Published: · Modified: by Vaishali · This post may contain affiliate links · 44 Comments
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Total time: 50 minutes minutes
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 Frenchfries and crème brûlée and while the rest of us morphinto couch potatoes, they stroll down their classyarondissem*nts with the Eiffel Tower for a backdrop, lookingchicand 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 glideout with not a single ounce of animal fat clinging totheir flawless waistlines. Jamais!
So there I am in Pariswith 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 ata bistro with my one true love, the wind from the Seine blowing through my hair, eating something very hip and incrediblytasty--not stuff served to me sans fromage or sans oeufs or sans flavor. Come on, French people,didn't you give us ratatouille?
Maisnon. 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 takentheirvery meaty Cassoulet and turned it completely vegan. Yes, sir, I have.
Yeah, yeah, I know. Theywill look down theirélégant noses and say it's not really Cassoulet.So theywon't stick three Michelin stars on it, but you knowwhat? 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 includingparsley, 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 you stay consistent with cooking times. The herbs are indispensable-- they add that richsmokiness 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),bonappétit!
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
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
Vegan Cassoulet
This very vegan cassoulet is a delicious stew of vegetables and white beans. This recipe is gluten-free and low-fat.
5 from 48 votes
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Course: Stew
Cuisine: French
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Prep Time: 20 minutes mins
Cook Time: 30 minutes mins
Total Time: 50 minutes mins
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 192kcal
Author: Vaishali · Holy Cow Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried white beans (or 3 cups canned, drained and washed. If using dry beans, soak overnight and cook until tender. Great northern or navy beans will do)
- 8 oz tempeh (cut in ½-inch cubes)
- 1 tablespoon 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 tablespoon sage (chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
- 1 tablespoon thyme (chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped)
- ½ 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 a cup of water or vegetable stock, bay leaves, sage, parsley and thyme.
Bring to a boil and turn the heat to a level where it boils gently. You can add more water at this time if the stew is too thick for your liking.
Check salt and pepper. Turn off the heat and serve hot with some crusty French bread.
Nutrition Facts
Vegan Cassoulet
Amount per Serving
Calories
192
% Daily Value*
Fat
5
g
8
%
Saturated Fat
1
g
5
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
2
g
Potassium
826
mg
24
%
Carbohydrates
23
g
8
%
Fiber
5
g
20
%
Sugar
3
g
3
%
Protein
13
g
26
%
8
%
Vitamin C
9
mg
11
%
Calcium
114
mg
11
%
Iron
4
mg
22
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Please leave a comment and recipe rating below!
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About Vaishali
Hi! I'm Vaishali, a journalist turned food blogger. At Holy Cow Vegan I share easy, tasty recipes made with clean, wholesome ingredients that the entire family can enjoy.
Reader Interactions
Comments
David
If I want to feed 24 people tiny bowls (4oz) of this do I need to double it?
Reply
Vaishali
For 24 people you would need to double or even triple it.
Reply
Ricky
I’ve made this recipe several times and we absolutely love it! I make two changes to the recipe: (1) I use smoky tempeh, which gives the stew a more authentic cassoulet flavor, in my opinion; and (2) I use vegetable stock instead of water. A third modification I sometimes do is add a little bit more red wine than is called for in the recipe to amp up the richness.All-in-all, this is a fantastic vegan meal that really shines! Thank you so much for the recipe.
Reply
Anne
Can I use dried sage? The fresh stuff is hard to come by where I live
Reply
Peter
I tried this vegan cassoulet and my wife and I loved it. Instead of tempeh, we used four “Hot Italian Beyond Sausage” vegetarian sausages. We cut them into 2” pieces and sautéed them first, before adding in the onions, garlic and carrots.
We also added a couple of diced potatoes to help soak up the sauce. It was delicious. The next time we cook this recipe, we’ll try increasing the portions of parsley, sage and thyme.Reply
Vaishali
So happy you loved it!
Reply
Katie
How long do you let the dish simmer before removing from heat and serving, typically? Thanks, this looks great!
Reply
Chris G.
I don’t see anything about how much liquid you should use for this. Can you please clarify the recipe?
Reply
Vaishali
Hi, add a cup of water along with the beans and then add more depending on how thick -- or thin-- you want the stew to be.
Reply
Denise
This was a nice recipe and my family loved it, thank you for sharing it! Ate on the leftovers for two days and they got better after aging. 🙂Reply
Vaishali
Denise, so happy to hear. Thanks for letting me know. ❤️
Reply
Becky Rose
This is really really good. So hearty and warming.
I added some vegan black pudding which was a yummy addition, instead of tempeh.
I also added some better than boullion chicken stock. And left out the celery (because we had none ! )
Thanks for this recipe what a lovely way to get some proteinReply
MP
Simple and delicious, especially when served with a French Baguette!Reply
Emily
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!
Reply
Vaishali
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.
Reply
Marilyn Laughlin
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.
Reply
Vaishali
Lovely, thanks for the suggestion!
Reply
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