published Jan 05, 2024 Gigantes beans, or gigantes plaki, hail directly from Greece. They’re essentially huge butter beans or lima beans (they’re the same thing) and make for a hearty meal. And while these take a little while to prepare, they’re well worth the effort! There’s so much to love about gigantes plaki: the creamy beans are full of plant-based protein and the tomato sauce is rich and robust. There’s so much flavor in the Greek baked beans, vegetables, and cheese that you almost forget that this is a pretty healthy, high-fiber, and low-calorie dish. Along with this dish and flavorful sides like zesty lemon rice or crispy roasted potatoes, the vast Mediterranean menu presents a number of options for vegetarian meals!
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Baking Dish – Between the water, olive oil, tomatoes, and other vegetables, you’ll need an oven-safe dish with tall edges to contain all of that moisture.
Storing and Prep-Ahead
One great thing about this gigantes bake is that it can be prepared up to 3 days ahead of time before baking. Just cover and store, then throw into the oven 2 hours before serving. If you use precooked, canned beans rather than dried, start with step 3 of the recipe instructions. Bake covered for 30 minutes, then uncovered for 15 minutes. It can also be frozen – before or after baking – for up to 3 months. It’ll take a while to thaw, so stick it in the fridge the night before you want to bake it. Leftover Greek baked beans can then be refrigerated for up to 4 days. Love this recipe? Share it with the world on Pinterest.
