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Greek Butter Beans in Tomato Sauce (Gigantes Plaki)

Name: Greek Butter Beans in Tomato Sauce (Gigantes Plaki)
Prep time: 2 h 11 min
Total time: 12 h 11 min
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: lima beans — 454 g; extra-virgin olive oil — 73 g; yellow onion — 110 g; carrot — 60 g; garlic — 9 g; tomato paste — 15 g; tomatoes — 794 g; vegetable broth — 237 g; dried leaf oregano — 3 g; bay — 2 g; salt — 5 g; freshly ground black pepper — 3 g; parsley — 30 g; feta cheese — 113 g

Greek Butter Beans in Tomato Sauce (Gigantes Plaki) reads salinity 5.3, umami 5.2 and allium 4.3 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Greek main, about 12 hr 11 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 6.2 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 4.5 / 10
Sour & Bright — 3.1 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 2.2 / 10
Rich & Fat — 4.2 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 4.8 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Salinity 5.3 · Umami 5.2 · Allium 4.3 · Richness 3.8 · Sweetness 3.8 · Sourness 2.9 · Herbaceous 2.8 · Funk & Ferment 2.7 · Fruity 2.3 · Earthy 1.9 · Bitterness 1.6 · Nutty 1.4 · Warm Spice 1.3 · Marine & Briny 1.1 · Floral 0.9 · Citrus 0.8

What's in it (14)

lima beans — 454 g
extra-virgin olive oil — 73 g
yellow onion — 110 g
carrot — 60 g
garlic — 9 g
tomato paste — 15 g
tomatoes — 794 g
vegetable broth — 237 g
dried leaf oregano — 3 g
bay — 2 g
salt — 5 g
freshly ground black pepper — 3 g
parsley — 30 g
feta cheese — 113 g

Time & effort: about 12 hr 11 min (2 hr 11 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 59.3 kcal, 3 g protein, 1.7 g fat, 8.3 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (8 steps)

Soak the beans: place the dried lima beans in a large bowl, cover with at least 3 inches of cold water, and let stand at room temperature 8 to 12 hours, or overnight.
Drain and rinse the soaked beans, then transfer to a large pot with 8 cups fresh water. Bring to a boil over high heat, skimming off any foam, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook until the beans are just tender but still hold their shape, 45-50 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid, and set the beans aside.
While the beans simmer, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large oven-safe Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden at the edges, 8-9 minutes.
Stir in the garlic and tomato paste; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant and the paste has darkened slightly, about 2 minutes.
Pour in the crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, and the reserved bean cooking liquid. Stir in the oregano, bay leaf, salt, and pepper, and bring to a simmer; cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 8-9 minutes.
Heat the oven to 325°F. Stir the drained beans and half the parsley into the tomato sauce until well coated.
Transfer the pot to the oven, uncovered, and bake until the sauce has reduced into a thick, jammy coating and the beans are creamy throughout, 60-65 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
Remove from the oven and discard the bay leaf. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil, scatter with the remaining parsley and crumbled feta, and season with a final pinch of salt to taste. Serve warm, with crusty bread for scooping up the sauce.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Shakshuka with Feta and Crusty Bread — Middle Eastern
Ground Beef and Feta Stuffed Peppers — Middle Eastern
Butternut Squash Soup With Seared Radicchio — Other
Ribollita (Tuscan Bread and Vegetable Stew) — Italian
Ribollita — Italian

Keep reading: what salinity, umami, allium mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.