Best 6 Authentic French Casserole Recipes

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A traditional French casserole, known as "Cassoulet," offers a blend of rich flavors and rustic charm. Originating in the southwestern region of France, this hearty stew combines tender beans, succulent meats, aromatic herbs, and a flavorful broth in a single pot. Whether you seek a classic recipe or a contemporary twist, let's embark on a culinary journey to discover the best "authentic French casserole" recipe for a delightful meal to be enjoyed with loved ones.

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

CLASSIC FRENCH CASSOULET



Classic French Cassoulet image

This Classic French Cassoulet is a classic and simple yet delicious casserole with beans, pork sausage and chicken breast. Served with a french baguette and salad? Oui Oui!

Provided by Joanna Cismaru

Categories     Main Course

Time 2h40m

Number Of Ingredients 15

4 links Italian pork sausages (or similar, whole or cut into smaller pieces)
1 pound chicken breasts (boneless and skinless, cut into bite size pieces)
½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
½ teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
1 large onion (chopped)
1 medium carrot (chopped)
1 leek (chopped (white and green part))
½ cup white wine (such as a sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio)
2 small shallots (chopped)
4 cloves garlic (minced)
19 ounce cannellini beans ((1 can), drained)
1 teaspoon rosemary (dried)
½ teaspoon herbes de provence
1½ cup water
2 tablespoon parsley (for garnish)

Steps:

  • Preheat your oven to 325 F degrees.
  • Brown the sausage: In a dutch oven or heavy bottomed sauce pan, brown the sausages whole. I prefer a smaller bite so I dice them up in pieces. Remove them once browned.
  • Cook the chicken: Add the chicken breasts to the Dutch oven next, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the chicken is no longer pink and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
  • Saute veggies: Add onion, carrot, and leeks to the pot in the residual sausage fat and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Then add the shallots and garlic and saute for an additional minute.
  • Deglaze pot: Add the white wine to deglaze the pot, scraping any brown bits from the bottom.
  • Finish the cassoulet: Return the protein to the pot and add beans, herbs, water and seasoning. Bring to a simmer then cover and transfer to the oven to bake for 2 hours.
  • Garnish with parsley and serve.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 430 kcal, Carbohydrate 22 g, Protein 33 g, Fat 22 g, SaturatedFat 7 g, Cholesterol 102 mg, Sodium 970 mg, Fiber 5 g, Sugar 3 g, ServingSize 1 serving

FRENCH COUNTRY CASSEROLE



French Country Casserole image

This delicious dish is great for busy nights when you don't have much time to devote to dinner. It's a quick-to-fix version of a traditional French cassoulet that was an instant hit with my husband, who enjoys smoked sausage. Just mix everything together and bake. The heavenly aroma will draw your family to the table. Kim Lowe, Coralville, Iowa

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Dinner

Time 1h10m

Yield 9 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 11

1 pound smoked kielbasa or Polish sausage, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
1 can (16 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15-1/2 ounces) great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
3 medium carrots, thinly sliced
2 small onions, sliced into rings
1/2 cup dry red wine or beef broth
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 teaspoons dried thyme

Steps:

  • Combine all ingredients in a bowl; transfer to an ungreased 3-qt. baking dish. Cover and bake at 375° for 60-70 minutes or until the carrots are tender.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 268 calories, Fat 5g fat (0 saturated fat), Cholesterol 33mg cholesterol, Sodium 894mg sodium, Carbohydrate 39g carbohydrate (0 sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 19g protein.

TRADITIONAL FRENCH CASSOULET RECIPE



Traditional French Cassoulet Recipe image

To make traditional French cassoulet at home, substitute fresh chicken for duck confit, build flavor in the beans, and add gelatin to form a crisp crust.

Provided by J. Kenji López-Alt

Categories     Mains     Sausage     Soups and Stews

Time 16h25m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 16

1 pound dried cannellini beans
3 tablespoons kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume
1 quart homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock
3 packets (3/4 ounce) unflavored gelatin, such as Knox (see note)
2 tablespoons duck fat (optional)
8 ounces salt pork, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
6 to 8 pieces of chicken thighs and drumsticks, or 4 whole chicken leg quarters
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound garlic sausage (2 to 4 links, depending on size)
1 large onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
1 carrot, unpeeled, cut into 3-inch sections
2 stalks celery, cut into 3-inch sections
1 whole head garlic
4 sprigs parsley
2 bay leaves
6 cloves

Steps:

  • In a large bowl, cover beans with 3 quarts water and add salt. Stir to combine and let sit at room temperature overnight. Drain and rinse beans and set aside.
  • Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Place stock in a large liquid measuring cup and sprinkle gelatin over the top. Set aside. Heat duck fat (if using) in a large Dutch oven over high heat until shimmering. Add salt pork and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned all over, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a large bowl, leaving rendered fat in Dutch oven, and set aside. (If not using duck fat, cook pork with no additional fat.)
  • Season chicken pieces with pepper (do not add salt) and place skin side down in now-empty pan. Cook without moving until well-browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Flip chicken pieces and continue cooking until lightly browned on second side, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer to bowl with salt pork.
  • Add sausages and cook, turning occasionally, until well-browned on both sides. Transfer to bowl with salt pork and chicken. Drain all but 2 tablespoons fat from pot.
  • Add onions to pot and cook, stirring and scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Cook until onions are translucent but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add drained beans, carrot, celery, garlic, parsley, bay leaves, cloves, and stock/gelatin mixture. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce to low, cover Dutch oven, and cook until beans are almost tender but retain a slight bite, about 45 minutes.
  • Using tongs, remove carrots, celery, parsley, bay leaves, and cloves and discard. Add meats to pot and stir to incorporate, making sure that the chicken pieces end up on top of the beans with the skin facing upwards. Beans should be almost completely submerged. Transfer to oven and cook, uncovered, until a thin crust forms on top, about 2 hours, adding more water by pouring it carefully down the side of the pot, as necessary, to keep beans mostly covered.
  • Break crust with a spoon and shake pot gently to redistribute. Return to oven and continue cooking, stopping to break and shake the crust every 30 minutes until you reach the 4 1/2 hour mark. Return to oven and continue cooking undisturbed until the crust is deep brown and thick, about 5 to 6 hours total. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 612 kcal, Carbohydrate 39 g, Cholesterol 110 mg, Fiber 9 g, Protein 36 g, SaturatedFat 12 g, Sodium 2651 mg, Sugar 3 g, Fat 35 g, ServingSize Serves 6 to 8, UnsaturatedFat 0 g

