Gigantes Plaki: Slow-Baked Greek Butter Beans in Tomato & Dill

⏱ 150 min · Serves 4

Giant butter beans baked low and slow until creamy, blanketed in a sweet tomato sauce scented with cinnamon, dill and good olive oil. It's the taverna dish that tastes even better the next day — scoop it up with bread and a wedge of feta.

Per serving: 615 kcal · 25.0g protein · 58.0g carbs · 31.0g fat

Ingredients

• 350g dried gigantes or large butter beans (or 2 x 700g jars, drained, to skip soaking)
• 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 celery sticks, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, finely diced
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 300ml bean cooking liquid or water
• 1 large bunch dill, chopped (about 20g)
• Small bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Salt and black pepper
• 150g feta, to serve (optional)
• Crusty bread, to serve

Method

1. Soak the dried beans overnight in plenty of cold water with 1 tsp salt. Drain.
2. Put the beans in a large pan, cover with fresh water and bring to the boil. Skim, then simmer gently for 45–60 minutes until tender but not collapsing. Drain, reserving 300ml of the cooking liquid.
3. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan. In a wide ovenproof dish or casserole, warm 4 tbsp olive oil and soften the onion, celery and carrot over medium heat for 10 minutes.
4. Add the garlic, tomato purée, paprika, cinnamon and oregano and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.
5. Stir in the tomatoes, sugar and reserved bean liquid. Simmer 5 minutes, then season well.
6. Fold in the beans and half the dill. The sauce should be a little loose — add a splash more water if needed.
7. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tbsp oil and bake uncovered for 50–60 minutes, until the top is caramelised and the sauce thick and glossy.
8. Rest for 10 minutes, then scatter with the remaining dill, parsley and a squeeze of lemon. Crumble over feta and serve warm or at room temperature with bread.