Γίγαντες Πλακί / Gigantes Plaki (Giant Baked Beans)

Greek Fast With Oil Published April 10, 2026

Gigantes plaki is one of the great dishes of the Greek table — enormous white beans baked slowly in a thick, sweet tomato sauce until the tops are slightly caramelized and the insides are impossibly creamy. Every taverna in Greece serves it, and every yiayia has her own version. It is ladera cooking at its finest: humble ingredients, good olive oil, patience.

The key is the beans themselves. You want the largest white beans you can find — Greek gigantes if possible, or large butter beans (lima beans) as a substitute. Small beans will not give you the same effect.

FASTING LEVEL: Fast With Oil (not easily adapted for strict days — the oil is essential to the dish)
SERVINGS: 6
TIME: 1 hour 30 minutes (plus overnight soaking)

INGREDIENTS

- 500g dried giant white beans (gigantes) or large lima beans, soaked overnight and drained
- 120ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 large onions, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (400g) crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon honey (use sugar if avoiding honey during fast)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 cup water
- Fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped, for serving

METHOD

1. Boil the soaked and drained beans in a large pot of unsalted water for 30-40 minutes, until they are just tender but still hold their shape. Do not overcook — they will finish in the oven. Drain and set aside.

2. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.

3. Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe pot or deep baking dish over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 8-10 minutes until soft and golden. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

4. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, honey or sugar, oregano, paprika, cumin, and bay leaves. Stir and cook for 3-4 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.

5. Fold in the par-cooked beans gently — you do not want to break them. Add the water. The sauce should come about three-quarters of the way up the beans. Season with salt and pepper.

6. Transfer to the oven (or keep in the oven-safe pot). Bake uncovered for 45-55 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and reduced, and the tops of the beans are lightly golden and caramelized.

7. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Scatter with fresh parsley and serve warm or at room temperature with crusty bread.

NOTES

- The dish should not be soupy when finished. If the sauce is too thin after 45 minutes, bake for another 10-15 minutes.
- A few slices of green pepper or a diced carrot added in step 3 are common variations.
- This is even better the next day, served at room temperature — the beans absorb more sauce as they sit.
- Gigantes are available at Greek or Middle Eastern grocery stores. Online ordering is reliable.