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Slow Cooker Greek Gigantes

January 22, 2020

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Slow Cooker Greek Gigantes are full of flavor with just a few pantry ingredients. Serve with pan seared pork chops or chicken breasts for a hearty dinner or a small salad and crusty bread for a light dinner.

This recipe is sponsored by Camellia Beans as part of #SlowCookerMonth. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures possible.

Giant lima beans in tomato broth of pan search bone-in pork chop

Y’all know I love me some history of where my food comes from, right? Well, the butter bean or large Lima bean is no exception. I mean, where do these beans really come from? Does anyone really know? There are so many different beans out there, where does any of them come from? Is there some parent bean plant that morphs into all the bean plants?

These are the things I think of when I write a blog post. Heck, they’re the things I think when I receive a product to work with and have to create a recipe with the ingredient. Where did it come from? What’s it traditionally used for in cooking? How did it appear on the culinary scene?

Inquiring minds want to know! Thankfully, Camellia Beans has a sippet about lima beans on their site.

Did you know that they’re named after the capital of Peru? We’re all pronouncing it all wrong. Did you know that most common beans came from Peru? Because I didn’t. And this Lima bean in particular even appears on pottery of the Moche people? For those that don’t know the Moche were in existence in the 15th century.

Also commonly referred to as butter beans, the Lima bean has three shapes. There’s the large Lima bean which is green or speckled and has a buttery texture. Next, there’s the small Lima bean that is most common. They’re less starchy than their larger counterparts. Finally, there’s the dwarf Lima bean. Some call them butter peas and are the least starchy of all the Lima beans.

Lima beans, to me at least, are most common in succotash. Between that and Burgoo, I don’t think I’ve had Lima beans any other way. That is until I branched out and decided to make something with butter beans. And that something included some smoked turkey legs with butter beans in tomato pesto broth making for the most delicious large Lima beans I’ve ever tasted.

It was from this moment I knew I was hooked on these creamy, delicious, large Lima beans. Which meant I needed to find new and delicious recipes to make with these beans. With the name butter bean, it has to smooth, creamy, and super delicious.

That’s when I stumbled on the Greek recipe using these beans.

Gigantes (or Gigandes) plaki, or Greek butter beans cooked in a tomato sauce, are the perfect recipe to highlight these delicious beans. It’s a meze dish, or appetizer/tapas style dish, that is sometimes it’s cooked with sausages or smoked pork for a dinner. I pan seared some chops with Greek seasoning to round out my hearty dinner.

It’s a simple dish made with large Lima beans, tomatoes, onions, and olive oil. Traditionally, tomatoes and other ingredients get combined with the cooked beans. Then they go into the casserole and the whole thing gets baked again. I didn’t do that. I threw it all in the slow cooker and let the tomatoes infuse with the Lima beans and spices.

After soaking the beans, I tossed them in the slow cooker with a can of petite diced tomatoes and a little broth with a sprinkling of oregano.  Because what’s Greek food without oregano, right?  There’s some onions in there, too, to round out all the flavors.  If you can’t handle that, then you need to order in.  Because that’s stupid simple.

Anyway.

I split the cooking time because I was lazy that day.  I wanted the beans to cook quickly. Then they cooked quicker than I thought because I only used half the bag, so I turned the slow cooker to low and let it simmer away for another hour.  Feel free to let the beans simmer for 4 hours or more for just the 8 ounces or 6 to 8 hours for the full pound.

Soak the beans.

I soak mine for at least 8 hours, but did you know you can soak them and then freeze them to cook later? I’ve done this with several different kinds of beans and it works like a charm.

Some beans need to boil.

There was a quite a discussion about kidney beans, but did you know that fresh Lima beans need cooking, too? Kidney beans have some complicated sounding compound in them. If they’re not boiled it can cause severe stomach discomfort to even more serious illnesses.

Don’t have time to soak? Try a the quick soak!

The quick soak is perfect for kidney beans. You put the beans in a pot with at least 3 inches of water over the beans. Bring the water to a boil and let the beans cook for 2 minutes. Then you let them sit for an hour. For kidney beans, boil for 10 minutes and let them set for between 45 and 50 minutes.

Try not to overcook them.

I know this one is a little difficult in a slow cooker, but I’d err on the side of al dente for lack of a better word than overcooked. If you’re beans a little, don’t cook them for 8 hours. If they’re larger like the butterbeans, than 8 to 10 hours might be enough. Sometimes, it’s just a little trial and error, but if you have to add the beans midway to keep them from turning to mush, do it!

I hope you try this recipe.  It was perfectly delicious and I couldn’t wait to have it for lunch the next day.  Even without the added chop, the Slow Cooker Greek Gigantes is a hearty recipe your family will enjoy.

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Slow Cooker Greek Gigantes

Slow Cooker Greek Gigantes

Yield: 2 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 5 minutes

Slow Cooker Greek Gigantes is full of flavor with just a few ingredients. Serve with pan search pork chops or chicken breasts for a hearty dinner.

