• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Vegan Blueberry

Easy, delicious, satisfying, family-friendly vegan recipes

  • All recipes
  • Vegan kitchen essentials
  • About
  • Buy me a coffee
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • All recipes
  • Vegan kitchen essentials
  • About
  • Buy me a coffee
  • Subscribe
  • Follow on social media:

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » All Recipes

    Vegan Cassoulet

    Published on January 9, 2022 by Kate, Updated on January 28, 2022 - 4 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read my full disclosure.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This Vegan Cassoulet is a hearty, stick-to-your-ribs vegan stew made with white beans and vegan sausage. It's packed with plant-based protein, it's very satisfying on a cold day, and it's quite easy to make. Vegans and non-vegans alike love this hearty stew.

    I'll break down the steps to make this easy weeknight cassoulet so you can plan ahead and make this easily once you start cooking!

    Pan of vegan cassoulet.
    Jump to:
    • What is a cassoulet?
    • What kind of vegan sausage to use for cassoulet
    • How to make cassoulet
    • What to serve with cassoulet
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Recipe
    • Reviews

    What is a cassoulet?

    A cassoulet is a French stew traditionally made with white beans and smoked meats (don't worry, I veganized this version!). The name "cassoulet" comes from the word "casserole" because of the casserole pan used to cook the stew. And traditional recipes can take days to prepare.

    Well, obviously that wouldn't work for me! Here is a quick(ish) weeknight cassoulet recipe that's been veganized. This recipe takes about a half hour of prep and hands-on cooking, and then about 25-30 minutes of hands-off simmering. It definitely requires a little planning ahead, but can easily be made on a weeknight.

    I use a combination of vegan sausages and smoked tempeh to get a wonderful, savory, slightly-spicy flavor. I sometimes add mushrooms to my cassoulet, though that is not a traditional ingredients. I just like the flavor and texture of mushrooms. 🙂

    Related recipe: Vegan Stuffed Portobello Caps

    Bowl of vegan sausage stew with toasted baguette.

    Related recipe: Vegan Italian Sausage Soup with White Beans

    What kind of vegan sausage to use for cassoulet

    I like using a combination of different types of vegan sausages and smoked tempeh for this dish, about 1.5 - 2.5 lb total, to taste. The different types of sausage gives it more depth of flavor and texture. You can typically find vegan sausage, such as Field Roast, Impossible, or Beyond Sausage in the refrigerated section of your store. If using Field Roast, make sure to remove the plastic casing!!

    2 types of vegan sausages and smoked tempeh.

    You can find smoked tempeh in the refrigerated section too (it's sometimes called smoked tempeh bacon), though that is usually near the tofu by the produce section in the stores around me. The great part is that smoked tempeh is typically thinly sliced, which is perfect for this cassoulet recipe. If you can't find smoked tempeh, you can get regular kind and add a drop or two of liquid smoke to the broth for that wonderful smoky flavor. If you can't find tempeh at all, don't worry about it—just skip it or add more sausage

    Do NOT substitute with tofu!! It will not work well in this recipe.

    Cooking tip: I brown the sausages and tempeh whole and then slice them into bite-sized pieces. It's much easier to brown a few whole sausages on each side than to flip dozens of little pieces.

    Related recipe: Vegan Sausage Zuppa Toscana

    How to make cassoulet

    I'll give you the steps-by-step cassoulet instructions below, but here's a breakdown for how to make this delicious vegan stew, so you can have a better picture of the recipe steps:

    1. Brown the vegan sausages and/or tempeh. Remove from casserole pan.
    2. Sauté diced onion, carrot, celery, and garlic.
    3. Add diced tomatoes, vegan broth, herbs, seasonings, and the browned sausage back to the pan. Add the white beans.
    4. Simmer until desired consistency.
    Close up of bowl of vegan cassoulet stew.

    Related recipe: Vegan Taco Soup

    What to serve with cassoulet

    Cassoulet is typically just thick enough that you do not need a spoon to eat it. It's not soupy (though it definitely can be, if you prefer soup!). There's a little bit of saucy broth, but the bulk of the dish is mostly vegan sausage and white beans coated in a delicious gravy-type sauce. Because of this, cassoulet is PERFECT for serving with a toasted baguette for dipping.

    You can also serve it over rice or even over mashed potatoes (think of the sauce as gravy!).

    Ingredients for vegan cassoulet stew.

