Giant beans (Greek gigantes) with greens

This delicious Greek recipe combines white runner beans (gigantes) with an assorted mixture of greens, like chicory, swiss chard and other leafy greens. This plant-based meal is served with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Γίγαντες με λαχανικά. Have you met my parents? If you have, in person, then you have hopefully visited them in the summer and taken a stroll through their garden. They love sharing this outside oasis with family, friends and people they just met. A garden is a lot of hard work, but the payoff is priceless. The pride of growing your own food, knowing that it is as fresh and as clean as possible – well, there is nothing better. It also offers a perspective that you can’t really appreciate otherwise. A garden, big or small, gives you a glimpse into the work that our farmers and agriculturalists experience every day to keep us fed.

Growing up Greek, I have never known life without a garden. When our home was an apartment on the second floor of a building in the city’s Mile End district, vegetables were potted and placed on the balcony and on the steps of the outdoor staircase leading to our front door. Then, when they had access to a backyard, my parents took full advantage. They went from a few pots of tomatoes, eggplants and peppers to rows upon rows of vegetables, herbs and fruit trees. The eggplants they still kept in pots however.

Some of the things that my parents grow are greens. There is always spinach, chicory, swiss chard, lettuce, parsley and amaranth greens being tended. They use these in all sorts of recipes like their spanakorizo and stewed swiss chard recipe and this recipe for giant beans (gigantes) with greens.

Why I love this recipe

This is the sort of meal that I just love. Giant beans (gigantes) with greens is a perfect vegan meal that can easily feed a meat-loving family with confidence! The flavours are sublime and fresh. The beans are hearty, making this a filling meal. Serve with some nice fresh bread to help sop up the sauces and you will be very, very happy. Promise!

I also love that this recipe is so versatile! If I have an abundance of swiss chard, then I use a lot of that in my mixed greens. Spinach that is a few days from spoiling – use that. Any mixed greens you have on hand will do.

Key ingredients

Gigantes Also called white runner beans these large, meaty and creamy beans may be a little hard to find, but they are definitely worth seeking out. I find mine in Greek or Mediterranean grocery stores. You can also find them online

Olive oil Only Greek olive oil is used of course! I love the flavour, and fruity aroma that pure, good-quality Greek olive oil imparts to every dish.

Onion I use yellow onion because it cooks up really nicely, and is easy to find and tastes great.

Green onions I like to add green onions (sometimes called spring onions) because they give an onion flavour, but with a lot of freshness. I use both the white and the green part of the onion.

Leek Again, more onion flavour, but with a difference. I find leeks tend to be a bit sweeter, and add a lovely texture and flavour profile to this recipe.

Garlic I am always careful not to burn my garlic when I am sauteeing it. I find that it goes from toasty and caramelized, to burnt pretty quickly!

Dill Fresh dill is amazing! It adds a subtle anise flavour to recipes and blends in really well with the rest of the greens.

Dry Oregano I much prefer the flavour and aroma of dry Greek oregano over fresh oregano.

Mixed greens I like to use a combination of curly chicory, swiss chard; and escarole lettuce.  Other options include spinach, kale, collard greens and dandelion greens.

Parsley Yum! I love the herby, slightly peppery flavour of parsley.

Lemon A generous squeeze of lemon right before serving makes all the flavours of this dish really pop! I love the tart freshness that the lemon juice provides!

Salt & pepper Simple seasonings that make every meal better!

How to make it

Preparation

Soak your beans in plenty of water for at least 12 hours or overnight.

Instructions

Step 1
Drain and rinse your beans. Fill a large pot with cold water and add the beans (be sure that the water covers the beans by at least 2 inches). Bring to a boil and then reduce to medium heat. Cook for 1½ to 2 hours, uncovered, until your beans are tender. You may need to add additional water as the beans cook. Drain and set aside.

Step 2
While your beans are cooking, prepare your greens by chopping them into 1 inch pieces and washing them well. There is no need to dry the greens. Set aside.

Step 3
In a large frying pan set over medium heat add 1/4 cup olive oil and saute the onion, leek, garlic, green onions, dill and oregano for about 7-8 minutes. Stir regularly to prevent burning. Next add as many greens as can easily fit into the pan and allow them to cook down. Repeat, adding more greens until all have been incorporated. Be mindful not to allow the greens to burn. Remove from the heat.

Step 4
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 5
Transfer the greens to a lightly greased 9 x13 baking dish and spread them across the bottom. Top with the fresh chopped parsly and then layer the drained beans on top. Add 1/2 cup of boiling water and the salt and pepper.. Top with an additional 1/4 cup olive oil. There is no need to mix.

Step 6
Bake on the bottom rack of your oven, uncovered, for approximately 30 minutes.

Step 7
Before serving, drizzle with additional olive oil, and squeeze the juice of a lemon over the contents in the pan. Add additional salt and pepper if desired. Stir well to combine and enjoy!

Recipe substitutions

If you cannot find white runner beans (gigantes), sometimes referred to as elephant beans, then you can use giant lima beans instead.  If you can’t find those either, then any large bean could work (ex. white kidney beans).  Cooking times for the beans will have to be adjusted.

I like to use a combination of curly chicory, swiss chard; and escarole lettuce for the mixed greens of this recipe.  Other options include spinach, kale, collard greens and dandelion greens. Use any mixed greens you like, and if you prefer, you can even make this dish with only one variety of green (ex. spinach or swiss chard). I do like the combination of flavours and textures however.

How to serve

This dish is a meal all on its own. If you do want to add to it however, some nice bread would be a great choice to help soak up any juice. You can find a variety of bread recipes here at Best bread recipes. If you want a more dressed up bread recipe, this Greek cheese topped bread would be perfect!

Recipe variations

If you love to cook with gigantes then I think you will also love making this Greek Gigantes plaki recipe, where the gigantes are baked in a rich tomato sauce along with onions, carrots and celery. So good!

The mixed greens used in this recipe remind me of another favourite dish, where the protein portion comes from eggs. If you haven’t yet tried my Green shakshuka, now is the time!

Related recipes

Do you like my giant beans (gigantes) with greens? If you do, check out these recipe

Gigantes plaki An authentic Greek meal of white runner beans cooked in a rich tomato sauce.

Greek baked chickpeas A traditional meal found especially on the island of Sifnos. Chickpeas are baked simply with few ingredients and taste phenomenal!

Black-eyed peas and spinach A favourite meal in our family. The cooked spinach is luxurious, and the beans are tender and lovely.

Stewed Swiss chard with vegetables and feta What to do with a lot of Swiss chard? Make this! The flavours are out of this world!

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Thanks for sharing!