Greek Baked Gigantes with Sausage (Loukaniko)
This hearty and delicious meal made with gigantes and Greek loukaniko sausage is full of flavour. The beans, sausage and vegetables offer a variety of textures and the sauce is perfect for dunking bread into!
Growing up in a Greek home, gigantes and loukaniko were common ingredients. We probably had at least one of them, in some way, every week. Sometimes it was gigantes plaki, a great lenten meal that was enjoyed on a Wednesday or a Friday (fasting days). Other times it was loukaniko chopped up and fried along with some eggs for a quick meal. And sometimes, these two quintessential Greek ingredients were combined to make something extra delicious, like this recipe for Greek baked gigantes with sausage!
Don’t be intimidated by the long list of ingredients, or the many steps. This is a really easy recipe to make, it just takes some planning (to soak the beans) and to bake in the oven. There are no complicated steps though, promise!
Why I love this recipe
First off, it is delicious! That is a great reason to love any recipe! The gigantes themselves are so creamy and delicious. The loukaniko is one of the best sausages there is, full of flavour like orange and fennel and oregano. And the veggies cook up so beautifully that they are practically indulgent. But there is more to it than that.
This recipe for Greek baked gigantes with loukaniko is also full of protein and vegetables. Between the gigantes and the sausage, there is a lot of protein. The rest of the meal is full of veggies and aromatics. What is missing is gluten, making this a perfect meal for anyone who is avoiding gluten.
If you are eating bread however, check out these amazing bread recipes. Make one to serve with this meal because the sauce is perfect for dipiing!
Key ingredients
Yes, there are a lot of ingredients listed here…I get it! But I think that the end result warrants all these ingredients! Keep in mind that many of these will be things that you are already have on hand.
Gigantes Also known as white runner beans these large, meaty beans can be found in most Mediterranean or Greek grocery stores. You an also find them online. They are a little more expensive than most beans, but well worth it.
Loukaniko This is the name for Greek sausage. Greek sausage is amazing! It is often flavoured with fennel and dried orange peel. It is also often made with small cubes of meat versus minced meat, making this a truly delicious and unique sausage.
Olive oil Of course, only the best olive oil is used in this recipe, and that means Greek olive oil!
Yellow onion I like to use a regular yellow onion in this recipe. It sautees up nicely and has a mild flavour.
Celery When I find celery with the leaves still on the stalks, I consider myself very lucky!! The leaves are so flavourful (see how I use them to make the classic Greek Pork and celery with egg lemon sauce.)
Carrots Carrots add sweetness, colour and nutrition to this meal.
Red pepper I love the flavour and colour of red bell pepper!
Garlic I use fresh garlic in this dish. Sure, the jarred pre-minced garlic is a lifesaver in terms of time and effort, but there is nothing that compares to fresh garlic!
Sugar I add a touch of sugar to the dish to counterbalance the acidity of the tomato. Honestly, you can leave this out if you are avoiding any sugar at all.
Bay leaves A few bay leaves add flavour to the sauce.
Tomato paste I love tomato paste because it offers such a rich and intense flavour.
Tomato sauce I usually use my homemade tomato sauce, but when I don not have any then I use a good quality tomato passata or canned tomato sauce.
Oregano I add Greek oregano to this recipe for beautiful flavour and aroma.
Red pepper flakes A bit of red pepper flakes offers a touch of spicy heat to this dish.
Thyme I like to use fresh thyme in bean based main meals. I think it really elevates the flavour!
Grated lemon zest Flavours come alive with the addition of lemon zest!
Parsley and Green onions add a nice colour, but more importantly a fresh flavour to the meal.
How to make it
Preparation
Place your gigantes in a bowl of cold water, covering them by at least several inches, and soak them overnight or for at least 12 hours. Drain, rinse and drain again.
Instructions
Step 1
Boil your gigantes until tender. Will take about an hour. Drain and transfer to a baking pan.
Step 2
Prepare your vegetables by chopping the carrots, celery and red pepper into large chunks. Cut the garlic cloves into slices.
