This meatless French vegan Cassoulet is extra delicious with beans, tempeh, herbs, mushrooms and more veggies. It’s budget-friendly and, at 211 calories a serving, it’s also waist-friendly. Vegan, gluten-free and nut-free recipe.
What about those French, huh?
Cheese and wine do not make them fat. They give us French fries and crème brûlée and while the rest of us morph into couch potatoes, they stroll down their classy arondissements with the Eiffel Tower for a backdrop, looking chic and magnifique as can be. They can even sit down in a restaurant, order the Cassoulet, a dish layered with four or five different kinds of meat, and glide out with not a single ounce of animal fat clinging to their flawless waistlines. Jamais!
So there I am in Paris with Desi, and it was a few years ago so things could have undergone a sea change, but at the time I am vegetarian leaning to vegan and looking for some of that wonderful French food to come my way. I want to sit at an outdoor table at a bistro with my one true love, the wind from the Seine blowing through my hair, eating something very hip and incredibly tasty — not stuff served to me sans fromage or sans oeufs or sans flavor. Come on, French people, didn’t you give us ratatouille?
Mais non. I was out of luck and pretty much out of food in the world’s most gastronomically famed country. And because I still hold a grudge against the French for starving me, I’ve taken their very meaty Cassoulet and turned it completely vegan. Yes, sir, I have.
Yeah, yeah, I know. They will look down their élégant noses and say it’s not really Cassoulet. So they won’t stick three Michelin stars on it, but you know what? We loved it and if they eat it, I will guarantee they’ll love it too.
This Cassoulet, which translates into a warm, cushy, comforting stew, is full of nutty white beans, vegetables including mushrooms and carrots and celery, and it is fragrant with herbs including parsley, bay, thyme and sage. You have my full permission to change up the vegetables. In fact, experiment to your heart’s content. Just make sure that stay consistent with cooking times. The herbs are indispensable– they add that rich smokiness that makes this vegan Cassoulet so, so good — so don’t leave them out. I added some tempeh cubes to the mix, for the protein, and they tasted wonderful– firm enough to add texture while still remaining soft and creamy inside.
Here’s the recipe. Adieu for now, mes amis. And (putting on my best Julia Child voice), bon appétit!
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Looking for more vegan French recipes?
French Onion Tart, gluten-free
Vegan Mushroom Bourguignon
Vegan Leek Quiche
Vegan Olive Oil Brioche with Aquafaba
Vegan Chocolate Vanilla Pots de Creme
Whole Wheat French Bread: A step-by-step guide
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Looking for more tasty vegan stews?
Vegan Mushroom Stew
Vegan Moroccan Chickpea Stew
Vegan African Eggplant Stew with Eggplant and Okra
Mushroom and Wild Rice Bisque
Vegan Irish “Lamb” Stew
Vegan Wild Mushroom Osso Buco
20 Belly-Warming Vegan Stews
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Vegan Cassoulet
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry white beans, or 3 cups canned, drained and washed. If using dry beans, soak overnight and cook until tender. (cannelini or great northern or navy beans will do)
- 8 oz package of tempeh, cubed into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, sliced
- 2 stalks of celery, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, finely minced, or crushed into a paste
- 15 mushrooms sliced (use any kind-- wild mushrooms would be great here. I used crimini because I always have them on hand)
- 2 tomatoes diced
- 1 tbsp chopped sage
- 1 tbsp chopped thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tbsp parsley, chopped
- 1/2 cup red wine, optional
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large saucepan.
- Add the tempeh cubes and saute, stirring frequently, until the tempeh is golden-brown.
- Add the onions, garlic, celery and carrots. Add a pinch of salt and some ground black pepper and saute the vegetables about five minutes until the onions are translucent.
- Add the mushrooms and the wine. Cook until the moisture from the vegetables and all of the water has evaporated.
- Add the tomatoes and beans along with the bay, sage, parsley and thyme.
- Bring to a boil -- add water if the stew is too thick - and turn the heat to a level where it boils gently.
- Check salt and pepper. Turn off the heat and serve hot with some crusty French bread.
Nutrition
Hello! I want to make this, but I am confused about adding water. It says to “cook until…all of the water has evaporated” and to “add more water if the stew is too thick,” but it never mentions adding water in the first place. When do I add water, and how much water do I add? Thanks!
There will be some moisture from the beans and tomatoes, but add more water if you want it runnier. I’d start out with no more than a cup. If needed, thin out more to your liking.
The next time you are in Paris try the vegan cassoulet at Le Grenier de Notre Dame. I have been there the last two years and their veggie and vegan food is delicious! They even have a few sidewalk tables. The address is 18 Rue de la Bucherie 75005 Paris. It’s just down the street from Shakespeare and Company bookstore.
Lovely, thanks for the suggestion!
Hi Tony, so happy you liked it! That topping sounds delicious, and thanks for the freezer tip. I like the idea of adding vegan sausage to make it “meatier”.