Greek Giant Beans - Gigantes plaki
User Reviews
5
-
Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
3 hrs
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Additional Time
10 hrs
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Servings
8
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Calories
412 kcal
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Cuisine
Greek
Greek Giant Beans - Gigantes plaki
Description
This recipe for Greek Gigantes Plaki uses giant beans soaked overnight and simmered until nearly tender. The beans are combined with browned sausage pieces and sautéed vegetables including onions, garlic, and carrots. Tomato paste, crushed San Marzano tomatoes, dried oregano, broth, and seasonings meld into a fragrant base. The mixture roasts covered in the oven for an hour to soften the beans fully while infusing the flavors. Hot broth can be added during cooking as needed to maintain moisture without lowering temperature.
After initial roasting, the dish is uncovered and topped with cubed graviera or gruyere cheese, which melts and browns in a final 20-minute bake, creating a rich, savory topping. The texture contrasts between creamy beans and melted cheese make this dish satisfying as a warm main or side.
In serving, a drizzle of olive oil and chopped fresh parsley add brightness and balance the rich flavors. The recipe includes tips for substituting beans and addressing ingredients' age to ensure proper cooking. It emphasizes slow cooking for thorough heat penetration and flavor development over rushing the process with high heat.
Ingredients
- 18 oz gigantes beans soaked in water overnight
- 10 oz sausage cut it into bite-size pieces
- ⅓ cup olive oil extra virgin
- 1 large onion roughly chopped
- 3 garlic sliced, cloves
- 1 carrot cut in 1/3 inch pieces, large
- 14 oz San Marzano Tomatoes crushed
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon oregano dried
- ⅓ bunch parsley roughly chopped
- 8 oz graviera cheese or gruyere
- 2 cups broth total. Veggie, chicken or beef broth
- salt sea salt
- black pepper freshly ground
for serving
- parsley chopped, fresh
- olive oil for drizzling
Instructions
- Place the presoaked beans in a pot with plenty of water and boil for about one hour, until they are almost soft, skimming the foam forming at the top as needed.
- Drain the beans and add them to a roasting pan.
- Heat the oven to 380°F/190°C
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet and add the sausage. In high heat, brown the sausage for 1-2 minutes. Transfer the sausage to the pan with the beans.
- In the same skillet add olive oil and the onions and garlic. Season with sea salt and saute until translucent.
- Add the carrots, celery, dried oregano, and tomato paste, and saute for 1-2 minutes.
- Transfer the veggies to the roasting pan with the beans and sausages. Add the chopped tomatoes, one cup broth, pepper, salt and toss.
- Roast covered for one hour or until beans are soft.
- Halfway, check the beans. Add some hot broth if you feel they need more liquid but don't overdo it.
- Uncover and sprinkle the cubed graviera cheese on top. Roast uncovered for 20 more minutes. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use fresh, non-yellow gigantes beans to ensure proper cooking time; older beans take longer and cook unevenly.
- Dried lima or Great Northern beans can be used as alternatives.
- Adding baking soda to soaking water softens beans but reduces some nutrients.
- Slow cooking is preferable to high heat to avoid beans being hard inside.
- If adding liquid during roasting, use hot broth to keep cooking temperature stable.
- Use quality canned tomatoes; adding sugar can balance acidity if not using San Marzano DOP tomatoes.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 412 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 412kcal | 21% |
| Carbohydrates | 21g | 7% |
| Protein | 21g | 42% |
| Fat | 28g | 43% |
| Saturated Fat | 10g | 50% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3g | 18% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 14g | 70% |
| Trans Fat | 0.1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 57mg | 19% |
| Sodium | 690mg | 29% |
| Potassium | 566mg | 12% |
| Fiber | 5g | 20% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 1936IU | 39% |
| Vitamin C | 6mg | 7% |
| Calcium | 370mg | 37% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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