Lentil and Sausage Cassoulet
- Total Time: 2 hours 50 mins
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
This version of the slow-cooked French casserole takes a little of the meat and replaces it with juicy stock enriched lentils.
Ingredients
- 3 medium onions, finely chopped
- 5 cloves of garlic
- 350g Kielbasa or good quality garlic sausage, sliced into 2cm thick slices
- 150g bacon, chopped
- 250g lentilles verts or puy lentils
- 1 x 400g tin of flageolot beans, drained
- 4 tomatoes, chopped, or half a tin of tomatoes
- 2 tsp tomato puree
- 300ml good chicken, pork or beef stock
- 150ml red wine
- 2 bay leaves
- 150g breadcrumbs
- Olive oil
Instructions
- Cook the lentils for 10-15 minutes in a pot of boiling water with a bay leaf and a clove of garlic until chewy and almost completely cooked.
- Fry the bacon in a large ovenproof casserole with a little olive oil over a medium heat until starting to crisp.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.
- Fry the onion over a medium-low heat in the bacon grease until glossy and soft 6-8 minutes.
- Add the garlic and the kielbasa and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
- Add the bacon, wine, stock, bay leaf, tomato puree and tomatoes and cook for 15 minutes.
- Add the beans and the lentils and season well.
- Cook in the oven at 175C for 20 minutes until some of the liquid has absorbed.
- Top with the breadcrumbs and cook for another hour to 1 and 1/4 hour until the liquid has been almost completely absorbed, the cassoulet is bubbling and breadcrumbs are crunchy (if it is not cooking fast enough, you can reduce it a bit on the stove at the end, but this will make the breadcrumbs a bit soggy).
- Leave to sit for 10 minutes to rest and then serve.
- Alternatively, refrigerate overnight and reheat the next day.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 2 hours 30 mins
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 580
If You Liked This Recipe, You’ll Love These
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- Spicy Pork Sausage Spaghetti
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of lentils should I use, and does it matter?
The recipe specifies lentilles verts or Puy lentils — both hold their shape during the long 1- to 1¼-hour oven braise, unlike red or yellow lentils which would dissolve into the sauce. Pre-cook them for 10–15 minutes until just chewy before adding them to the cassoulet.
Why do the breadcrumbs go on top, and how do I keep them crispy?
The 150g of breadcrumbs form the classic cassoulet crust. The recipe notes that finishing on the stove to reduce excess liquid will make the crumbs soggy — it’s better to let the full oven time (about 1 to 1¼ hours at 175°C) do the work so the crumbs stay crunchy.
Can I make this cassoulet ahead of time?
Yes — the instructions specifically suggest refrigerating it overnight and reheating the next day. The flavors develop further as it rests, and the recipe notes 10 minutes of resting time is needed before serving even on the day of cooking. 
