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Macedonian · Balkan

Tavče gravče

Vegetarian

Тавче гравче · Tavče gravče

North Macedonia's national dish: white beans stewed with onion, sweet paprika and dried mint, then baked in a clay dish until a crust forms on top.

Tavče gravče is a Macedonian main course from North Macedonia, ready in about 14 hours 15 minutes and made with dried white beans and paprika. It serves 6 and is rated easy to cook.

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Prep
15 min
Cook
1 h 50 min
Rest
10 min
Total
14 h 15 min
Serves
6
Level
Easy
Calories
383

Includes about 12 hours of soaking the beans.

Ingredients

6 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Soak the beans overnight. Drain, cover with fresh water and bring to a boil; drain again, cover with fresh hot water, add the bay leaves (opens in a new tab) and simmer for about 1 hour until tender. Keep the beans in some of their liquid.

  2. Step 2

    Fry the onion (opens in a new tab) (and pepper (opens in a new tab), if using) in the oil until soft and golden. Stir in the flour for a minute, then take off the heat and add the paprika (opens in a new tab) and chilli.

    Onions frying golden in a pan
    How it looks · Photo: Magda Ehlers on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Heat the oven (opens in a new tab) to 220 °C. Stir the onion (opens in a new tab) mixture, mint, salt, pepper (opens in a new tab) and parsley (opens in a new tab) into the beans with enough liquid to look loose and soupy.

    • 3 min
    • 220°C

  4. Step 4

    Pour into a clay or ovenproof dish and bake for 30 minutes until bubbling with a browned crust. Rest 10 minutes before serving.

About this dish

Origin
North Macedonia · Well documentedClose relatives include Serbian prebranac.Also popular in Serbia, BulgariaMore food from North Macedonia
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Main courses · Casseroles & bakes
Cooking method
Oven-baked, Simmered
Taste
savoury, earthy, spicy (chilli heat), herby
Diet
Vegan · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · High-protein · High-fibre
All labelsVegan · Plant-based · Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Ovo-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · High-protein · High-fibre · Calorie-conscious
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Budget-friendly · Make-ahead · Freezer-friendly
Cook more with
Dried white beans · Paprika · Onion · All-purpose flour · Red chilli flakes · Dried mint
Techniques
Baking · Boiling · Simmering

Allergens

  • Contains: Wheatfrom all-purpose flour
  • Contains: Glutenfrom all-purpose flour

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

383 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 135 g · recipe makes 6

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 21%
  • Carbohydrate 56%
  • Fat 23%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy383 kcal283 kcal
Protein20.3 g15 g
Carbohydrate55.6 g41.1 g
Net carbohydrate41.7 g30.8 g
Sugars3.5 g2.6 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre13.9 g10.3 g
Fat10.2 g7.5 g
Saturated fat1.2 g0.9 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol0 mg0 mg
Sodium794 mg586 mg
Salt equivalent2 g1.5 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
1591 mg
Calcium
216 mg
Iron
9.3 mg
Magnesium
166 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
37 µg
Vitamin C
5 mg
Vitamin D
—
Vitamin B12
0 µg
Folate (DFE)
337 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 bell pepper.
  • Red chilli flakes: Ground cayenne (FDC 170932) used as a stand-in for dried chilli flakes such as pul biber or Aleppo pepper.
  • “—” 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

  • The first boil-and-drain makes the beans easier to digest.

Common mistakes

  • Baking the beans too dry — they should go in soupy, as the crust forms by evaporation.

Serve with

  • Serve with fresh bread, pickled peppers and, on non-fasting days, grilled sausages.

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

Used in steps 1, 2

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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