Mary Berry Sausage Cassoulet Recipe

Mary Berry’s Sausage Cassoulet is a hearty, slow-cooked French-inspired stew that transforms simple pantry staples into a sophisticated and comforting family meal. Ideally the sausages should be of a high-quality, herby variety and browned thoroughly in the pan to ensure they develop a deep, caramelized flavor that enriches the entire bean sauce.

Jump to Recipe

Mary Berry Sausage Cassoulet Recipe Ingredients

• 8 thick pork sausages (preferably Cumberland or Lincolnshire)
• 200g smoked bacon lardons or chopped streaky bacon
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced
• 2 carrots, diced into 1 cm pieces
• 2 celery sticks, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 300ml chicken stock
• 2 cans (400g each) cannellini beans or butter beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 tsp dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 50g fresh breadcrumbs
• 25g butter, melted
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

How To Make Mary Berry Sausage Cassoulet Recipe

1. Brown the Meats: Heat the olive oil in a large, oven-proof casserole dish over a medium heat. Add the sausages and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, turning frequently until they are golden brown all over. Remove the sausages and set them aside on a plate.
2. Sauté Bacon and Veg: In the same dish, add the bacon lardons and fry for 3 to 4 minutes until crisp. Add the onions, carrots, and celery, then cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened and are starting to colour.
3. Aromatics: Stir in the crushed garlic and tomato purée, and cook for 1 minute.
4. Build the Sauce: Add the chopped tomatoes, chicken stock, dried thyme, and bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
5. Add the Beans: Stir in the drained beans and return the browned sausages to the dish, tucking them into the liquid. Season with a little salt and a generous amount of black pepper.
6. Bake: Cover the dish with a lid and place it in a preheated oven at 180C (160C fan/Gas 4) for 30 minutes.
7. The Crunchy Topping: While the cassoulet is baking, mix the breadcrumbs with the melted butter.
8. Final Finish: Remove the lid from the casserole dish and sprinkle the buttered breadcrumbs over the top. Bake uncovered for a further 15 to 20 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and the breadcrumbs are golden and crisp.

Recipe Tips

• Sausage Quality: Since the sausages are the star of the dish, choose a variety with a high meat content (at least 70 percent). This prevents the sausages from becoming mealy or breaking apart during the slow-cooking process.
• Bean Varieties: While cannellini beans are traditional, butter beans or haricot beans work just as well. If you prefer a more varied texture, you can use one can of each.
• Tomato Purée: Don’t skip frying the tomato purée for a minute before adding the liquid; this “cooks out” the raw acidity and creates a much deeper, richer base for the stew.
• Breadcrumb Texture: For the best crunch, use fresh breadcrumbs made from a day-old white loaf rather than dry, store-bought crumbs.

What To Serve With Mary Berry Sausage Cassoulet

Sausage cassoulet pairings are rustic, comforting additions frequently served on cold winter evenings to provide a warm and filling dining experience. Ideally the crusty French baguette should be warmed in the oven and served with salted butter to provide a perfect vessel for soaking up the rich, tomato-based bean sauce.

• A side of steamed green beans or savoy cabbage
• A fresh green salad with a sharp vinaigrette to cut through the richness
• Mary Berry Smoked Salmon Pâté as a light starter
• A glass of medium-bodied red wine like a Côtes du Rhône

How To Store Mary Berry Sausage Cassoulet

• Refrigerate: This cassoulet actually tastes better the next day. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Reheat: Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium heat, adding a splash of water or stock if the sauce has become too thick. Note that the breadcrumb topping will lose its crunch upon reheating.
• Freeze: You can freeze the cassoulet (without the breadcrumb topping) for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and add fresh buttered breadcrumbs before doing the final bake in the oven.

Mary Berry Sausage Cassoulet Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 455 kcal (per serving)
• Carbohydrates: 32g
• Protein: 24g
• Fat: 26g
• Fiber: 9g
• Sugar: 8g

Nutrition information is estimated per serving based on 4 servings.

FAQs

Try More Recipes:

• Mary Berry Sausage Lasagna Recipe
• Mary Berry Sausage Supper Recipe
• Mary Berry Sausage And Red Pepper Casserole​ Recipe