Greek · Lunch · Dinner
Gigantes Plaki (Greek Baked Giant Beans)
Γίγαντες πλακί
Creamy giant beans baked in a rich tomato, onion and herb sauce until the top turns jammy and slightly caramelised. A hearty Greek dish that works warm or at room temperature.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 60 min
- Total
- 75 min
- Serves
- 4
Calories come from: Carbs 56% · Fat 29% · Protein 15%
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Ingredients
For 4 servings- 2 cans (400 g each), drainedGiant or butter beans, canned, drained and rinsed
- 2 tbsp27 gExtra virgin olive oil
- 1 large150 gOnion, finely chopped
- 1 medium60 gCarrot, finely diced
- 2 stalks80 gCelery, finely diced
- 3 cloves9 gGarlic, minced
- 1 tbsp16 gTomato paste
- 1 can (400 g)Crushed tomatoes, canned
- 1/2 cup120 gWater
- 1 tspDried oregano
- 1 leafBay leaf
- 1/4 tspSalt
- 1/2 tspBlack pepper, ground
- 1/2 cup15 gFresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 2 tbspFresh dill, chopped
Steps
- 1
Preheat the oven to 190 °C (375 °F).
- 2
Drain the beans and rinse them well under cold water to wash off excess salt.
- 3
Warm the olive oil in an ovenproof frying pan or wide pot over medium heat.
- 4
Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook gently for about 8 minutes until soft.
- 5
Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- 6
Add the tomato paste and stir for 1 minute.
- 7
Pour in the crushed tomatoes and the water, then add the oregano, bay leaf, salt and pepper.
- 8
Simmer the sauce for 10 minutes, stirring now and then.
- 9
Stir in the rinsed beans and half of the parsley and dill.
- 10
If your pan is not ovenproof, transfer everything to a baking dish and spread it out evenly.
- 11
Bake uncovered for about 40 minutes, until the sauce is thick and the top is lightly browned at the edges.
- 12
Remove the bay leaf, scatter over the remaining parsley and dill, and rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Swaps, storage and make-ahead
Swaps
- Swap the canned giant beans for canned cannellini or butter beans if giant beans are hard to find.
- Use dried giant beans instead of canned: soak overnight and simmer until just tender before adding them to the sauce.
- Replace the fresh dill with extra parsley or a little fresh mint if you prefer a milder herb flavour.
- For a lighter dish, use 1 tablespoon of olive oil and soften the vegetables with a splash of water to stop them sticking.
Storage
Cool and refrigerate leftovers in a covered container within 2 hours and eat within 3 to 4 days, reheating until steaming hot or letting it come to room temperature to serve. It freezes fairly well for up to 3 months, though the beans may soften a little; thaw in the fridge and reheat until steaming hot.
Make ahead
Make the tomato and vegetable sauce up to 2 days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge, then stir in the beans and half the herbs and bake when ready. The whole dish can also be baked a day ahead, as the flavours deepen overnight; scatter over the remaining fresh herbs just before serving.
Nutrition values are for the recipe as written.
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Allergens and nutrition
Contains: Celery
Check the labels of packaged ingredients for allergens and suitability for your diet.
Full nutrition
| Per serving (341 g) | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 220 kcal | 65 kcal |
| Protein | 8.8 g | 2.6 g |
| Carbohydrates | 32.9 g | 9.6 g |
| of which sugars | 7.5 g | 2.2 g |
| Fiber | 9.6 g | 2.8 g |
| Fat | 7.4 g | 2.2 g |
| of which saturated | 1.1 g | 0.3 g |
| Sodium | 769 mg | 226 mg |
Nutrition is calculated from USDA FoodData Central data and may differ from what you cook.
