Classic Greek Gigantes: Greek Beans in a Tomato Sauce

Ingredients
1 pound giant butter or lima beans, soaked in water overnight
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped or grated
1/2 cup of olive oil
1 (28 ounce can) tomatoes pureed in blender
1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley for garnish
about 1 cup or more of crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
Soak the beans in a large bowl filled with cold water. Drain the water in the morning.
Place beans in a large pot covered with cold salted water and bring to a boil. Cook the beans about 40 minutes or until tender but not mushy. They will continue cooking in the oven. Strain the beans and place them in a 9x13inch baking dish. Drizzle some olive oil on top and season with salt.
Preheat the oven to 400 °F, 200 °C.
Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a saucepan. Add onions and cook over medium-low heat until soft and golden. About 10-15 minutes. Add garlic and warm through until fragrant. Add tomato puree, spices and sugar.
Bring to a boil and cook the sauce for 3-5 minutes. Pour the sauce over the beans and mix well. Bake uncovered for about 45 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven and top with crumbled feta cheese. Tuck the feta into the sauce and return to the oven to bake for 10 more minutes.
If the sauce has completely been absorbed into the beans add some hot water (about a cup) and mix together.
Top with fresh parsley and serve with olives and salad.
Kali Orexi!
Music Used:
Greek Sun Time (With Intro)
ITEM ID: 66582698
By: tonyanthony

Its All Greek
ITEM ID: 84456733
By: LowNotes

[allan]

I love these vegan /veg recipes before great Lent. Thank you I am looking forward to the fast.

[LindaC]

I've had these in a local restaurant that was open briefly. Very good appetizer.

[MJANEW-jvhl]

These are the best beans. Thank you for sharing this recipe.

[patriciavaselovic]

I made these recently following your recipe and I absolutely loved them. I ordered the beans from Amazon. These large beans are so delicious. Thank you for the recipe and video.

[lloanna]

I this recipe!!! So easy, so delicious, so Amazing. Thank you!

[davidlocker]

Love your videos. I will be making these! Thanks for sharing.

[ManiK]

These beans are indeed buttery that's why in the UK we call them butter beans.

[marche]

Never had these beans, thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe 😋

[JoeHell]

I Love Gigantes Beans meatfree!

Joe from Germany

[tanvav]

TY sweet Dimitroula mou! I am gonna make this with great northern beans because that's what the pantry gave me if that's ok? TY for your help in using what I have!

[richsims]

I had something similar to this at a friend's house, she added leftover leg of lamb.

[dars]

Hi! Is it ok to use the Great Northern Bean in this recipe? Thanks! 🙏😊💕

[georgepagakis]

Instead of adding sugar why not add good quality tomatoes like San Marzano tomatoes, they are more expensive but well worth it for a great dish like this :)
Growing up as a kid this was one of my favorites. You have it nailed!

[xelakram]

So if I have understood this correctly, these beans are what we call butter beans.

[rachelmorra]

Can I use canned beans? I went on line looking for Greek beans. They are very expensive 😮

[gemellodipriapo]

Lovely! I know it's not very Greek but how about mozzarella instead of feta? Actually Circe had a herd of buffalo so perhaps mozzarella may have some Greek ancestry! Lol

[rachs]

Hi Dimitra, I've made many of your recipes with success and enjoyment. Although this is not your problem, I am pointing out an ongoing problem with Greek gigante beans. I've bought the brand you show in this video 4 (FOUR!!!) times and 3 out of 4 the beans remained hard as rocks, despite overnight soaking and extra oven baking. Unfortunately, lima beans cannot match the meatiness and satisfying heft of gigante beans. But I can live without them, they are very pricey and just do not cook up. Quality control is an issue...