Greek Gigantes — Baked Giant Beans in Tomato Sauce
Big, buttery butter beans baked low in a sweet garlic-and-herb tomato sauce until jammy at the edges — a Greek taverna classic that's pure plant protein and olive oil.
Best for plant-based · high-fiber Mediterranean dinner
Gigantes plaki is one of those dishes that proves beans deserve top billing. Large butter beans are folded into a bright tomato sauce loaded with soft onion, garlic and dill, then baked uncovered until the top caramelizes and the sauce thickens around them. Using tinned butter beans makes it a genuine weeknight dish rather than an all-day soak-and-simmer. Serve it warm or at room temperature with feta and bread, the way it's eaten across Greece — hearty, generous and entirely plant-based.
Ingredients
- 45 ml olive oil
- 2 piece onions , finely chopped
- 4 clove garlic cloves , sliced
- 1 piece carrots , finely diced
- 30 g tomato paste
- 400 g chopped tomatoes
- 720 g canned butter beans , drained and rinsed (3 tins)
- 200 ml vegetable stock
- 2 g dried oregano
- 5 g honey or sugar , optional, to balance (optional – can be omitted)
- 15 g Fresh dill , chopped
- 10 g fresh parsley , chopped
- 1 piece lemon , in wedges, to serve
- 5 g fine sea salt
- 1 g black pepper , freshly ground
Instructions
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1
Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Warm the olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet or pot over medium heat and cook the onions with a pinch of salt until soft and golden, 8–10 minutes. Add the garlic and carrot and cook 3 minutes more.
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2
Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute, then add the chopped tomatoes, stock, oregano and the honey if using. Simmer 5 minutes until slightly thickened; season with the salt and pepper.
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3
Fold in the drained butter beans and half the dill, gently so the beans stay whole. Loosen with a splash of water if it looks dry — it should be saucy.
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4
Transfer to the oven (or bake right in the ovenproof pan) and bake uncovered until the top is caramelized and the sauce has thickened around the beans, 30–35 minutes.
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5
Let it settle for 5 minutes — it's traditionally eaten warm rather than piping hot. Scatter over the remaining dill and the parsley.
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6
Serve with lemon wedges, good bread, and crumbled feta on the side if you like (leave the feta off to keep it vegan).