Mary Berry Sausage Cassoulet Recipe
If you need a warm and filling meal, this Mary Berry Sausage Cassoulet Recipe is the best choice. It is a hearty, slow-cooked stew that makes everyone feel happy and full.
Ingredients
- 8 high-quality pork sausages plain or herby
- 150 g smoked bacon lardons or chopped back bacon
- 1 large white onion finely chopped
- 2 medium carrots peeled and diced
- 2 cloves of garlic crushed or finely minced
- 2 cans 400g each of Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 500 ml passata or crushed tomatoes
- 200 ml chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 tablespoon tomato purée
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme or two fresh sprigs
- 1 tablespoon light muscovado sugar
- 100 g fresh breadcrumbs for the crunchy topping
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
Brown the Sausages
- Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Fry the sausages until they are brown and crispy on all sides.
Cook the Bacon
- Remove the sausages and place them in your casserole dish. In the same pan, fry the bacon until it is crunchy and golden.
Soften the Vegetables
- Add the onion and carrots to the pan with the bacon fat. Cook for five minutes until the vegetables are soft and smell very sweet.
Add the Garlic
- Stir in the crushed garlic and cook for only one minute. Do not let the garlic burn, or it will taste bitter in the sauce.
Combine the Base
- Pour in the passata, chicken stock, and tomato purée. Stir well to mix all the savory flavors together into a smooth, red sauce.
Season and Sweeten
- Add the thyme, sugar, salt, and black pepper to the pan. The sugar helps balance the acidity of the tomatoes and the salty bacon.
Add the Beans
- Stir the drained Cannellini beans into the sauce mixture. These beans will absorb all the wonderful juices as they bake in the oven.
Assemble the Dish
- Pour the entire sauce and bean mixture over the sausages in the casserole dish. Ensure the sausages are tucked neatly under the bubbling liquid.
Bake the Cassoulet
- Cover the dish with a lid and bake at 180°C for 45 minutes. This slow cooking makes the sausages very tender and the sauce thick.
Add the Crunch
- Remove the lid and sprinkle the fresh breadcrumbs over the top. Bake for another 15 minutes until the topping is golden and very crispy.
Notes
- Use spicy chorizo instead of bacon for a smoky and hot flavor profile.
- Try butter beans or haricot beans if you cannot find Cannellini beans today.
- Add a splash of red wine to the sauce for a richer color.
- If the sauce is too thick, add a little extra chicken stock before baking.
- Use vegetarian sausages and meat-free bacon to make this dish plant-based.
- You can add chopped celery with the carrots for extra vegetable goodness.