Greek Roasted Gigantes Beans – Gigantes plaki is a delicious and wholesome Greek dish. The large white beans are cooked in a rich tomato sauce with fresh herbs and aromatics. They are amazing as a main dish or appetizer, tapas-style.

If you love this gigantes beans recipe, you will also love my instant pot gigantes beans & roasted tomatoes, fasolada – Greek white bean soup, or heirloom bean soup!

A bowl with beans, carrots, feta cheese crumbles, a fork and a large pan with beans at the back.

What are Gigantes beans?

Gigantes (or Gigandes) is a type of large white bean, the word gigantas in Greek means giant. Plaki refers to the method of cooking, which means baking in the oven with a sauce made with tomato, onion, garlic, fresh parsley, and olive oil.

Roasted Gigantes Beans are a healthy, delicious Greek dish based on beans and legumes. Greeks traditionally eat beans at least once a week with plenty of feta and crusty bread.

A baking pan with gigantes beans, carrots, fresh parsley and a spoon. A napkin with serving utensils and pieces of bread on the side.

What you need for Gigantes plaki

You will need few ingredients to make this recipe.

Gigantes Beans. You can find these beans in any Greek food grocery store or order online.
Tomatoes. Good quality tomatoes are essential for this recipe. My favorite tomatoes are San Marzano. If you get them, please ensure they are authentic; there are so many fake ones on the market. The real ones only come from a specific area in Italy under Mount Vesuvius and have to be certified D.O.P. The D.O.P. label is always displayed on the packaging. If there is none, don’t buy them, even if they say certified. Authentic San Marzano tomatoes are available in good grocery stores, Italian markets, and online.
Carrots. They add sweetness and earthiness to the beans.
Onions and garlic. This would not be a Greek recipe without them!
Parsley. The classic fresh herb is front and center in this recipe. Adds freshness and color.

Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

How to make these beans

The first step is to soak the beans overnight in water with some salt. You can also add a little being soda instead of salt.

The next day beans are almost ready for cooking. Drain and rinse them under running water.

Transfer beans to a pot, add water to cover beans, and place over high heat. When the water comes to a boil, simmer for 1 hour until they soften. When ready, drain and set aside.

Carrots, onions a bay leaf sautéing in a black pot.

Heat 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot and add onions and garlic. Season with sea salt and saute until translucent. Add the garlic, carrots, bay leaves, and oregano, and saute for 1-2 minutes.

Beans, carrots, onions and parsley in a black pot.

Add the chopped tomatoes, broth, pepper, salt, and giant beans. Toss everything together.

Heat the oven to 380°F/190°C

A large baking pan with half cooked gigantes beans, carrots, fresh parsley.

Transfer to an 11″ x 14″ large baking pan. Cover with aluminum foil and roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Check the beans every 15 minutes. Add some broth if you feel they need more liquid but don’t overdo it. When they soften, remove the aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes.

In the last 15 minutes of cooking, you can also sprinkle the beans with some feta. The feta will soften and will be fantastic with the gigantes.

A large baking pan with cooked gigantes beans, carrots, fresh parsley. A napkin with serving utensils and pieces of bread on the side.

How to enjoy these roasted beans

Usually, Greeks enjoy gigantes as a main meal with a traditional greek salad, plenty of feta, and of course, bread.

The roasted beans can also be served as an appetizer tapas style with other dishes like tzatziki dip, zucchini fritters, fries, keftedes, etc.

They are great as a side to a grilled steak, roasted chicken, or fish. Try them at room temperature on a piece of bread with crumbled feta as a snack.

I love gigantes plaki at room temperature. Since they are cooked in extra virgin olive oil, they taste amazing. Dip your bread into the sauce before loading it with beans 🙂 It’s a treat!

Useful tips

Make sure when you buy the beans that they are not yellow- if they are, they are old and will take forever to soften. Old beans will be difficult to cook.
Alternatively, you can use dried lima beans or dried Great Northern beans for this recipe.
Most legumes (chickpeas, gigantes, white beans) must be soaked overnight in plenty of water to soften before cooking.
Add a little baking soda when you soak the beans. It helps make them softer when they cook.
Slow cooking suits beans. Cooking in very high heat softens them externally, and inside, they remain hard and uncooked.
If you need to add broth/water during cooking, add it hot. This way it does not lower the cooking temperature.
Feel free to use your favorite canned tomatoes. Add one teaspoon of sugar to the tomatoes to break the tanginess and sweeten them. (no need to do that if using San Marzano dop tomatoes.)

More beans and legumes

This instant pot gigantes beans & roasted tomatoes recipe is easy to make and very satisfying.
Fasolada – Greek white bean soup is everything you need to cozy up with when the weather gets chillier.
This heirloom bean soup is spicy, hearty, and satisfying.