Lemony Fava Beans with Garlic and Cilantro is a simple and flavorful dish that uses fava (or broad) beans, garlic, cilantro leaves, and lemon. It's nutritious and super easy to make, and can be enjoyed as a complete plant-based meal, side dish, or appetizer when served with warm pita bread. It's a great addition to any meal.
What are Fava Beans?
Fava beans, also known as broad beans, are grown in thick, bumpy pods that are harvested in the spring. They're popular in the Middle East and Western Asia and are eaten during breakfast (ful mudamas), lunch (this recipe), and dinner (riz ou ful). Fresh, frozen, or dried fava beans can be found at grocery stores, or fresh ones can be found in farmers' markets.
When fresh fava beans are removed from their pods, they have a second skin that's sometimes removed by blanching and peeling. In the Arab world and the Levant, we cook fava beans with the outer skin to retain some of their texture. Green fava beans are also sometimes cooked whole with their tender pods, especially in the early season.
Ingredients
Fava beans — Fresh or frozen fava beans (or broad beans) work beautifully in this dish.
Extra virgin olive oil — Use your favorite olive oil.
Garlic — Sauté the beans with a whole head of garlic to make this dish super flavorful.
Cilantro/coriander leaves — Use a whole bunch of fresh cilantro to brighten up the dish.
Lemon — A squeeze of lemon balances the earthiness from the fava beans.
Method
This preparation is one of my favorite ways to eat fava beans, and it's super simple. If you're using fresh broad beans, remove them from their pods. Set a large pot of water over high heat and boil the beans until the skin is easily pierced with a fingernail (dip your hand in cold water before testing a bean so you don't burn your hand). The time varies based on the beans, anywhere from 1-15 minutes. Frozen beans tend to cook faster since they're already lightly blanched.
You have the option of transferring the beans with a slotted spoon to an ice bath to help retain some of their bright green color, or not.
Set a large pan over medium heat with olive oil. Add the blanched fava beans, a whole head of smashed garlic, and one teaspoon of salt. Cook and stir frequently until the flavors have melded, and the fava beans are fully tender, about 10-15 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of water on the bottom of the pan as needed to prevent sticking.
Remove from the heat, add chopped cilantro leaves and lemon juice. Adjust seasoning, allow to come to room temperature, and serve with pita bread.
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Lemony Fava Beans with Garlic and Cilantro
Ingredients
- 1 kg/2 lbs shelled fava beans, fresh or frozen (about 2.6 kg/5 lb fresh with pods)
- 1/2 c olive oil
- 1 head garlic
- 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
- 2 c chopped cilantro/coriander leaves
- 1-2 lemons
Instructions
- Boil the fava beans until the skin easily pierces with your fingernail. This will vary depending on the beans, 1-15 minutes, fresh tends to need longer. Transfer to an ice bath or a medium-sized bowl.
- In a large skillet set over medium-low heat, add olive oil, garlic, salt and fava beans. Cook, stirring frequently, until fully cooked through and flavorful, about 10-15 minutes. If at any point the garlic or fava beans are sticking to the pan, add 1/4 c of water to deglaze.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro/coriander leaves. Squeeze lemon over the top, combine, and adjust seasoning.
- Transfer to a serving platter to marinade the flavors and cool completely. You can also reserve in an airtight container and serve the next day. Take it out of the fridge 30-60 minutes ahead of time to allow to come to room temperature.
- Serve with pita bread.