These creamy, buttery beans in a light tomato sauce create one of my top 10 favorite dishes!
My version of Greek Gigantes Plaki is a delicious baked giant bean casserole with creamy feta. It’s traditionally a vegan dish with large buttery lima beans, which are common in Greece. The beans are rich, nutritious, and melt-in-your-mouth good in a light herby tomato sauce. Everything comes together in just a few steps. Then, the oven does all the work.
I’m not a huge bean fan, but this is one of my favorite dishes of all time. I mean, it’s up there in my top 10 foods because of the sweetness of the sauce, the super buttery, smooth, and creamy beans, and the warm, creamy feta pockets. There’s no chance you won’t love this!
Why will everyone love this?
Smooth, creamy
Tender, buttery
Melt-in-your mouth
Beans in a
Sweet and spicy
Light tomato sauce with
Creamy, salty feta.
What type of beans do I use?
Greek Giant butter beans -you can find these at Mediterranean stores or online. If you want to find something local, look for Large or small lima beans in the dry bean section of your supermarket, or you could use your favorite white bean. Soak them in water overnight for this dish.
What else do I need for Gigantes?
Onion -finely chopped to add sweet, caramelized flavor to the sauce.
Garlic cloves -finely chopped, grated, or minced would all be good.
Olive oil -your favorite to brown the onions and garlic, and don’t be shy. You can add as much as you’d like for extra flavor.
Tomatoes -fresh or whole canned tomatoes pureed in a blender to create a delicious base for the sauce.
Salt and black pepper -the flavor enhancer power duo.
Dried oregano -I noticed years ago that it would turn slightly bitter if I added oregano before a long cook. So, I add it toward the end of cooking.
Sugar -balances the acidity from the tomatoes and adds a hint of sweetness.
Crushed red pepper flakes -we like a bit of heat, but you can add as much as your family prefers.
What are some good garnishes?
Chopped fresh parsley -you don’t have to have this, but it adds fresh, herby flavor and is pretty as a garnish.
Crumbled feta cheese -always from a block for best flavor, and sheep’s milk feta is my favorite. I love the creamy, salty pockets of goodness this adds to the dish. So, if you aren’t vegetarian, try it!
How do I prepare the beans?
Soak the beans overnight in a large bowl filled with cold water, and drain the water in the morning. They’ll soak up a ton of water and be nice and plumped.
How do I cook the beans?
Place beans in a large pot covered with cold salted water and bring to a boil. Cook for about 40 minutes or until tender but not mushy. They will continue cooking in the oven. Strain the beans and place them in a 9×13-inch baking dish. Drizzle some olive oil on top of the beans and season with salt. Preheat the oven to 400 °F, 200 °C.
How do I make the sauce for the beans?
Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a saucepan. Add onions and cook over medium-low heat until soft and golden -about 10-15 minutes. Then, add garlic and warm through until fragrant. Add your tomato puree, spices, and sugar, and bring to a boil. Cook the sauce for 3-5 minutes.
How do I make baked giant beans?
Mix the sauce into the beans and bake uncovered for about 45 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and top with crumbled feta cheese. Tuck the feta into the sauce and return to the oven to bake for ten more minutes. If the sauce has completely been absorbed into the beans, add some hot water (up to a cup) and mix it together.
How do I serve Greek Gigantes?
If you want this vegan, serve the crumbled feta on the side. Either way, top the whole dish with fresh parsley and serve with olives on the side. My mom always served this with meatballs, and we like it with sausages, too. To freshen it up, add a green lettuce salad or Greek salad. And don’t forget my Roasted Garlic bread, Olive-filled Flatbreads, Greek Country Village Bread, or an Easy Crusty Baguette. You’ll want something to soak up the delicious sauce! Kali Orexi!
Watch the Video:
GIGANTES: BAKED GIANT BEAN CASSEROLE
Ingredients
- 1 pound giant butter or lima beans, soaked in water overnight
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped or grated
- 1/2 cup of olive oil
- 1 (28 ounce can) tomatoes pureed in blender
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley for garnish
- about 1 cup or more of crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
- Soak the beans in a large bowl filled with cold water. Drain the water in the morning.
- Place beans in a large pot covered with cold salted water and bring to a boil. Cook the beans about 40 minutes or until tender but not mushy. They will continue cooking in the oven. Strain the beans and place them in a 9x13inch baking dish. Drizzle some olive oil on top and season with salt.
- Preheat the oven to 400 °F, 200 °C.
- Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a saucepan. Add onions and cook over medium-low heat until soft and golden. About 10-15 minutes. Add garlic and warm through until fragrant. Add tomato puree, spices and sugar.
