Macedonian baked beans (tavče gravče, gravče na tavče or grah prebranac) are luscious large beans first softened by cooking, and then baked with onions, seasonings (plenty of flavorful paprika), and (sometimes) meat. Shall we?
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Background
Delicious tavče gravče (tahv-che grahv-che) is a Macedonian traditional baked bean dish beloved throughout the Balkans. These beans are flavorful, soft, and have a touch of crispiness.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Serbia this dish also goes by
- gravče na tavče (beans in a pan),
- grah prebranac (sifted or sorted beans), and/ or
- pasulj prebranac (also meaning sifted beans).
('Sifted' because dry beans are sifted - or sorted through - before use, to get rid of the debris.)
Best tavče gravče is made with the regional bean tetovac, originating from Macedonian city of Tetovo. It's large, white, flat, and meaty. (No worries, there are good substitutes that we recommend below.)
After the beans are cooked, the onion, paprika, and (if you'd like) meat are added to the pan (a clay pan traditionally, but any pan will work!), and together the ingredients are baked to golden perfection.
In fact, it's the paprika that gives this dish a specific flavor leaning toward sweet (Bosnia and Serbia), or sharper and spicier (Macedonia).
Why You'll Love Tavče Gravče
- Spicy or Sweet Paprika! From spicy and sharp to sweet, you can adjust the taste of Macedonian baked beans to your taste!
- Main Course or a Side! Don't you love it when you can choose?
- For Vegetarians and Meat Lovers! This is one fantastic vegetarian meal! Unless... you add some meat, and it becomes fantastic in a different way.
- Simple 1:1 Ratio! For the best taste, bean to onion ratio is 1:1.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you'll need to make Macedonian baked beans (tavče gravče, gravče na tavče):
- (Optional) Baking soda: we like to add a few tablespoons of baking soda to the water that the beans will be soaking in.
- Flat white beans (they must be dry!): preferably Macedonian tetovac bean if you can find it. Substitute with lima bean, butter beans, cannellini (white kidney beans), or great northern beans. If you cannot find any of these, then navy beans will do. Avoid canned beans, or any non-dry beans!
- Onion: white or yellow onion. Avoid red onion.
- Paprika: as the dish greatly relies on paprika to lead the flavor, choose the type that you like. Anything from sweet, smokey, spicy, to sharp paprika will work.
- Oil: sunflower, vegetable oil, avocado, etc. Avoid olive oil.
- Seasonings: seasoned salt, Vegeta, stock powder, or bouillon. Plus ground pepper.
- (Optional) Broth. (Instead of regular water, or the water beans cooked in.) If using broth, adjust the seasonings accordingly.
- (Optional) Meat Variations. If you want Macedonian baked beans to be your main course, add meat. Ideas: smoked beef, bacon, sausage, ribs, ham, even poultry.
Instructions
Here are the easiest instructions to make great gravče tavče.
Step 1. Clean and soak the beans.
Step 2. Cook the beans. Test for doneness. Strain.
Step 3. Fry onion. (If using meat, you can fry it now if you prefer.) Transfer to the baking pan.
Step 4. Transfer beans to the baking pan. (If using) Add meat. Add the seasonings and water. Mix thoroughly.
Step 5. (Not pictured) Bake.
Handling
Here are some ideas for how to serve and store Macedonian baked beans.
- Serving: Serve as a side or main dish with bread (pogacha or homemade) and/ or salad (shopska or fermented cabbage). We love to eat gravče tavče beans in a sandwich, along with a glass of beer.
- Storing: Store covered in an airtight container in the fridge, or a really cold terrace for up to 48 hours.
- Reheating: Reheat using your favorite method. Add a little bit of broth or water if they look dry.
- Freezing: After the beans cool down completely, transfer them to an airtight container (or a freezer bag) and place them in the freezer for up to 2 months. When ready to consume, thaw them on the counter (or in the fridge overnight), and reheat by using your preferred method. (Add some broth or water if the beans look dry.)
Recipe FAQs
Tavče gravče, or baked beans, are one of the best traditional Macedonian dishes.
Macedonia is known for its great big, meaty, white bean called tetovac (coming from the town of Tetovo), and for paprika spice made from local meaty red peppers. If you ever go to Macedonia, you'll notice hundreds of these peppers stretching around local houses on strings, drying in the sun.
When you combine paprika, beans, and onions, you get the most perfect tavče gravče.
Macedonian baked beans are pronounced: tahv-che grahv-che. The phrase that means 'beans in a pan.'
This will greatly depend on what kind of ingredients you use alongside the beans. Our recipe calories will vary depending on whether you use only beans, or add meat.
