• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About
  • Recipes
    • Breakfast & Brunch
    • Dips & Sauces
    • Pies & Breads
    • Soups & Stews
    • Appetizers & Sides
    • Mains
    • Cookies & Cakes
    • Desserts
  • Diets
    • Clean Eating
    • Dairy-free
    • Gluten-free
    • Low-calorie
    • Vegan
    • Vegetarian
  • Subscribe
  • Shop

Real Greek Recipes

menu icon
go to homepage
  • RECIPES
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • SHOP
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • RECIPES
    • SUBSCRIBE
    • SHOP
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Vegetarian Greek Food » Greek Butter Beans Recipe (Gigantes Plaki)

    · By: Fotini · Published: Nov 18, 2017 · Updated: Feb 13, 2023

    Greek Butter Beans Recipe (Gigantes Plaki)

    254 shares
    Jump to Recipe
    Greek Butter Beans Recipe
    Greek Butter Beans Recipe

    Do you like beans? If you nodded yes to yourself then you are at the right place. Butter beans or also known as Lima beans are a 100% tastier than plain white beans. They are bigger in size that's why we call them "Gigantes" in Greek which means Giants.

    Dried For A Better Taste

    We almost always prefer them in their dried white form instead of the fresh green ones. They are much tastier but they also require a bit of extra preparation (soaking before cooking) they totally worth it though.

    Greek Gigantes
    Greek Gigantes

    These creamy-textured beans with their buttery flavor are also packed with nutrients providing us with so many health benefits.

    They are rich in high-quality protein as well as soluble fiber which helps regulate blood sugar levels and lowers cholesterol. They also contain insoluble fiber, which helps to prevent constipation and digestive disorders.

    The Greek Butter Beans Recipe

    As for the cooking method, the Greek "Plaki" refers to food being baked in tomato sauce. Like in this delicious butter beans recipe with tomato sauce and lots of fresh herbs. To make them I first soak them 1 day before cooking. Then boil them in a large stockpot (they need their space to boil). In the same pot, you make the sauce and then finish off by baking everything in a large 11x15 inch baking pan (which I also use for making Moussaka).

    Baked Butter Beans In Tomato Sauce
    Baked Butter Beans In Tomato Sauce

    Most people like to top them with some crumbled feta cheese but what I personally love to have them with and truly recommend you should try is to serve them along with some Kalamata olives or fried pieces of spicy Greek sausage it's a match made in heaven.

    Here are two Greek labels of Giant Beans that are flavorful and tender. The first one is the one I use most of the time.

    1. Greek Giant Beans 3 alpha.
    2. Arosis Organic Dry Greek Giant Beans.

    SERVE WITH ⬇

    Sausage And Peppers In Tomato Sauce

    Beans and Greek sausage is one of the best combinations ever. This saucy Spetsofai (Greek sausage with peppers in sauce) is just the perfect side dish to Baked butter beans.

    Go To Recipe ⟶

    Recipe

    Gigantes-Plaki

    Greek Butter Beans Recipe (Gigantes Plaki)

    These butter beans are cooked on the stovetop until very tender. Then finished off in the oven together with a hearty and thick tomato sauce!
    4.04 from 184 votes
    Print Pin
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Greek
    Keyword: Dinner, legumes, Oven baked
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 2 hours hours 40 minutes minutes
    Servings: 5
    Calories: 446kcal

    Ingredients

    • 500 grams /17.6 oz dry butter beans (Lima beans)
    • 12 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
    • 1 small onion minced
    • 2 small carrots cut in slices
    • 2-3 large garlic cloves chopped
    • 1 stick of celery without the leaves finely chopped
    • 1 large ripe tomato finely chopped or 150 grams canned diced tomatoes
    • 65 grams / 2.2 oz tomato paste
    • â…” teaspoon sweet paprika
    • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano or dry instead
    • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
    • 2 tablespoons chopped dill
    • 1 bay leaf

    Instructions

    Soaking the beans the night before:

    • Fill a large cooking pot with tepid water. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and add the butter beans. Let them soak overnight.

    Cooking Method:

    • Drain butter beans in a strainer.
    • In a large cooking pot add 3 liters of water and the butter beans. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook for about 2 hours or until butter beans are completely soft.
    • Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan over high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft. Add the carrots and celery. Cook for 2 minutes more. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute stirring with a wooden spoon for the paste to caramelize.
    • Add the fresh or diced tomatoes, fresh herbs, and/or dried oregano, and sweet paprika. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes stirring with a wooden spoon.
    • Transfer the mixture to the pot with the butter beans. Add the bay leaf and remaining olive oil.
    • Raise the heat and cook for approximately 10 minutes or until the sauce starts to thicken slightly.
    • Preheat oven to 400°F / 200°C.
    • Transfer the contents of the pot to a large baking pan (about the size of the oven's tray pan) and bake for 30-40 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the sauce is thickened.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 446kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 25g | Sodium: 123mg | Potassium: 832mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 4124IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this recipe?I would love to see! Mention @real_greek_recipes or tag #real_greek_recipes!