    Ingredients

    • 2 lb vegan sausage (whole sausages - I like to use a combination of sausages for variety, such as Field Roast, Beyond Sausage)
    • 6 oz smoked tempeh (or any tempeh), thinly sliced - this is available in the refrigerated section of your store, typically next to the produce and tofu
    • 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
    • 1 yellow onion, finely diced
    • 2 small carrots, finely diced
    • 2 celery stalks, finely diced
    • 2 cloves garlic, roughly minced
    • ½ can diced tomatoes (7 oz)
    • 2 cups vegan chicken broth (2 teaspoons no-chicken better than bouillon + 2 cups water)
    • 2 (14-oz) cans white beans, such as cannellini or great northern (or 3-3.5 cups cooked white beans), drained and lightly rinsed
    • 8 oz baby bella mushrooms (cremini mushrooms), wiped clean thinly sliced - optional to use mushrooms!
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 2 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
    • 2-3 sprigs fresh parsley + ¼ cup diced fresh parsley leaves for garnish (or 1 teaspoon dried parsley)
    • Optional: a few drops of liquid smoke

    Instructions

    Step 1: Preheat a large casserole pan and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Carefully place the vegan sausages and tempeh into the oil and cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Note: the tempeh will probably brown faster than the sausage, so if you can't fit it all in one pan, you can do a couple of batches of tempeh while you brown the sausage. Remove onto a plate and set aside. It's OK if you have brown bits remaining in the pan, we want that for flavor.

    Browning vegan sausage in a casserole pan.

    Step 1a: Cut the sausage and tempeh into bite-sized pieces while the work on the next to steps to make the cassoulet broth. It's OK if the sausage still has pink in the center, it will simmer in the broth for a long time.

    Step 2: Add more olive oil along with the diced onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Sauté over medium-low heat for 10 minutes stirring frequently, using a wooden spoon to loosen the brown sausage bits. Do not let the vegetables brown!

    Sautéing onion, celery, and carrots.

    Step 3: Add half a can of diced tomatoes and the vegan broth, and allow to simmer for 5 minutes. 

    Adding broth and diced tomatoes to sautéed veggies.

    Optional step 4: If you want a smoother cassoulet with a thick gravy-like sauce instead of having vegetable chunks in it, use an immersion blender to CAREFULLY puree the veggies, either completely or partially (I left a few pieces whole, as you can see). SAFETY WARNING: The both is HOT. Only use an immersion blender if you can submerge it in the liquid completely. I had to tilt the pan a little to one side to get the immersion blender to submerge. 

    Pureed sauce for vegan cassoulet.

    Step 5: Add the drained white beans, sliced mushrooms, sliced sausage, bay leaves, thyme, and parsley to the pan. Add a few drops of liquid smoke, if you like. Gently stir, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. 

    Adding beans, vegan sausage, herbs, and mushrooms to the cassoulet.

    Step 6: Allow to simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until the broth has thickened, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Remove from heat, use tongs to fish out the bay leaves, parsley and thyme sprigs. Stir in fresh diced parley and serve warm.

    Casserole pan with vegan cassoulet.

    If you’ve tried this vegan cassoulet recipe or any other recipe on my blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I LOVE hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more delicious food!!!

    Recipe

    Pan of vegan cassoulet.

    Vegan Cassoulet Recipe

    Hearty and delicious, this vegan sausage stew with white beans is a favorite on a cold winter day! You can chop the veggies in advance to save time and make this a true easy weeknight dinner.
    4.86 from 7 votes
    Print recipe Leave a comment
    Course: Entree, Main Course
    Cuisine: French
    Diet: Vegan
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 492kcal
    Author: Kate

    Ingredients

    • 2 lb vegan sausages, whole sausages - I like to use a combination of sausages for variety
    • 6 oz smoked tempeh, or any tempeh, thinly sliced
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
    • 1 yellow onion, finely diced
    • 2 small carrots, finely diced
    • 2 celery stalks, finely diced
    • 2 cloves garlic, roughly minced
    • ½ can diced tomatoes, (7 oz)
    • 2 cups vegan chicken broth, 2 teaspoons no-chicken better than bouillon + 2 cups water
    • 28 oz canned white beans, such as cannellini or great northern (or 3-3.5 cups cooked white beans), drained and lightly rinsed
    • 8 oz baby bella mushrooms, (cremini mushrooms), wiped clean thinly sliced - Optional!
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 2 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
    • 2-3 sprigs fresh parsley + ¼ cup diced fresh parsley leaves for garnish, or 1 teaspoon dried parsley
    • Optional: a few drops of liquid smoke

    Special equipment

    • Large casserole pan or a large skillet with high sides with a lid
    • Immersion blender optional

