Easy baked beans are a perfect high-protein hearty side or a standalone dish! The beans (canned or dried - you pick!) mingle with tender onion and vibrant paprika for an amazing burst of flavor! Shall we?
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Loosely inspired by Macedonian tavče gravče, these easy baked beans make a delicious side dish. Adding meat transforms them into a substantial main dish.
First, the onions are sweated with seasonings and then mixed into the pan with beans. They bake until they reach a perfectly soft texture.
Balkan-style baked beans generally have a little less sauce than their American counterparts. They absorb the liquid, resulting in a perfectly juicy bean flavor.
Canned beans will quicken the process, but you can easily use dried too. The result is a versatile bean course that's a comforting addition to any meal.
Ingredients
All you'll need are the three main ingredients to make this scrumptious side!
- Beans: canned beans. If using dry, soak them overnight. Pick larger beans like kidney beans, pinto beans, or navy beans.
- Onion: yellow or white. Avoid red onion.
- Seasonings: salt and pepper, Vegeta (or bouillon cube), paprika (smoked, hot, sweet).
- Oil: canola, vegetable, avocado, etc.
- (Optional) meat such as dried beef, bacon, sausages, etc. (Make sure you crisp the meat before adding it to the pan.)
Instructions
Here is how to make today's beans! (Did we say easy?!)
Step 1. Sweat the onion. Season. Simmer.
Step 2. Pour beans into the pan. Cover with onion and paprika. Add water.
Step 3. Bake.
Handling
Serving: serve as a side or a standalone dish. These beans go great with beer, homemade bread, fried dough balls (uštipci), or meza meat and cheese board, (links below). They taste best just out of the oven.
Storing: store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 48 hours.
Reheating: add a little broth or water, and reheat the beans at 300°F (150°C), or using your preferred method.
Serve Easy Baked Beans With
Here are some ideas on what to serve along with our easy baked beans.
Recipe FAQs
For a lighter meal, combine with bread, polenta, or rice. Alternatively, pair with roast, or cutlets to make a substantial main course. They're a great snack too, along a meat and cheese board, or by itself.
Smoked beef, bacon, or sausage go best with this.
You can use any type of beans for baked beans. We like larger beans like kidney or navy.
Savory-sweet. They add a tenderly sweet touch to even out the savoriness of your main dish.
Thoughts?
If you make today's easy baked beans and like them, please consider leaving a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5-star) rating. This will help others find the recipe more easily!
You can also leave a comment, I read EVERY one! Finally, if IG is more your thing, consider tagging us @balkanlunchbox.
Prijatno, Dobar Tek, and Bon Appetit!
Easy Baked Beans
Ingredients
- 4-5 tablespoons oil, divided sunflower, vegetable, canola, avocado
- 1-2 large yellow onions the onion weight should be about equal to the bean weight, slice them
- 2-3 tablespoons paprika smoked, hot, sweet - per your preference
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 bouillon cube crushed or 1-2 tablespoons stock powder or Vegeta
- 16 ounces canned beans big beans like navy, kidney or pinto; drain and rinse, if using dry, soak them overnight, then drain and rinse
- 1-2 cups water or broth vegetable or chicken, adjust seasonings if adding broth
- (Optional) 5-7 ounces meat smoked beef, bacon, sausage, sliced and browned (crisped) before baking
Instructions
- Heat oven to 480°F (250°C).
- In a large frying pan, add 3-4 tablespoons of oil and heat it. Add onion (and meat if using it), and fry for about 4-5 minutes, until it starts to sweat. Bring the temperature to medium if it's too high. Add the seasonings and mix well. Simmer another 4-5 minutes.
- Grease a 12" baking dish and add beans in. Pour onions over the beans, and mix well. Add water or broth evenly over the ingredients and put the pan in the oven. Lower heat to 450°F (220°C), and bake for about 30 minutes, turning it halfway. Add more broth/water if needed.
- Serve as a side or a standalone dish. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 48 hours. Add a little broth or water, and reheat the beans at 300°F (150°C), or using your preferred method.
Nutrition
Danielle says
Thank you so much for your recipes. My sister is a Montrealer who has been living in Serbia for a long time. She teaches french there. Your recipes and the way you write them make me feel closer to her.
And by the way, I understand exactly what you mean about nostalgia, amazing friends and ... Onions !
Long live Balkan lunchbox !
Danielle
Aida says
Danielle,
Thanks for the lovely comment. Glad I could help appease nostalgia a little bit. Have you visited your sister yet? You should, this part of the world is beautiful. As is Canada.
Warmly,
Irena says
Quick and easy to follow and beans turned out great!
Aida says
Irena,
Glad you liked them!
Happy cooking.
A&A