Slow Cooker Greek Baker’s Pot is a really simple and totally delicious vegetarian recipe. It’s an ideal recipe for an everyday easy dinner and it is perfect for all the family.
What is Greek Baker’s Pot?
The recipe is based on an old Greek country dish eaten during Lent when meat was not permitted. Many families didn’t have an oven so they sent their casserole to the local baker to be cooked overnight in the heat remaining in the baker’s oven.
What ingredients are in the Greek Baker’s Pot?
- Use dried chickpeas (garbanzos) soaked overnight or for a faster Greek Baker’s Pot use canned chickpeas
- Red or yellow onions and garlic add a savoury flavour
- Potatoes absorb all the delicious flavours of the sauce
- Sweet red pepper or bell pepper
- Celery (optional)
- Fresh or canned tomatoes
- Greek Feta Cheese – a brined curd cheese made from sheep’s milk
- Mixed fresh herbs e.g. oregano, thyme and basil
- Black Olives or a mixture of black & green olives.
How to make Slow Cooker Greek Baker’s Pot
A traditional Greek Baker’s Pot has slices of potato baked as a ‘lid’ on top of the chickpeas and vegetables.
To make the recipe in the slow cooker I chop the potatoes into chunks and cook them along with the other vegetables. They soak up all the lovely tomato juices and taste so good.
Soak the chickpeas
If you are using dried chickpeas cover them with water the night before you want to make the Greek Baker’s Pot. In the morning drain the water away.
If you are using canned chickpeas then simply drain the water from the can and add at the appropriate point in the recipe.
Saute the onions
Slice and gently saute the onions in olive oil. I always saute onions before cooking in a recipe in my slow cooker because it takes away the sharp and bitter taste of raw onion.
Add the potatoes, garlic, celery and peppers
- Deseed and chop the sweet red pepper and cut the potatoes into large chunks.
- Slice the celery (if using) and crush the garlic.
- Add these to the pan and saute with the onions for about 3-4 minutes.
Can I peel the potatoes?
I don’t peel the potatoes because it helps them to hold together better in the slow cooker . I also like the taste of potato skin and most of the nutrients in potatoes are just under the skin.
You can peel the potatoes if you want to but leave them in larger pieces or they will disintegrate.
Add tomatoes and chickpeas
- Add the canned or fresh tomatoes, chickpeas, stock and herbs to the vegetables.
- Season with salt and pepper
Cook in the Slow Cooker
Stir the ingredients together gently. Put on the lid and cook as follows:
For dried chickpeas (soaked overnight)
Cook for 8 hours on low or 6 hours on High
For canned chickpeas
Cook for 6 hours on low or 4 hours on High
Add Feta and Olives before serving
Cut the Greek Feta cheese into small cubes and add these and the black olives to the dish just before serving.
Garnish with some fresh parsley.
What else can I add to the Slow Cooker Greek Baker’s Pot?
There are lots of different vegetables you can add to this recipe, here are a few suggestions:
- Sundried tomatoes
- Courgettes (Zucchini)
- Aubergines (Eggplant)
- Broad Beans (Fava Beans)
- Spinach leaves (add at the end of cooking)
Can I freeze Greek Baker’s Pot?
Yes you can freeze the cooked dish before adding the olives, feta and parsley. Defrost in a covered container in the fridge for best results.
Serving suggestion
Serve the Greek Baker’s Pot in bowls with salad and some crusty bread. It’s the perfect comfort food hug!
More Slow Cooker One-Pot Recipes
More chickpea casserole recipes
- Harissa Lamb Stew with chickpeas and kale from Gingey Bites
- Moroccan Chickpea and Aubergine Casserole from Planet Veggie
- Spicy Lemon Chickpea Casserole from Fuss Free Flavours
Slow Cooker Vegetarian Greek Baker’s Pot
Ingredients
- 350 grams (2 cups) dried chickpeas or 400 g (14 oz) can of chickpeas
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 onions peeled and sliced
- 2 garlic cloves peeled and crushed
- 4 celery sticks sliced (optional)
- 1 red pepper cored, seeded and chopped
- 1 teaspoon mixed herbs oregano, thyme, basil
- 400 grams (14 oz) can of tomatoes
- 225 grams (1 cups) potatoes chopped into 2 cm (½in) chunks
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 70 millilitres (⅓ cups) vegetable stock
- salt & pepper
- 100 grams (½ cups) mixed olives and Greek feta
Instructions
- If using dried chickpeas, then soak the chickpeas in water overnight
- In the morning, heat the oil in a saute pan, large frying pan or if you have a Sear and Stew Slow Cooker with a metal bowl, you can use it direct on the heat.
