onion to the Dutch oven; cook until translucent, 4–5 minutes. Stir in minced garlic for 30 seconds. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1–2 minutes until brick red. Deglaze with white wine, scraping browned bits; simmer 1 minute. Remove from heat. In a bowl or measuring jug, whisk together 2 cups bean liquid and 2 cups chicken stock; season with 3/4 tsp black pepper and a pinch of salt (taste—this liquid should be pleasantly seasoned).

Step 5: Assemble the cassoulet

To the Dutch oven, spread half the drained beans over the onion-tomato base. Scatter bacon and pork shoulder evenly. Nestle sausage throughout. Bury duck confit legs just below the surface (skin-side up). Top with remaining beans. Pour in the seasoned bean liquid/stock until liquid just peeks through the beans (you may not need all; reserve extra for basting). The mixture should be moist but not soupy.

Step 6: Bake low and slow, break the crust

Bake uncovered at 300°F (150°C) for 1 hour, until a pale crust forms and bubbles appear at the edges. Using the back of a spoon, break the crust in several places and gently push it down to moisten; if dry, add up to 1/2 cup reserved bean liquid. Return to the oven for 45 minutes and break the crust again the same way.

Step 7: Add the garlicky breadcrumb top and finish

In a bowl, toss breadcrumbs with 2 tbsp melted duck fat and the grated garlic. Sprinkle evenly over the surface. Bake 30 minutes more, until the top is deep golden and the beans are creamy and bubbling. Optional for extra-crispy duck skin: in the last 10 minutes, lift duck legs to the surface, then broil on the top rack 2–3 minutes, watching closely, until the skin blisters and crisps.

Step 8: Rest and serve

Let the cassoulet rest 15 minutes to settle. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve straight from the pot with a simple green salad and crusty bread.

Pro Tips

• Salted soak = creamier beans. The 1 tbsp salt in the soaking water helps beans cook evenly without bursting.
• Reserve bean liquid. It is your best tool to keep the cassoulet moist when you break the crust.
• Layer thoughtfully. Keep duck legs just under the surface for flavor, then bring them up at the end to crisp.
• Low and slow is key. Gentle heat keeps beans intact and melds flavors without drying out.
• Season gradually. The meats are salty; taste the cooking liquid before adding more salt.

Variations

• Tarbais Traditional: Use French Tarbais beans if you can find them; they hold their shape beautifully.
• Weeknight Shortcut: Swap 3 cans (15 oz each) of cannellini, drained and rinsed. Reduce initial bake to 35 minutes and add stock sparingly.
• All-Pork Cassoulet: Replace duck confit with 1 lb bone-in pork ribs or additional pork shoulder; increase duck fat to 4 tbsp for richness.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Cassoulet improves with time. Cool, cover, and refrigerate up to 4 days. Reheat, uncovered, at 300°F (150°C) until bubbling, 35–45 minutes; refresh with a splash of stock if needed and re-crisp the top under the broiler. Freeze well-wrapped up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approx. 870 calories; 48 g fat; 54 g carbohydrates; 10 g fiber; 43 g protein; 1,320 mg sodium. Nutrition will vary with specific sausage, duck confit, and bread used.