Easy Cassoulet (French Stew) for the Instant Pot

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If you are short on time and are looking for a fantastic dish to break out of any stew/soup rut, you will want to try this versatile Easy Cassoulet (French Stew) for the Instant Pot.

You can totally make this without an instant pot, it will just take a little longer on the stove top.

Real Simple Winter Cassoulet recipe uses Italian pork sausage. I first learned of this adapted Real Simple recipe in Shauna Niequist’s Bread & Wine, which uses Italian turkey sausage. I liked her version so much, but decided to enlist the instant pot to cut down on time. Therefore the Easy Cassoulet (French Stew) for the Instant Pot was born.

Authentic French cassoulet [ka-soo-LEE], a traditional provincial dish, can take up to three days to make. However, Easy Cassoulet (French Stew) for the Instant Pot may be the quick answer to your curiosity and limited time. Because of my recipe’s time-saving aspects, it’s worth a try.

How to Make Easy Cassoulet (French Stew) for the Instant Pot

I’ve never had authentic French cassoulet. One of my former colleagues spent time teaching English in France and shared that people take their cassoulet very seriously there. Typically the rich bean stew is made with duck. As enjoyable as it would be to try the authentic cassoulet, duck really isn’t in my local grocery year round, or in my budget.

This recipe calls for Italian turkey sausage instead of traditional duck confit. (Amazon sells canned duck confit for over $30.) I couldn’t find Italian turkey sausage in my grocery store. However, I did find a pound of reasonably priced ground turkey. Adding my own Italian seasonings to it solved the problem. Or you can use regular Italian pork sausage.

The most delightful of all the ingredients is the parsnips. Have you ever tried them? They are the forgotten, slightly sweet-root vegetable that deserves a greater presence in the kitchen.

This recipe departs slightly from the ones I’ve referenced. I use only one can of beans instead of three. You can leave it as is, or throw in vegetables of your choosing – more tomatoes, or add in zucchini. Yum!

Sweet, subtle and smooth. Similar to a carrot, but with a greater depth in flavor, the parsnip mimics a carrot, but appears much paler. What it lacks in color, it makes up for in flavor.

Peel and cut the parsnip as you would a carrot.

Crushed garlic. I’ve learned that crushed whole garlic is better for soups and stews. It preserves the garlic flavor more so than minced, and crushed just makes soups taste better. This source from The Food Network explains techniques of working with garlic. Later in the recipe the bread topping uses minced garlic.

Chopped veggies ready for the cassoulet. The chopping takes some prep time for this dish. Enlist help if you can.

The Steps of Easy Cassoulet (French Stew) for the Instant Pot

For the instant pot version, select the Saute option to brown the meat. Then drain. Maybe there’s a better technique, but I pull out the pot insert, place a closely fitting lid on it, allowing a small slit for drainage and tip it over a coffee mug. I wipe off any drippings from the side of the insert and place it back in the instant pot.

Add Italian seasonings at the end. I usually throw in some basil, oregano, fennel seed, garlic powder, onion powder, freshly ground pepper and a little salt and stir. Then I turn off the saute option.

Throw in your broth and chopped veggies. Give a good stir. Place the lid on the instant pot, set it to seal. Cook on manual for 5 minutes. When it’s done, wait five minutes. Perform a quick release. This process cuts the cook time in half!

OR if you are using the stove top, bring to a boil, then simmer on low for about an hour.

I highly recommend using a dutch oven for this dish as you need to bake the cassoulet briefly at the end. Obviously you would use this for the entire process of the stove top version.

So now for the most fragrant topping. Butter. Garlic. Parsley. Bread crumbs. So simple. But oh so wonderful-smelling. Top the cooked meat/vegetable mixture with the dressed-up bread crumbs and bake at 400ºF for 10-15 minutes until golden brown. So I love this part of the process the most.

As a result of the instant pot/oven combo, the delicious Easy Cassoulet (French Stew) for the Instant Pot with ground turkey and gluten free, or dairy free option is finished. You have to try it!

The Recipe

Easy Cassoulet for Instant Pot from nickelplatekitchen.com

November 20, 2018

Servings: 4-6

Prep: 25 min

Cook: 45 min

Total: 1 hr 10 min

Difficulty: Moderate

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A simple version of the French meat and bean stew with carrots, parsnips, and ground turkey or pork.

By: Elizabeth Newman

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 pound turkey or pork Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 & 1/2 C chicken broth
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 3 carrots, diced
• 3 parsnips, diced
• 1 tomato, chopped, or one 8 ounce can chopped/diced tomatoes
• One to three 15-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 5 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/8 tsp ground pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 cup bread crumbs (gluten-free bread optional)
• 1/4 C fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted (or olive oil for dairy-free option)

Directions

• Step 1 Select saute option on instant pot. Add 1 Tbsp oil and the ground meat. Break up and brown. Drain. Turn off saute mode. Add seasonings to meat if needed and stir.
• Step 2 Add broth (deglaze pan with a wooden spoon if needed), veggies, beans, thyme, pepper and 1 clove of the garlic (crushed) to the instant pot.
• Step 3 Return lid and turn to sealing. Cook on the manual setting for 5 minutes. Once the machine is done and beeps, let steam naturally release for 5 minutes. Then perform a quick release. Add salt and stir. Add more salt to taste.
• Step 4 Pour stew into an oven safe dish such as a Dutch oven. Turn oven to 400ºF.
• Step 5 Assemble bread topping by mixing 2 minced cloves of garlic, bread crumbs, parsley and melted butter. Evenly distribute over the stew in the oven safe dish.
• Step 6 Bake cassoulet in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until crust is golden brown.

And another favorite recipe from the same Bread & Wine by Shauna Niequist is Annette’s Enchiladas.

Did you try this recipe?

And I’d love to see a picture of your Easy Cassoulet. Share it on Instagram @nickelplatekitchen or #nickelplatekitchen. Happy cooking!