Prebranac 🫘 Serbian Baked Beans 🇷🇸 (Pasulj Prebranac)

Description

Iconic Serbian Lenten dish—creamy white beans baked with loads of sweet onions, paprika, and bay until jammy and rich. 🌿🔥

Hook: Deep, smoky flavor with pantry basics—hearty, vegan, and oven-finished for caramelized edges. ⚡

Ingredients

• Beans & aromatics
• 🫘 Dried white beans (cannellini/navy), soaked overnight & drained: 500 g (2½ cups / 17.6 oz)
• 🧅 Yellow onions, thinly sliced: 400 g (3 cups / 14 oz)
• 🧄 Garlic, minced: 12 g (4 cloves / 0.4 oz)
• 🫗 Sunflower oil: 80 ml (⅓ cup / 2.7 fl oz)
• 🌶️ Sweet paprika: 8 g (2 tsp / 0.28 oz)
• 🌶️ Hot paprika or chili flakes (optional): 1–2 g (¼–½ tsp / 0.04–0.07 oz)
• 🍅 Tomato paste: 30 g (2 tbsp / 1.1 oz)
• 🌿 Bay leaves: 2
• 🧂 Salt: to taste (≈8 g / 1½ tsp)
• ⚫ Freshly ground black pepper: 1 g (½ tsp / 0.04 oz)
• 💧 Water or vegetable stock (for simmering): 1.2–1.4 l (5–6 cups)
• Finish & serve
• 🫒 Extra oil for drizzling (optional): 10 ml (2 tsp / 0.34 fl oz)
• 🌿 Chopped parsley, to finish: 1 tbsp (4 g / 0.14 oz)
• 🍞 Crusty bread or lepinja, to serve: as needed

Preparation

1. 1️⃣ Soak & parboil: Soak beans overnight; drain. Cover with fresh water, add 1 bay leaf, bring to a boil, then simmer 35–45 min until just tender. Drain (reserve 2 cups cooking liquid).
2. 2️⃣ Onion base: Warm oil in a skillet. Cook onions with a pinch of salt on medium 12–15 min until soft and lightly golden. Add garlic 1 min. Stir in sweet (and hot) paprika to bloom 30 sec, then tomato paste 1 min.
3. 3️⃣ Combine: In a baking dish (about 2 l), layer half the beans, spread half the onion mixture, then remaining beans and onions. Tuck in the second bay leaf.
4. 4️⃣ Moisten & season: Pour in 400–500 ml (1¾–2 cups) reserved cooking liquid/stock to barely cover. Season with salt and pepper; drizzle a little oil.
5. 5️⃣ Bake: Bake uncovered at 190°C / 375°F for 35–45 min until the top is set, edges caramelized, and liquid thick and creamy.
6. 6️⃣ Finish: Rest 10 min. Sprinkle parsley and serve warm with bread. Even better the next day.

Total Time

🕒 Prep: 20 min
🔥 Cook: 1 h 30 min
⏳ Total: 1 h 50 min

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