Vegan Cassoulet

The new year can feel like the start of a new season, but winter isn’t over yet! That means that soup, stew and pasta season is still in full swing. And if you are taking part in Veganuary, then this vegan cassoulet is the perfect answer to a vegan winter dinner dilemma.

If you aren’t familiar with french cooking, cassoulet is a type of stew. Cassoulet is typically made with meat and beans, however, I modified this recipe to forego the meat for our plant based friends! It is the perfect warm, hearty meal to prepare during these last chilly evenings.

Why You'll Love This Vegan Cassoulet

• Cozy Comfort - If the sound of grandma asking “have you eaten yet?” were a food, it would be a warm, well-seasoned stew. Serve it with crusty bread and butter, and you have the ultimate comfort food.
• One Pot Wonder - Skip the dishes! You can prepare this entire recipe in one pot. In fact, cassoulet actually got its name for the type of pot it was traditionally prepared in!

Ingredients for Vegan Bean Cassoulet

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil - You will need just a little oil to sauté your veggies.
• Salt and Pepper - You will of course need a little salt and pepper to season your cassoulet.
• White Wine - The base of this cassoulet starts with 1 ½ cups white wine. Opt for a dry white wine. I chose chardonnay. If you wish to forego the wine, you can replace it with additional vegetable broth.

Vegetables

• Carrots - Slice ¾ cup carrots for your cassoulet. You can keep them around the same thickness you would for any other stew.
• Celery - Celery is any great stew! Slice ¾ cup for this recipe.
• Onion - Chop one entire yellow onion for this recipe. The onion is an important part of the flavor of this dish, so don’t skip it!
• Leek - Leeks are a staple in French cuisine. They are a member of the onion family and of the garlic family, but they bring something totally different to the table.
• Mushrooms - The mushrooms in this dish really work to replace the meat, so I used 1 ½ cups, sliced. Any variety of mushroom will work nicely!
• Tomato Paste - You will need 2 tbsp tomato paste to build the base of your cassoulet. It adds a nice, robust bottom note.
• Garlic - You will need 1 tsp minced garlic to season this dish, or add a few cloves garlic.
• Vegetable Broth - Vegetable broth is the other key component to the base of your cassoulet. It is more than just the liquid in your bowl. The beans and veggies will absorb much of the broth, bringing that warm, savory flavor to every component.
• Beans - This is a bean heavy dish, as promised! You will need 2 cans of cooked white beans, such as great northern or cannellini. You will also need 1 can of red kidney beans.
• Tomatoes - Canned tomatoes work best for this cassoulet. You can use crushed or diced tomatoes.
• Bay Leaves - Bay leaves are such an interesting herb. They don’t seem like they add anything specific to most dishes, and yet if you skip them, their absence is unmistakable. I say, always add them!
• Sage - Is there anything as yummy as fresh sage!? You will need one sprig.
• Thyme - It wouldn’t be a French stew without a little thyme. Add one sprig.
• Optional Garnishes - This dish is perfect as is, but if you would like to up the presentation, garnish with some fresh herbs.

How to make Vegan Cassoulet

1. Over medium high heat sauté the onions, carrots, celery and leeks in olive oil in a simmer pot. Sprinkle salt and pepper. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until onions are translucent and veggies tender.
2. Stir in mushrooms, tomato paste and minced garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
3. Deglaze the pot by pouring the wine into the veggie mixture and using a spoon, scrape the bits off the bottom of the pot for maximum flavor. Simmer for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add the vegetable broth, beans and tomatoes to the pot. Add the sage, thyme and bay leaves to the pot as well. You can tie them together with a small piece of kitchen twine for easy removal or fish them out with a spoon before serving.
5. Cook, uncovered, on medium 15-17 minutes to cook all of the ingredients through, and to reduce the liquid down. If liquid has reduced too much, add ½ -1 cup veggie broth and cover with lid while cooking. If the cassoulet is too loose, cook without a lid and raise the temp a bit, then cook for a few more minutes until liquid has reduced.
6. Garnish with fresh herbs and enjoy.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Vegan Bean Cassoulet

First, sauté your veggies! Heat your pot over medium-high. Add the olive oil. Then, add your onions, carrots, celery, and leeks. Add your salt and pepper and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until your veggies are tender. Your onions should be translucent.

