Name: Cassoeula
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Total time: 3 h 10 min
Cuisine: Italian, Lombardy
Ingredients: 800 g meaty pork ribs, cut into individual or two-bone pieces; 300 g clean pork rind, cut into broad strips; 450 g fresh mild pork sausages or verzini, 6 small links; 1.5 kg savoy cabbage, outer core removed, leaves cut into wide ribbons; 180 g yellow onion, finely sliced; 100 g carrot, small dice; 80 g celery, small dice; 30 g unsalted butter; 20 ml extra-virgin olive oil; 150 ml dry white wine; 350 ml unsalted meat stock, add only as needed; 8 g fine sea salt, adjust late because sausage may be salty; 2 g black pepper

Cassoeula: wide hero view of a rustic casserole of pork ribs, sausage and tender pork skin cooked with savoy cabbage in a rich orange-brown broth

Prep40 minutes

Cook2 h 30 min

Total3 h 10 min

Yield6 servings

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The dish

About Cassoeula

in-Lombardia describes cassoeula as a peasant dish built around the less prized parts of the pig — rind, ribs and, in older versions, snout, ears, feet or tail — with savoy cabbage as the essential vegetable.

The recipe here keeps the identity but uses cuts practical for a home kitchen: meaty ribs, cleaned pork rind and small fresh pork sausages. The page notes the broader traditional range rather than pretending those cuts never existed.

The pork rind is blanched first to remove surface impurities and begin softening collagen. Ribs are browned separately so the eventual broth tastes roasted rather than simply boiled.

Savoy cabbage is added in stages after the pork has already begun to tenderize. It releases substantial water; adding too much stock at the beginning produces soup instead of the dense cassoeula associated with Lombardy.

Sausages enter later than ribs and rind. Ground pork must reach 71 °C, but the more important final cue is that cabbage is silky, rind is gelatinous and ribs release easily from the bone.

Technique

Three things that matter

Begin with very little liquid. Savoy cabbage releases water as it collapses; excess broth is the fastest route to thin cassoeula.
Give collagen time. Rind and ribs need a long gentle simmer before the cabbage can become integrated with their gelatin.
Add sausage late enough to stay distinct. Fresh sausage should cook fully without disintegrating into the cabbage.

Cook the dish

Ingredients

Everything needed to prepare the dish, arranged for fast scanning before cooking.

Pork

800 gmeaty pork ribscut into individual or two-bone pieces
300 gclean pork rindcut into broad strips
450 gfresh mild pork sausages or verzini6 small links

Vegetables and braising base

1.5 kgsavoy cabbageouter core removed, leaves cut into wide ribbons
180 gyellow onionfinely sliced
100 gcarrotsmall dice
80 gcelerysmall dice
30 gunsalted butter
20 mlextra-virgin olive oil
150 mldry white wine
350 mlunsalted meat stockadd only as needed
8 gfine sea saltadjust late because sausage may be salty
2 gblack pepper

Step by step

Method

Prepare the pork

Blanch the rind. Cover pork rind with cold water, bring to a gentle boil and simmer 25 minutes. Drain, rinse and cut into manageable strips.
The rind should be cleaner and beginning to soften, not fully tender.
Brown the ribs. Heat butter and olive oil in the casserole. Brown the ribs in batches on several faces, then remove.
The ribs should develop brown fond without burning the butter.
Build the vegetable base. Add onion, carrot and celery and cook 8–10 minutes until softened. Deglaze with white wine and reduce by about half.
The sharp wine smell should fade before the pork returns.

Braise ribs and cabbage

Begin the rib-and-rind braise. Return ribs and rind, add 250 ml stock, cover and simmer gently for 50 minutes.
The rind should become noticeably more flexible and the ribs should begin to tenderize.
Add the savoy cabbage in batches. Pile in cabbage a few handfuls at a time, covering briefly between additions so it wilts enough to make space. Season lightly.
The cabbage should collapse into the pot without needing large additions of water.
Cook until integrated. Cover and simmer another 45 minutes, turning the contents carefully once or twice. Add small splashes of stock only if the base threatens to catch.
The cabbage should be soft and glossy, with visible gelatin from the pork rather than a watery broth.

Cook the sausages and finish

Nestle in the sausages. Add the sausages whole, cover and simmer 25–30 minutes, turning once.
The centre of the sausage should reach at least 71 °C.
Reduce uncovered if necessary. Remove the lid for 10–15 minutes only if excess liquid remains. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
Cassoeula should look sticky and moist, not like cabbage soup.
Rest briefly before serving. Let the casserole stand 10 minutes off the heat so fat and gelatin settle around the cabbage.
The sauce should cling to cabbage and pork when spooned into bowls.

Practical guidance

Traditional pork cuts

Historic versions may include ears, snout, feet and tail. Ribs, rind and sausage preserve the core pork-and-cabbage character while being easier to source and prepare safely at home.

Savoy cabbage

Use mature savoy cabbage rather than tender summer cabbage; its sturdy leaves withstand long cooking and develop sweetness.

Make-ahead

Cassoeula is well suited to next-day serving. Chill promptly, lift excess solid fat from the cold surface if desired, then reheat slowly.

Serving

Polenta is a natural partner, but the casserole is substantial enough to serve alone in warm bowls.

Troubleshooting

The dish is watery. Too much stock was added before the cabbage released its own liquid; reduce uncovered at the end.
The rind is rubbery. It needs more blanching/braising time; continue gently before adding more liquid.
The cabbage has disappeared into purée. It was added too early or stirred too aggressively; fold rather than stir after wilting.
The sausage is dry. It entered too early. Add it during the final 25–30 minutes and remove it if it reaches 71 °C well before the rest is ready.

Nutrition per serving

Serving size: 1/6 casserole
Calories: approximately 760 kcal
Carbohydrates: 18 g
Protein: 46 g
Fat: 56 g
Fibre: 7 g
Sodium: approximately 1050 mg

Pork sausage and rind make this a naturally rich dish; exact fat and sodium depend strongly on the chosen cured/fresh pork products.

Allergens and food safety

Contains no major declarable allergens in the base recipe when sausage and stock are allergen-free; verify labels on processed meat and stock.

Fresh pork sausage should reach 71 °C; the ribs and rind cook substantially longer for tenderness.

Cool this dense casserole promptly in shallow containers and refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours; reheat to 74 °C.

FAQ

What is cassoeula made from?

Its core is savoy cabbage cooked with pork, traditionally including humble cuts such as rind, ribs and sometimes ears, feet, snout or tail; sausage is common in several regional versions.

Should cassoeula be soupy?

No. It should be moist and rich but relatively sticky, with cabbage coated by pork juices and gelatin.

Why is it associated with winter?

Savoy cabbage and pig-slaughter season made it a classic cold-weather farmhouse dish, traditionally linked in Lombardy with the feast of Sant’Antonio Abate.

Final note

What matters most

Result: A rich winter casserole where soft savoy cabbage is coated in pork juices and gelatin around tender ribs, rind and sausage.
Key: Start with little stock, tenderize the collagen-rich pork slowly and let the cabbage provide most of the final moisture.