Step 3
Slice the loukaniko into 1/2 inch thick slices. Add some olive oil to a pan and saute the loukaniko until golden brown on all sides. It does not have to cook through as it will finish cooking in the oven. Remove loukaniko from the pan but keep the oil in the pan.
Step 4
Add the rest of the oil to the pan and sauté the vegetables. Add in the sugar and the bay leaves. Cook until caramelized. Will take about 10-15 minutes.
Step 5
Add the tomato paste and saute it until it gets dark and caramelized.
Step 6
Pour this vegetable mixture over the gigantes that are already in the baking pan. Add in the tomato sauce, water, oregano, red pepper flakes, and season with salt and pepper. Add the loukaniko slices and toss gently to combine. Add in the parsley and green onions and mix gently once again. Top with the fresh thyme sprigs.
Step 7
Cover the roasting pan with aluminum foil and bake for one hour on the lower rack of your oven. Remove foil, stir, and return to oven for an additional 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 15 – 20 minutes before serving.
Recipe substitutions
If you cannot find gigantes, you can make this recipe with giant lima beans or even with white kidney beans.
You can omit the sugar in the recipe if you prefer.
If you cannot find Greek loukaniko you can substitute another type of sausage.
Cooking tips
Choose your beans wisely
Although dry beans do not necessarily expire (I don’t think!), they can go bad. It is really important therefore to purchase your dry beans, including the gigantes you will need for this recipe, from a store with a high bean turnover! If you find your beans on a top shelf at the grocers, covered in dust, skip it! Old beans will take much longer to cook and may never cook up properly. Also, check your bag for an infestation of small bugs. Gross, but better you know in advance!
Soak your beans properly
There is much debate on whether to add salt, or sometimes even baking soda, to the water in which you will soak your beans. I don’t do either, and my beans always turn out just fine. To soak beans I first rinse them in cold water and then place them in a large bowl. I then fill the bowl with cold tap water until there is at least four to five inches of water above the beans. I then leave them on the counter covered (I have cats!) for at least 12 hours or overnight. I tend to check on them at least once to make sure that they do not need more water – as the beans soak, their volume will expand.
Cook your beans just enough
When you are boiling your gigantes for this recipe it is not necessary for them to be fully cooked through. They should be edible, but if you feel that they are not 100% done, that is okay because they will continue to cook in the oven. However, if you want to boil them longer to make sure that they are fully cooked before removing them from the pot and adding them to the pan, that is fine too.
Prepare your mise en place
Mise en place is a French term which, in cooking, basically means getting all your ingredients ready. Cooking a meal such as this one, with a long list of ingredients, is easier if you have all your ingredients prepared, portioned out, and ready to be used. You can even do this the night before to make actually cooking this meal really simple and straightforward. This is a good tip for this recipe, and for most recipes!
Frequently asked questions
What are gigantes?
Gigantes are also known as white runner beans, or elephant beans. They are considered a boutique variety of beans, because they are pretty fancy. In Greek cooking however, they are pretty commonplace and are often used as a substitute for meat and in meals served during lent. They are creamy, meaty, hearty and full of nutrition!
What is loukaniko?
Loukaniko is the Greek name for sausage, but it is more than that. Greeks have a few lovely sausages that they make. Most are pork based (although some are lamb based) and common flavourings include orange, fennel, oregano and thyme. Unlike many sausages which contain ground meat, loukaniko is usually prepared with small cubes of meat that have been marinated for extra flavour. Although you can find it fresh, we most often purchase loukaniko that has been cured or smoked.
Recipe variations
If you prefer to keep this meal vegan you can omit the loukaniko and otherwise keep the recipe the same. Alternatively you can follow my recipe for Greek Gigantes plaki or Greek gigantes with greens.
Storing, freezing and reheating
Cooked, this meal will keep in the refrigerator for three to four days. You can also freeze gigantes with loukaniko. I sometimes make this recipe and freeze individual portions in freezer safe bags. This is perfect when you want to grab a lunch to go that you can reheat at work, or for easily portioning it out. It will keep well in the freezer for up to 6 months.
