Gigantes Plaki (Greek Baked Giant Beans in Tomato Sauce)

A Greek friend of mine once told me that gigantes plaki is what her grandmother made whenever guests came by unannounced, because there was always a jar of giant beans in the pantry and a tomato sauce that could stretch to feed one more plate. I loved that so much I started keeping dried gigantes beans in my own pantry for the same reason — this is the kind of humble, generous dish that makes any table feel like more thought went into it than actually did.

Gigantes plaki sits comfortably next to my other Greek recipes like Avgolemono (recipe on the site) and Dakos (recipe on the site) — it’s baked low and slow until the beans turn creamy and the tomato sauce reduces into something almost jammy, finished with a flurry of fresh dill. It’s traditionally served as part of a meze spread, though I’ve absolutely made a full dinner out of it with just some good bread and feta alongside.

Giant beans (gigantes, sometimes labeled elephant beans or large lima beans) can be found at Greek and Middle Eastern grocers in the US, or ordered online; if you’re in a pinch, large dried lima beans or butter beans from a regular supermarket work almost as well.

Gigantes Plaki Recipe

Prep time: 20 minutes (plus overnight soaking) · Cook time: 1 hour 30 minutes · Total: 2 hours (plus soaking) · Servings: 6 · Calories: ~310 per serving

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried gigantes beans (or large lima or butter beans), soaked overnight in plenty of water
• 1/3 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill, plus more for serving
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• Crumbled feta, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Drain the soaked beans, place them in a large pot, and cover with fresh water by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 45 to 60 minutes, until just tender but not falling apart. Drain and set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, carrot and celery, and cook until softened, about 8 minutes.
3. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes to let the flavors come together.
4. Add the cooked beans to the sauce, along with the dill and parsley, and stir gently to combine. If the mixture looks dry, add a splash of the reserved bean cooking liquid or water.
5. Drizzle with a little more olive oil, cover with a lid or foil, and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until bubbling and the beans have absorbed most of the sauce.
6. Uncover for the last 10 minutes to let the top caramelize slightly. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving, topped with extra dill and crumbled feta if using.

Recipe Notes

• Canned gigantes or large lima beans (about 4 cups, drained) can shortcut this recipe considerably — just skip the soaking and boiling steps and go straight to building the sauce.
• This dish is traditionally served warm or at room temperature, which makes it an excellent make-ahead option for a meze spread or potluck.
• Leftovers taste even better the next day, once the beans have had more time to soak up the tomato sauce.
• Look for gigantes beans at Greek, Middle Eastern, or well-stocked international grocers; online spice and grocery shops also carry them if yours doesn’t.