    YOU MAY ALSO LIKE...

    • Baked-Greek-Giant-Beans-With-Greens-And-Lemon
      Baked Giant Beans With Greens & Lemon
    • Greek-Fasolakia-Ladera
      Greek Green Beans Stew (Fasolakia Ladera)
    • Black Eyed Peas Soup With Sausage
      Black-Eyed Pea Soup With Greek Sausage
    • Fasolatha-Greek-Recipe
      Fasolatha - White Bean And Tomato Soup

    More Vegetarian Greek Food

    • Watermelon-Feta-Salad-Recipe
      Watermelon Feta Salad with Mint and Balsamic
    • Greek-Vlita-Recipe
      Vlita - Amaranth Greens Recipe
    • Feta-Omelette-Recipe
      Feta Omelette With Onions
    • Baked-Greek-Fries-Recipe
      Greek Fries With Feta

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jesse says

      June 28, 2019 at 5:23 pm

      Thanks for the recipe!
      Am I right to assume that you need to drain the beans after simmering them for 2 hours before you add the tomato/onion mixture? You're not supposed to keep whatever water is left in the pot, right?

      • [email protected] says

        July 17, 2019 at 10:48 am

        It's better to keep the water since it contains most of the nutrients and flavor of the beans.

    2. Anonymous says

      June 24, 2019 at 7:36 pm

      After just 15 minutes of soaking the beans, the skin is shriveled and the beans are splitting. Is that normal?!

      • [email protected] says

        June 28, 2019 at 10:39 am

        No, 15 minutes is too soon to see any difference on the beans for one. And for two the difference, you should see is that they get larger in size and not fall apart.

    3. Tracy says

      June 09, 2019 at 1:46 pm

      I have always read that adding salt prior to cooking beans will make them tough. What's your reason for adding salt to the soaking water?

      • [email protected] says

        June 14, 2019 at 10:22 am

        I think this article can explain it much better than me https://www.thekitchn.com/think-salt-is-the-enemy-of-perfect-beans-think-again-196470

    4. Katie says

      April 10, 2019 at 1:08 am

      Do you keep the liquid from when you cook the beans or drain? I drained but it seemed like liquid was needed so I added some stock.

      • [email protected] says

        April 10, 2019 at 10:47 am

        Yes, you have to keep the liquid. You only drain the water they've soaked in overnight.

    5. Brittany says

      March 29, 2019 at 2:03 am

      How would the recipe change if I were to use canned butter beans instead of dried ones?

      • [email protected] says

        March 29, 2019 at 9:51 am

        I've never used canned beans so I cannot tell for sure Brittany.

    6. C. Chen says

      March 23, 2019 at 5:05 am

      If I am unable to find butters beans, what can I use instead? Will lima beans also work?

      • [email protected] says

        March 23, 2019 at 10:44 am

        They're exactly the same just under a different name!

    Primary Sidebar

    My-Picture-Sidebar

    Hi, (or Yiasou as we say in Greece)

    I'm Fotini and cooking is my job as well as my passion. I love making healthy, homemade dishes completely from scratch + sharing them with you...

    More about me →

    Popular Greek Dishes

    • Lamb-Souvlaki-Recipe
    • Greek-Horta-Recipe
    • Greek-Baked-Feta-Dip-With-Tomatoes
    • Bekri-Meze-Greek-Recipe
    • Greek-Beef-Giouvetsi-Recipe
    • Authentic-Greek-Potatoes-Recipe

    see more ⮕

    OTHER POSTS YOU MAY LIKE...

    →10 Greek Recipes To Give A Vegan All The Protein And Energy He/She Needs 

    →How To Make Grape Molasses (reduced grape must)

    →How To Dye Eggs With Onion Skins

    →How To Tie A Roast (easy tutorial with pictures)

    →What Is Olive Oil And Everything You'll Ever Need To Know About It

    Footer



    back to top ⬆

    • About
    • Contact
    • Recipe Index
    • Privacy Policy
    • Shop
    • Resources

    Sign Up!

    Never miss a recipe. Subscribe to our Newsletter and get our top 10 recipes! GO →

    Join Us For More...

    sharing facebook icon
    sharing pinterest icon
    sharing-instagram-icon
    sharing twitter icon

    No AI, Copyright © 2021 Real Greek Recipes on the Brunch Pro Theme