Easy Vegetarian Cassoulet (French White Bean Casserole)
Vegetarian cassoulet is a slow-cooked French white bean casserole made with mushrooms, mirepoix, white wine, and thyme, simmered until thick and deeply savory. The original dish from the Languedoc region of France uses sausage and pork, but the white bean base carries all that heartiness without any meat. According to the USDA, a cup of cooked white beans provides 17 grams of protein and 13 grams of fiber, making it a surprisingly filling vegetarian main.
March was French cuisine month on the blog, which sent me deep into cassoulet territory. The classic version from Toulouse has duck confit, Toulouse sausages, and pork skin, slow-cooked for hours. I skipped the meat and focused on building depth through the beans, wine, and mushrooms instead. Slow-cooked white beans absorb so much flavor from the broth and aromatics that you do not miss the meat at all.
The name comes from the earthenware pot the dish is traditionally cooked in, originally made near Castelnaudary in the Languedoc. You do not need a special vessel — a Dutch oven or any heavy pot with a lid works. Romania has its own version called fasole cu carnati (beans with sausages) or fasole cu afumatura (beans with smoked bacon), cooked in almost exactly the same way. Beans and long cooking time are a universally good idea.
This Recipe Works If You Need
- A hearty vegetarian main that keeps you full for hours
- Meal prep for the week — this makes 6 servings and tastes even better the next day
- A one-pot dinner with very little active cooking time
- French-style comfort food that does not require duck confit or specialty ingredients
- A recipe that actually uses dried white beans
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Deep, slow-cooked flavor that develops over 90 minutes with minimal effort
- One pot, simple technique — no special skills needed
- Naturally vegan and dairy-free
- Freezes well for up to 3 months
- Crispy breadcrumb topping that makes it a proper casserole, not just a bean stew
- Scales easily — double it and freeze half for a future lazy dinner
Ingredient Notes
White beans (cannellini). Dried beans soaked overnight give the best texture. They hold their shape during the long simmer and absorb more flavor than canned. If you use canned, drain and rinse them well and reduce the total cooking time by about 30 minutes. The texture will be slightly softer but the flavor is still very good.
Champignon mushrooms. They add meatiness and umami to the broth without making the dish taste overwhelmingly of mushrooms. Cremini or portobello work equally well. For a deeper, more complex broth, add a handful of dried porcini mushrooms with their soaking liquid — it makes a real difference.
Mirepoix (onion, carrots, celery). The aromatic base that builds flavor from the start. Take 8 to 10 minutes to soften and lightly brown the vegetables before adding anything else. Rushing this step shows up in the final dish.
Dry white wine. Use a wine you would actually drink, not cooking wine from a shelf. It adds acidity and rounds out the bean flavor. A dry Sauvignon Blanc or French Muscadet works well. To make this without alcohol, replace with equal parts vegetable broth plus one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar for the acid.
Tomato paste. Just two tablespoons, but it adds color and a concentrated savory depth that plain broth alone does not give. Fry it briefly in the pot before adding any liquid to caramelize it slightly and remove the raw flavor.
Fresh thyme and bay leaf. These are the classic cassoulet aromatics. Dried thyme works but use half the amount. Remove the bay leaf before serving.
Breadcrumb topping. Whole grain bread, olive oil, garlic powder, and salt blitzed into coarse crumbs and scattered on top for the last 20 minutes of cooking. This is what separates cassoulet from a plain bean soup. For a gluten-free version, use GF bread or skip the topping entirely.
Tips
Soak the beans overnight. Eight to twelve hours in cold water is ideal. They will cook more evenly, stay firmer during the long simmer, and have better texture in the final dish. If you are short on time, a quick soak works: boil for 2 minutes, then soak for 1 hour.
Do not add salt until the end. Salt added to beans at the start of cooking prevents them from softening properly. Season the broth only in the last 15 minutes. The beans absorb a lot of salt, so taste again just before serving and adjust.
Toast the tomato paste first. Add it to the hot pot before the wine and broth and fry it for about 60 seconds, stirring constantly. This caramelizes the sugars and removes the raw, tinny flavor it can have straight from the tube.
The breadcrumb topping needs high heat. Add it for the last 20 minutes and, if your pot is oven-safe, move it to a 220C (425F) oven to crisp the crust properly. On the stovetop, remove the lid and keep the heat medium-high for the last 20 minutes.
Taste just before serving. After 90 minutes of simmering, seasoning needs a final check. A little more salt, a squeeze of lemon to brighten, or a drizzle of good olive oil at the end makes a noticeable difference.
Substitutions and Variations
Different beans. Cannellini are traditional but Great Northern beans and navy beans work just as well. Chickpeas also work and give a firmer, nuttier result.
No alcohol. Replace the wine with equal parts vegetable broth plus one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. The acidity matters for balancing the richness of the beans, so do not just leave the wine out entirely.
