Name: Tavče Gravče (Macedonian Baked Beans)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 95 min
Total time: 590 min
Yield: 3 servings
Cuisine: Central Eastern European
Ingredients: 1 cup Cannellini Beans, soaked overnight and drained; 1 cup Onion, thinly sliced; 3 clove Garlic, minced; 2 tbsp Neutral Oil, for the onion base; 1½ tbsp Paprika, sweet paprika; 2 tbsp Tomato Puree, for body; 1 Bay Laurel Leaf, whole; 2 tbsp Parsley, chopped; ¾ tsp Salt, adjust after baking; ½ tsp Ground Black Pepper, freshly ground if available

9 hr 50 mintotal

1 hr 50 min hands-on8 hr hands-off

Prep 15 min · Cook 1 hr 35 min

Serves: 3
Difficulty: Medium
Spice: Mild

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Method

Place the soaked beans in a pot with fresh water and the bay leaf. Simmer until just tender.
Drain the beans, reserving some cooking liquid, and discard the bay leaf.
Heat the measured oil and cook the onion until soft and lightly golden.
Add garlic, paprika, tomato puree, salt, and black pepper. Cook briefly until fragrant.
Mix the beans with the onion-paprika base and enough reserved bean liquid to make a loose sauce.
Transfer to a baking dish and bake at 190°C until the top thickens and the edges look slightly caramelized.
Finish with chopped parsley and serve warm.

How to tell it's done

The beans should be tender and creamy inside, with a thick paprika-onion sauce around them.

Getting it right

Tip

Bake the beans until the sauce thickens but does not dry out; the dish should stay spoonable.

What to serve it with

Serve with bread, roasted peppers, pickles, or a fresh tomato salad.

Common mistakes

The baked beans dry out before the top caramelizes.: Add enough reserved bean liquid before baking and pull the dish while it is still spoonable. The sauce should thicken, not bake into a paste.

Substitutions

Cannellini Beans are a practical white bean match; other small white beans can be used if available.
Do not skip paprika because it gives tavče gravče its characteristic Balkan flavour.
For a faster version, cooked beans may be used, but the slow-cooked version gives better texture.

Storing and reheating

Refrigerate Macedonian baked beans for up to 4 days. Reheat covered with a splash of water until hot; they freeze well for up to 2 months.

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Ingredients