Food Recipes Sausage and Mushroom Cassoulet Be the first to rate & review! Brothy, creamy beans, plus flavorful mushrooms and sausage can only mean one thing—nourishing comfort food at its best. By Marianne Williams Marianne Williams Marianne has been writing and testing recipes in the test kitchens for Dotdash Meredith since 2016. She studied at the International Culinary Center, in New York, and the International School of Italian Cuisine, in Italy, under highly esteemed chefs and graduated in 2015. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Published on April 05, 2024 Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Jennifer Causey Prep Time: 40 mins Total Time: 1 hr Servings: 4 Inspired by the French cassoulet, a rich and hearty dish made with white beans and meats like sausage, pork, and duck, this weeknight rendition is ready in a fraction of the time. You’ll start by searing mushrooms that are torn into pieces instead of sliced or chopped. This is intentional as the tearing creates craggy edges that will brown and crisp up beautifully. Then onion, carrots, and kielbasa cook in olive oil to soften and pick up color before cannellini beans and thyme are added. The generous amount of olive oil helps to replicate the richness of a true cassoulet, so don’t be shy. It’ll all simmer along in the oven until thickened and fragrant. The finishing touch in this sausage cassoulet recipe is a cheesy breadcrumb topping. It may not be traditional, but it's delicious. Make it vegetarian and use plant-based sausage. Look for one with smoky flavors to most closely resemble the kielbasa used in the recipe. But, if your options are limited, any plant-based sausages will do the trick. Ingredients 7 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided 8 oz. stemmed assorted fresh mushrooms, torn or halved 1 cup chopped yellow onion (from 1 onion) 2 carrots, peeled and chopped 3/4 tsp. kosher salt, divided 1 13-oz. pkg. kielbasa sausage, sliced into 1/2-in.-thick rounds 2 15-oz. cans no-salt-added cannellini beans, drained and rinsed 4 sprigs thyme plus 2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves 1/3 cup panko 2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese Directions Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in center position. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large broiler-safe pan over medium-high. Add mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and most of their liquid has released, about 6 minutes. Add onion, carrots, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until carrots begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Add sausage and 2 tablespoons oil; cook, stirring occasionally, until sausage is browned in spots, about 3 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups water, beans, thyme sprigs, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt; bring to a simmer. Transfer to oven. Bake, stirring once halfway through, until liquid is thickened and reduced by about half, about 20 minutes. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil and bake until surface is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove cassoulet from oven and increase oven temperature to broil. Stir together panko, cheese, thyme leaves, and remaining 1 tablespoon oil; sprinkle over cassoulet. Broil until golden brown and crispy, about 5 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. To make this dish ahead of time, bake it through step 2, but hold off on the crunchy topping. Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Before serving, transfer the cassoulet to a broiler-safe pan. Reheat on the stove-top, then top with the panko mixture, and broil until golden. Rate It Print