Fava bean
Fava beans, called broad beans in the UK, are big, sweet green beans in thick pods. Here is how to pod, blanch and peel them, and their other names.
Also called Broad bean, Faba bean, Bondböna, Fève, Ful.
A fava bean (broad bean in the UK) is a large, flat bean that grows in a thick, fuzzy pod. Fresh young beans are bright green, sweet and a little grassy. Older and dried beans are starchy and earthy. They are eaten fresh in spring in salads, pastas and risotto, and dried in stews, purées and fritters across the Mediterranean and Middle East.
How to do it
Fresh beans are usually "double podded":
- Split the pods along the seam and push the beans out with your thumb.
- Blanch the beans in boiling salted water for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Drain and shock them in ice water to stop the cooking.
- Pinch a small tear in each pale skin and squeeze. The bright green bean pops out.
Very small, young beans can skip the peeling. For dried beans, soak skinless split ones for 8 to 12 hours, then simmer until soft, or grind them raw for falafel as in Egypt.
How to use it
The bean has several names:
- Fava bean in the US. Faba bean is a farming and food-industry name.
- Broad bean in the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.
- Bondböna in Sweden.
- Fève in France and fava in Italy.
- Ful in Arabic, as in the Egyptian breakfast of slow-cooked beans, ful medames.
About 1 kg (2.2 lb) of fresh pods gives roughly 250 to 300 g of beans, and less after peeling. Frozen broad beans are sold already podded and are a good, easy option.
How to store it
Keep fresh pods in the fridge and use them within 2 to 3 days. Blanched, peeled beans keep 2 days, or freeze them flat on a tray, then bag them.
Common mistakes
- Skipping the second peel on large beans. The skins are tough and a bit bitter.
- Overcooking. Fresh beans turn gray and mealy after more than a few minutes.
- Serving them to someone with G6PD deficiency. In people with this inherited condition, fava beans can cause a serious reaction called favism. If you are cooking for others, ask.
In recipes
You will see "200 g podded broad beans", "1 cup fava beans, blanched and peeled" and "dried split fava beans". They are often served with mint, lemon, pecorino or ricotta, and in mezze as a purée. In the US, "lima bean" is a different bean, though the two are sometimes confused.
Related terms
- BlanchBlanching is cooking food for a short time in boiling water, then stopping the cooking in ice water. It sets color and loosens skins.
- ShockTo shock is to plunge just-cooked food into ice water so it stops cooking at once. It keeps vegetables bright and crisp and makes eggs easier to peel.
- SkinTo skin is to remove the skin from fish, poultry, nuts or peppers, by cutting, pulling, rubbing or charring, depending on what the food is and the dish.
- ChickpeaChickpeas are round, nutty legumes used in hummus, curries and salads. In the US they are also garbanzo beans, in India chana, in Italy ceci.
- MezzeMezze is a spread of small dishes from the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East, such as hummus, salads and dips, shared at the table. See what to serve.
- RisottoRisotto is Italian rice cooked by adding hot stock a little at a time while stirring, until creamy but with a bite. See the ratio and the finishing step.