TARTIFLETTE (FRENCH CHEESE AND POTATO CASSEROLE)



Tartiflette (French Cheese and Potato Casserole) image

This French cheese and potato casserole is called tartiflette in France: potatoes combined with fried onions and bacon, smothered with delicious French cheese, and baked to golden deliciousness! All you need is a green salad on the side.

Provided by Valerie

Categories     World Cuisine Recipes     European     French

Time 1h25m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 7

2 pounds potatoes
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 onions, sliced
3 ½ ounces bacon, diced
1 ½ cups dry white wine
salt and ground black pepper to taste
4 slices Reblochon cheese

Steps:

  • Place potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and cool until easily handled. Peel and slice potatoes.
  • Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook onions until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add potatoes and bacon, cover, and simmer over medium-low heat for 15 minutes. Add wine, salt, and pepper.
  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Grease a baking dish.
  • Transfer potato mixture to the prepared baking dish and cover with Reblochon cheese.
  • Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted and slightly browned, about 30 minutes.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 322.9 calories, Carbohydrate 35.3 g, Cholesterol 24.1 mg, Fat 10.9 g, Fiber 4.6 g, Protein 10.9 g, SaturatedFat 5 g, Sodium 377.6 mg, Sugar 5.1 g

GRATIN DAUPHINOISE



Gratin Dauphinoise image

This traditional French casserole of thinly sliced potatoes with milk, cream, garlic, and Gruyere cheese, takes a little effort, but the result is a bubbling, indulgent accompaniment to a special meal.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Main Dish Recipes     Casserole Recipes

Number Of Ingredients 10

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for baking dish
3 pounds (8 to 10 small) Yukon gold potatoes
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 1/4 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 dried bay leaf
Freshly ground pepper
3 ounces Gruyere cheese, finely grated (about 1 cup)

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with rack in center. Generously butter a 9-by-12-inch glass baking dish. Peel potatoes, and slice into 1/8-inch-thick rounds. Place slices in a bowl of cold water as you go to prevent discoloration.
  • In a medium saucepan, combine garlic, milk, heavy cream, salt, nutmeg, and bay leaf. Bring just to a simmer over medium heat, and pour into prepared baking dish. Discard bay leaf.
  • Drain potatoes in a colander, and transfer to baking dish. Using a large spoon, toss potatoes with milk mixture pressing down gently to distribute the potato slices evenly. Season with pepper. Dot with butter, distributing evenly over entire surface; sprinkle with cheese.
  • Place in oven; bake until potatoes can be pierced with a fork and top is brown, 45 to 50 minutes. Serve immediately.

OUR 30+ BEST TRADITIONAL FRENCH RECIPES (+FRENCH GIMLET COCKTAIL)



Our 30+ BEST Traditional French Recipes (+French Gimlet Cocktail) image

These recipes are sure to please. So, gather your family and friends and enjoy. Let us know your thoughts!

Provided by Cassie Marshall

Categories     Breakfast     Dessert     Drinks     Main Course     Side Dish

Time 34m

Number Of Ingredients 3

2 oz. good-quality gin
1 oz. St. Germain liqueur
1/2 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice

Steps:

  • Add ice cubes or crushed ice to a cocktail shaker.
  • Pour in all of the ingredients over the ice.
  • Shake thoroughly until the mixture is fully chilled.
  • Strain and serve with your favorite garnish.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 322 kcal, ServingSize 1 serving

Tips:

  • Choose the Right Casserole Dish: Opt for a heavy-bottomed, oven-safe casserole dish that evenly distributes heat and prevents hot spots.
  • Layer Your Ingredients Wisely: Arrange ingredients in layers to ensure even cooking and a visually appealing dish. Place denser vegetables on the bottom and lighter ones on top.
  • Don't Overcrowd the Dish: Avoid overcrowding the casserole dish, as this can hinder proper cooking and result in soggy ingredients.
  • Season Generously: Use a combination of herbs, spices, and salt and pepper to enhance the flavors of your casserole. Taste the dish before baking to adjust seasonings as needed.
  • Cover or Uncover: Follow the recipe's instructions carefully regarding whether to cover or uncover the casserole during baking. Covering helps retain moisture, while uncovering promotes browning.
  • Bake at the Right Temperature: Preheat your oven to the specified temperature before placing the casserole dish inside. Maintaining the correct temperature ensures even cooking and prevents under or overcooking.
  • Let It Rest: Allow the casserole to rest for a few minutes before serving. This allows the flavors to meld and the dish to set, resulting in a more cohesive and enjoyable experience.

Conclusion:

With careful preparation, attention to detail, and a touch of creativity, you can create authentic French casseroles that capture the essence of this culinary tradition. Experiment with different ingredients, flavors, and techniques to discover new favorites that will impress your family and friends. Whether you prefer classic recipes or modern twists, the versatility of the casserole dish offers endless possibilities for creating hearty, comforting, and delicious meals that are sure to become cherished family traditions.

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