Name: Tavche Gravche (Bulgarian Baked Beans with Paprika and Mint)
Total time: 2 h 15 min
Cuisine: Bulgarian
Ingredients: 400g dried haricot beans, soaked overnight in cold water; 3 tbsp sunflower oil; 2 onions, sliced; 2 red peppers, chopped; 2 garlic cloves, sliced; 1 tbsp sweet paprika; 1 tsp dried mint; 0.5 tsp chilli flakes; 1 tbsp tomato purée; 750ml water; 1 tsp salt; 3 tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped

Tavche Gravche (Bulgarian Baked Beans with Paprika and Mint)

White beans baked in a dish with onion, sweet paprika and dried mint until creamy inside and crusty on top.

Time2 hr 15

LevelEasy

Costabout £0.80 a head

Oven200°C (180°C fan)

Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.

Estimated nutrition per serving

276kcal
29.6gcarbs
7.1gof which sugars
12.4gfat
3.4gsaturates
10.5gprotein
10.1gfibre
1.9gsalt

A rough estimate worked out from the ingredients, for the serving size above. It is a guide only and not medical advice. If you count carbs or manage diabetes, check with your own tools and your care team.

4 servings

Method

1
Drain the soaked beans, put them in a large pot and cover with fresh cold water. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until almost tender. Drain, keeping a mugful of the liquid.
55 min
2
Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the onions for 10 minutes, until soft and golden. Add the peppers and garlic and cook for 5 minutes.
15 min
3
Stir in the paprika, mint, chilli flakes and tomato purée and cook for 1 minute. Take the pan off the heat so the paprika does not burn.
4
Tip the beans into a deep baking dish with the onion mixture, salt and 250 ml of the reserved liquid or water. Stir gently.
5
Bake uncovered for 40 minutes, until bubbling, thick and crusty on top. Add a splash more water if it looks dry before then.
40 min
6
Stir in the parsley and serve hot with a tomato salad and pickles.