Baked Beans Recipe for Serbian Prebranac

By
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek is a former chef who became a cooking school instructor and award-winning food writer.
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Updated on 12/27/21
Baked Beans
LauriPatterson / Getty Images
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 90 mins
Total: 105 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
809 Calories
56g Fat
64g Carbs
19g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 809
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 56g 71%
Saturated Fat 4g 21%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 510mg 22%
Total Carbohydrate 64g 23%
Dietary Fiber 17g 62%
Total Sugars 14g
Protein 19g
Vitamin C 12mg 59%
Calcium 108mg 8%
Iron 7mg 38%
Potassium 1749mg 37%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This Serbian recipe for baked beans or prebranac is perfect for Lent or other fasting times in the Orthodox Christian tradition because it contains no meat, butter, eggs or milk, which are prohibited.
This dish is as much starch as it is vegetable and can be served as a vegetarian main course or side dish.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound dried lima beans, soaked overnight

  • 4 cups water

  • Salt, to taste

  • 1/4 cup canola oil

  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, or 1 teaspoon dried dill

  • 3/4 cup canola oil

  • 5 large onions, chopped

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced

  • 2 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce, with bits of tomato

  • 2 teaspoons paprika, sweet or hot

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • Chopped fresh dill, or dried dill, to taste

  • 1 1/2 cups water

Steps to Make It

  1. Pick over beans and rinse. Place beans in 4 quarts water. When it comes to a boil, skim off any foam that rises to the top. Add salt to taste, 1/4 cup oil and 1 teaspoon dried dill or 1 tablespoon fresh dill. Simmer until beans are tender. Drain, rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process and set aside.

  2. Heat oven to 350 F. In a large Dutch oven or lidded casserole dish or roaster, heat 3/4 cup oil and sauté onions until translucent. Add garlic and sauté until onions are tender. Add tomato sauce, paprika, salt, and pepper to taste, dill to taste and water. Mix in the beans, cover and bake 45 minutes, adding more water, if necessary.