We make this all the time in the winter.


White Bean Cassoulet

4 qt. slow cooker.  Cook for 8 hours on Low.  Serves 4-6.


2 tablesp olive oil

1 large sweet yellow onion, chopped

8 oz baby carrots, halved

2 garlic cloves, minced (we double this amount)

2 cans (3 cups) small white beans, drained and rinsed (I've also used 
Roman beans)

1 28-oz can diced tomatoes, with juices

1 tablesp tomato paste (I often leave this out, or just squirt in a 
little ketchup.  With all those tomatoes, you'll never know the difference)

1/2 cup veg stock

1/4 cup white wine (I've used cooking sherry with no noticeable 
difference, since it's only a quarter cup)

2 bay leaves

1 teasp dried thyme

salt and pepper

1.5 cups bread crumbs (I never bother with this)

1 tablesp chopped parsley (I often omit, or just put some dried parsley 
into the crockpot when cooking, since this adds color)

The original recipe also includes an optional ingredient: 1.5 cups of a 
tempeh and shallot confit from elsewhere in the cookbook.  We never 
bother, because the confit itself takes 4 hours in the slow cooker, and 
this soup is tasty with just the above ingredients.  I do sometimes 
throw in veg meatballs; they semi-dissolve by the time you're ready to 
serve, spewing little meaty crumbs into the broth.  I bet it'd be fine 
with veg sausages as well.


1. Heat 1 tablesp of the oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add onion, 
carrots, garlic, cover and cook 5 min until soft.

2. Transfer to crockpot.  Add everything but the bread crumbs, parsley 
and oil.  Cook on Low for 8 hours.

3. Lightly toast the crumbs in the oil over medium-high heat.  (Or, if 
you're me, skip the crumbs and just throw all the oil into step 1.)

4. After 8 hours, discard bay leaves, top with bread crumbs, and serve, 
garnished with the parsley.