About this Dish
Baked beans slow-roasted with caramelized onion until deeply savory.
History & Origin
A humble Serbian classic, prebranac's long baking time caramelizes layers of onion into the beans, turning a simple dish into a rich, comforting staple.
IngredientsServes 2
🫘Dried white beans (large), 500g
🧅Yellow onions, 4 large, thinly sliced
🫒Sunflower oil, 100ml
🧄Garlic cloves, 4, thinly sliced
🌶️Sweet paprika powder, 2 tablespoons
🌿Dried bay leaves, 3
🧂Salt, 1.5 teaspoons or to taste
⚫Black pepper, 1 teaspoon freshly ground
💧Water or vegetable stock, enough to cover beans by 2cm
Method
1
Soak the dried beans in cold water overnight, at least 10–12 hours. Drain them, rinse well, then boil in fresh unsalted water for about 45 minutes until just tender but not fully cooked — they should still hold their shape. Drain and set aside.2
Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). In a large heavy pan or skillet, heat the sunflower oil over medium-low heat and add all the sliced onions. Cook slowly, stirring often, for 30–40 minutes until they are deeply golden and caramelized — don't rush this step, it's the heart of the dish.3
Add the sliced garlic to the onions and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in the sweet paprika, salt, and black pepper, mixing well so the paprika blooms in the residual heat without burning.4
In a deep baking dish, combine the par-cooked beans with about two-thirds of the caramelized onion mixture and the bay leaves. Stir gently to combine, then pour in enough water or stock to just cover the beans by about 2cm.5
Spread the remaining caramelized onion mixture evenly over the top of the beans to form a savory crust layer. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 60 minutes.6
Remove the foil, check that the beans are fully soft, and continue baking uncovered for another 30–40 minutes until the top is deeply golden and most of the liquid has been absorbed, leaving the beans moist and creamy but not soupy. Check seasoning and adjust salt if needed.7
Remove the bay leaves and let the prebranac rest for at least 15 minutes before serving — it tastes even better the next day at room temperature or gently reheated.User Reviews
No reviews yet — be the first!
Sign in to leave a review
Members can create lists, save favourites and get recommendations.
Find the Best Prebranac Near Me
AI-powered — Google, TripAdvisor and food blogs
🌍 Food Vlogs
Food vloggers eating and cooking it at the source
🌍
No videos yet
What To Eat
The World's Food Guide
© 2025 What To Eat · hello@whattoeat.world