To reheat, you can either use the microwave (my preferred method because it is easiest) or you can place your food in a baking tray and reheat at 350 degrees Farenheit for 10 minutes or so.
When reheating your meal, either from frozen or from the refrigerator, you may need to add a bit of water, or tomato sauce to thin it out a bit. It is not a soup, but there should be some sauce in your dish (get that bread for dipping!).
Related recipes
I love the addition of loukaniko in this dish. If you do too, I think you will also enjoy these recipes! Three of them feature loukaniko, and the last is a great pork dish that is quick and easy to make! So delicious!
Loukaniko with kefalotyri
Eggs with loukaniko and potato (Ομελέτα με λουκάνικα και πατάτες)
Greek Spetzofai (spetsofai) – Sausages with peppers and tomato
Pork with leeks, Prasotigania (Greek Hirino me praso)
Recipe
Greek Baked Gigantes with Sausage (Loukaniko)
Equipment
- 1 large pot
Ingredients
- 500 grams gigantes dry beans
- 300 grams Greek sausage (loukaniko) See Recipe Notes
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 3 celery stalks, if they have leaves, include them
- 2 large carrots
- 1 red pepper
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp sugar
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 ⅔ cup tomato sauce, or crushed tomatoes
- 1 ⅓ cup water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried Greek oregano
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 sprig fresh thyme leaves
- 1 zest of one lemon
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 cup chopped green onions (white and green part)
Instructions
- The night before you want to prepare your meal, rinse and then soak the gigantes. Cover them with plenty of water and let soak overnight or for 12 hours.500 grams gigantes
- The next day, bring a pot of water to a boil, cover and boil your gigantes for approximately 60 minutes, until you are able to bite into them. They will still have a crumbly inside texture at this point. This is fine, as they will finish cooking in the oven.
- Drain the gigantes and then place them in the baking pan.
- While the gigantes are boiling, start prepping the veggies. Cut the onion, carrots, celery, and red pepper into thick chunks. Cut the garlic cloves into slices.1 medium yellow onion, 3 celery stalks, if they have leaves, include them, 2 large carrots, 1 red pepper, 3 garlic cloves
- Slice the loukaniko (sauce) into rounds about 1/2 inch thick.300 grams Greek sausage (loukaniko)
- In a large frying pan, use some of the olive oil and coat the pan. Fry the loukaniko pieces until golden brown on both sides. No need to cook through, they will finish cooking in the oven.
- Remove the sausage from the pan using a slotted spoon and keep aside. Leave the oil in the pan.
- Pour the remaining oil into the frying pan, and add in the veggies. The onions, celery, carrots, pepper and the garlic. Sprinkle with the sugar, add the bay leaves, and cook for about 10-15 minutes till they soften and caramelize.1/3 cup olive oil, 1 tsp sugar, 3 bay leaves
- Add the tomato paste and saute for a couple of minutes till the tomato paste darkens. This will richen the sauce.2 tbsp tomato paste
- Pour the veggies over the gigantes that are already in the baking pan.
- Add the tomato sauce, the water, the oregano, the red pepper flakes if you're using, the salt and pepper, and the lemon zest. Top with the loukaniko.1 ⅔ cup tomato sauce, or crushed tomatoes, 1 ⅓ cup water, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp dried Greek oregano, 1 zest of one lemon, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- Gently stir to combine.
- Top with the fresh parsley, green onions and fresh thyme sprigs, mixing slightly.1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, 1/2 cup chopped green onions (white and green part), 2 sprig fresh thyme leaves
- Cover the pan with aluminum foil and place on bottom rack at 350℉ for 1 hour.
- After the hour, remove pan from the oven, carefully removing the foil. Stir, and place back in the oven for an additional 30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let sit for about 15-20 minutes before serving. If desired drizzle each serving with a little olive oil and top with fresh parsley.
- Enjoy with bread and lots of feta!