Turkish Fava, Broad Beans Taken to Next Level!
Fava is a shared dish, popular throughout the Mediterranean cuisines, especially in Turkiye, Greece and Italy. It has many varieties and versions in Turkey and today's recipe is from Istanbul. It's one of the best mezzes for raki and sea food tables and is an heritage from the Greek population in Istanbul.
Old Istanbul Greeks used to call all pastes made from dry legumes as fava, but in today's Turkiye, fava refers to a mezze dish made from dried broad beans. Usually flavored or garnished with fresh dill, onions and lemon juice, it's one of my favorite mezze dishes.
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☕ Glass Measuring Jug 1 litre:
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Ingredients:
• 300 g dried split broad (fava) beans
• 1 onion
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, 100 ml
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 – 1.5 liter water (room temp)
• 1 bunch of dill (finely chopped, 1 cup)
• Dill and lemon to garnish
• Red onion for optional garnish
Instructions:
1. Soak the fava beans in water overnight or at least for 5 – 6 hours
2. Drain and transfer the fava beans in a pot, add 1 liter water, 2 - 3 cm above the beans
3. Squeeze a lemon and add 1 tbsp lemon juice and bring to a boil
4. Let it simmer for 30 minutes on low heat and let it form a foam on the surface
5. Stir and let the foam accumalate on the surface and skim the foam with a spoon to discard it
6. Roughly cut the onion into small pieces and add into the pot
7. Add 1 tsp salt and 1 tbsp sugar and let it simmer for another 1 hour
8. Add additional water if the water falls below the level of the ingredients
9. Add 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, stir and let it simmer for another 30 mins / 1 hour
10. Blend the mixture with an immersion blender until it’s a very smooth puree and has a thick consistency
11. Test the consistency, it should be thick but still pourable.
12. Turn off the heat and let it cool down for 5 mins.
13. Optionally finely chop a bunch of dill and stir to combine with the fava
14. Lightly grease a baking tray or a mold with extra virgin olive oil and pour the mixture into the mold
15. Let it cool down to room temperature with no lid or cover
16. Put it in the fridge and let it rest and solidify for at least 2 – 3 hours or preferably overnight
17. Remove the fava from the mold, garnish with dill, extra virgin olive oil and few drops of lemon juice
18. Optionally garnish or serve with chopped red onions
*Disclosure: Some of the links above are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.
Fresh and Simple Buttery Fava Beans (Broad Beans) Recipe - Eat Simple Food
Recipe:
This fresh buttery fava bean recipe / broad bean recipe is vibrant and healthy. This recipe shows how to to shell broad beans from the pod, take off the primary shell sheath on each individual bean, and easily cook the fava beans with olive oil and / or butter.
Fava Beans, Liver, and a nice Chianti - Hannibal Lecter's off his meds and eating what he wants. ????
Vegans can switch from butter to olive oil or a non-dairy alternative for cooking / preparing this broad bean recipe.
What are Fava Beans?
Fava beans are beans. They are also known as broad beans, faba beans, field beans, or horse beans.
Broad beans come in a large long leathery inedible pod (see picture above or watch the video). The inside of the leathery pod is soft and furry.
There is an additional sheath around each individual bean that generally needs to be gently peeled off after cooking and before eating. The edible bean is shown when the sheath is removed.
In some sense, fava or broad beans have a double pod that needs to be removed before eating them.
Having said that, the very small broad beans are so tender that they can be eaten with the sheath on after boiling. However, the larger fava beans have a fibrous tough outer sheath that needs to be peeled before eating.
How To Cook Broad Beans / Fava Beans
Follow the pictures and instructions or watch the instructional video for how to get broad beans / fava beans out of the initial leathery pod, cook them, and peel them from the second shell or sheath.
Fava beans can be eaten after being boiled or cooked again with a little butter or olive oil, salt, and pepper. They also make a great addition to any soup or salad.
• Bring a pot of water to a boil and add salt.
• Shell the leathery fava bean pods to reveal the individual beans.
• Place individual fava beans in boiling water for ~ 3 minutes. Strain and rinse with cold water or shock in an ice bath to stop the cooking process and cool beans down to be able to work with them.
• Peel the broad beans outer skin sheath by gently tearing into the outer layer and squeezing the bean through the protective coating.
• Bring a pan to medium high heat and add butter and olive oil. When butter is melted, add the fava beans and cook ~ 4 minutes or until tender.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Substitutions for Fava Beans
Can't find fava beans / broad beans for this recipe? Use lima beans (also known as butter beans) instead. Both are creamy large beans. Shelled edamame is also a great substitute for broad beans.
