Fava Beans Recipe (Italian Style)
This fava beans recipe made in an Italian, cucina povera style is such a simple dish and so very easy to make, I bet it will become your favorite “go-to” fava recipe!
If you are not familiar with fava beans (or broad beans in the UK), let me introduce you to a simple fava beans recipe.
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I think the book and movie, Silence of the Lambs, probably did more for the popularity of fava beans than anything else in the last century!
(As an aside, Sir Anthony Hopkins is one of my favorite actors, and I have a note that he wrote to me and signed when my husband worked with him the first time! Eeeek!)
Back to fava beans (without liver and Chianti.) They were one of the staple foods of the Romans, so they have been around for a very long time, but you could probably never imagine just how long! (See below.)
What are Fava Beans (Broad Beans)?
Fava beans are legumes and are rather large when fully grown. The pods are much thicker than pea pods and the beans themselves have a thick coating which should be removed if they are really mature (because they can be tough). You can read more about the super interesting history of fava beans, including the fact that they’ve been cultivated since 6000 BC!
What’s an Easy Recipe for Fava Beans?
Do you remember me writing about cucina povera recipes? Or more recently, Stanley Tucci discussed cucina povera on his Searching for Italy Series on CNN. Well, this fava recipe would fall into the category of “poor cooking” or peasant food.
Only a handful of really fresh, good quality ingredients are needed, and become a delicious dish. If you’re using dried fava beans, you’ll need to precook them before using them in this dish.
You may also enjoy this Italian green bean recipe.
This fresh fava bean recipe can be made to serve as a side dish, but you can also have a larger serving with some crusty bread as a light vegan lunch. Other fava bean recipes include way too many ingredients or are too complicated for my taste.
This recipe includes onion instead of garlic, and is best served with some fresh, crusty bread! It will serve four as a side dish, but you can divide it in two for a vegan lunch.
Fava Beans Recipe (Italian Style)
Family recipe from Nonna Chiarina serves 4 as a side
FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW
Ingredients
- extra virgin olive oil
- onion
- fresh fava beans or frozen fava beans
- tomatoes, fresh or canned
- sea salt
- black pepper
- (optional: hot chili flakes)
Sauté the onion in the olive oil over medium high heat, adding a pinch of salt.
Once the onions are translucent and starting to brown a little, add the shelled (and peeled, if they are older) fava/broad beans.
Lower the heat to medium, stir, and partially cover the beans and onions for about 3 to 4 minutes.
Put the heat back to medium high and add the tomatoes, with more salt, and pepper (and chili flakes) if desired.
Note: using good quality tomatoes will make this dish.
Stir and cook for another 4 or 5 minutes, uncovered, or until the fava beans are ready. Taste for seasoning and add as needed.
Remove from heat and serve hot, preferably with some fresh, crusty bread. You’ll love the flavors of this dish and it’s perfect as a vegan main dish or as a side, too.
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Remember, don’t be tempted to use this as a side dish for pasta. You can use fava beans in the pasta dish, though, in fact you can toss this with freshly cooked pasta for a delicious dinner idea.
Another easy legume recipe: black eyed peas!
Fava Beans Recipe (Italian Style)
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 cups shelled fava beans fresh or frozen
- 8 oz cherry tomatoes or chopped tomatoes, canned or fresh
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp black pepper freshly ground
- pinch hot chili flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Sauté the onion in the olive oil over medium high heat, adding a pinch of salt.
- Once the onions are translucent and starting to brown a little, add the shelled (and peeled, if they are older) fava/broad beans.
- Lower the heat to medium, stir, and partially cover for about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Put the heat back to medium high and add the tomatoes, with more salt, and pepper if desired.
- Stir and cook for another 4 or 5 minutes, uncovered, or until the fava beans are ready. Taste for seasoning and add as needed.
- Remove from heat and serve hot, preferably with some fresh, crusty bread. Perfect as a vegan main dish or as a side, too.
Notes
- Be sure to use good quality tomatoes for this dish.
- There is no garlic in this recipe, but you can easily add some before adding the fava beans.
- Toss with freshly cooked pasta for a more filling dish.
- If your fava beans are larger, more mature and touch, peel the outer coating on the bean. Otherwise, cook as they are, after shelling.
Nutrition
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Love all your recipes and really enjoy your post . look forward to it every week . Have tried nearly all of them !
These look spectacular. My girlfriend just grew favas for me so I could make a specific recipe, which I did. but they’re going to keep growing and I’m excited to use more! Kind of a pain to process, but they’re worth it.
Pick them young and use them whole (just shell them)!
I’ve had Romano beans with tomatoes (which I love) but never fava beans. This looks amazing!
Yes, my favorite way to have any green beans, but especially Romano!
delish to make every one should do it
Agreed, Mayra!