When it comes to comfort food, few dishes can rival the comfort and heartiness of Pasulj, a traditional Serbian bean stew, which literally translates to Beans. Beans are big in Serbia, they form a part of a few traditional meals and you can have them in many ways; ranging from soup, stew, to baked beans. If you don’t have a liking for beans, you’ll definitely have at least one bean dish you like here.
What is Pasulj
Pasulj, pronounced “pah-sool-y”, is a Serbian bean stew made with white or pinto beans, smoked meats and some vegetables. It is a staple in Serbian cuisine, often enjoyed as a main course. This dish is known for its deep, smoky flavour that comes through from the meat the beans are cooked with. It has a thick, hearty consistency, making it perfect for cold winter days.
The origin of pasulj
Pasulj has been a staple of Serbian cuisine for centuries, with roots that can be traced back to the influence of Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian culinary traditions.
Key Ingredients
The ingredients in this recipe are things you probably have already in your kitchen. The beauty of Pasulj lies in its simplicity and the quality of its ingredients. This dish uses very basic ingredients, because I think it’s important for the dish to taste like the main ingredients. Whatever spices used should actually enhance the flavour rather than cover it up.
- Beans: White beans (such as Great Northern or cannellini) or pinto beans are commonly used. They provide the base of the stew and absorb the rich flavours of the other ingredients.
- Smoked meat: In this case, we are using smoked sausage, which is very common. Amongst other types of meat, pock knuckles, ham hocks, and bacon are also used. These add a deep, smoky flavour that defines the dish.
- Garlic: Garlic may be used to add a layer of flavour
Soaking the beans
Sometimes beans take a long time to cook. It’s better to soak them in water the night before so you don’t have the whole day cooking them. Getting “fresh” beans is advisable, because they cook faster, like beans should. If you have not soaked your beans, you may also cook them in boiling water until they’re softer, then toss the water out and cook with the soft beans as per instructions.
Substitutes
- For tomato paste, you can use tomato juice instead. Half a cup works well for a cup of beans.
- Vegeta is optional. I have made these beans several times without it because the sausage already has a strong flavour.
The consistency of the beans may be thin or thick depending on how you like it. This recipe is merely a guide, one should take it and make it one’s own according to one’s liking.
Serving suggestions
This dish goes well with a salad, usually this Simple Serbian cabbage salad or Roasted pepper salad. Have some good bread to go with all these and you have yourself a beautiful, hearty tasty meal.
I hope you enjoy this beans and sausage recipe as much as my family and I do
Serbian beans and sausage (Pasulj i kobasica)
Ingredients
- 1 Cup White beans
- 1 Med Onion
- 2 Cloves Garlic
- 1 Tbsp Tomato paste
- 1 Tsp Vegeta
- 3 Med Sausages
Instructions
- Finely dice and saute onion over medium heat
- After 10 minutes add garlic
- Fry garlic for 2 minutes
- Add *soaked beans
- Add boiling water to cover the beans
- Add tomato paste
- Add Vegeta (optional)
- Cook the beans on medium-low heat until they're half done, adding boiling water when the water gets less
- Slice up sausages into big pieces and add to the beans
- continue cooking until done
- Season with salt and enjoy
Notes
- *Soak the beans in water the night before, or boil them aside before cooking. Rinse out the water before adding them to the onion to be cooked with the rest of the ingredients.
- The sausage adds flavour to the beans, therefore use good quality sausage.
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