A French breakfast cassoulet is a variation of the traditional cassoulet, a hearty, slow-cooked dish originating from southern France, traditionally made with beans, meats like sausage or duck confit, and aromatic herbs. Adapted for breakfast, this version incorporates classic morning ingredients while maintaining the rich, rustic essence of the original.
This adaptation is perfect for a leisurely brunch, offering comfort and robust flavours in a single dish. It highlights the cassoulet’s essence while introducing morning-appropriate elements, making it a delightful fusion of tradition and innovation. The breakfast cassoulet embodies the French knack for elevating simple, rustic ingredients into a satisfying culinary experience.
This recipe is for 1 portion, so just increase the ingredients for more people.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small banana shallot
1 clove garlic
150g tinned haricot beans, including the liquid in the jar/tin
½ teaspoon harissa paste
50g tinned tomatoes
50g sweet red pepper sauce or tomato passata
1 pinch rock salt
1 Toulouse sausage or similar around 80-90g
2 medium free-range eggs
½ teaspoon harissa paste
5 leaves flatleaf parsley
1 pinch rock salt
1 pinch black pepper
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Prepare your ingredients by peeling and chopping your shallots then crush your garlic.
Place your Toulouse sausage on a tray and bake in the oven for 6 minutes at 180˚c fan oven. While the sausage is cooking, make your sauce.
In a thick-bottomed pan, sweat down your shallots & garlic in the olive oil with a little rock salt. Once half cooked, add your white beans with the cooking liquor it comes in followed by your chopped tinned tomatoes, harissa & sweet red pepper sauce.
Bring this to the boil then simmer and cook for about 3-4 minutes until thick. Place in a cassoulet dish or similar-sized baking dish, make a well in the centre and crack your eggs straight into the middle.
Slice your cooked sausage into 8 slices and arrange around the eggs. Cover the dish and bake in the oven at 180˚c fan for 10-12 minutes until the egg whites are just cooked. Be very careful when taking out of the oven as the dish will be extremely hot!
Garnish with a small teaspoon of harissa paste and some chopped fresh parsley. Serve with some toasted sourdough or your choice of good-quality bread.
