Gigantes Plaki (Greek Beans in Tomato Sauce)
Creamy butter beans baked in a rich tomato sauce with olive oil and herbs. This Greek Gigantes Plaki is a simple, rustic Mediterranean classic.
Servings: 4
Calories: 309kcal
Ingredients
- 1 celery stick (diced)
- 1 carrot (diced)
- 1 small red onion (diced)
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)
- 1 tbsp fresh oregano leaves (or 1tsp dried)
- 2 cans butter beans (400g cans - lima beans)
- 2 garlic cloves (crushed)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
- 1 tsp salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup tomato passata
- 1 tbsp tomato paste (puree/concentrate)
- 1 cup vegetable stock (broth)
- ½ cup feta cheese (crumbled, optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180ºC/350ºF
- In a sauté pan, heat the oil over medium heat and then gently fry the onion, carrot, celery and garlic for 2-3 minutes until soft.
- Add the parsley, oregano, cinnamon (if using), salt and pepper. Stir well to combine.
- Add the tomato paste, passata and vegetable stock and the drained beans and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat.
- Transfer the bean mixture to a shallow ovenproof dish and spread out evenly. Cover with foil and bake in the oven for 25 minutes.
- Remove the foil and continue to cook for another 10 minutes, until the sauce has thickened a little. Remove from the oven, cover lightly and leave to cool completely.
- Serve at room temperature.
Notes
Serving
Gigantes Plaki is traditionally served at room temperature, but it’s also excellent warm from the oven. Serving IdeasEnjoy with crusty bread and a simple salad, or serve as a mezze-style side with grilled lamb chops, chicken skewers or roasted fish. Beans
Authentically this dish uses Greek gigantes beans, but butter beans (lima beans) are the closest substitute and work perfectly. Storage
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The flavour improves as the beans soak up the sauce. Freezing
Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and bring to room temperature or warm gently before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 309kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 1096mg | Potassium: 1087mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 3327IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 165mg | Iron: 5mg