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Gigantes plaki with olive oil, freshly served
Oven-baked giant beans in a rich tomato and herb sauce

Gigantes plaki

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Vegetarian & Vegan Main Courses
'Gigantes' is the name for Greek giant white beans, while 'Plaki' refers to the method of baking in a rich vegetable-tomato sauce. This dish is a triumph of slow cooking: the beans become buttery while absorbing the flavours of olive oil and tomatoes. Although often served as a starter (meze), it is perfect as a main course with a slice of fresh bread.
🕒 Prep Time 15 mins
🍳 Cook Time 50 mins
⌛ Total Time 1 hr 5 mins
🍽️ Servings 4 servings
🔥 Calories 380 kcal
🌍 Cuisine Greek

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Large pot for parboiling
  • Wide frying pan or baking dish for finishing

Instructions

1 ✓

Parboil the soaked beans in plenty of water for about 40-50 minutes until half-cooked. Drain, but keep a little of the cooking water.

2 ✓

Chop the onion and garlic. Heat the olive oil in a wide frying pan and sauté them.

3 ✓

Add the diced tomatoes and tomato purée. Fry for 1-2 minutes to cook out the raw taste of the purée.

4 ✓

Pour in the parboiled beans. Top up with just enough water (or cooking liquid) to cover.

Tip: The bean cooking liquid is full of flavour and starch, it would be a shame to throw it away.
5 ✓

Season with salt and pepper. Simmer (or bake in the oven) gently until the beans are completely tender and the gravy thickens (approx. 30-40 mins).

Tip: The essence of the Plaki technique is liquid reduction and concentrating flavours.
6 ✓

At the end, stir in the fresh coriander. Serve warm or lukewarm, with lemon wedges and drizzled with extra olive oil.

Tip: Olive oil is not just a fat but a seasoning in this dish.

Recipe FAQ

What if I don't have giant beans?
You can use regular white beans, but for the 'giant' experience, butter beans are the best substitute.
Is this a soup?
No, this is a thick stew. By the end, most of the liquid should have evaporated, leaving a thick sauce.

Ingredients

  • 500 g Gigantes beans (or butter beans), soaked
  • 1.5 l water
  • 4 tbsp good quality olive oil
  • 1 pc onion
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 2 pcs tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée
  • 1 bunch coriander (or parsley for classic taste)
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 pinch freshly ground pepper
  • 1 pc lemon (for serving)