Greek baked giant beans, called Gigantes (= giants) in Greece, is one of the most exquisite traditional Greek dishes. Because in the small corner of the Mediterranean Basin called Greece, cooking beans is the epitome of tasteful simplicity. Do you want to find out the way? Perfect! Keep reading!
BEANS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN WAY OF EATING
For centuries, beans have been a staple in Mediterranean Greek cuisine mainly because they were cheap and filling meaning they were feeding multiple family members at times when people were facing extreme poverty and starvation.
Therefore, they used to keep big amounts of beans and legumes/pulses in their store room (usually in the cool basement of their house) in order to cook them according to the seasonal vegetables from their garden and herbs from all over the countryside.
Apart from the obvious economic reasons, their consumption was very popular for religious reasons as well. Imagine long periods of fasting where animal products were strictly off the menu and, even those who could afford to put meat on the table abstained almost 200 days per year.
Beans were the perfect choice for the family menu and the main source of protein, hence the house cooks were constantly attempting new ways of cooking and making delicious combinations out of their poor pantry.
That’s why Greek Mediterranean cuisine demonstrates the most delicious bean recipes along with the fact that a white bean soup called “fasolada” is the national Greek dish. No, it’s neither moussaka nor souvlaki with tzatziki, guys! Only humble beans!
THE BEST GIANT BEANS
The best Greek giant beans come from the wetlands of Prespes in Northern Greece and they are awarded PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) product. Their unique flavor originates from the nutrient-rich soil and the unique microclimate of the area. Unfortunately, the production is extremely low and Greece has to import large amounts to cover local consumption. It’s more likely to eat imported giant beans from Turkey, which are fine, but if you ever find beans from Prespes go ahead and try them.
If you cannot find giant beans, try large lima or butter beans instead. I suppose it will be easy to find them in supermarkets or buy them online. In Greece, you may purchase giant beans in bulk and they are cheaper but you have to find fresh ones. Otherwise, the cooking time will be really long. I mean it takes forever.
Do I have to mention their nutritional value? Ok, I will. Excellent source of protein, fiber, and antioxidants, it is either an appetizer (mezze) or a complete scrumptious vegan meal.
CAN I USE CANNED BEANS FOR THIS RECIPE?
Truth be told, I am not sure!
I have never used canned beans in my life and I am not familiar with their taste. I live in Athens and it is still difficult to find a variety of canned products. You see, Mediterranean food is all about fresh and minimum processed food, and canned items aren’t popular.
Therefore I cannot guarantee that your dish will be a success. Still, you save a significant amount of time so this is important for some of you. So, just drain and rinse them well before baking. If they are too salty, adjust the salt accordingly. Toss them in the baking pan with the rest of the ingredients. Tell me in the comments how it went and if you liked taste and texture.
GREEK BAKED GIANT BEANS: THE RECIPE
To begin with, my giant beans recipe is super basic.
5 easy-to-find ingredients, plus the beans. Soak, boil, bake, and serve. It takes some time but it is a ridiculously easy recipe to make and it’s definitely worth the trouble. You may add more vegetables and herbs even sausages and other deli meats. Your choice.
But I usually like to keep it simple and make a difference by selecting fresh, organic vegetables and good-quality beans. I suggest you try this recipe and then adjust it any way you like it.
STEP #1 – SOAK OVERNIGHT
I always soak the beans overnight for at least 10 to 12 hours in order to become more digestible and to reduce the cooking time.
Soaking beans is an important step to enjoy them. Gastrointestinal discomfort is no joke at all. From bloating and indigestion to stomachaches and that heavy feeling, gastrointestinal issues can really put a damper on your day.
STEP #2 – SIMMER WITH WATER
Just place the beans in a pot and boil until slightly tender (see instructions and photos below).
An easy step because it is mainly waiting time.
A cooking tip: add a bay leaf to the water and enjoy its aroma. Don’t add salt to your pot of simmering beans because it takes more time to soften.
The only fail for this recipe could be the simmering time because it depends on the variety and the bean’s freshness. We need them soft enough but not very tender because they are going to melt down in the oven.
Simmer the beans from half an hour to 1 hour. If it takes longer than an hour the beans aren’t fresh meaning that they need significantly more time to soften and maybe, in the end, you won’t have the creamy texture you like. Take the fork and squash one bean. It has to look like the one in the photo which is soft enough to be squashed but not mashed.
STEP #3 BAKE
Use a baking pan or dish and place the beans with the rest of the ingredients. Add water from the simmered beans and toss well. The liquid should cover the beans in order to bake them.
Ready in an hour or so!
CAN I PREP AHEAD OF TIME?
Of course!
Save more time and simmer the giant beans up to 2 days ahead. Place them in the fridge, and bake them whenever you like.
MY GREEK GIANT BEANS ARE READY! NOW WHAT?
I know you want to serve them immediately or even start eating from the pan but, please, be patient. At least 15 minutes, ideally 30 minutes. Give time so that the beans absorb more of the divine tomato-olive oil sauce. Oh, it’s totally worth the waiting time.
