Fava Recipe

Soak the beans

Rinse 2 cups dried fava beans under cold water and remove any debris. Place beans in a large bowl and cover with 4–6 cups cool water. Soak for 8–12 hours or overnight until rehydrated and slightly swollen. If using pre-split or younger dried favas, a 4-hour soak may be sufficient.

Peel skins (optional but recommended for very large beans)

If your fava beans have thick outer skins, drain the soaked beans and blanch them in boiling water for 1–2 minutes, then plunge into an ice bath. The skins should slip off easily—pinch each bean to remove the papery shell. This creates a smoother purée. This step can be skipped for smaller, thinner-skinned beans.

Cook the beans

Place soaked and drained (and peeled if you peeled) fava beans in a medium-large saucepan. Add enough fresh water to cover by about 1–2 inches (approximately 4–6 cups; use the remaining water as needed). Add 1 tsp kosher salt. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook, partially covered, until beans are very tender and mash easily between two fingers, 45–75 minutes depending on age and size. Skim any foam that rises. Add additional water during cooking if needed to keep beans covered.

Blend to purée

When beans are very tender, drain them but reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Transfer beans to a food processor or blender while still warm. Add 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1 peeled garlic clove (if using), 0.5 tsp ground black pepper and 0.5 tsp additional kosher salt (adjust later). Process until smooth, adding reserved cooking liquid a few tablespoons at a time until you reach a silky, spreadable consistency. Taste and adjust salt, lemon, and pepper. The purée should be thick but spreadable—add up to 1/2 cup reserved liquid if needed.

Adjust texture

If you prefer a chunkier texture, pulse the purée to leave small bean pieces. For an ultra-smooth result, pass the blended purée through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing with a spatula.

Spoon the warm fava purée into a shallow serving bowl and use the back of a spoon to create a shallow well in the center.

Drizzle 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil over the top, then scatter 2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs (dill, parsley, or mint) and 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts or crushed pistachios across the surface.

Sprinkle 0.5 tsp crushed Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes if using, and finish with sea salt flakes to taste (approximately 0.25 tsp).

Serve the fava immediately with warm pita, grilled bread or fresh vegetables. Leftover fava will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; rewarm gently or serve chilled drizzled with more olive oil.