Prebranac-Beans on Delicious Serbian way
- Jan 6, 2025
- 4 min read
This recipe represents the traditional Serbian method of preparing beans, known for its delightful taste. Many visitors to Serbia who have tried this traditional dish have expressed satisfaction and often requested more. You may choose to add flour, tomato concentrate, or tomato juice to adjust the taste and thickness according to your preference. Prior to cooking, soak the beans in water overnight. The dish, Prebranac, derives its name from the process of sorting the beans to remove any undesirable seeds, as beans were traditionally sold in sacks. Please refer to the NOTE below before beginning preparation. If you wish to experience how this dish is enjoyed in Serbia, please follow the recipe.
Ingredients: medium, total time: 2h 20 min., 4 servings
500 g big white beans/Tetovac or smaller white, brown beans
10 medium onions/ finely chopped 1.5 kg
5 cloves of garlic/ minced
4 smoked thin grill sausages/ you can use hot
4 thick slices of meaty homemade bacon/ diced
3 Tbsp red smoked ground pepper
3 tsp dry spice/ Vegeta
salt and black pepper to taste
4 Bay leaf
1 whole dry red chili paprika/ or green hot paprika — optional
3 full Tbsp fat/ or oil
Liquid were cooked beans
Preparation:
Ensure all ingredients are prepared as previously outlined.
Inspect the beans, sort them, and wash thoroughly multiple times to remove any dirt.
Soak the cleaned beans in water overnight prior to preparing this dish.
Drain the beans and add fresh water, ensuring it is two fingers above the beans.
Place on moderate heat and cook until the beans are semi-soft.
Immediately add 3 teaspoons of dry spice/Vegeta and 2 bay leaves.
After 30 minutes, incorporate the sausages and bacon to cook together.
Cover and continue cooking on moderate heat for approximately 1 hour.
While the beans are cooking, prepare the onion filling.
Heat the fat in a large pan, add finely chopped onions, and stew until they become soft and translucent.
Add finely chopped garlic and stir.
Once the garlic releases its aroma, incorporate 3 tablespoons of red ground sweet paprika, salt, and pepper to taste. Stir continuously for about 10-15 minutes, then turn off the heat.
Drain the water from the beans, reserving the liquid for later use.
Preheat the oven to 200 °C.
Oil the baking dish and first layer it with the beans.
Top the beans with the onion filling, arrange the sausages and diced bacon, align the onions, and gently press the sausages.
In the pan used for frying onions with paprika, pour the reserved bean cooking liquid.
Pour this over the beans in the baking dish. (You may layer differently, such as alternating rows of beans and onions.)
Add bay leaves, dry chili paprika, and additional liquid if necessary. Mix the ingredients thoroughly.
The liquid should cover the ingredients without overflowing.
Adjust the seasoning with additional salt, black pepper, and red ground pepper, and stir gently.
Bake at 200 °C for approximately 45–50 minutes.
Cover with aluminum foil for the first 30 minutes, then remove the foil, reduce the temperature to 190 °C, and continue baking until done.
Carefully remove the completed dish from the oven, allow it to cool for about 20 minutes, then serve in shallow plates accompanied by bread or a scone with a pepper and garlic salad.
Serve warm.
Buon appetito!
NOTE:
In certain stores, you can find pre-cooked beans in cans, which makes the preparation process much quicker and easier. Simply follow the recipe to ensure success.
Consider adding 1-2 whole green hot peppers on top of the dish for additional flavor.
For those who prefer more vegetables over meat, you can include 3 chopped leeks and 2 grated carrots, while reducing the onion quantity to 3–4 pieces. Add these after the garlic during the stewing process.
To decrease the amount of onions from 1.5 kg to 900g, correspondingly reduce the red ground paprika by one spoonful.
If you enjoy spicy flavors, feel free to add hot pepper, such as crushed red pepper.
For a thicker consistency, you may add a spoonful of flour. However, the beans and onions naturally provide a satisfying thickness.
Enhance the onion filling by adding a spoonful of tomato concentrate or 150 ml of tomato juice, allowing it to stew longer until the juice thickens.
If you have a larger terracotta dish, use it for baking, as this method is traditional in Serbian cuisine.
In place of sausages, you may opt for bacon, dry bacon, or even dry meat or ribs.
Feel free to arrange the ingredients differently, such as alternating layers of beans and onions.
Prebranac can also be served cold as a side dish.
Store any leftovers in the refrigerator, covered, for up to three days.
This recipe remains true to the traditional Serbian preparation.
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