A staple on any Lenten Slava table is definetly Meljan Pasulj. Delicious and bursting with traditional flavors, this mashed bean dish is served alongside Bobove Pihtije, Belolucena Paprika, and fried or baked fish. It’s a dish I’ve been eating since I can remember and it’s definitely one of my favorite vegan dishes of all time. Whenever I make it, I’m always taken back to home, family, and a house full of guests.
The process of making this dish is very simple. In fact, cooking the beans is the most time-consuming part. But once every component has been added, it makes a wonderful addition to any vegan meal. For this dish, you’ll need Balkan staples such as Vegeta seasoning, paprika, and bay leaves. The best type of bean for this is Tetovac, but if you don’t have Balkan products available close to you, use Great Northern beans and double the amount of beans the recipe calls for. Because Northern White beans are smaller, you’ll need more of them.
One very important step in preparing this dish is making sure to soak the beans ahead of time. When making this dish, or any Balkan bean dish, I soak the beans when I go to bed the night before. Then, in the morning or afternoon the next day, I drain the beans and by then they have doubled in size. The soaking helps hydrate the dry beans and the cooking time is considerably reduced.
While this dish compliments other vegan food well, depending on who your host is, it may be served as the entrée or as a side dish. In my family, fish is usually the entrée so this serves as a 2nd entrée or side dish. Whatever it’s served as, it’s hearty, filling, and delicious. I hope you give it a try soon!
Interested in other vegan recipes? Check out the Vegan/Posno section!
Posni Meljan Pasulj/Vegan Mashed Beans
Cuisine: Balkan, Serbian4
servings15
minutes45
minutes~12
hoursAn old traditional favorite that’s vegan/posno and usually eaten during fasting days.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups (270 g) dry white beans (Tetovac is best)
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
2 bay leaves
1/2 red bell pepper (or 2 baby peppers), sliced in half/large pieces
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 teaspoon (6 g) salt
Black pepper (biber), to taste
2 teaspoons (5 g) paprika (aleva)
2 teaspoons (12 g) Vegeta seasoning
1/4 cup (60 ml) oil
- Topping/Zaprška
1/4 cup (60 ml) oil
2 teaspoons (5 g) paprika (aleva)
Directions
- Soaking the Beans
- The night before making this dish, soak the beans in a bowl of water, filling the bowl completely. Let soak overnight uncovered on the counter.
- Preparation
- Drain the beans the next day and rinse slightly with fresh cold water. Add the beans to a pot and fill the pot with water. Cook the beans on medium-high heat until they reach a boil.
- Once the water has started to boil, continue cooking the beans for another 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove the pot from the heat, drain the water, and refill the pot with fresh cold water. Return the pot with beans and fresh water to the heat and add in the onion, carrot, red bell pepper, bay leaves, salt, black pepper (biber), and Vegeta seasoning.
- Cook the beans for 30-40 minutes on medium-low heat, but maintain a slow boil. Cook the beans until they are very soft and completely cooked through. Don’t overcook them and let them fall apart.
- When the beans are cooked, remove the pot from the heat. Remove the red bell pepper pieces from the beans as well as the bay leaves.
- Drain the beans but keep the water they cooked in. You may need this in the following steps. Set both aside.
- Place a small skillet on medium heat and add in the oil. When the oil is hot, add in the diced garlic cook the garlic just until it floats to the top of the oil (1 minute). Turn off the heat and add in the paprika (aleva). Remove from burner and set aside.
- Take your drained beans and place them in a large bowl or back into the pot they cooked in. Pour in the oil, garlic, and paprika mixture. Then, using a potato masher or immersion blender, mash/blend the beans very well. If the beans are very thick, add a little bit of the liquid the beans have cooked in into the mashed beans (1 tablespoon at a time). The consistency should be slightly runnier than Mexican refried beans. It should be a thick paste/oatmeal consistency.
If I soak the beans for longer than 10 hours, I find that the beans soak up enough liquid that I don’t have to add in any of the cooking liquid. Depending on the type of beans you use, you may or may not have to add any liquid back in. - Once the beans have been completely mashed, taste and adjust for seasoning. Usually, I find I need to add a little bit more Vegeta.
- Pour the mashed beans into your serving dish. Use a spoon or offset spatula to smooth the top and make it even and flat. Set aside to cool.
- Topping/Zaprška
- In a skillet, add in the oil and heat until hot. When it’s hot, turn off the heat and add in the paprika (aleva). Stir. Remove the pan from heat immediately and pour the mixture over the beans. Cool then serve.
Notes
- You can make this dish a day ahead. Follow all of the steps but don’t make the Zaprška/topping. Do that the day of.
- Serve this dish at room temperature or cold.
- The longer this chills in the refrigerator, the better it tastes. Refrigerate covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.
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