Cassoulet: The Stew That Sparked a Centuries-Long Rivalry Between Three Places in France

Last updated on August 28th, 2025 at 05:06 pm

Cassoulet is a slow, bubbling pot of beans, garlic, and meat that demands time, patience, and a bit of attitude. In southwest France, entire festivals revolve around it. And the smell of it cooking? That sticks with you longer than most holidays.

What’s inside the pot might look simple at first glance, but there’s a lot going on underneath. Three French towns still can’t agree on who made it first. What you get depends on where you are and who’s cooking. It’s the kind of dish that comes with stories, rivalries, and just a little bit of pride.

So, where did cassoulet really come from? Why do Castelnaudary, Carcassonne, and Toulouse still argue over whose version is the real one? And what makes this dish so fiercely defended, even now? Keep reading, and I’ll take you into the kitchens, the history, and a perfect recipe for you to try at home.

The Origins of Cassoulet

Ask someone in Castelnaudary where cassoulet came from, and they’ll probably mention the Hundred Years’ War. The story goes like this: with the town under siege, the locals gathered what little they had, beans, pork, duck, sausage, and threw it all into a single pot to feed the fighters. It was filling, easy to stretch, and gave them enough strength to push the enemy back.

It’s a great story. But there’s no record of a giant cassoulet saving Castelnaudary. What we do know is that slow-cooked stews like this were common in rural kitchens, especially in Languedoc. People used what they had, usually pork fat, dried beans, and leftover scraps, and let it simmer for hours. 

The name cassoulet comes from the cassole, a clay pot made in the nearby town of Issel. That pot gave the dish its shape and defined the way it was cooked. Over time, as ingredients became more available and families had more to spare, the recipe evolved. But at its core, cassoulet started out as a practical way to feed people with very little.

Cassoulet Through the Centuries

Cassoulet may have started as a peasant dish, but it didn’t stay that way. Over the centuries, the ingredients shifted with the seasons, the rules of the Church, and what was growing in the fields. What began as a way to stretch dried beans and scraps of pork eventually became a dish layered with care and fiercely protected tradition.

Catholic fasting laws shaped a lot of French cooking, cassoulet included. Families would leave out certain meats or switch ingredients depending on the time of year. In Lent, you might find more vegetables. After slaughter season, there was more pork and duck confit. Haricot beans, which came to France from the Americas in the 16th century, slowly replaced older varieties like fava. Local crops and preserved meats defined the final recipe in each area.

The Great Cassoulet Debate

Cassoulet might be one dish, but try telling that to the people of Castelnaudary, Carcassonne, or Toulouse. Each town swears its version is the original. Each has its own list of rules. And none of them are backing down.

In Castelnaudary, the dish leans heavily on pork. You’ll find pork belly, sausage, and rind, often layered with duck confit. It’s rich, slow-cooked, and treated like a local treasure.

Toulouse adds its famous garlic sausage into the mix, usually along with duck or goose and white beans. Then there’s Carcassonne, where you might spot lamb or even partridge in the pot if it’s hunting season. It’s more rustic, less strict, and shaped by what’s available.

Cassoulet cook-offs are serious business, and towns host festivals to defend their version. There’s even an official body called the Académie Universelle du Cassoulet, set up to protect the dish and promote its history. They hold tastings, crown winners, and keep the rivalry alive, one bubbling cassole at a time.

Modern Takes and Local Variations

Cassoulet has come a long way from the farmhouse hearth, but some things haven’t changed. It’s still slow, still hearty, and still best when shared. That said, not everyone has a full day to tend a bubbling pot or access to duck confit. Modern kitchens have forced cassoulet to adapt.

Some chefs go lighter, swapping duck fat for olive oil or using chicken instead of pork belly. Others skip the meat entirely and focus on beans, garlic, and herbs. There are even vegetarian cassoulets on restaurant menus now, built around smoked paprika and roasted vegetables. It’s not traditional, but it still hits the spot when done well.

Locals tend to draw the line at cassoulet in tins. You’ll find them on supermarket shelves across France, but ask around in the southwest and you’ll get a raised eyebrow. The texture is off, the flavors are flat, and the crust is missing altogether. 

Cassoulet at Home: A Simplified Recipe

Cassoulet isn’t known for being quick. The classic version can take days, especially when you make your own duck confit and soak dried beans. But it is possible to make a simplified version that still tastes deep, rich, and properly French. You just need the right ingredients, a bit of time, and something sturdy to cook it in.

Wine pairing

A glass of red from the southwest goes well here. Look for a Cahors, Minervois, or Corbières. You want something deep and earthy that can stand up to all that meat.