Instant Pot French Cassoulet on Toast

Name: Instant Pot French Cassoulet on Toast
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 12 oz (340 g) duck confit (legs and thighs), shredded, fat reserved; 1½ cups (300 g) dried cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (or 3 cans, drained if using canned); 8 oz (225 g) fresh Toulouse sausage or other garlicky French pork sausage, casing removed, crumbled; 1 whole (200 g) large yellow onion, finely diced; 4 cloves (20 g) garlic cloves, minced; 2 medium (150 g) carrots, diced into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces; 2 stalks (100 g) celery stalks, diced into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces; 2 cups (480 ml) low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock; ¾ cup (180 ml) dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc); 2 tbsp (30 g) tomato paste; 2 whole bay leaves; 4 sprigs (4 g) fresh thyme sprigs (or 1 tsp dried); to taste kosher salt; to taste freshly ground black pepper; 4 slices (about 1 inch thick) (200 g) crusty country bread or baguette; 2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter, softened; 2 tbsp (8 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A simplified, weeknight version of the French classic: tender duck confit, garlicky sausage, and creamy cannellini beans simmered together in the Instant Pot, then spooned generously onto crispy, buttered toast. The cassoulet sauce is rich and savory, fortified with white wine and herbs, and ready in under an hour instead of the traditional day-long braise.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 35 min
Wait: 15 min
Total: 1 hr 5 min
Makes: 4 generous open-faced sandwiches

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Ingredients

4 servings

12 oz (340 g) duck confit (legs and thighs), shredded, fat reserved
1½ cups (300 g) dried cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (or 3 cans, drained if using canned)
8 oz (225 g) fresh Toulouse sausage or other garlicky French pork sausage, casing removed, crumbled
1 whole (200 g) large yellow onion, finely diced
4 cloves (20 g) garlic cloves, minced
2 medium (150 g) carrots, diced into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces
2 stalks (100 g) celery stalks, diced into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces
2 cups (480 ml) low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
¾ cup (180 ml) dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc)
2 tbsp (30 g) tomato paste
2 whole bay leaves
4 sprigs (4 g) fresh thyme sprigs (or 1 tsp dried)
to taste kosher salt
to taste freshly ground black pepper
4 slices (about 1 inch thick) (200 g) crusty country bread or baguette
2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter, softened
2 tbsp (8 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (optional)

Equipment (7)

6-quart (6 L) Instant Pot
Cutting board
Sharp knife
Measuring cups and spoons
Large spoon
Toaster or toaster oven
4 serving plates

Steps

Before you start

Have duck confit at room temperature or gently warmed
Measure all ingredients before starting—the Instant Pot cooks quickly
Use dried cannellini beans or canned (see substitutions for equivalents)
If using canned beans, reduce pressure-cooking time to 5 minutes