From here on you need 3 more important ingredients:
White wine, homemade whole wheat bread, or/and whole wheat pita bread and feta cheese.
This 3-ingredient combo is the perfect serving proposal with Greek giant beans.
For the wine, I suggest a cool, fruity Sauvignon Blanc.
Gigantes pair extremely well with feta cheese. It adds a complex, creamy, sweet, and sour flavor at the same time. However, feta contains calcium that may inhibit iron absorption. One way to keep the flavor and take full advantage of iron is to add feta crumbles on the top of your dish, no more than 50g (1.76oz). This is an ideal quantity to enjoy feta cheese and not be affected by the inhibitory effect on iron absorption.
WHAT ABOUT LEFTOVERS?
Excellent question because this recipe LOVES leftovers. It tastes even better the following day because the olive oil binds with the flavor of the ingredients and elevates the deliciousness of the cooking outcome.
You need to slightly reheat them because, in my opinion, this dish is better served at room temperature. Place the leftovers in a pot on the stove. If the beans seem dry, add a splash of water or vegetable broth to moisten them.
I usually make a huge baking pan, I keep leftovers for the following 3 days in a well-sealed airtight glass food container in the fridge. That way I’ve got a perfect dinner for the day I don’t have the energy or the time to cook from scratch.
Truth be told, the real challenge is to tempt my kids to eat a meal recently served. You usually hear the same line “Again? That was yesterday’s lunch” like it is against the law to eat leftovers and you are the worst mum in town because you don’t serve freshly cooked meals. No, it isn’t and you aren’t!
You just have to be creative and present the food in a new way. Take your baked giant beans out of the fridge, and toast slices of whole wheat bread. Top the bread with the beans. Add chopped cherry tomatoes, sticks of cucumber and red pepper, Kalamata olives, and feta cheese.
Then, call the family for dinner. “Guys, dinner is served. It’s a sandwich/crostini tonight”. Guess what! They absolutely love it and it works (almost) every time. Look how my son is drooling over it!
If you try it at home, “Good luck” and let me know how it went!
If you make this recipe, you have to let me know! I absolutely love your feedback. This is a huge motivation for me and it keeps 30daysofgreekfood’s kitchen alive. Bookmark this recipe and leave your rate and comment below, or take a photo with your Greek Giant Beans and tag me on Instagram with #30daysofgreekfood and Facebook with @30daysofgreekfood.
Enjoy!!!
Greek Baked Giant Beans – Gigantes
Ingredients
- 1 pound (500g) dried giant beans or large lima or butter beans
- 5 cups (1.200ml) water or vegetable stock
- 1 bay leaf
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 6 medium carrots, chopped
- 1 big onion, chopped
- 8 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
- 6 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 cups (400g) fresh tomatoes or one can chopped tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons tomato paste, dissolved in water (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Soak dried beans overnight for at least 8 hours.
- Drain, raise them, and place them in a pot. Pour the water and simmer over medium-high heat. Remove the white foam that usually surfaces on the top of the water.
- Simmering time varies from half an hour to one hour. To check if the beans are ready, squash one bean with a fork. It has to be soft enough to be squashed but not mashed (see the photo above).
- Reserve 3 cups of the cooking liquid.
- Preheat your oven to 200°C (392°F).
- Layer semi-cooked giant beans in a baking pan/dish (I use a round one) and add the rest of the ingredients with 2 cups of liquid from boiled beans. The liquid should cover all the beans. Place the baking pan in the middle of the oven and don’t cover it.
- Stir gently 1-2 times and add more liquid if you want more sauce with your beans. Bake more or less for one hour until beans are soft and golden brown.
- Sprinkle some fresh chopped parsley, feta cheese crumbles or blocks, crusty bread, and a glass of white wine. Drizzle more olive oil if you like.
- Serve hot or at room temperature.
I have started using the dry Gigantes. I love them in a tomato sauce much like the one you make but am also looking for a cold (or room temperature) recipe with a bit of vinegar. A store I frequent has recently discontinued carrying this salad and I’m now working on the recipe but wondered if you had one. I put garlic and fresh rosemary into olive oil and red wine vinegar (about 4:1), served with fresh parsley. I still don’t have it quite right- maybe needs slight sweetener. Suggestions? I like your cooking!
Thank you! Linda Torn
Thank you so much for your kind words. A delicious, fresh salad that my family particularly enjoys is black-eyed pea salad. Black-eyed peas belong to the legume family but they are sweeter and smaller than giant beans, totally perfect for a salad. All you do is boil them (for about 40 minutes), let them cool a bit and add olive oil, vinegar, onion or/and spring onion, parsley. This is the simplest version but you may add tomato, carrot, celery, leek, mint… whatever you like. It will be amazing!!!
Whatever you need, let me know 🙂
Sylia
This recipe is SO good! I made it for dinner last night and could not stop picking at the leftovers. I had never tried this type of bean before and now may be slightly obsessed. Thank you!
Dear Julia, I know exactly what you mean because it is one of my clan’s favorite and in constant rotation every other week. So excited you liked it. Thank you so much for your comment and rating.
xxx
Sylia