Fasolia Gigantes - Elefantes Kastorias

Dried beans of the species Phaseolus coccineus grown in the Prefecture of Kastoria, western Macedonia, Greece. The designation covers two size grades — Elefantes and Gigantes — distinguished by weight per thousand beans and sieve retention. All cultivation and processing stages, including cleaning, drying, sorting and disinfestation, must take place within the defined geographical area.

About this designation

Fasolia Gigantes — Elefantes Kastorias are dried beans of the legume species Phaseolus coccineus (synonym multiflorus), grown within a precisely delimited area of the Prefecture of Kastoria in western Macedonia, Greece. The designation is registered as a PGI under eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013574, with EU protection dating from 23 May 2002. The specification recognises two grades. Fasolia Elefantes must have a weight per thousand beans of at least 1 800 g, or 90 % of beans must be retained on a sieve with round holes 13 mm in diameter. Fasolia Gigantes must have a weight per thousand beans between 1 200 g and 1 800 g, or 90 % of beans must be retained on a sieve with round holes 12 mm in diameter. Moisture content may not exceed 14 %. Tolerances are set for broken beans, shrivelled or discoloured beans, and foreign matter. The defined geographical area covers specified municipal units within the Municipalities of Kastoria, Orestida and Nestorio, as constituted under Greek Law No 3852/2010. Cultivation takes place at altitudes of 630 to 900 metres in alluvial, free-draining soils along the river Aliakmonas and its tributaries and around Lake Orestiada. All stages of cultivation and processing — cleaning, drying, sorting and disinfestation — must be carried out within this area. Packaging, using food-grade materials in accordance with applicable legislation, may take place inside or outside the defined geographical area, in packages of any weight up to 30 kg.

Source: The register document this entry was written from · retrieved August 26, 2026

Distinctive facts

• Registered as a PGI on 23 May 2002; eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013574, file number EL-PGI-0105-1001-01.06.2012.
• The specification states these are the only dried beans in Greece with a 1 000-bean weight of more than 1 200 grams.
• All cultivation and processing — cleaning, drying, sorting and disinfestation — must take place within the defined geographical area of the Prefecture of Kastoria.
• Moisture content may not exceed 14 %; tolerance for foreign matter is set at a maximum of 0.05 %, including a maximum of 0.02 % earth.

Tasting notes

Macedonian Kastoria giant white bean POP, distinctive very large white kidney shape ("elefantes" = elephant-sized). Creamy buttery texture, mild flavor.

HoReCa use

**Gigantes plaki** (the iconic Greek baked bean dish in tomato sauce); on mezze.

Packaging

• vacuum-pack-500g
• vacuum-pack-1kg
• jar-cooked-500g