1
Sauté the sausage
- Turn the Instant Pot to sauté mode on high heat.
- When hot, add the crumbled sausage and cook for 4–5 minutes, breaking it into small pieces as it cooks, until lightly browned and most of the fat has rendered.
- Do not fully brown; you want some pinkness remaining since it will finish cooking under pressure.
- Stir frequently and transfer to a plate.
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Ready when: Sausage loses its raw color and releases fat
Tip: Don't fully brown the sausage—it will continue cooking under pressure and you want it tender, not dried out.
2
Build the flavor base
- Keep the Instant Pot on sauté.
- Add the diced onion, carrot, and celery directly to the pot with the rendered sausage fat.
- Cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes translucent and the vegetables soften slightly.
- Add the minced garlic and tomato paste, stir well, and cook for another 1 minute until fragrant.
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Ready when: Onion is translucent and tomato paste darkens slightly
Tip: Stir the tomato paste thoroughly into the fat to caramelize it slightly—this deepens the cassoulet's savory flavor.
3
Deglaze and build the braise
- Pour in the white wine and stir with a wooden spoon, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot (this is flavor).
- Cook for 1–2 minutes, allowing some of the alcohol to evaporate.
- Add the stock, rinsed dried beans, cooked sausage, bay leaves, and thyme sprigs.
- Stir to combine.
- Season lightly with salt and pepper—remember the duck confit and sausage already add saltiness.
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Ready when: Liquid simmers and all ingredients are submerged
Tip: Don't skip deglazing—those browned bits contain concentrated flavor that makes the cassoulet rich and deep.
4
Pressure cook the beans
- Cancel sauté mode.
- Lock the Instant Pot lid in place and set to high pressure for 20 minutes (if using dried beans).
- The pot will take 5–7 minutes to build pressure before cooking begins.
- If using canned beans instead, reduce to 5 minutes under pressure.
- When the timer beeps, allow natural pressure release for 10 minutes, then manually release any remaining steam.
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Ready when: Beans are creamy and collapse easily when pressed
Tip: Natural pressure release prevents the beans from splattering when the lid opens and allows carryover cooking to finish them gently.
5
Add the duck and finish
- Carefully remove the lid, venting away from your face.
- Stir in the shredded duck confit along with 2 tablespoons of its rendered fat.
- The cassoulet should be thick and stewlike, with beans mostly intact but some broken down to create creaminess.
- Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
- If the sauce seems too thin, turn on sauté mode for 2–3 minutes to reduce and thicken slightly.
- If too thick, add a splash of stock.
- Turn off the Instant Pot.
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Ready when: Duck is heated through and flavors meld; sauce coats a spoon
Tip: The duck confit fat adds richness—don't skip it. The cassoulet should be saucy but not soupy; adjust the consistency to your preference.
6
Toast the breadOven 400°F / 205°C
- While the cassoulet finishes, preheat a toaster or toaster oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Lightly butter both sides of each bread slice and toast for 2–3 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy on the outside but still slightly yielding within.
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Ready when: Bread is golden brown and crispy
Tip: Toast the bread just before serving so it stays crispy. Buttering it beforehand prevents the cassoulet from making it soggy too quickly.
7
Assemble and serve
- Place one buttered toast slice on each serving plate.
- Ladle the hot cassoulet generously over the toast, ensuring each plate gets beans, sausage, duck, and plenty of sauce.
- Garnish with fresh chopped parsley if desired.
- Serve immediately while the toast is still warm and crispy beneath the cassoulet.
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Ready when: Toast is warm and cassoulet is steaming hot
Tip: Serve immediately—the hot cassoulet will soften the toast slightly, creating a perfect texture balance. This is an open-faced sandwich meant to be eaten with a knife and fork.

Good to know

Tips

This is a simplified, one-pot version of traditional cassoulet (which requires hours of slow-cooking). The Instant Pot's pressure delivers tender beans and melded flavors in under an hour.
Duck confit, sold in specialty shops and online, is worth the investment—its silky meat and rich fat are what make cassoulet special. If unavailable, see the substitutions.
The cassoulet should be stewlike and saucy, not dry. If it seems too thick after cooking, stir in a splash of stock or water. If too thin, use sauté mode to reduce.
For a crispy-topped cassoulet (the traditional finish), transfer the mixture to a baking dish, top with breadcrumbs mixed with melted butter, and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 15–20 minutes until golden. Serve from the baking dish instead of on toast.

Make ahead

The cassoulet (through Step 5) can be made up to 2 days ahead. Cool, cover, and refrigerate. Reheat gently in the Instant Pot on sauté mode for 5–7 minutes, or in a regular pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Toast the bread fresh just before serving.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate the cassoulet (without the toast) in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Freeze in portions for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently on the stovetop or Instant Pot sauté mode. Bread is best fresh; store cooled toast in an airtight container for up to 1 day and refresh in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 2 minutes if needed.

Substitutions

dried cannellini beans → three 15-oz (425 g) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed. Reduces pressure-cook time to 5 minutes (or omit pressure cooking entirely and add canned beans in Step 5, heating through on sauté mode for 3–4 minutes). Skip rinsing the pot between sauté and pressure modes if using canned beans.
fresh Toulouse sausage or other garlicky French pork sausage → garlicky Italian sausage (hot or mild) or Spanish chorizo, skin removed. Toulouse sausage is traditional, but any coarse, garlicky pork sausage works. Chorizo adds smokiness. Use 8 oz (225 g) of any choice.
duck confit (legs and thighs) → 12 oz (340 g) shredded roasted chicken or pulled pork, mixed with 2 tbsp (28 g) melted duck fat, lard, or olive oil. Duck confit is rich and essential to the dish's character, but roasted chicken or pork (dressed with extra fat) mimics the texture and adds richness. Store-bought rotisserie chicken works in a pinch.
dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc) → dry vermouth or an additional ¾ cup (180 ml) low-sodium chicken stock. Wine adds acidity and depth. Vermouth is a good substitute for similar flavor. Using extra stock will yield a slightly less complex but still delicious cassoulet.