Fava beans hold a special place in my heart because you have to put in the work to get the buttery taste and see that beautiful color. The pod is furry inside and soft to the touch, making shelling broad beans a sensory experience.
The reason fava bean recipes aren't on restaurant menus is because they are labor intensive. NOW - don't be scared of putting in the work! Give it a go and eat fava beans slowly to really appreciate and contemplate mother natures work.
Fava Bean / Broad Bean Recipe FAQS
Can you eat the skin of fava beans?
You can not eat the leathery pod shell of the beans. You can eat the shell sheath that covers the actual bean IF the fava bean is young and tender. Otherwise, take off the shell sheath and cook for a couple minutes or until soft.
Are broad beans and fava beans the same thing?
Yup! Different words for the same thing.
What do fava beans taste like?
Fava beans / broad beans are mild, creamy, earthy, nutty, and slightly sweet.
What can I substitute for broad beans or fava beans in recipes?
Substitute lima beans or shelled edamame for fava beans.
Can I make this fava bean recipe without butter.
Yes! This fava bean recipe can be made vegan by using your favorite non-dairy substitute.
Serves 4
Ingredients
• 1 ½ lbs fava beans in pod, (~ 2 cups shelled)
• 1 ½ Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 ½ Tbsp olive oil
• salt
• pepper
Instructions
• Bring a pot of water to a boil and add a generous (2 tsp) amount of salt.
• Shell the furry fava bean pods to reveal the bean.
• Place individual beans in boiling water for ~ 3 minutes. Strain and rinse with cold water or shock in an ice bath to stop the cooking process.
• Peel the fava beans outer skin sheath by gently tearing into the outer layer and squeezing the bean through the protective coating. This will reveal the beautiful bright green bean.
• You can eat this as is now in salads or soups but for this recipe we're going to cook them a little more.
•Bring a pan to medium high heat and add the butter and olive oil.
When butter is melted, add the fava beans and cook ~ 4 minutes or until desired tenderness.
•Add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy! Beckie
Cooking Perfect Scallops with Fava Bean Puree
Jet Tila shows us how to make a Fava Bean Puree using Melissa’s Shelled, Steamed & Ready-to-Eat Fava Beans. Scallops are so delicious they don't need much to make them great, and the same is true of Fava Beans. Also known as broad beans and velvet beans, Fava Beans are super high in protein and fiber, yet low in carbs and fat. They are legendary around the world for their delicious flavor, and also for being a lot of work! Melissa’s does the work for you by shelling and steaming the beans, so that you can get to the fun part: cooking the favas!
Learn more at
Fava Bean Puree | The Foodie Chef | Personal Chef Houston
Find the recipe on my blog, thefoodiechef.com
The Foodie Chef, Morgan Novy, is a personal chef in Houston, TX.
How it works:
In our first meeting we will discuss your dinnertime favorites, any possible allergies and dislikes, and then customize your meals. I will then shop for the freshest ingredients. After shopping, I will cook delicious meals in your home complete with serving directions.
A flat rate fee, in addition to grocery expenses, is charged for The Foodie Chef’s Service. Please email or call to inquire about the current seasonal menu and to set up an appointment.
The Mission:
I am here to transform your eating experience. I will provide you and your family with a personal chef service focused on presenting you with organic, well-balanced, healthy meals.
We only have this one body so we might as well take care of it. As a favorite culinary professor of mine once said “Either you pay now, or you pay later.” By choosing to eat thoughtfully now, there inevitably will be less need to rely on doctors and pills to remedy your health problems. The choice is yours.
My goal is to serve you with the best-tasting fresh and healthy foods. Eating naturally and organically epitomizes my approach to cooking. This means using lots of delicious and wholesome fruits, vegetables, grains, meat, and seafood.
Fava Bean Ragout Recipe
Fava bean ragout recipe courtesy of Chef/Co-owner Gayle Pirie of Foreign Cinema in San Francisco is available at
The recipe for fava bean puree is available at
The Fava - Fava Bean Purée Tea Sandwiches
It's the 2021 Red Carpet Menu for Oscar®!
This year's theme is Spring Garden Party and, for The Father, it's The Fava! How could I not honor Sir Anthony Hopkins with this delightful dish. Clearly I’m going to need to serve it with a nice Chianti! Read all about it and get the full recipe at
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