Weeknight Duck Leg Cassoulet
A streamlined cassoulet that skips the days-long traditional method without sacrificing the deep, brothy comfort. Duck confit, garlic sausage, and creamy white beans under a crackling crumb crust.
Traditional cassoulet is a multi-day commitment with confit you cure yourself. This version respects the soul of the dish while pulling it into a single afternoon — store-bought duck confit and good garlic sausage do most of the heavy lifting, while the beans simmer in a tomato-and-thyme broth that tastes much older than it is.
The breadcrumb crust gets broken back into the beans, then re-formed, three times during baking. That's the cassoulet move. It thickens the broth and gives you that signature crackly top.
Ingredients
Beans
- 1 lb / 450 g dried white beans (Tarbais, cannellini, or great northern), soaked overnight and drained
- 1 small onion, halved
- 1 carrot, halved
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 1 ham hock or 4 oz pancetta in a single piece
Cassoulet
- 4 confit duck legs
- 8 oz / 225 g garlic sausage (saucisse de Toulouse if you can find it), cut into thick rounds
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 4 cups warm chicken stock, plus more as needed
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 1/2 cups coarse fresh breadcrumbs
Instructions
- 1
Combine the soaked beans, onion, carrot, garlic, bay, thyme, and ham hock in a pot. Cover by 2 inches with water and bring to a simmer. Cook gently 60 to 75 minutes, until the beans are tender but still hold their shape. Discard the vegetables and herbs. Lift out the ham hock, pull off the meat, and reserve. Save the bean broth.
- 2
Heat the oven to 325°F / 165°C. Pat the duck legs dry. Set a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and crisp the duck skin-side down until deep gold, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Brown the sausage in the duck fat and set aside.
- 3
Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat. Add the diced onion and cook over medium heat until soft, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste; cook until brick-red, 2 minutes.
- 4
Deglaze with white wine, scraping up any browned bits. Reduce by half. Add the stock and 2 cups of the reserved bean broth.
- 5
Fold in the beans, shredded ham hock meat, and sausage. Nestle the duck legs on top, skin-side up.
- 6
Cover and bake 60 minutes. Uncover, scatter the breadcrumbs evenly over the top, and bake 30 minutes more, until the crust is golden.
- 7
Break the crust back into the beans with a spoon, smooth the top, and return to the oven for another 20 minutes. Repeat once more if you have the patience.
- 8
Rest 15 minutes before serving. The cassoulet should be brothy but not soupy — splash in more stock if it has tightened too much.
Tips
- → Confit duck legs are in most grocery freezers under brands like D'Artagnan. Don't substitute roasted duck — the texture is different.
- → Tarbais beans are the traditional choice and hold their shape best, but cannellini are easier to find.
- → Make it a day ahead: the flavor only deepens. Reheat covered at 325°F / 165°C until bubbling, then re-crisp the top under the broiler for 2 minutes.
FAQ
Can I use canned beans?
You can, but the texture suffers. If you do, use 4 cans drained, skip the bean-cooking step, and shorten the first covered bake to 30 minutes.
What can I substitute for garlic sausage?
Mild Italian sausage works, with an extra clove of garlic added to the broth. A spicy chorizo changes the dish but is delicious in its own right.
What wine pairs with it?
Something rustic and southern French — a Madiran, Cahors, or Côtes du Rhône.
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