- Fry the onions over a medium heat for a few minutes, add the garlic, celery and red pepper and potoatoes and cook for a few minutes more.
- Put the vegetables into the slow cooker and add the chickpeas, tomatoes, stock, and herbs.
- Season with salt & pepper
If using dried chickpeas
- Cook on Low for 8 hours or on High for 6 hours
If using canned chickpeas
- Cook on Low for 6 hours or on High for 4 hours
- Add the olives and diced feta cheese before serving
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Cathy @ Planet Veggie says
I’d never have thought about putting feta in a casserole but I can totally see how that would work!
Janice Pattie says
Best to add it near the end of cooking, but it works really well with the chickpeas and olives.
Keep Calm and Fanny On says
Love the look of this – minus the Olives for me, for some reason they give me the heebeegeebees!
Janice Pattie says
Really? I adore olives, but then I’m not so keen on Fanny’s aspic! You can add whatever you want to this dish, or not! That’s its beauty.
Lucy @ BakingQueen74 says
What a delicious meal Janice, I think the addition of the feta, olives and sundried tomatoes makes it really special. Love the flavours in the dish and the pots baking in the bakers oven in the evening is a lovely tradition.
Janice Pattie says
Thanks Lucy, I agree!!!
Katie Bryson says
I love finding new vegetarian recipes for the slow cooker and this looks like a cracking supper idea for a cold and miserable month! I love the fact about people cooking their dinners in the baker’s oven 🙂
Janice Pattie says
Aw thanks Katie, I think I’m a peasant at heart!
Kavey says
I love all the traditions in which the community bakery also served as an oven for families nearby. This adaptation for the slow cooker looks delicious.
Janice Pattie says
Thanks Kavey, I love those things too, pity they don’t still have them!
Michelle @ Greedy Gourmet says
This is a lovely looking meat free meal. And I love the Greek foods. Looks like a very handy food for this January.
Janice Pattie says
Thanks Michelle, it’s a really easy way to fill up!
Mimi says
This looks really wonderful. But I’m not meat-driven. This is my kind of meal!
Janice Pattie says
Thanks Mimi, slow cooking brings out so much flavour.
Karen says
I am at mum’s house for January, but I will try to join in Janice! And, I LOVE the look of this meat free Kleftico too!
Janice Pattie says
Oh that would be great Karen. Only if you have time though, I’m sure there’s a lot for you and your Mum to do. xxx
Sarah James @ Tales From The Kitchen Shed says
What a delicious recipe Janice, I love the sound of the feta with the tomatoes and olives. I like to eat meat free meals a couple of times a week too so this is going on my to try list.
Janice Pattie says
Thanks Sarah, it’s what we enjoy too!
ukuze says
great recipe thanks for sharing .
Janice Pattie says
You are welcome, enjoy ?
Jan Bennett says
Oooh now this looks good! I love the addition of feta.
Janice Pattie says
Thanks. Jan. The feta was a big hit here
Cat | Curly's Cooking says
A great slow cooker meal for the summer. Delicious flavours and minimum effort which is great when it is too hot to be in the kitchen. Love the feta on top too!
Janice Pattie says
Thank you, yes the feta is so good, just finishes off the dish.
Chloe Edges says
Looks fab, I’m always looking for new things to do with chickpeas!
Janice Pattie says
I love chickpeas, they are so versatile.
Eb Gargano | Easy Peasy Foodie says
This sounds delicious! I love Greek flavours… and anything with feta is always going to get my vote 😀 Eb x
Michelle Rolfe says
I do love a simple slow cooker meal with basic store cupboard ingredients. I always have dried chickpeas as a backup and I do find a nicer texture to them. Must add this to my list and break out my slow cooker more this year. Thanks for linking up to #CookBlogShare. Michelle x
Janice Pattie says
Thank you, Michelle. It’s a perfect recipe for the summer holidays, you can go out all day and come home to dinner.