- Bring to a boil and cook the sauce for 3-5 minutes. Pour the sauce over the beans and mix well. Bake uncovered for about 45 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven and top with crumbled feta cheese. Tuck the feta into the sauce and return to the oven to bake for 10 more minutes.
- If the sauce has completely been absorbed into the beans add some hot water (about a cup) and mix together.
- Top with fresh parsley and serve with olives and salad.
- Kali Orexi!
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I love yourshow. At 87 had the Good Fortune of going to Greece many times.i had a share in the restaurant Bella Elene in Politia,(sp?) out side of Athens. My son is a chef and we look at your program to pick up new ideas along with that it is great listen to the music. My best to you and your success. Trying to send your mail to my daughter to get her to sign up
her to sign up. Thanks
Thank you very much for your comment and for being here! I really appreciate you and wish you all the very best. Love and best wishes, Dimitra
Hello, I bought Gigantes and look forward to using them in this recipe. Do I soak the beans overnight before getting started?
I just saw the method in th video!
I made these tonight and they were amazing as are all of your recipes Dimitra! The beans were soft and so flavourful! The entire kitchen smelled wonderful during baking.
Thank you!
oh my God, I’m making this at least every few weeks probably for the rest of my life. I was diagnosed as type 1 diabetic at the ripe age of 34. I also am a nurse and well aware of all the complications that go along with this disease. I have found that following a whole foods plant based diet works best for flat line within range glucose control for me. My favorite food in the world is spicy/garlic/sour flavors, I adore lebanese food. I just can’t do pasta or rice, no way. This dish has AMAZING mouth texture. The tougher pieces from baking remind me of the edges of a lasagne. It feels meaty and hearty. The tomato flavor cooked down and reduced is bright and intense. Truly, I am obsessed with this dish. When I was reheating left overs I even found myself picking at pieces and eating the stuck on bits from the spoon i used to dish it out when it was stone cold from the spoon-it was still so good. I never heard of gigantes beans, but I became so preoccupied with making this I searched extensively for them in various grocery stores in my city. I originally stumbled on this recipe because I was cleaning out my pantry and had a bag of these beans, and a google search came up with your recipe! But where the hell did I buy them in the first place? I’m going to buy some more online……..thank you so much for this delightful and delicious recipe!
What an incredible story—thank you so much for sharing! I’m thrilled that this recipe not only aligns with your health needs but has also become such a favorite in your kitchen. The way you describe the textures and flavors—it’s clear you truly connected with the dish, and I couldn’t be happier about that!
Gigantes beans are such a gem, aren’t they? Their buttery texture and how beautifully they absorb flavors make them the perfect comfort food. I love that you appreciated even the little “stuck-on bits”—those crispy edges are definitely a treat!
It’s amazing how food can bring joy and nourishment in such a meaningful way. Thank you for letting me be part of your culinary journey, and I wish you continued success in balancing your health while enjoying your favorite flavors. Happy cooking, and I hope you find those beans easily next time—this recipe is definitely worth keeping stocked for! ❤️
I made this and everyone loved it. Thanks for a great recipe!
My beans turned out DELICIOUS!!
I’m not a fan of Lima beans so I used Great Northern beans. I also added a can of chicken stalk.
Question: when you were cooking the beans on the top of the stove, should they be covered, uncovered, or covered with a little bit opening so steam can escape.
uncovered otherwise they will boil over and make a mess on the stove 🙂
It’s Orthodox Lent. I’m planning to make baked Gigantes. However, I’m thinking to add harissa sauce to the recipe. What’s your opinion for adding this to the final taste? I think it would enhance the overall teaste.
I have a church Greek cookbook for beans plaki that adds 1 carrot chopped and 1 stalk of celery chopped. I think it adds a nice flavor to the beans and extra vegetables too.
1 pound beans dry 2 cloves garlic chopped
2 chopped onions 1/2 c. or more EVOO
1 1/2 c. pureed tomatoes oregano and salt to taste
1 carrot chopped 1tsp. dried basil
1 stalk of celery chopped
1/2 c. parsley chopped
Thank you for sharing that recipe! Adding carrot and celery sounds like a great way to enhance the flavor and boost the vegetable content. I’ll definitely keep that in mind for future beans Plaki dishes.
Can I soak the beans for 12 hours instead? And boil it longer?
Yes of course!
PLEASE HELP..NOWHERE IN YOUR RECIPE DO I READ HOW AND WHEN TO REMOVE THE SKINS…PLEASE HELP!!!
Thank you for your comment! For Gigantes Plaki, you don’t need to remove the skins of the beans. The skins stay on and become tender during the slow baking process. If you find the skins tough, soaking the beans overnight before cooking helps soften them. I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions.