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If the weather outside is cold and snowy and you don’t feel like chili or stew, try this fabulous protein-rich French cassoulet. Cassoulet is a versatile dish of beans, often prepared with duck legs, sausage, and pork, among other proteins. This version is relatively simple and includes chicken thighs, bacon, and smoked sausage. All you need is an Instant Pot or another pressure cooker, dried beans, bacon, smoked sausage, and chicken thighs, and you’ll have a fantastic dinner in about 1 1/2 hours!
The pressure cooker transforms dried beans into a silky, stew-like base without soaking, while the optional crispy chicken skin adds a gourmet finishing touch. Serve with crusty bread to soak up every bit of the flavorful broth.
What You’ll Like About This Dish
Classic comfort, faster. All the flavor of traditional cassoulet in under an hour of cooking time.
Incredible texture. Pressure cooking makes the beans creamy and the chicken fork-tender.
Smoky richness. Bacon and sausage add depth and a French country feel.
Optional crispy garnish. Fried chicken skin brings an irresistible crunch.
Ingredient Notes
- Great northern beans – No soaking required; they become soft and creamy under pressure.
- Smoked sausage – Adds smoky, savory depth; choose andouille, kielbasa, or French-style garlic sausage.
- Bacon – Renders flavorful fat for sautéing and enriches the broth.
- Chicken thighs – Bone-in for maximum flavor; remove skin for optional crisping.
- Aromatics – Onion, garlic, bay leaf, and thyme create a classic cassoulet base.
- Chicken stock – Use unsalted or low sodium to control seasoning.
- Chicken skin – Crisp separately for a restaurant-style topping.
Steps to Make Instant Pot Cassoulet
- Sauté the bacon until much of the fat is rendered.
- Add the onions and smoked sausage and cook until lightly browned.
- Stir in the garlic and cook briefly to release its aroma.
- Add the chicken stock and beans and stir to combine.
- Season the chicken thighs and nestle them into the mixture with bay leaf and thyme.
- Pressure cook until the beans and chicken are tender.
- Remove the chicken, discard bones, and return the meat to the pot.
- Keep warm until serving.
- Garnish each serving with crispy chicken skin, if using.
Tips
- Rinsing but not soaking the beans gives the best creamy texture.
- Browning the sausage boosts flavor and adds fond to the pot.
- Crisp the chicken skin slowly over low heat for the best crackling texture.
- Let the pressure release naturally—this helps the beans stay intact and creamy.
- Add a splash of stock at the end if the cassoulet thickens more than you prefer.
Recipe Variations
- Use duck confit in place of chicken thighs for a more traditional and richly flavored cassoulet.
- Substitute cooked pork shoulder or sausage for one of the meat components for extra depth.
- Add a ham hock or slab bacon to the beans during cooking for a smoky, savory base.
- Top the finished cassoulet with buttered breadcrumbs or panko before broiling for a classic crust.
What to Serve With Cassoulet
- Crusty French bread or a rustic French fougasse.
- A light green salad with mustard vinaigrette to cut through the richness.
- Roasted or sautéed greens like kale, Swiss chard, or Brussels sprouts.
- A glass of dry red wine, such as Côtes du Rhône, Bordeaux, or Malbec.
- Simple poached pears or fresh fruit for dessert.
How to Store
Refrigerate: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The flavors continue to deepen as it rests.
Freeze: Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheat: Warm gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. Add a splash of broth or water if the beans become too thick.
Instant Pot Cassoulet
Ingredients
- 4 strips bacon, diced
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 12 ounces smoked sausage
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 12 ounces dried great northern beans, about 2 cups, rinsed
- 4 chicken thighs, on the bone, with skin
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 to 6 sprigs thyme
- Chopped fresh parsley or thyme leaves (optional), for garnish
- Crusty French bread (optional), for serving
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Sauté: Add the diced bacon to the Instant Pot and choose the sauté function. Cook the bacon for 3 to 4 minutes, until most of the fat is rendered. Add the onion and smoked sausage and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until the onion is translucent and the sausage is browned. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute.4 strips bacon | 1 medium onion | 12 ounces smoked sausage | 3 cloves garlic
- Optional Crispy Chicken Skin Garnish: This step is totally optional, but it adds great crunch. Remove the skin from the chicken thighs and place it flat in a skillet over medium-low heat. Set a heavy pan or skillet on top to keep the skin flat as the fat renders, about 7 to 10 minutes. Season lightly with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper and continue cooking until golden and crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain; set aside.
- Pressure Cook: Add the chicken stock and beans to the Instant Pot. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper and tuck them into the beans. Add the bay leaf and thyme. Lock the lid in place and choose the pressure cook function. Ensure the lid is in the sealing position and set the timer for 45 minutes. When the time is up, let the pressure come down naturally; this will take approximately 15 to 20 minutes.(If the beans aren’t fully tender, transfer the chicken to a plate, then pressure cook the beans for 5 to 10 minutes more (quick release), and add the chicken back to warm through.)3 cups chicken stock | 12 ounces dried great northern beans | 4 chicken thighs | Kosher salt | Freshly ground black pepper | 1 bay leaf | 4 to 6 sprigs thyme
- Finish the Dish: Remove the chicken thighs and remove and discard the bones. Chop or shred the meat. Remove and discard the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Add the meat back to the pot and keep it set on warm until serving time.
- Serve: Spoon the cassoulet into bowls and serve with crusty French bread. Garnish with the crispy chicken skin and fresh parsley or thyme leaves, as desired.Chopped fresh parsley or thyme leaves (optional) | Crusty French bread (optional)
Nutrition
Disclaimer:
Our nutritional information is based on a third-party application that analyzes the ingredients list to determine the values. The information is meant to be helpful, but should be considered an estimate. Values may differ depending on measurements, brands, serving variations, and database availability.
Very nice and easy recipe. Minimal prep. New to the instant pot and this one is a super quick and easy way to get a bangin and hearty dish (with leftovers). I’ve done this a couple of times and I really like: setting the pressure cook time to 1 hr over 45 minutes (flavor seems to dig into the beans more) and adding a 1/2 cup of dry white wine, which really makes the flavors pop. However, that’s just my preference and the recipe is lovely as is.
Fascinating, Cassoulet recipes seem to range between super elaborate ( Anthony Bourdain in LesHalles cookbook) to to Chef John’s mid complicated version online, to Chef Rattray’s version here, reduced to the bare minimum of complication, preserving the essential elements of the Dish with New World practicality. My wife and I, in all fairness, cooked at the former end when we were young, cooking elaborate meals for eight that destroyed the kitchen. ( we DID learn to clean up as we go, a maturation process?) and now delightedly embarace simplicity for most of the week of the week or month, having a station in the kitchen with a stainless steel cart equipped with instapot, air fryer, Vitamic blender below. The knives are still sharp, but the oxo mandoline does a lot of prep. The prep is fast, as is the cooking, and the clean up. C’est tout.
Epifani
So good! I used cassoulet beans from rancho gordo and they were amazing. The only thing to note is that you’ll need to adjust the cooking time to 1hr because the cassoulet beans are heartier than great northern. This was a huge hit at our house and we will definitely be making it again!
Fantastic! Thanks for posting!
Cassoulet is a perfect dish for a warm and satisfying meal