Greek
Gigantes Plaki
Giant beans baked slowly in a dill-bright tomato sauce until creamy, glossy, and spoon-tender.
6 servings · 20 minutes prep · 145 minutes cook
Ingredients
Main
- 1 lb dried gigantes or large lima beans, soaked overnight
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, diced
- 3 celery ribs, diced
- 5 garlic cloves, sliced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cups crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup bean cooking liquid
- 1/2 cup chopped dill
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried Greek oregano
Directions
Method
- Drain the dried gigantes or large lima beans, cover with fresh water, and simmer until just tender, 60-75 minutes. Reserve bean cooking liquid and drain the beans.
- Heat the oven to 375F. Cook the yellow onion, carrots, and celery ribs in 1/4 cup of the extra-virgin olive oil until soft, about 12 minutes.
- Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, reserved bean cooking liquid, dill, parsley, bay leaves, kosher salt, black pepper, and dried Greek oregano.
- Combine the sauce and beans in a baking dish. Drizzle with the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil.
- Bake uncovered until the beans are creamy and the sauce is thick and jammy, 60-70 minutes.
- Rest for 20 minutes before serving warm or at room temperature.
