Slow cooker greek style beans with tomatoes and spinach are a delicious,m hands off protein packed plant based dinner!
Ingredients in Slow Cooker Greek Style Beans + Review of The Plant – Based Slow Cooker
Before I went plant based we used our slow cooker during the winter every week! I have to admit, that I was a little mystified as to what to put in the crockpot when I went meatless….but this Plant – Based Slow Cooker Cookbook has given new life to making slow cooked meals in the crockpot that are 100% plant based!
This revised and updated cookbook has 225 recipes that are made in the slow cooker that are all plant based! Crockpot comforting dishes such as Vegan Rustic Pot Pie and even recipes for slow cooker breakfasts and desserts. Recipes are clearly noted if they are gluten free, which I appreciate as well. I loved the section on tips for slow cooker success as well! The slow cooker is often considered a very forgiving way of cooking, but knowing a few proven success tips can be very helpful. Get this new plant based slow cooker cookbook at the link below.
For these easy greek style beans, you will only need a few ingredients and you can be on your way to slow cooking success. This recipe calls for butter beans that are already cooked. Plan accordingly if you will be using dried butter beans OR canned butter beans.
Also note that I subbed canned great northern beans when I made this recipe. I LOVE butter beans, but they have been out of stock for weeks at my store (thanks pandemic). That is what makes both this recipe and the slow cooker amazing. You can easily swap ingredients! Here are the ingredients you will need:
- Cooked Butter Beans (or sub your favorite white bean)
- Onion
- Garlic
- Diced Tomatoes
- Dried Marjoram
- Dried Basil
- Fresh Spinach (or kale)
- Lemon Zest
Another note is that I added kale vs. spinach because that is what I had on hand!
This recipe will list lemon zest as optional, but I really think you should include it. It really took made these slow cooker beans amazing.
How to Make Crockpot Greek Beans
This recipe came together in less than 15 minutes – which I LOVED. We are homeschooling this year due to pandemic reasons and on a morning when we needed to be on zoom with some school tutors from our co-op…I knew I had limited time to get these set in the crockpot.
Again, for this recipe you need to use cooked beans. Plan accordingly. I used canned beans, but if you love dried beans that are cooked, you will need to make your dried beans on a different day and then use them in this recipe. See directions for making dried beans in your slow cooker!
This recipe calls to soften your onions and garlic FIRST before putting them in the slow cooker. This will end in a more flavorful plant based bean dish, so follow the directions to soften your onions in either the skillet or microwave.
Near the end of cooking time, stir in your fresh hearty greens and lemon zest. I recommend the zest! I admit I first did not notice the lemon when we ate them the first time. BUT we froze the leftovers and when I reheated them, I really noticed the lemon and it was fantastic!
How to Serve These Greek Beans Made in the Slow Cooker
These beans smelled delicious cooking in the slow cooker all day! In fact, both my kids would come randomly into the kitchen and say “WOW! It smells really good in here”. I love when that happens!
I served these greek beans in a huge salad bowl (of course!) with roasted brussel sprouts and sweet potato. My husband said when he ate these beans it reminded him of summer because of the basil taste. We will take all the summer taste we can get when we are mid winter in Michigan!
These beans would also taste nice paired with quinoa or brown rice.
These beans will make a lot! But that is another great thing, they freeze really well. I love when I can have multiple dinners from one cooking session.
If you make these slow cooker greek beans, I would love to know! Tag @badtothebowl on social media.
Slow Cooker Greek-Style Beans with Tomatoes and Spinach [The Plant-Based Slow Cooker Cookbook]
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 large yellow onion, minced
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 cups cooked gigante beans or large butter beans or 3 cans white beans*, rinsed and drained (see notes on cooking dried beans)
- 1 can diced tomatoes, with their juices
- 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 5 cups chopped baby spinach (or kale)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Instructions
- Heat the water in a medium-size skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. Alternatively, place the onion and garlic in a microwave-safe bowl with 2 tablespoons of water, cover, and microwave for 2 minutes to soften.
- Transfer the onion mixture to the slow cooker and add the beans, tomatoes and their juices, marjoram, basil, and salt and black pepper to taste. Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on Low for 6 hours. About 5 minutes before serving, stir in the spinach and lemon zest (if using). Taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed.
- Store leftovers in refrigerator OR store in freezer safe container in freezer.
Notes
MAKES 6 TO 7 CUPS (1 KG TO 1.2 KG)
SLOW COOKER SIZE: 4-TO 6-QUART (3.8 TO 5.7 L) | COOK TIME: 6 TO 8 HOURS ON HIGH | GLUTEN-FREE |OIL-FREE | SOY-FREE
This is a basic recipe for slow cooking dried beans such as pintos, kidneys, cannellinis,chickpeas, and black-eyed peas. To add some flavor to the beans, include the optional onion,garlic, and bay leaves. If you prefer them unseasoned, just cook them in water and you will have beans that are ready to use in any kind of recipe calling for cooked beans.
-1 pound (455 g) dried beans, rinsed and picked over
-1 large yellow onion, quartered (optional)
-2 garlic cloves, crushed (optional)
-2 bay leaves (optional)
1. Salt-soak the beans overnight. Place the beans in the slow cooker. (If cooking kidney beans or cannellini beans, boil them for 10 minutes on top of the stove before adding to the slow cooker.)
2. Add the onion, garlic, and bay leaves (if using), and enough water to cover. Cover and cook on High until tender, 6 to 8 hours, depending on the type of bean.
