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Top-down view of golden-edged gigantes plaki in a white baking dish, dill and crumbled feta scattered over thick tomato sauce

Greek Gigantes Plaki: Baked Butter Beans in Tomato Sauce

Soaked butter beans baked in a thick tomato sauce with carrot, celery, and dill until the edges caramelize.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Calories: 205
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Beans
  • 300 g dried gigantes beans (or large dried lima beans) soaked overnight in cold water
  • 1 bay leaf for boiling the beans
  • water as needed; for soaking and boiling
Sauce
  • 100 ml olive oil divided
  • 1 onion large; finely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 carrot diced small
  • 2 stalks celery diced small
  • 400 g crushed tomatoes can
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp sugar cuts the acidity of the tomatoes
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 bay leaf for the sauce
  • 4 tbsp fresh dill chopped, divided
  • 3 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
  • salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste
  • 250 ml vegetable stock or water
To serve
  • 80 g feta cheese crumbled, optional
  • crusty bread as needed; optional

Method
 

Cook the beans
  1. Soak the dried gigantes beans in plenty of cold water overnight, at least 8 hours.
  2. Drain the beans and put them in a 4-quart / 3.8L saucepan with fresh water to cover by 5 cm / 2 inches and 1 bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 45 to 50 minutes, until the beans are just tender but still hold their shape. Drain and set aside.
Make the sauce
  1. Heat the oven to 180 C / 350 F.
  2. Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until soft.
  3. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
  4. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, oregano, remaining bay leaf, salt, pepper, and the vegetable stock. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
Assemble and bake
  1. Spread the cooked beans in a 23 x 33 cm / 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Pour the sauce over the beans and stir gently to combine. Mix in half the dill and half the parsley.
  2. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the top and bake uncovered for 45 to 50 minutes, until the top is caramelized at the edges and the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.
  3. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes. Scatter the remaining dill and parsley over the top, and add the crumbled feta if using.
  4. Serve warm or at room temperature with crusty bread.

Notes

  • Soak dried beans overnight in plenty of cold water before cooking.
  • Don't skip pre-boiling the beans or they'll stay hard after baking.
  • Use a wide baking dish so the sauce reduces evenly.
  • Rest the dish 10 minutes before serving so the sauce sets.