Next, stir in your sliced mushrooms, tomato paste, and minced garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes.

Deglaze the pot! Pour your white wine into the pot and scrape the bottom as you stir. Simmer your mixture for 2-3 minutes.

Add your vegetable broth, beans, tomatoes and herbs to the pot. It is important to note that you should not eat your bay leaves, fresh sage or fresh thyme, and should remove them before serving. You can remove them using a slotted spoon, or for easier removal, you can tie them together with kitchen twine before adding them to the pot.

Cook your cassoulet uncovered, over medium heat for 15-17 minutes. This is the time for your veggies to finish cooking, and for your liquid to reduce. If your liquid reduces too much, you can add a little more veggie broth and put a lid on the pot to finish cooking. If your cassoulet doesn’t thicken enough, keep the lid off, and raise the temperature until the liquid thickens.

Garnish with fresh herbs if desired. Enjoy hot!

Cook's Tips

• Cassoulet will keep for up to 4 days in the refrigerator, or up to 2 months in the freezer. Reheat it on the stovetop, or in the microwave.
• If you prefer not to use wine in your cooking, you can replace it with additional vegetable broth.
• If you’ve never prepared leeks before, know that they can be sandy! Make sure to take a little extra time cleaning them before you cook. The sand and dirt hangs out between the layers, so be sure to rinse between them. I like to soak them in water and baking soda for a few minutes as well for good measure.

FAQ

Vegan Cassoulet

This vegan hearty bean cassoulet it a healthy hearty meal for those cozy nights!

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: French

Keyword: soup, vegan dinners, vegan soup

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 Servings

Ingredients

• 1.5 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 Yellow Onion chopped
• ¾ cup Carrots sliced
• ¾ cup Celery sliced
• ¾ cup Leeks sliced
• 1.5 tsp Salt
• ½ tsp Black Pepper
• 1.5 cups Mushrooms sliced
• 2 tbsp Tomato Paste
• 1 tsp Minced Garlic
• 1.5 cups White Wine (dry wine I used Chardonnay, optional
• 3 cups Vegetable Broth
• 2 cans White Beans such as Great Northern or Cannellini
• 1 can Red Kidney Bean
• 1 can Crushed or Diced Tomatoes
• 2 Dried Bay Leaves
• 1 stem of Fresh Sage
• 1 stem of Fresh Thyme
• Optional Garnish: Fresh Herbs

Instructions

• Over medium high heat sauté the onions, carrots, celery and leeks in olive oil in a simmer pot. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until onions are translucent and veggies tender.
• Stir in mushrooms, tomato paste and minced garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
• Deglaze the pot by pouring the wine into the veggie mixture and using a spoon, scrape the bits off the bottom of the pot for maximum flavor. Simmer for 2-3 minutes.
• Add the vegetable broth, beans and tomatoes to the pot.
• Add the sage, thyme and bay leaves to the pot as well. They can be tied with a small piece of kitchen twine for easy removal or fished out with a spoon before servings.
• Cook, uncovered, on medium 15-17 minutes or until liquid has reduced and all ingredients are cooked. The liquid should have thickened a bit and reduced. If liquid has reduced too much, add ½ -1 cup veggie broth and cover with lid while cooking. If the cassoulet is too loose, cook without lid and raise the temp a bit, then cook for a few more minutes until liquid has reduced. Garnish with fresh herbs ad enjoy.

Notes

May be frozen up to 2 months or refrigerated for up to 4 days.
Reheat by stove top in a pot or microwave.
Can replace wine for extra veggie broth