Gigantes Plaki (Giant Greek Beans) In Tomato Sauce

These rich and fragrant Greek giant beans in tomato sauce have to be the ultimate in comfort food. Living in Crete for three years confirmed my addiction to this Greek version of baked beans. Gigantes Plaki are usually serves as part of a mezze starter but make a great side dish too.

What are gigantes beans?

The gigante is a type of bean. A great big enormous butter bean really. So if you can’t get hold of dried gigantes beans then don’t panic.

Make do with butter beans or any other dried white bean really and you will get just as good a plateful of Greek comfort perfection.

This is basically baked beans in tomato sauce but Greek style and a whole lot tastier.

Two step recipe

As these are dried beans you will have to soak them overnight. Hardship I know, but, hell you can do this. I have every confidence in you!

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Ingredients for Gigantes Plaki

• 200g gigantes dried beans (or dried butter beans, or quite frankly any dried white beans will do)
• 1 carrot diced
• 1 stick celery diced
• 1 small red onion finely chopped
• 1 small leek finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• salt and pepper to taste

How to make Gigantes

• Place dried beans in a pan and cover with cold water and leave to soak overnight
• Rinse the beans and place them in a pan and cover with water and bring to the boil then simmer for an hour at least, you want them tender
• Drain and reserve a cup of the cooking liquid
• Heat oil in a frying pan and saute the onion, celery and carrot for 5 minutes then add dried herbs and the garlic for 1 minute, set aside till beans are ready
• Pour the beans into an oven proof dish and add all the other ingredients plus the saved cooking water
• Bake in a preheated oven at 180C for 30 minutes

Serving suggestion

Serve your gigantes (giant Greek beans) in tomato sauce with some crumbled Feta and fresh dill on top and a drizzle of olive oil.

You can serve these as a side veggie or as part of a mezze starter as they would do in Greece.

Or you can be terribly British and serve them on toast, bloody marvelous. The Mediterranean diet meets the Great British nosh-up!

Kali Orexi!

PS Here are some more of my favourite Greek mezzi recipes you might like to try;

Greek fried meatballs

Tzatziki

Fried Beetroot

Luxury Taramasolata

Or just check out my entire section of Gorgeous Greek Recipes.