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Tavce Gravce Macedonian Baked Beans

Discover the vegan Gravce Tavce recipe, a heart-warming Macedonian baked bean dish rich with paprika and tradition. Learn cooking tips, cultural history, and why this Friday family classic from my grandma’s kitchen belongs on your table.

  • Total Time: 2 hours and 40 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x

Ingredients

  • 2 cups white lima beans

  • 2-3 dried Rezha Macedonian peppers (or any dried or fresh sweet pepper)

  • 1 onion

  • 3-4 cloves of garlic

  • 4 tbsp paprika

  • 1 tsp salt

  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

  • 3 tbsp olive oil (or sunflower oil)

  • A handful of fresh parsley

Optional

 
  • 1 tsp Vegeta

  • 2-3 bay leaves

Instructions

  • Soak the beans overnight in filtered water. Once soaked, rinse the beans, transfer them to a large pot, and add fresh water.
  • Cut the onion into thick 4–5 slices. Set aside 2 onion slices and add the rest to the pot. Optionally, add the bay leaves.
  • Add the garlic cloves and dried peppers, then cook the beans over medium heat for about 1 to 1½ hours, or until the beans are soft.
  • Once cooked, discard the water. Remove the onion and garlic and transfer them to a small bowl. Mash them with a fork until smooth. Remove the dried peppers and set them aside for later.
  • Make a roux by frying the paprika in olive oil for 1-2 min on medum to low heat.
  • Transfer the beans to a baking earthenware pot. Add the mashed onion and garlic, paprika and olive oil roux, salt, pepper, parsley, and Vegeta (if using). Add enough water to just cover the beans and mix everything well.
  • Optional: you can cut open one of the rezha peppers and scoop the insides of the pepper and add them to the earthenware pot.
  • Place the dried Rezha peppers and the reserved onion slices on top of the beans. Bake for 45 minutes to an 1 hour at 200°C / 390°F.