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–+ servings
Bowl of pasulj served with crusty bread

My Grandma's Pasulj Recipe

5 from 2 votes
Dried beans simmered slow with smoked sausage, finished with a garlic and paprika thickener that turns the broth silky.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Soaking Beans: 6 hours
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Course: dinner, lunch, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Serbian
Calories: 799
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
 
 

For the Soup:
  • 2 tablespoon Oil
  • 2 tablespoon Animal Fat or Butter
  • 1 ½ cup Dried White Kidney Beans
  • 1 ½ cup Dried Romano Beans
  • 4 Smoked Sausages roughly chopped
  • 2 Onions finely diced
  • 2 Carrots shredded or diced
  • 1 Dried Bay leaf
  • ½ lb Smoked Ribs or Smoked Bacon optional
  • 2 ½ teaspoon Salt or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
  • 1 tablespoon Vegetable Seasoning
For the Thickener:
  • ¼ cup Animal fat or Butter
  • 4 cloves Garlic grated
  • 2 tablespoon Flour
  • 1 tablespoon Smoked Paprika

Equipment

Method
 

  1. Prepare the Beans: Soak and cover beans for at least 6 hours, then drain. Boil the beans in fresh water for 20 minutes. Drain again and set aside.
  2. Cook the Sausage: In a large soup pot, heat oil and brown the smoked sausage for about 5 minutes. Set aside.
  3. Sauté the Vegetables: In the same pot, heat animal fat or butter. Sauté the onions, carrots, and salt for about 5 minutes, until the onions are soft.
  4. Combine: Add the beans, sausage, about 4 liters of water, bay leaf, and any optional smoked meat to the pot and . Cook on medium heat for 40-45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more cups of water if needed to keep the pot full.
  5. Make the Thickener: In a small pan, heat animal fat or butter. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the flour and cook for 30 more seconds. Add smoked paprika, stir, and remove from heat.
  6. Thicken the Soup: Slowly pour the thickener into the soup while stirring. Let it simmer for 5 more minutes.
  7. Serve: Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot.

Nutrition

Calories: 799kcalCarbohydrates: 69gProtein: 34gFat: 44gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 19gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 81mgSodium: 2256mgPotassium: 1872mgFiber: 21gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 4226IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 222mgIron: 10mg

Notes

Storage
  •  Let it cool down, then it keeps in the fridge for 3 to 4 days and honestly it's better on day two than day one.
  • Reheat it slowly on the stove for 10 to 15 minutes with a splash of water, since it thickens up a lot overnight.
  • It freezes really well too, up to 3 months, just thaw it in the fridge the night before.
Pour the thickener in slowly while stirring, or it goes lumpy and never quite smooths out.
Keep the pot topped up as it cooks. The beans drink more water than you expect and it thickens fast at the end.
Taste before you salt. Between the sausage and the smoked meat there's a lot of salt in here already.

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