Tomato-Braised Butter Beans
Big creamy beans simmered in garlicky tomato and olive oil — Greek taverna food from three tins and a pan.
Ingredients
- 2 tin Butter beans (garrofo)
- 400 g Canned tomatoes
- 1 Onion
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 4 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp Dried oregano
- 1 tsp Salt
- 80 g Feta (optional)
- 2 tbsp Parsley (optional)
- ½ tsp Sugar (optional)
Method
- Peel and dice the onion into small pieces.
- Mince the garlic and measure out the oregano.
- Drain and rinse the butter beans in a colander.
- Soften the diced onion in the oil in a wide skillet over medium heat until translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Stir the minced garlic and oregano into the onions and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the tomatoes, sugar, and salt and simmer over medium-low, stirring now and then, until thickened to a spoonable sauce, about 8 minutes.
- Fold the drained beans gently into the sauce and braise over low heat, uncovered, until they have drunk in the sauce, about 10 minutes.
- Crumble the feta over the beans, scatter the parsley, and serve hot with bread.
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About Tomato-Braised Butter Beans
Tomato-braised butter beans are a Greek taverna staple, a close cousin of the classic gigantes plaki in which large, creamy beans are stewed in a garlicky tomato and olive oil sauce. The big, soft butter beans are the star, their starchy interiors soaking up a sauce built from canned tomatoes, sweet softened onion, plenty of good olive oil, and the resinous note of dried oregano. The dish is rich and savory without any meat, the tomato brought into balance with a touch of sugar and salt, and an optional crumble of feta and fresh parsley at the end adds a salty, herbal lift. It's hearty, high in fiber, and deeply satisfying.
The beauty of this version is how little it asks of you: it's essentially three tins and a pan. Building the sauce first, softening the onion, blooming the garlic and oregano, then reducing the tomatoes to something spoonable, means the beans go into a fully flavored base and only need to braise gently until they've drunk in the sauce. Because it uses canned beans rather than dried, the whole thing lands in about thirty minutes. Serve it warm or at room temperature with crusty bread to mop the pan, as a meze alongside other small plates, or as a vegan main that feels far more generous than its ingredient count suggests.
Tomato-Braised Butter Beans: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Tomato-Braised Butter Beans?
A serving has about 436 calories — 13.6g protein, 53.4g carbs, 19.6g fat, 12.6g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is Tomato-Braised Butter Beans gluten-free?
Based on its ingredients, Tomato-Braised Butter Beans has no gluten-containing components, so it's naturally gluten-free — as always, check that any packaged ingredients you use are certified gluten-free to be safe.
Is Tomato-Braised Butter Beans dairy-free?
Not as written — it uses Feta. Swapping it for a plant-based alternative makes it dairy-free.
Do I need every ingredient to make Tomato-Braised Butter Beans?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out feta, parsley, sugar — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Tomato-Braised Butter Beans make?
This recipe makes 3 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.