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–+ servings
Gigantes Plaki Greek baked beans served warm with feta.

Gigantes Plaki (Greek Baked Beans)

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Author: Nico Pallotta

  • 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)

  • 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.
    Step 1 Onion carrot and celery cooking gently in olive oil until soft.
  • 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.
    Step 2 Tomato paste garlic oregano and bay leaf stirred into softened vegetables.
  • 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.
    Step 3 Butter beans and tomatoes after baking uncovered for 30 minutes.
  • 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.
    Step 4 Finished beans topped with crumbled feta parsley and olive oil.
  • 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.
    Variation of cozy baked beans with eggs feta and bread ready for dipping.
Substitutions
  • 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
Tips
  • 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.
     
     
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