Gigantes Plaki (Greek Baked Giant Beans)
Photo: Kerri Leung / Unsplash
Creamy giant beans baked slowly in a rich tomato sauce with onion, carrot, garlic, dill and parsley until the top turns jammy and caramelised. Serve warm with crusty bread or flatbreads for mopping up.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Cook the vegetables
Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan). In a large pot that can go in the oven, heat 3 tablespoons of oil. Cook the onion, carrot and celery gently for about 10 minutes until soft and sweet.
Make the sauce
Add the garlic and tomato paste and stir for 1 minute. Add the canned tomatoes, oregano, paprika, sugar and water. Add salt and pepper. Let it bubble gently for 10 minutes.
Add the beans and herbs
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Bake
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Rest
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Serve
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Cook the vegetables
Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan). In a large pot that can go in the oven, heat 3 tablespoons of oil. Cook the onion, carrot and celery gently for about 10 minutes until soft and sweet.
Make the sauce
Add the garlic and tomato paste and stir for 1 minute. Add the canned tomatoes, oregano, paprika, sugar and water. Add salt and pepper. Let it bubble gently for 10 minutes.
Add the beans and herbs
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Bake
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Rest
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Serve
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The Story Behind the Dish
Gigantes — literally 'giants' — are large white runner beans grown in northern Greece, where those from the Prespa lakes around Florina are protected as a regional speciality. Baking them 'plaki' style, in a tomato and olive oil sauce, is one of the country's most loved home dishes.
They belong to the family of ladera and lenten dishes: cooked with olive oil and no animal products, so they could be eaten during the Greek Orthodox fasting periods.
⭐ Why It's Famous
Gigantes plaki is a staple of Greek tavernas and meze tables, and a great example of how many traditional Mediterranean dishes have always been vegan.
💡 Fun Fact
Observant Greek Orthodox Christians avoid meat, dairy and eggs for well over 100 days a year, which is why Greek cuisine is so rich in naturally plant-based dishes.
Greece (northern Macedonia region)
40.78°N, 21.41°E
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