Geerthana Uthayakumar Last February, the kids and I tried Gigante beans cooked in a delicious tomato sauce, for the first time at the St. Lawrence Market. We fell in love with these large, creamy, buttery beans in tomato sauce and I knew I hard to learn to make it at home. Gigante beans, are essentially large Lima beans and unfortunately are not readily available everywhere. I did find canned beans at Highland Farms and experimented with them until I liked the final product. Cooking these buttery beans Greek-style in a sauce of tomatoes, onions, garlic, homemade vegetable broth, EVOO, paprika, and oregano, creates a deliciously rich vegetarian or vegan main.
Greek-Style Gigante Beans RECIPE
Ingredients:
- 1 small yellow onion, minced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 Tbsp, olive oil
- 2 19 oz. cans of large Lima beans, drained
- 1/2 a jar of tomato sauce
- 1 cup of vegetable broth
- 2 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 tsp. sugar
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- Optional: 1 Tbsp. butter and up to 1/2 cup broth for thinner consistency
Instructions:
1. In a heavy-bottom pot, heat the olive oil on medium heat. Add the onions, bay leaves, and garlic and sauté until onions turn golden and translucent. Take care as to not burn the garlic.
2. Add the tomato sauce, vegetable broth, dried oregano, sugar, and salt and bring the contents of the pot to a boil.
3. Add the beans, turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Add the butter and black pepper.
4. Enjoy warm with a baguette or Greek flavoured rice.
