Slow-Cooked Gigantes Plaki with Tomato and Herbs

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-17 · Updated 2026-06-17

Tender giant butter beans baked in a rich tomato sauce with fresh herbs, a hearty traditional Greek vegetarian stew. This greek-inspired vegetarian ready in about 135 minutes pairs dried giant butter beans (gigantes), olive oil, medium yellow onion, diced for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 350 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried giant butter beans (gigantes)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 medium carrot, diced
• 1 stalk celery stalk, diced
• 3 cloves garlic cloves, minced
• 14 oz canned crushed tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
• 3 cups water or vegetable broth
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp sugar

Instructions

1. Step 1: Rinse 1 cup dried giant butter beans and soak in water overnight. Drain and rinse before cooking.
2. Step 2: In a large pot, cover soaked beans with fresh water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes until beans are tender but not mushy. Drain and set aside.
3. Step 3: Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large skillet, heat 1/4 cup olive oil over medium heat. Add 1 diced medium onion, 1 diced carrot, and 1 diced celery stalk. Sauté for 7-8 minutes until vegetables are soft.
4. Step 4: Stir in 3 minced garlic cloves, 14 oz canned crushed tomatoes, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 1 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and 1 tsp sugar. Cook for 5 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.
5. Step 5: In a large baking dish, combine the cooked beans with the tomato-vegetable sauce. Add 3 cups water or vegetable broth along with 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill, and 1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano. Stir gently.
6. Step 6: Cover the dish with foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove foil and bake uncovered for another 30 minutes until sauce is bubbly and thickened. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.