Snowy Day Cassoulet

Cassoulet is a traditional French style casserole typically made with duck and beans, but I was inspired to do a vegetarian/vegan version. This cassoulet turned out to be a warm, hearty, and nourishing dish. I first served this at a holiday brunch, and we all agreed it would be the perfect meal to cozy up with on a snowy day. 

Snowy Day Cassoulet

Ingredients for Cassoulet

2 tablespoons plus 1/3 cup olive oil

2 leeks, rinsed well (see tip) and diced

4 cloves garlic minced

3 cups butternut squash, chopped into 1-inch pieces

4 cups swiss chard chopped (including stems)

1 ½ teaspoon dried sage

1 tablespoon dried thyme

one 14oz can diced tomatoes

½ cup white wine

2 ½ cups vegetable broth

2 cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups panko breadcrumbs

Recipe for Cassoulet

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add leeks and a pinch of salt. Stir until leeks become translucent, 5-7 minutes. 

Add in minced garlic and combine. Add squash and cook 5 minutes, stirring a few times. Then, add in the chopped swiss chard and cook additional 5 minutes. Stir in sage and thyme until well combined. Add in tomatoes, white wine, and vegetable broth, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze it. 

Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 15 minutes. 

Remove the lid and let simmer additional 15 minutes until the liquid has reduced. 

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Add in the beans and salt and combine. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs evenly over the top. Drizzle with the remaining 1/3 cup olive oil. Bake uncovered for 1.5 hours. Let sit 15 minutes before serving. I like to serve with rustic bread on the side.

Serves 4

*Tip on leeks, I trim the ends and slice horizontally down the middle. I run my fingers through the different layers to rinse out any dirt. I also place them in a bowl of water cut side down and let them sit for a few minutes. Any remaining dirt will fall to the bottom of the bowl.

If you enjoy this cassoulet recipe, I recommend giving my Three Bean Chili recipe a try. Follow me on Instagram for more updates.