These Greek baked beans in tomato sauce are a weeknight-friendly version of traditional gigantes plaki.
In the summer of 2019, my girlfriends and I went on our first grown-up Eurotrip. We stayed in actual hotels (no more hostels!), didn’t bother our parents to please send an extra $100, and remembered to drink something other than alcohol (well, for the most part).
Our destination: Greece. Almost every meal we had was some permutation of: Greek salad (duh), spanakopita, roasted eggplant spread, lemon potatoes, and baked giant beans – a.k.a. gigantes plaki.
In Paros (a less tourist-y island more popular among mainland Greeks and their European neighbors than Americans), we had this incredible dinner right on the waterfront. As the night was wrapping up, the chef-owner came over to offer some of his home-brewed raki (a liquor made from grape skins).
We took the drink as an opportunity to ask a local about year-round life on the island; it was also my chance to get an authentic recipe for my new beloved beans. The chef, of course, explained it in the most cheffy way possible – “a little of this with a pinch of that, then simmer until they’re done.” Nevertheless, I frantically typed what he said into my phone. Armed with a vague ingredient list and basic technique, I worked on recreating the dish when I returned home.
Gigantes Plaki at a Glance
The traditional dish consists of creamy butter beans braised in tomato sauce with aromatics.
The recipe I got from the Greek chef was designed for restaurants – requiring several hours, beans cooked from scratch, and freshly grated tomatoes. I adapted my version to be more home cook- and weeknight-friendly thanks to canned beans and tomatoes.
Key Ingredients + Substitutions
- Canned Butter Beans: Sometimes labeled “large lima beans”. If you can’t find these, cannellini make a great substitute.
- Shallot: Feel free to substitute with a bit of finely chopped yellow/red onion.
- Oregano: The signature Greek herb.
- Smoked Paprika: Adds a savory, smoky flavor to these simple beans.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Amplify the tomato flavor. You can use dried or oil-packed ones.
- Canned Tomato Sauce: Can be substituted with crushed tomatoes.
- Sugar: Balances the acidity of the tomatoes.
- Spinach: Not necessarily authentic, but I can’t resist sneaking greens into anything I can! I love how it breaks up the texture of the beans.
Greek Baked Beans Step-by-Step
Find complete instructions with ingredient amounts in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Sauté the Aromatics
In a large oven-safe skillet*, sauté the shallots, garlic, and spices in olive oil until the shallots are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
*Note: If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, use a Dutch oven; or do the stovetop steps in any skillet and transfer the beans to a baking dish before placing them in the oven.
Step 2: Add the Other Ingredients
Then add the beans, tomato sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, sugar, and pepper. Gradually wilt in the spinach.
Step 3: Bake the Beans
Lastly, bake the beans for 30 minutes – the first 15 minutes covered with a lid, then uncovered for the final 15 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
I like to eat these beans simply: with toast and maybe a basic green salad. Turn the beans into a complete Mediterranean feast with roasted potatoes or sautéed cauliflower, spanakopita, and/or pearl couscous salad.
More White Bean Recipes…
- Lemon-Garlic Cannellini Bean Dip
- Vegan Creamy Tomato Beans
- Vegan “Tuna” Salad
- Mashed White Beans with Lemon Broccoli
Let me know if you try this recipe! Give it a rating below and leave a comment, and don’t forget to tag your creation with @thenewbaguette on Instagram.
The Full Recipe
PrintGreek Baked Beans (Easy Gigantes Plaki)
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Greek
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These Greek baked beans in tomato sauce are a weeknight-friendly version of traditional gigantes plaki.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium shallot, finely diced* (see note below)
- 3 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Fine sea salt, to taste
- Two 14-ounce cans butter beans (or 3 1/2 cups home-cooked beans)
- One 14-ounce can tomato sauce*
- 5 sun-dried tomato halves*, finely chopped (about 1/3 cup)
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 2 packed cups baby spinach (or finely-chopped curly kale)
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Heat the oil in a large oven-safe* skillet (or Dutch oven) over medium-low heat. Add the shallots, garlic, oregano, paprika, and a pinch of salt, and cook until softened, stirring occasionally, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the beans, tomato sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, sugar, and lots of black pepper. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer.
- Gradually add the spinach, stirring in a handful at a time and waiting for it to wilt a little before adding more. When all the spinach is wilted, after 1 to 2 minutes, turn the heat off.
- Cover with a lid (or aluminum foil) and bake for 15 minutes. Then uncover and continue baking for about 15 minutes more, until the surface looks dry and a few of the beans on top are golden brown.
Notes
- Feel free to substitute the shallot with about 1/4 cup finely chopped onion.
- Tomato sauce can be substituted with crushed tomatoes.
- You can use dry or oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes here. If using oil-packed, just be sure to drain them well before chopping.
- If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, do the stovetop steps in any other skillet, then transfer the contents to a baking dish before placing in the oven.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of the recipe
- Calories: 130
- Sodium: 499 mg
- Fat: 5.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 15.6 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 5 g
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