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces Camellia large lima beans
  • 1 1/2 cups unsalted chicken stock
  • 1 cup tomato juice
  • 14 ounces petite diced tomatoes
  • 1/3 cup minced onion
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

    1. Place the lima beans in a mixing bowl and cover with water. Soak at least 5 hours.
    2. Combine 1 teaspoon of the oregano and the remaining ingredients in the liner of the slow cooker.
    3. Cook on high 1 hour, then cook on low 2 hours or until the beans are tender.
    4. Garnish with the remaining oregano before serving with pan a seared pork chops or chicken for a hearty dinner or salad and bread for a light meal.
Nutrition Information
Yield 2 servings Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 102Total Fat 1gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 1gCholesterol 10mgSodium 1380mgCarbohydrates 18gFiber 6gSugar 10gProtein 7g
© Chris Campbell
Cuisine: Greek / Category: Side Dish

Wednesday’s Slow Cooker Recipes

  • Green Chile Slow Cooker Cheese Tortellini by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
  • Pepperoni Cheese Bread by That Recipe
  • Slow Cooker Amish Chilly Day Soup by Frugal & Fit
  • Slow Cooker Baked Ziti by Blogghetti
  • Slow Cooker Beef and Bean Sloppy Joes by The Spiffy Cookie
  • Slow Cooker Cheesy Herb Dinner Rolls by Kate’s Recipe Box
  • Slow Cooker Chinese Barbecue Pork {Char Sui} by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
  • Slow Cooker Cowboy Beans by Cheese Curd In Paradise
  • Slow Cooker Fiesta Chicken Sandwiches by Palatable Pastime
  • Slow Cooker Greek Gigantes by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
  • Slow Cooker Pizza Dip by Family Around the Table
  • Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
  • Slow Cooker Sausage Pasta e Fajioli Soup by Savory Moments
  • Slow Cooker Winter Bread Pudding by The Freshman Cook
  • Southwest Slow Cooker Pasta by A Day in the Life on the Farm

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Contest runs 1/20/2020 at 12:00 a.m. till 1/27/2020 at 11:59 p.m.
The prize packages are sent directly from the giveaway sponsors. Bloggers are not responsible for prize fulfillment. Winners have 24 hours to respond once notified by email, or they forfeit the prize and an alternate winner gets chosen.

The #NationalSlowCookerMonth bloggers are not responsible for the fulfillment or delivery of the prize packages. Bloggers hosting this giveaway and their immediate family members living in the household cannot enter or win the giveaway. All entries get verified. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter giveaway and contest is open only to US residents.

This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or any other social channel mentioned in the #NationalSlowCookerMonth posts or entry. Thank you to our sponsors Banza, Camellia, and Rhodes for providing prizes

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12 Comments
Filed Under: Main Dish, Main Dish - Vegetables, Side Dish, Soups & StewsTagged: beans, easy, side dish, slow cooker

Comments

  1. Cheese Curd In Paradise says

    January 28, 2020 at 10:16 pm

    I love love love those beans. I am also loving that perfect sear on those pork chops!

    Reply
    • Chris says

      February 9, 2020 at 11:16 am

      The beans are so delicious. You don’t even need the chop. But the hubs needs meat soo…. I devoured the beans for lunch without meat the next day.

      Reply
  2. Karen says

    January 23, 2020 at 4:04 pm

    Well this looks delicious and I do love the history too! It sounds easy and flavorful.

    Reply
    • Chris says

      February 9, 2020 at 11:22 am

      It totally is both!! And I’m always amazed at where food originates. I had no idea that most beans are from Latin America!

      Reply
  3. Amy (Savory Moments) says

    January 23, 2020 at 3:55 pm

    This is such a yummy looking dish and these beans look really good! I haven’t had lima beans other ways either, really so I should try something like this.

    Reply
    • Chris says

      February 9, 2020 at 11:23 am

      They’re definitely different and completely devourable! All those flavors are so delicious with the beans.

      Reply
  4. Wendy Klik says

    January 23, 2020 at 8:23 am

    This is my kind of dinner Christie. Love rustic, homey food.

    Reply
    • Chris says

      February 9, 2020 at 11:25 am

      So comforting and delicious, right?

      Reply
  5. Hezzi-D says

    January 23, 2020 at 6:24 am

    You crack me up with all your background knowledge. I had no clue most beans come from Peru. I haven’t tried Lima beans in probably 20 years and it’s probably time to give them another chance. I need to try this!

    Reply
    • Chris says

      February 9, 2020 at 11:31 am

      I had no idea most beans are from Latin America! Blew my mind. Large Lima beans are so much more tasty than their little counterparts, I think. You should try them.

      Reply
  6. Colleen - Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck says

    January 22, 2020 at 5:52 pm

    This sounds terrific! And, I love that you paired it with pan seared pork chops! YES!!!

    Reply
    • Chris says

      February 9, 2020 at 11:32 am

      The hubs needs meat. I, however, ate the leftover beans for lunch and thought they were delish without the chop.

      Reply

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AboutMe

I'm Christie and I'm A Kitchen Hoor! At least that's what my friends call me. I've been in the kitchen since I was tall enough to see over the counter. I hope you stay a while and find some new recipes.

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