This Gigantes Plaki (Greek baked beans) recipe gives you a simple, comforting one-pan dinner made with pantry beans, tomatoes, olive oil, and feta cheese—easy to make, deeply satisfying, and perfect for a cozy, healthy weeknight meal.
For more easy Greek dinners, check out our Greek cauliflower bowl, Greek pasta salad, Greek chickpea soup, and Greek bean salad.
Why You’ll Love These Gigantes Plaki
This Gigantes Plaki (Greek baked beans) recipe is all about simple comfort. You get a cozy, oven-baked dish made with pantry staples, rich tomato sauce, and creamy beans that feels special without being fussy 🍅.
Louise and I make this when we want something easy, nourishing, and deeply satisfying. It’s a classic Mediterranean bean recipe that comes together in one pan and fills the kitchen with warm, savory aromas.
The beans bake until tender and saucy. You can add eggs at the end to turn it into a full meal, or keep it simple—it’s completely up to you. Either way, it’s hearty, fiber-rich, and protein-rich without feeling heavy.
Served with crusty bread for scooping, these Greek baked beans fit naturally into a relaxed, Mediterranean-style way of eating 🥖.
Ingredients
Full ingredients and substitutions are in the recipe box below.
- Extra virgin olive oil: adds richness and classic Mediterranean flavor. You can use regular olive oil if needed.
- Butter beans (gigantes): traditionally made with Greek gigante beans, which are hard to find in regular supermarkets. The best substitute is butter beans. Use canned for a quick 30-minute meal, or dried beans cooked ahead until tender. Cannellini beans or other white beans work well too.
- Onion: builds a sweet, savory base. Yellow or white onions are best, but a shallot also works.
- Carrots: add natural sweetness and body to the sauce. Swap with finely chopped bell pepper if that’s what you have.
- Celery: gives balance and depth. If you’re out, a small pinch of fennel seeds adds a similar background note.
- Garlic: brings warmth and aroma. Use fresh cloves, or a little garlic paste in a pinch.
- Tomato paste: deepens the flavor of these baked beans with tomatoes. Crushed tomatoes cooked a bit longer can substitute.
- Crushed tomatoes: create a saucy, comforting base. Whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand, work just as well.
- Vegetable broth: keeps the dish moist while baking. Water with a pinch of salt is fine too.
- Dried oregano: classic and earthy. Thyme or Italian seasoning are good alternatives.
- Bay leaf: adds subtle depth. Leave it out if you don’t have one.
- Eggs (optional): turn the dish into a complete meal. You can skip them and serve with bread instead.
- Feta cheese: salty and creamy on top. Try ricotta salata or a plant-based feta if needed.
- Fresh parsley: optional, it adds a herby freshness that’s welcome in this dish.
How to Make Gigantes Plaki
Step 1: Heat the oven and soften the vegetables
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
Heat the olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium heat.
Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until soft and fragrant.
If your skillet is not oven-safe, you’ll transfer everything to a baking dish later.
Step 2: Build the flavor
Stir in the garlic, oregano, tomato paste, bay leaf, and red pepper flakes (if using).
Cook for 1 minute, stirring, until the tomato paste darkens slightly and smells rich.
Step 3: Add the beans and bake
Add the butter beans, crushed tomatoes, and vegetable broth.
Stir gently to combine.
If needed, transfer everything to a baking dish.
Bake uncovered at 400°F (200°C) for 30 minutes, until the sauce thickens and bubbles around the edges.
This turns the dish into a comforting one pan vegetarian dinner.
Step 4: Finish and serve
Remove the bay leaf.
Top with parsley and crumbled feta.
Serve warm with crusty bread for dipping.
It’s a simple, satisfying healthy bean dinner that feels filling without being heavy.
Variation: Add Eggs
If you’d like to turn this into an even more fulfilling meal, baked eggs are an easy option.
Remove the beans from the oven.
Use a spoon to make 4 small wells in the beans.
Crack one egg into each space.
Return to the oven and bake for 7-10 minutes, until the egg whites are set and the yolks are still soft.
Serve right away with crumbled feta, parsley, and crusty bread.
Tips
- Watch the salt if needed. Choose low-sodium or no-salt-added canned beans, tomatoes, tomato paste, and vegetable broth. Rinse canned beans well, and if your feta is very salty, a quick rinse helps remove excess salt.
- Use a wide pan if you can. More surface area helps the sauce thicken nicely in the oven.
- Cook the vegetables until soft. Taking a few extra minutes here builds sweetness and depth.
- Let the tomato paste darken slightly. This small step makes the sauce taste richer and more balanced.
- Bake uncovered. This helps the sauce reduce and gives the dish its classic baked texture.
