Prebranac (baked beans with onions)
Vegetarian
Пребранац · Prebranac
White beans layered with plenty of slow-fried onion and sweet paprika and baked until thick and caramelised. A meat-free Serbian classic for fasting days.
Prebranac (baked beans with onions) is a Serbian main course, ready in about 14 hours 40 minutes and made with dried white beans and onion. It serves 6 and is rated easy to cook.
No licensed photograph of this dish yet.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 2 h 15 min
- Rest
- 10 min
- Total
- 14 h 40 min
- Serves
- 6
- Level
- Easy
- Calories
- 422
Includes about 12 hours of soaking the beans.
Method
Step 1
Soak the beans overnight in plenty of cold water. Drain, cover with fresh water, add the bay leaves (opens in a new tab) and simmer until tender but whole, about 1 hour. Drain, keeping 300 ml of the cooking liquid.
- 60 min
- medium-low heat
- Stockpot / large pot (opens in a new tab)
Step 2
Meanwhile fry the onions (opens in a new tab) slowly in the oil with a pinch of the salt until soft and golden, about 20 minutes. Add the garlic (opens in a new tab) for the last minute, then take off the heat and stir in the paprika (opens in a new tab) and chilli.
- 22 min
- medium-low heat
- Frying pan / skillet (opens in a new tab)
How it looks · Photo: Magda Ehlers on Pexels Step 3
Heat the oven (opens in a new tab) to 200 °C. Season the beans with the remaining salt and pepper (opens in a new tab). Layer beans and onions (opens in a new tab) in a baking dish (opens in a new tab), finishing with onions, and pour over the reserved liquid.
- 5 min
- 200°C
Step 4
Bake for 45–50 minutes until the top is browned and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Rest 10 minutes before serving.
- 50 min
- 200°C
- Oven (opens in a new tab)
About this dish
- Origin
- Serbia · Commonly attributedClosely related to Macedonian tavče gravče.Also popular in Bosnia and Herzegovina, MontenegroMore food from Serbia
- Dish
- Lunch · Dinner · Main courses · Casseroles & bakes · Side dishes
- Cooking method
- Oven-baked, Boiled
- Taste
- savoury, earthy, sweet & savoury, mild
- Diet
- Vegan · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · High-protein · High-fibreWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
All labels
Vegan · Plant-based · Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Ovo-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · High-protein · High-fibre · Calorie-conscious - Good for
- Budget-friendly · Make-ahead · Freezer-friendly
- Cook more with
- Dried white beans · Onion · Garlic · Paprika · Bay leaves
Allergens
None of the 14 major allergens appear in the listed ingredients.
Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.
Nutrition
422 kcal per serving
Calculated1 serving ≈ 174 g · recipe makes 6
Where the energy comes from
- Protein 19%
- Carbohydrate 54%
- Fat 27%
| Nutrient | Per serving | Per 100 g* |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 422 kcal | 242 kcal |
| Protein | 20.6 g | 11.8 g |
| Carbohydrate | 58.5 g | 33.6 g |
| Net carbohydrate | 44.1 g | 25.3 g |
| Sugars | 5 g | 2.9 g |
| Added sugars | 0 g | 0 g |
| Fibre | 14.4 g | 8.3 g |
| Fat | 13.2 g | 7.6 g |
| Saturated fat | 1.5 g | 0.9 g |
| Trans fat | — | — |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Sodium | 794 mg | 456 mg |
| Salt equivalent | 2 g | 1.1 g |
Vitamins & minerals per serving
- Potassium
- 1640 mg
- Calcium
- 225 mg
- Iron
- 9.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 169 mg
- Vitamin A (RAE)
- 28 µg
- Vitamin C
- 6 mg
- Vitamin D
- —
- Vitamin B12
- 0 µg
- Folate (DFE)
- 338 µg
How these numbers were made
- Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
- *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
- Optional ingredients are not included: red chilli flakes.
- “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
- Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.
Good to know
Tips
- Add the paprika off the heat so it colours the oil without scorching.
Common mistakes
- Rushing the onions — they need to be properly golden for the sweet depth that defines prebranac.
Serve with
- Serve with pickled peppers, raw onion and bread; with sausages when it isn't a fasting day.
Storage
- Refrigerate up to 4 days; freezes well.
Reheating
- Reheat in the oven with a splash of water.
Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated
Recipe DNA
How this dish is built
Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.
What the dish is built around
Main ingredient
- Dried white beans, soaked overnight500 g
- Onion, sliced4 piece · 440 g
Reviews & corrections
Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.
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