Bean Recipes
Here are some bean recipes on Balkan Lunch Box that are equally tantalizing!
Thoughts?
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Prijatno, Dobar Tek, and Bon Appetit!
Macedonian Baked Beans (Tavče Gravče)
Equipment
- (Optional) a clay baking pot/ pan
Ingredients
- (Optional) 1-2 tablespoons baking soda for soaking
- 14 ounces dry white flat beans (about 1.75 cups) tetovac, lima, butter bean, great northern, or navy beans
- 14 ounces yellow or white onions (about 3 medium-sized onions, or about 1:1 ratio of beans to onions) peeled, cut into half-moons
- ground pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons stock powder or Vegeta, or 2 bouillon cubes
- 3-5 teaspoons paprika sweet, smoked, spicy or sharp
- 5-6 ounces vegetable oil or sunflower, avocado, etc.
- (Optional) meat smoked beef, bacon, ham, prosciutto, kielbasa, spare ribs, roast pork, turkey legs, thighs, etc. (Look at the notes!)
- (Optional) 2-3 cups broth if using broth instead of water, adjust the seasonings
Instructions
Soaking the Beans
- Sift through the dry beans and remove any debris. Wash them thoroughly. Transfer to a large pan and cover with plenty of water. (Optionally) add baking soda to the water. Let the beans soak overnight.
Cooking the Beans
- The following day strain the beans, and wash them once again. Transfer to a large pan and cover with about 6-8 cups of fresh water. Bring to a boil on high, then bring the temperature down to medium.
- Cook beans for another hour, or until they're soft but not falling apart. While the beans are cooking, remove the foam that forms on top of the pot and stir every once in a while.
- Test for softness by carefully taking out one or two beans, washing them in cold water, and pressing them with your fingers. You should be able to easily pinch them.
Frying the Onions
- Heat oven to 480°F (250°C).
- About 40 minutes after you've put beans to cook, heat oil in a large pan on high. Add onions and lower the temperature to medium. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until onion crystalizes but isn't completely brown. Transfer to a greased baking pan.
- (Optional) If using meat, you can crisp it with onions as well, per your preference. Alternatively, you can add it to the pan uncooked. (We sometimes fry the meat with the onions, and sometimes not.)
Transferring to the Pan
- Remove beans and onions from heat. Strain the beans, however, keep about 2-3 cups of water in which it was cooked.
- Transfer the beans to the baking pan, on top of the onion. Add the spices and (if you haven't yet, and plan to use it) meat on top. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well integrated. Finally, add the bean water (or fresh water, or broth) to the pan and transfer it to the oven. Lower heat to 390°F (180°C).
Baking
- Bake beans for 30 to 40 minutes. Adjust the temperature if needed. Check once or twice during the baking. At the end, the beans (and meat) should be baked and soft with a slight, non-dry crispiness in parts, and the fluid level should be in the lower third of the pan (or gone).
Handling
- Serve as a side or main dish with bread, and sald.
- Store covered in an airtight container in the fridge, for up to 48 hours.
- Reheat using your favorite method. Add a little bit of broth or water if they look dry.
- If freezing: after the beans cool down completely, transfer them to an airtight container (or a freezer bag) and place them in the freezer for up to 2 months. When ready to consume, thaw them on the counter (or in the fridge overnight), and reheat by using your preferred method. (Add some broth or water if the beans look dry.)
Video
Notes
- Video
- Preparation Time
- Nutrition
- Adding Meat
Eckankar says
Thank you so much dear!! have a nice week
Aida says
You too 🙂
Ksenia @ At the Immigrant's Table says
This is a great dish that makes use of pantry items - but like so many Slavic dishes, elevates them to a level of a delicacy.
I happen to have canned white butter beans. Would I be able to skip straight to the oven baking stage with the cooked onions? If so, do I need to reduce the amount of water?
Looking forward to giving these a try.
Aida says
Ksenia,
Yes, Slavic dishes have that tendency to take the simple and transform it into something unexpected and unpredictably good.
Try this recipe, it was with red canned kidney beans so you can repeat the process with your white butter beans. https://balkanlunchbox.com/gravce-na-tavce-macedonian-baked-beans/
Marwah says
Hi Aida and Aleksandra! I hope you are doing well. I made this recipe tonight for company as a side dish and it was a huge hit! I used about 16 oz of onions to 24 oz of beans. The recipe was easy to follow and it came out perfectly 🙂 Thank you so much!
Aida says
Marwah we were just thinking about you recently! Hope you and your lovely family are doing well. Glad the beans came out to your (and your company's) liking. Happy New Year! Hope to see you in Sarajevo again soon. 🙂