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Slow-Cooker Cassoulet

Slow-Cooker Cassoulet

This classic French stew recipe is typically made with a variety of meats and simmered over the course of multiple days. This streamlined version relies on a slow cooker for ease of cooking.

Servings

8 servings

Prep Time

30 minutes

Total Time

Slow-cooker time: 6-9 hours

Ingredients

Cassoulet

  • 1pound dried great northern beans, soaked and drained
  • 14-ounce ham hock
  • 2cups halved and sliced onion
  • 3cloves garlic, sliced
  • 2bay leaves
  • 1tablespoon dried thyme
  • 1teaspoon salt
  • 1cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 128-ounce can no-salt-added plum tomatoes
  • 2pounds pork shoulder or pork butt, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 2tablespoons totomato paste
  • 1cup dry white wine

Breadcrumbs

  • 3tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 1/2cups coarse fresh whole-wheat breadcrumbs
  • 2cloves garlic, minced
  • 2tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

  1. To prepare cassoulet: Combine beans, ham hock, onion, sliced garlic, bay leaves, thyme and salt in a 6- to 7-quart slow cooker. Add broth and juice from tomatoes (reserve the tomatoes). Nestle pork into the bean mixture.
  2. Cook tomato paste in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until deeply browned in several spots on the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes. Add wine and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the tomato paste and release the browned bits from the pan. Pour into the slow cooker. Coarsely chop the reserved tomatoes and spread over the top so the beans are mostly covered.
  3. Cook on High for 6 hours or Low for 9 hours. Remove meat from the ham hock and chop; stir back into the stew. Discard the bay leaves.
  4. To prepare breadcrumbs: Cook oil and breadcrumbs in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until starting to crisp, 10 to 15 minutes. Add minced garlic; cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in parsley. Serve the breadcrumbs over the cassoulet.

Tips

Soak dry beans to ensure even cooking. Start by sorting beans to re­move any pebbles; rinse well with cold water. Place in a bowl, cover with at least 2 inches of cold water and soak for 12 to 24 hours. If you’re in hurry, use the “quick-soak” method. Place beans in a large saucepan with enough cold water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover and let stand for 1 hour. Drain before cooking.

Soak beans and prep ingredients for Step 1 up to 1 day ahead. Prepare Step 2 just before turning on the slow cooker.

6- to 7-quart slow cooker

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (recipe makes 8 servings)

Calories 540kcal
Carbohydrate Total 54g
Total Sugars 6g
Added Sugars 1g
Fiber 14g
Total Fat 19g
Saturated Fat 5g
Mono Saturated Fat 9g
Cholesterol 64mg
Sodium 625mg
Protein 35g
Potassium 1192mg
Calcium 220mg
Chromium 2mcg
Folate 166mcg
Omega-6 2g
Vitamin B12 1mcg
Vitamin E 3mg
Zinc 5mg
Vitamin B3 6mg

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