Published: · Modified: by Vaishali · This post may contain affiliate links · 44 Comments
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
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
Print Recipe Pin Recipe SAVE RECIPE
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
Calories: 192kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Potassium: 826mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 389IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 114mg | Iron: 4mg
Tried this recipe?Please leave a comment and recipe rating below!
« Curried Coconut Tofu Wraps
Crispy Baked Potato Vadas, No Oil »
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
See AlsoGarlic Naan Bread Recipe
Vaishali
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".
Reply
Tony
We're vegetarians who occasionally dabble in vegan. I've had cassoulet before, before I said goodbye to meat, and because of how the original dish is made I didn't expect too much from this recipe.Boy was I wrong - wow! This recipe is absolutely beautiful! Sooooooo happy I found it 🙂 YUMMO!!!
The only changes I made were adding a cup of 'chicken' stock (vegan, by Massel), adding a quarter diced butternut pumpkin and, for future attempts anyway, I'll sub vegan sausages for the tempeh. I also topped it with a toasted crumb as per below:
Optional Topping
100g fresh breadcrumbs
2 garlic cloves - crushed
3 Tbsp oil
2 Tbsp freshly chopped parsley
qty Grated parmesan
Seasoning, to tasteThank you so much for putting this up. Awesome!
Oh, and it comes back from the freezer really well too 🙂
Reply
Nina Nixdorf
Hi,
thanks for this wonderful recipe, I'll definitely try it. 🙂
French Fries are actually Belgian, though. 😉
Love,
Nina
Reply
Cédrick
Hello, I think I did something wrong. After we add the wine it says to let the water evaporate the problem being my cassoulet became very dry. The taste is on point but it is very dry. What would you advise to help this, or have mis read the recepie?I did not put tempeh, could this have contributed?
Solidairement Cédrick.
Reply
Vaishali
Cedrick, instructions tell you to add more water if the stew is thick. Vegetable stock is fine too.
Reply
Laura
Omg This is wonderful. When it came time to add the beans I realized they were supposed to be cooked and mine were only presoaked at that point. So.. I added a bunch of water, put it in the oven and baked for a few hours until the liqid was all absorbed. Major deliciousness. Thank you!Reply
Nina
Made the same mistake, wht temp?
Uncovered?Reply
Laurence
A crusty French stick, a bottle of shiraz, and your vegan cassoulet! Mmmmagnifique!Reply
Lauren
I just made this and OMG! I have never tasted something so rich, complex and just amazing. Thank you, thank you for this recipe. We ate it up with some French bread and it was perfect.Reply
Jeanne
Do you think sh*take mushrooms would work? I've got some dried ones. Thanks!
Reply
Vaishali
Yes! Reconstitute them in hot water, chops and add. You can use the stock too!
Reply
Jeanne
Thank you! I can't wait to try this today!
Reply
Alexandre Ruel
Ah je vais cuisiner çelà! J'adore le tempeh 🙂
Reply
Steph
FABULOUS! I personally don't like todu/tempeh so I added cauliflower. Also used veggie stock where the recipe said add water to loosen it up. It was a perfect recipe. Exactly as written. Wonderful.Reply
Anonymous
Question: the only liquid in the recipe that I can see is the wine, that you then cook until it is absorbed. How much other liquid should be used and when? Should this end up as more if a stir fry than a stew?
Reply
Vaishali Honawar
Hi there, it's mentioned where you should add more water if the stew gets too thick. I like my stew just a little runny, but you can add more or less liquid per your taste. Vegetable stock would be a great addition, if you have that.
Reply
Mia
Lol! I hear you loud and clear!
I now live in France and have a very hard time if I am to eat out..
This looks lovely and heartwarming..cant wait to try it as the weather cools down,
Thank you
Blessings
MiaReply
Vaishali Honawar
Hi Mia, lucky you to live in France. I live in DC which has a few vegan restaurants but if I didn't want to travel all the way to where they are, it would be pretty impossible to eat out here as well since regular restaurants have few good vegan options, if any.
Reply
Flo
Bonjour!
Ha ha I live your description of us Frebch Peeps! We do put on weight tho!
Thank you so much for this Cassoulet recipe. I've always loved cassoulet, my mom makes it so oh lush! But haven't eaten any since I became a vegetarian some 26/7 year ago.
So thank you thank you thank you!
Merci beaucoup 🙂
FloReply
Vaishali Honawar
🙂 Hi Flo, it's all in jest, of course, Thanks for being such a sport about it.
Reply
Flo
Yeah, i know it is, no worries! I love your blog! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Reply
amarthya
You go, girl! Give it to those Frenchies and keep on Veganizing their fancy, high-falutin cuisine!!
Reply
Vaishali Honawar
🙂
Reply
Ellen Rose
I made this for my Sunday lunch. It tastes great and I also enjoyed reading your little story concerning the French cuisine 😮 ))Reply
Vaishali Honawar
Hi Ellen, so glad you tried it! Thanks for letting me know!
Reply
Jacqui
It's still a little too hot here (Texas) for much cooking, but the first cool day this is on the menu! It sounds so much better than the French version.
Reply
Vaishali Honawar
Jacqui, would be perfect for a cool day-- we are still sweltering here in DC too. 🙂
Reply