Add vegan sausage or smoked tofu. Adding vegan minced meat rolls brings the smoky, meaty quality that traditional cassoulet gets from Toulouse sausages. Smoked tofu cut into small cubes also works — add it in the last 30 minutes so it does not break down.
More umami depth. A tablespoon of soy sauce or tamari stirred in toward the end adds savory depth. A handful of dried porcini mushrooms rehydrated and added with their soaking liquid works even better and keeps it completely whole-food.
Gluten-free. Skip the breadcrumb topping entirely or use gluten-free bread. The cassoulet without the topping is still a good bean stew.
Storage and Make Ahead
Fridge: Up to 5 days in an airtight container. The flavor improves after the first day as the beans absorb the broth fully. Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of water or vegetable broth to loosen the consistency.
Freezer: Up to 3 months. Freeze without the breadcrumb topping and add fresh breadcrumbs when reheating. If you are cooking this specifically for the freezer, slightly undercook the beans so they hold their texture after thawing.
Make ahead: The full cassoulet (without the topping) can be assembled a day in advance and refrigerated. Add the breadcrumb topping just before cooking. The flavors actually develop better overnight, so making it the day before is a plus, not a compromise.
If you like slow-cooked bean dishes, the French recipes collection has several that pair well for a French-themed dinner menu. For a quicker bean dish, the chickpea recipes page has lighter options that come together in under 30 minutes.
Easy Vegetarian Cassoulet (French White Bean Casserole)
Ingredients
- 2 cups Champignon mushrooms diced
- 1 yellow onion sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 carrots sliced
- 2 sticks celery diced
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 2 cups dry white beans Cannellini soaked overnight, drained and rinsed
- 3 cups vegetable broth or water
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
For the topping:
- 4 slices whole grain bread
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- pinch salt and pepper
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot, over medium heat.
- When hot, add the onions, garlic, carrots, and celery. Sauté for about 10 minutes, until the veggies are tender.
- Add the white wine and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 5 minutes.
- Add the mushrooms, beans, broth, tomato paste, bay leaves, and thyme to the pot. Bring to boil.
- Let them cook on low heat for about an hour or until the beans are tender. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- While the beans are cooking, preheat the oven to 200C
- Line a baking tray with baking paper, crush the bread into small crumbs and spread them in a single layer on the tray. Sprinkle with olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Bake the bread crumbs about 7 minutes or until dry and crunchy. Take it out from the oven and set aside to cool.
- When the beans are cooked, top the cassoulet with your breadcrumbs and transfer the pot to the oven.
- Cook until golden – 5-10 more minutes.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Cassoulet is a slow-cooked French casserole from the Languedoc region, traditionally made with white beans, duck confit, Toulouse sausages, and pork skin. The name comes from the cassole, the deep earthenware dish it is cooked in. The vegetarian version keeps the slow-cooked bean base, the aromatic broth, and the crispy breadcrumb crust while replacing the meat with mushrooms and vegetables.
Yes. White beans are one of the most nutritious legumes — a cup of cooked cannellini beans provides around 17 grams of protein and 13 grams of fiber. The rest of the ingredients are vegetables, herbs, and olive oil. Compared to the traditional version made with duck fat and pork skin, the vegetarian version has significantly less saturated fat while keeping most of the flavor.
Yes. Use two to three cans of cannellini beans (400g each), drained and rinsed. Add them after the wine and broth have simmered for 15 minutes and reduce the total cooking time to about 45 to 50 minutes. The texture will be slightly softer than with soaked dried beans, but the flavor is comparable. Canned beans are a good option when you have not planned ahead.
A dry white wine. In France, a dry Muscadet or a simple Macon is typical. Outside of French options, a dry Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio works well. Avoid anything sweet or heavily oaked — both will alter the broth in ways that are hard to correct. If you prefer no alcohol, replace with extra vegetable broth and a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar.
Yes, with some adjustments. Saute the mirepoix and mushrooms in a separate pan first, then transfer everything to the slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours or HIGH for 4 to 5 hours. The breadcrumb topping will not crisp in a slow cooker, so make it separately in the oven and add it on top when serving. Use soaked dried beans or canned — do not add unsoaked dried beans to a slow cooker.
Up to 5 days in an airtight container. It tastes better the day after cooking, when the beans have had time to absorb the broth. Reheat on the stovetop with a splash of water or vegetable broth. The breadcrumb topping will soften in the fridge, so if you want it crispy again, add a fresh batch when reheating.
Can you substitute canned beans for dry beans if no time to soak overnight?
Sure!
This was so comforting! All the flavors blended so well together just like you said. Loved it!
So happy to hear this! Thanks, Emily!
My wife made this last weekend and both me and our son loved it! Thank you!
Happy to hear this! Thanks, Darren!
@Ruxandra, How many cans of beans, if substituting for fresh beans and how much less to finish cooking?
Thank you
Hi Sunny. For the same dry quantity I mention in the recipe, I would estimate at least double that in canned beans (drained). Make sure you adjust or even skip the rest of the liquids mentioned in the recipe, as most of them are for boiling the dry beans.