Gigantes plaki – baked beans in tomato sauce Recipe
Gigantes plaki are large white beans baked in a thick tomato sauce with herbs and olive oil. In Greek tavernas they’re often served as a warm appetizer to share at the table. The flavor is reminiscent of a mix between Polish baked beans and ratatouille, but without meat and with a distinct oregano aroma.
Gigantes plaki is a classic meze-style dish, often served in Greek tavernas in clay baking dishes. In many regions it is also a filling fasting dish, as it is completely plant-based yet very hearty.
This classic Greek dish turns simple pantry staples into a richly flavored, comforting bake. Slow-cooked beans absorb the aromatic tomato and oregano sauce, creating a naturally creamy texture without any dairy or meat. It works equally well as a main course or a generous sharing appetizer.
Why this version works
- Parboiling the beans first ensures they turn out soft but not falling apart after baking.
- Sautéing the vegetables before adding the tomatoes brings out their sweetness and balances the acidity of the sauce.
- Keeping the sauce slightly loose before baking prevents the beans from drying out in the oven.
Chef's tips
Don’t overcook the beans during the initial boiling stage – they should still be slightly firm so they keep their shape while baking. Taste the tomato sauce before adding the beans and adjust the balance of acidity, sweetness and salt; different brands of canned tomatoes vary a lot. A good-quality olive oil makes a noticeable difference here, both in the sauce and drizzled on top before baking.
How to serve
Serve in a shallow dish with plenty of crusty bread or warm pita to soak up the sauce. Pair with a simple green salad, olives and a glass of dry white wine for a taverna-style meal at home. It also works well as part of a mezze spread alongside dips, grilled vegetables and salads.
Watch out for
- Don’t cook the beans all the way to full tenderness in the pot – they’ll easily fall apart in the oven.
- If the sauce is already very thick before baking, it may catch and burn around the edges in the oven.
- Don’t overdo the salt when seasoning the tomatoes or canned beans – they’re slightly salty on their own.
Substitutions
- Instead of dried oregano you can use fresh (about 1 tablespoon, finely chopped).
- You can replace part of the canned tomatoes with passata if you prefer a smoother sauce.
- Don’t swap celery stalk for celeriac – its flavour is too intense; it’s better to omit it altogether.
Ingredients
- white beans preferably large beans, but regular ones are fine too - 300 g
- onion diced - 1 piece
- carrot cut into small dice - 1 piece
- celery stalk diced - 1 stalk
- garlic chopped - 3 cloves
- canned tomatoes chopped - 400 g
- tomato paste - 1 tablespoon
- olive oil 3 for the sauce, 2 on top - 5 tablespoons
- sugar to balance the acidity - 1 teaspoon
- oregano dried - 1 teaspoon
- parsley chopped - 2 tablespoons
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- water for cooking the beans - 1 l
Preparation
- Rinse the beans in a sieve, discarding any damaged ones. Cover with plenty of cold water (at least three times the volume of the beans) and leave to soak overnight – the beans should swell noticeably.
- The next day, drain the soaking water and rinse the beans again. Transfer to a pot, cover with fresh water so it comes a few centimetres above the beans, bring to a boil and skim off any foam from the surface with a spoon.
- Simmer over low heat for 40–50 minutes, until the beans are almost tender but still slightly firm to the bite – they will finish cooking in the oven. Drain gently so the beans don’t split, and set aside.
- In a large pan or wide pot, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and sauté for 3–5 minutes, until it softens and turns translucent but does not brown.
- Add the carrot and celery stalk cut into small dice, along with the chopped garlic. Fry for another 5 minutes, stirring, until the vegetables soften slightly, start to smell sweet and vegetal, and the bottom of the pan isn’t dry.
- Add the (lightly crushed) canned tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, oregano, salt and pepper. Stir and simmer over low heat for 10–15 minutes, until the sauce thickens, looks slightly glossy and no longer looks watery.
- Add the cooked beans to the sauce and very gently stir, lifting the beans with the spoon so you don’t crush them. If the sauce is very thick, add a little water or stock until the mixture is slightly fluid and the beans are just covered.
- Transfer everything to an ovenproof dish, smooth the surface and drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. The sauce should come up to roughly the level of the beans – if it sits lower, add a few tablespoons of water.
- Bake in an oven preheated to 180°C for 25–30 minutes, until the sauce is gently bubbling around the edges and the top is lightly browned and thickened. The edges may darken slightly but should not be black.
- After removing from the oven, leave to stand for 5–10 minutes so the sauce thickens a little and stops bubbling vigorously. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve warm or at room temperature.
Storage
No storage information available for this dish.
This is one of those dishes that tastes like it simmered all day, even though it’s mostly hands-off. The leftovers are even better the next day, so it’s worth making a full batch and enjoying it over several meals.