- Taste before serving. Adjust salt at the end, especially if your beans or feta are salty.
- Finish with olive oil. A small drizzle of good quality extra virgin olive oil right before serving adds flavor and shine.
- Serve with good bread. Crusty bread makes it feel like a complete Mediterranean vegetarian meal.
- Add more protein if you like. Baked eggs turn this into a hearty meal, and a dollop of Greek yogurt on top is also delicious. If you’re cooking for mixed diets, it pairs well with shrimp or chicken on the side.
Frequently Asked Questions
Greek gigante beans are hard to find in most supermarkets. Butter beans are the best and easiest substitute.
Yes. The flavors actually improve as it sits, making it great for meal prep.
Let it cool, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The beans baked in tomato sauce reheat well on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Yes. Freeze without the eggs or feta for best texture. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Both. With bread or eggs, it’s a filling main. In smaller portions, it works as a side to grilled vegetables or fish.
The slow-baked beans, rich tomato sauce, and olive oil are what make this classic Greek comfort food so satisfying.
More Mediterranean Dinners
- Lentil Sweet Potato Patties
- Kidney Beans and Rice Skillet
- Broccoli Orzo with White Beans, Lemon and Parmesan
- Mediterranean Lentils and Quinoa Skillet
- One Pot Vegetable Orzo
- Cauliflower Shawarma Bowl
- Greek Sheet Pan Gnocchi
- Mediterranean Stir Fry
If you try this Gigantes Plaki Recipe please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it turned out in the comments—we love hearing from you.
Gigantes Plaki (Greek Baked Beans)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 medium carrots grated
- 1 rib celery chopped
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 cans butter beans 15 oz / 400 g each can – or 4½ cups 690 g cooked gigantes beans
- 1 can crushed tomatoes 15 oz / 400 g can
- ½ cup vegetable broth reduced-sodium
- ½ teaspoon salt or more to taste + black pepper
- ½ cup feta cheese for serving
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
- 4 slices crusty bread + optional 4 eggs (see last step below)
Instructions
- Cook the vegetables: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).Heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium heat.Add 1 onion (chopped), 2 medium carrots (grated), and 1 rib celery (chopped). Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until soft.Tip: If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, use a regular skillet and transfer everything to a baking dish later.
- Add the flavor: Stir in 2 cloves garlic (grated), 1 bay leaf, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, and 2 tablespoons tomato paste.Cook for 1 minute, stirring, until fragrant and slightly darker in color.
- Add the beans and bake: Add 3 cans butter beans (rinsed), 1 can crushed tomatoes, and ½ cup vegetable broth. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and pepper. Stir gently to combine. If needed, transfer everything to a baking dish.Bake uncovered at 400°F (200°C) for 30 minutes, until saucy and thickened.
- Finish and serve: Remove from the oven. Discard the bay leaf. Give it a good stir. Top with 2 tablespoons fresh parsley and ½ cup feta cheese. Serve warm with crusty bread.
- Optional Variation: Add Eggs: Remove the dish from the oven. Use a spoon to make 4 small wells in the beans. Crack one egg into each space.Return to the oven and bake for 7-10 minutes, until the egg whites are set and the yolks are still soft. Serve right away, with crumbled feta, parsley, and bread for dipping.
Notes
- Extra virgin olive oil → Regular olive oil
- Butter beans → Greek butter beans (gigantes) or large lima beans. Cannellini beans or other white beans work well too.
- Onion → Shallot
- Carrots → Bell pepper
- Celery → Pinch of fennel seeds
- Garlic → Garlic paste or powder
- Tomato paste → Extra crushed tomatoes, reduced
- Crushed tomatoes → Whole peeled tomatoes, crushed
- Vegetable broth → Water + salt
- Dried oregano → Thyme or Italian seasoning
- Bay leaf → Omit
- Eggs (optional) → Skip and serve with bread (still a vegetarian Greek recipe)
- Feta cheese → Ricotta salata or plant-based feta
- Fresh parsley → Dill or basil
- Use a wide pan → Better evaporation, thicker sauce, better baked beans with tomatoes
- Soften the veggies well → Extra sweetness = deeper flavor
- Toast the tomato paste → Darker paste, richer sauce
- Bake uncovered → Classic texture, no watery sauce
- Taste at the end → Beans and feta can be salty
- Finish with olive oil → Instant flavor boost and shine
- Serve with crusty bread → Turns it into a true one pan vegetarian dinner
- Add protein if needed → Baked eggs or Greek yogurt keep it simple and satisfying
- Keep sodium in check → Use low-sodium canned ingredients and rinse the beans and feta well.
- Storage → airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze without eggs or feta for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
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