Baked lima beans, also called Gigantes plaki, is a Greek lima bean casserole. It is made by baking Greek giant beans or large lima beans (butter beans), with a rich tomato sauce and feta cheese. This vegetarian Mediterranean casserole can be enjoyed as a main dish as well as a side dish.
Vegetarian food doesn't need to be just a boring bland salad or soup, this is what I wanted to share with my readers when I started this blog of mine.
In the last few years, I have shared a lot of flavorful meat-free recipes from different countries on my blog. Today I am sharing one of my favorite vegetarian recipes from the Mediterranean region called Gigantes plaki or Greek baked lima beans.
If you are struggling to find vegetarian recipes that are full of flavors and can be enjoyed by everyone in your family then do try this Mediterranean lima beans casserole, it's comforting, filling, and delicious.
Jump to:
- Ingredients needed
- Ingredient notes and substitute suggestions
- How to make Greek baked lima beans (step-by-step process)?
- Serving lima bean casserole
- Storing, freezing, and reheating tips
- Meal prep tips
- Recipe tips, tricks, and variation suggestions
- Frequently asked questions
- More vegetarian Greek recipes
- More baked vegetarian dinner recipes
- Recipe
Ingredients needed
For this lima bean bake recipe, you will need the ingredients shown below:
Ingredient notes and substitute suggestions
- Beans: Traditionally, Greek baked beans are made with Gigantes beans which is a type of large white bean, almost similar to large butter beans but they retain their shape better than lima beans on getting cooked and are creamier too. You can use large lima beans in place of Greek Gigante beans in this recipe. I have also used lima beans here. For the best result, use dried lima beans and cook them from scratch. However, if you don't have the patience for that and want a faster recipe, canned beans can be used too.
- Onion: Red, brown, or white all are fine to be used.
- Fresh herbs: I have used fresh parsley and dill. You can also use either of them. You can also use other fresh herbs like cilantro or thyme.
- Crushed tomatoes: I have used crushed tomatoes, you can use diced tomatoes too.
- Veg bouillon cube: If you don't have bouillon cube, use some vegetable stock instead of water to adjust the consistency of the sauce.
- Seasonings: I have used red chili flakes, dried oregano, dried thyme, ground black pepper, and salt to season this lima bean bake. You can use seasonings of your choice like basil, garlic powder, onion powder, cinnamon, etc.
How to make Greek baked lima beans (step-by-step process)?
To make this delicious Greek style lima bean casserole, just follow the step-by-step instructions given below:
Step 1: Wash lima beans and soak them in water for around 8 hours. After 8 hours, strain the beans and rinse them with water.
Step 2: Put the soaked beans in a large pot. Add around 1.5 liters of water and bay leaves. Mix and cook for around 45-60 minutes on a medium heat. The beans should be cooked but also retain their shape.
Step 3: Strain the cooked beans, discard the bay leaves, and transfer the beans to a bowl. Keep them aside.
Step 4: Heat oil in a pan. Add chopped red onion, carrot, and minced garlic. Saute until the onion turns translucent.
Step 5: Add chili flakes, oregano, thyme, black pepper, and crumbled veg bouillon cube.
Step 6: Saute for a few seconds.
Step 7: Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and salt. Mix everything.
Step 8: Rinse the can of crushed tomatoes with around a cup of water and add to the pan.
Step 9: Cook for around 4-5 minutes or until the sauce starts bubbling.
Step 10: Add cooked beans and mix.
Step 11: Cook for 2-3 minutes and then turn off the heat.
Step 12: Add finely chopped parsley and dill. Mix.
Step 13: Transfer the beans and sauce mix to a baking pan.
Step 14: Cut the feta block into small cubes and spread them at different places in the dish. Slightly cover the cubes with the sauce.
Step 15: Bake in a preheated oven at 200℃ (around 400℉) for 25-30 minutes.
Step 16: Take out the dish. Garnish with more crumbled feta cheese, fresh dill, and parsley.
Your delicious baked Greek giant beans are ready to be relished!
Serving lima bean casserole
Serve these baked Greek beans warm or hot with bread like pita bread, crusty bread, or garlic cheese toast.
You can also serve it with a simple rice dish, roasted vegetables, or baked potato wedges.
It can also be paired with a salad like Fattoush, tabbouleh, orzo chickpea salad, or a classic Greek salad.
You can serve these baked butter beans as a side dish as well as a main course dish.
Before serving you can also add some crumbled feta cheese, sliced kalamata olives and drizzle a bit of extra virgin olive oil on top.
Storing, freezing, and reheating tips
Store: To store, allow the baked lima beans to reach room temperature. Transfer the leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate. Consume within 3 days.
Freeze: You can also freeze this dish for up to 3 months.
Reheat: Before reheating, if your gigantes plaki is frozen, thaw it first. The easiest and quickest way to reheat it is in the microwave. To reheat in the microwave, transfer the dish to a microwave-safe container and microwave until evenly heated.
You can also reheat it on the stovetop. For that, transfer it to a pan with a lid, add a few tablespoons of water, put on the lid of the pan, and reheat on a low flame until heated well, keep on checking and stirring in between, after every 2-3 minutes.
You can also reheat it in the oven. Put it in an oven-safe dish and cover the dish with aluminum foil. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C(around 350°F) for 18-20 minutes or until nicely heated.
