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A featured image of Greek giant beans.

Greek Baked Giant Beans – Gigantes

Sylia
This traditional dish will surprise you. Humble Greek baked giant beans that give a complex, creamy, and sweet flavor, cooked in a unique Mediterranean way.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Soking time 12 hours
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine Greek, Mediterranean
Servings 4
Calories 370 kcal

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 12 hours.
  • Drain, raise, place them in a pot, and pour in the water. Add the bay leaf. When the water comes to a boil, simmer over low-medium heat. Remove the white foam that usually surfaces on 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 at step #2).
  • Reserve 3 cups of the cooking liquid.
  • Preheat your oven to 200°C (390°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. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Place the baking pan in the middle of the oven and cover it with parchment paper and aluminum foil.
  • Bake for about 1 hour. Taste the beans every 15 minutes. When they soften, remove the aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes. Add more liquid if you want more sauce, but it has to be hot (water, broth, or the remaining cooking liquid).
  • 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.

Notes

If the beans are fresh, they’ll usually be ready closer to the 30-minute mark. If they take longer than an hour to soften, chances are the beans are older and will need significantly more time—and even then, they might never reach that perfect creamy texture you're after.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 370kcalCarbohydrates: 63gProtein: 19.6gFat: 15.1gSaturated Fat: 2.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 10.1gSodium: 62.3mgPotassium: 1662.7mgFiber: 24.4gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 11.918IUVitamin C: 34.6mgCalcium: 259.7mgIron: 5.7mg
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