    Instructions

    • Preheat a large casserole pan and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Carefully place the vegan sausages and tempeh into the oil and cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Note: the tempeh will probably brown faster than the sausage, so you can do a couple of batches of tempeh while you brown the sausage. Remove onto a plate and set aside. It's OK if you have brown bits remaining in the pan, we want that for flavor.
    • Cut the sausages and tempeh into bite-sized pieces while the work on the next to steps to make the cassoulet broth. It's OK if the sausage still has pink in the center, it will simmer in the broth for a long time.
    • Add more olive oil along with the diced onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Sauté over medium-low heat for 10 minutes stirring frequently to loosen the brown sausage bits. Do not let the vegetables brown!
    • Add half a can of diced tomatoes and the vegan broth, and simmer for 5 minutes.
    • Optional: If you want a thicker smoother sauce instead of having vegetable chunks in it, use an immersion blender to CAREFULLY puree the veggies, either completely or partially. SAFETY WARNING: The both is HOT. Only use an immersion blender if you can submerge it in the liquid completely - I had to tilt the pan a little to one side to get the immersion blender to submerge.
    • Add the drained white beans, sliced mushrooms (if using), sliced sausage, bay leaves, thyme, and parsley to the pan. Add a few drops of liquid smoke, if you like. Gently stir, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Allow to simmer, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes, or until the broth has thickened, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Check on the pan every 10 minutes or so, and if the liquid is evaporating too quickly, you can add ½ cup of water at a time or cover with a lid.
    • Remove from heat, use tongs to remove the bay leaves, parsley, and thyme sprigs. Stir in fresh diced parley and serve warm.

    Notes

    • The nutrition facts will depend on the brand of vegan sausages used and the amount of oil used to sauté, the size of your veggies, etc.
    • Do NOT use tofu in place of tempeh or sausages.
    • Mushrooms are not a traditional cassoulet ingredient, but they are delicious in this vegan stew!
    • You can use the whole can of diced tomatoes, if you want a more tomato-y broth.
    • You can make this cassoulet as soupy or thick as you like - your choice! To make it more soupy, you can either simmer for less time, or add more water or broth as it simmer, to taste (the cassoulet might be salty enough thanks to the sausage, so water might be a good addition if adding extra liquid).

    Nutrition

    Calories: 492kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 1389mg | Potassium: 1061mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 3612IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 101mg | Iron: 8mg

    More All Vegan Recipes

    • Vegan Mocha Mug Cake
    • Vegan Parsnip Soup
    • Vegan Miso Sweet Potato Soup
    • Vegan Coquito

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Questions? Feedback? I love to hear from you! Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. JB

      July 15, 2022 at 6:57 pm

      5 stars
      This is hearty and filling with lots of protein. I didn't have the smoked tempeh so I used the plain. This came together fast and is very tasty. My adult son who isn't vegan loved it! I'm happy I discovered Vegan Blueberry because I made the Vegan Stuffed Portobellos and loved them too! Thank you!

      Reply
      • Kate

        July 20, 2022 at 1:08 pm

        Thank you so much for taking the time to write this kind message!

        Reply
    2. in2insight

      January 20, 2022 at 3:18 pm

      5 stars
      Perfect meal for a winter day.
      Flavors are great!
      Added the mushrooms and loved them.
      Most likely will omit the tempe next time and just add a few more drops of liquid smoke or smoked paprika.
      Thank you for sharing!

      Reply
      • Kate

        January 24, 2022 at 12:53 pm

        Thanks for letting me know!! Yes, I love the mushrooms too 🙂

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Image of Vegan Blueberry recipe creator.

    Welcome to Vegan Blueberry! Here you'll find veganized versions of your favorite comfort food, amazing vegan desserts, and the best vegan cheese recipes on the internet.

    More about Vegan Blueberry →

    "Buy me a coffee" button.

    Reader favorites:

    • Vegan Apple Sticky Buns
    • 25 Vegan Halloween Recipes
    • Red Bean Meatballs (Vegan, Soy-Free)
    • 25 Vegan Air Fryer Recipes

    Follow Vegan Blueberry:

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube

    Footer

    logo collage

    Find Out What's Cookin'

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube

    Who's behind Vegan Blueberry?

    Hi! I'm Kate. Welcome to Vegan Blueberry, where you'll find easy, delicious vegan recipes that are family-friendly and super satisfying! Read more

    My Favorites:

    Vegan mocha mug cake with powdered sugar sprinkled on top
    Bowl of creamy vegan parsnip soup.
    Close up of a bowl of vegan miso sweet potato soup.

    See the Vegan Blueberry Web Stories

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. See my full disclosure and privacy policy.

    Copyright © 2023 · MAMA IS WORKING LLC, VEGANBLUEBERRY | Privacy Policy