Ina Garten Cassoulet Recipe

This Ina Garten Cassoulet recipe is easy, quick, and made with duck or chicken legs, breadcrumbs, olive oil, fresh thyme leaves, and clarified butter and takes around 4 hours and 30 minutes to cook to perfection. Serve your Cassoulet with roasted duck fat potatoes, sautéed spinach, braised red cabbage, arugula salad, and lemony celery crunch salad for a well-rounded meal.

To make this Cassoulet, Ina starts by preheating the oven and preparing a breadcrumb mixture with duck or chicken skin. She then sears the meats, sautés the veggies, and combines everything in a roasting pan. After baking for about 3 hours, she thickens the liquid and broils the dish with the breadcrumb topping.

Ina Garten Cassoulet Ingredients

• 4 duck or chicken legs, cut into two pieces
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup + 1/8 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
• 2 tablespoons clarified butter
• 3 pounds boneless lamb leg or pork shoulder
• 1 pound Polish or bratwurst sausage
• 1 1/2 cups large dice Spanish onions
• 1 1/2 cups large dice carrots
• 1 1/2 cups large dice celery
• 4 fresh tomatoes, large dice
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 5 cups water or chicken bouillon
• 1 pound navy beans, soaked overnight
• 1/4 cup fresh marjoram leaves, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 6 bay leaves
• Salt and ground black pepper

How To Make Ina Garten Cassoulet

1. Preparation: Preheat your oven to 375°F. Trim excess skin from duck or chicken and dry it in the oven for about 15 minutes. Blend the dried skin with breadcrumbs, olive oil, and 1/8 teaspoon thyme leaves. Set aside.
2. Searing the Meat: Heat clarified butter in a heavy-bottomed pan. Sear duck, lamb, and sausage until browned. Transfer them to a large roasting pan.
3. Cooking Veggies: In the same pan, sauté onions, carrots, and celery until browned. Add tomatoes, wine, and water. Bring to a boil.
4. Combine and Bake: Drain soaked navy beans and add them to the pan with herbs. Pour this mixture over the meats in the roasting pan. Cover and bake for about 3 hours, or until meat is tender.
5. Final Touch: Remove meat, and drain liquid from beans and veggies. Blend some of the mixture to thicken the liquid. Adjust seasoning. Lay sliced meat on beans, sprinkle breadcrumb mixture, and broil until the top is lightly browned.

What To Serve With Cassoulet

For a well-rounded meal, consider pairing your cassoulet with side dishes like roasted duck fat potatoes, sautéed spinach, or braised red cabbage. Lighter options could include a celery salad or an arugula salad. If you’re looking for something unique, try serving the cassoulet over a cauliflower steak.

How To Store Cassoulet

In The Fridge:

Store the cassoulet in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Make sure it has cooled down to room temperature before sealing it to maintain the best quality.

In The Freezer:

You can freeze cassoulet for up to 2-3 months. Place it in a freezer-safe container, leaving some space for expansion. Thaw it in the fridge before reheating.

How To Reheat Cassoulet

To reheat the cassoulet, place it in a preheated oven at 350°F for about 20-25 minutes, or until it’s heated through. You can also reheat it on the stovetop over low heat, stirring occasionally to ensure even warming.

Check out More Recipes From Ina Garten:

• Barefoot Contessa Oyster Stew
• Ina Garten Stuffed Shrimp
• Ina Garten Lemon Chicken Piccata