Victor Protasio, renowned for his exceptional food styling, alongside Julian Hensarling and Lydia Pursell who brought their distinctive prop styling skills to the plate, drew inspiration from the traditional French cassoulet. In this tantalizing dish-typically overflowed with sausage, pork, and duck confit-the meats are the show-stealers. However, taking a turn from the norm, Protasio and team made room for Lidey Heuck’s exceptional vegetarian alternative as revealed in her cookbook, Cooking in Real Life: Delectable and Achievable Every Day Recipes.

The stylized vegetarian cassoulet does away with the meat, putting the focus on robust dried porcini and fresh cremini mushrooms to amplify the flavorful essence. These fungi stars, particularly the dried porcini, infuse the simmering broth with a deep umami taste. The magic happens when this is married to the mellow tones of other vegetables and the creamy white beans. This fusion duo combines over slow-fire until they achieve perfect tenderness. The dish boasts a generous sprinkle of cheese and breadcrumbs which, once broiled before serving, crowns the cassoulet with a rich and crunchy finish.

In this reinvention of the classic French stew, meat is replaced with a symphony of mushrooms revealing a vegetarian-friendly cassoulet. Heuck’s version holds true to the original's heartiness baked primarily with a savory medley of white beans.

If the Gruyère cheese or Comté aren't available to top your cassoulet, a touch of Emmental, known for its creamy, nutty profile, can save the day. To elevate your meal, pair this dish with a robust Rhône red such as the Chateau de Saint Cosme Gigondas.

As an added bonus, this vegetarian cassoulet can be prepared up to step 3, a day in advance. The next day allows for a just-long-enough pause before resuming to step 4. Simply warm the cassoulet, while loosely covered, at 350°F for 25 minutes to get back on track.

The recipe begins with soaking a mix of dried porcini mushrooms, onion, and a selection of other vegetables in hot water. To complete the vegetarian transformation, switch from the classic meats to dried and fresh mushrooms, and amp up the flavors with garlic, thyme and tomato paste, white wine, white beans, and kosher salt. Top it all off with a golden, bubbly crust of breadcrumbs and cheese.

Before being woven into the culinary world of Heuck’s cookbook, this reinvented vegetarian cassoulet was first featured in the food and wine magazine, March 2024 issue.