Meal prep tips
If you want to do some preparation for this dish in advance, cook the beans and store them in the refrigerator for 3-4 days and in the freezer for up to 6 months.
You can also prepare the sauce and refrigerate it for up to 4 days in an airtight container. You can also freeze the sauce for 3 months.
Recipe tips, tricks, and variation suggestions
- Don't overcook the beans otherwise, they will turn mushy.
- Don't soak the beans for more than 8 hours otherwise, they may go bad.
- To fasten the process of soaking the beans, soak them in hot water,
- While soaking the beans, make sure that there is enough water in the bowl. The water level should be at least 2 inches above the beans as the beans will slowly start expanding in size when you soak them. To soak them evenly, they should remain inside the water throughout the soaking step.
- If in a hurry, you can use canned beans too.
- You can also saute some chopped celery stalks with carrots.
- Add salt to the sauce carefully as feta also has salt in it.
- Check and adjust the seasoning of the dish before baking.
- To enjoy a vegan version of this dish, you may also make these baked lima beans without feta, it still tastes delicious.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, they both are the same.
Though cooking lima beans from scratch will give you a better result if you don't have the time to do that, canned beans can be used too.
Yes, you can freeze cooked lima beans in a freezer-safe container or zip-lock bag for up to 6 months.
That depends on which bouillon cube you are using. Some brands sell bouillon cubes that are gluten-free but some add wheat to it. If you are on a gluten-free diet make sure to check the ingredients list of bouillon cube that you are using and make sure it's gluten-free. Else, skip adding bouillon and use vegetable stock instead of water to adjust the consistency of the sauce.
More vegetarian Greek recipes
If you too love Greek food and liked this baked Greek Gigantes recipe, then don't miss checking out the following easy vegetarian Greek recipe ideas:
- Greek beetroot and feta salad
- Watermelon salad with feta
- Greek potato salad
- Greek black-eyed pea salad
- Greek white beans salad
- Classic Greek salad
- Tzatziki (Greek yogurt dip)
- Revithosoupa (Greek chickpea soup)
- Fasolada ( Greek white bean soup)
- Spanakorizo (Greek spinach rice)
- Vegetarian Greek spaghetti
More baked vegetarian dinner recipes
Looking for more comforting and delicious recipes for baked vegetarian dinners? The following ideas are worth checking:
- Kidney bean enchiladas
- Vegetable enchilada casserole
- Mushroom enchiladas
- Savory pumpkin rice casserole
- Vegetarian baked pasta
- White bean casserole
- Lentil casserole with vegetables
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Recipe
Greek baked lima beans casserole
Equipment
- 1 Large cooking pot to cook beans
- 1 Pan or cooking pot to make the sauce
- 1 Strainer to strain the pasta
- 1 Knife
- 1 Chopping board
- Oven
Ingredients
- 2 cups dried large lima beans around 360 grams of dried beans
- ½ a medium carrot, finely chopped around ½ a cup chopped carrot
- 1 large red onion finely chopped
- 3 large garlic cloves minced
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- ¼ cup chopped dill
- 1 can crushed tomatoes 425 grams, 15 oz
- 1.5 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 vegetable bouillon cube
- Salt to taste
- 1 block feta cheese 200 grams
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup water to adjust the consistency of sauce
- Around 1.5 liters of water to cook beans
Instructions
- Wash dried lima beans and soak in water for 7-8 hours. After 8 hours, strain the soaked beans and rinse with water.
- Put the soaked beans and around 1.5 liters of water in a cooking pot. Add bay leaves and cook on a medium flame for around 45 minutes to an hour or until the beans are cooked. Keep checking and stirring in between to ensure they are not sticking to the bottom. If required, add more water.
- Once the beans are cooked, strain them and keep in a bowl. Discard the bay leaves and water.
- Heat olive oil in a cooking pot. Add chopped onion, carrot, and minced garlic. Saute until the onion turns translucent.
- Add chili flakes, oregano, thyme, black pepper, and crumbled veg bouillon cube. Saute for a few seconds.
- Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and salt. Mix everything. Rinse the crushed tomato can with around 1 cup of water and add to the sauce. Cook for around 4-5 minutes or until the sauce starts bubbling.
- Add cooked beans, mix, and cook for 2-3 minutes. Turn off the stove.
- Add chopped herbs and mix.
- Transfer the beans mix to a baking dish.
- Cut the feta cheese block into small pieces and place them in different places in the dish. Slightly cover the feta pieces with some beans and sauce.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 200℃ (around 400℉) for around 30 minutes.
- Take out the dish and garnish with some more chopped herbs. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Don't overcook the beans otherwise, they will turn mushy.
- Don't soak the beans for more than 8 hours otherwise, they may go bad.
- To fasten the process of soaking the beans, soak them in hot water,
- While soaking the beans, make sure that there is enough water in the bowl. The water level should be at least 2 inches above the beans as the beans will slowly start expanding in size when you soak them. To get them soaked evenly, they should remain inside the water throughout the soaking step.
- If in a hurry, you can use canned beans too.
- You can also saute some chopped celery stalks with carrots.
- Add salt to the sauce carefully as feta also has salt in it.
- Check and adjust the seasoning of the dish before baking.
- You may also make these baked lima beans without feta, it still tastes delicious.
- More recipe tips and tricks are shared in the post above, please follow them to make this recipe.
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