Portions: 6 servings Calories: 480kcal |
This is one of my favorite fava beans recipes, a favas and bacon salad that can be also served as a side dish, or a simple meal in itself. It's also perfect for potlucks, as it can be served at room temperature and keeps very well.
Why I ā¤ļø it ⢠Recipe ⢠Ingredients ⢠Preparation
Bacon, veggies, and fava beans recipe.
Why I ā¤ļø it
Every time I find some fresh fava beans at the grocery store I take some to make this dish, but I recently discovered that dried fava beans or canned fava beans are nearly equally as good, and they're much less work.
We grew fava beans in our backyard when I was a kid, and made it into a rice and beans dish, but there's so much more than can be made with it. This recipe includes so many flavors that rather than compete, complement each other.
Bacon and fava beans recipe
This free recipe contains Amazon affiliate links, and I receive a small commission when you purchase, at no cost to you. Thank you!
Utensils and tools
Ingredients
- 2 cups of dry fava beans or broad beans (see recipe for how to boil them), or 4 cups of boiled or canned fava beans
- Ice water to cool the beans
- 8 ounces of bacon, [227 g]
- 1 large white onion, sliced thinly
- 2 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
- ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar or 3 tablespoons of lemon juice
- 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 1½ teaspoon of salt, (or more, to taste)
- ½ teaspoon of black pepper (freshly-cracked, or ground), (or more, to taste)
- A handful of parsley or green onions minced
Preparation
Before starting, please make sure you have all the ingredients and utensils ready.
Step 1: How to cook dried fava beans
Note: jump to step 2 if you use canned beans.
Soaking fava beans
In a large bowl, soak the fava beans for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Rinse and discard the water.
Boiling fava beans
Place the beans in a large pot and add enough tap water to cover it plus 3 cups. Boil the favas until the beans are tender (test by pinching one), and the skin starts to become loose (this will depend on the freshness and quality of the beans and may take up to 40 minutes).
Peeling fava beans
Remove the beans from the heat and drain the boiling water. Pour the beans into a bowl of ice water. Let the beans cool to room temperature. Once cooled, discard the cold water.
Press each bean between your thumb and finger to break out of the hard skin as it opens in the seam. Discard the skins.
Step 2: Browning the bacon
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and once heated add the bacon to it.
Cook stirring until the edges are browned (3-5 minutes). Discard the bacon fat.
Step 3: Cooking the onion
Lower temperature to medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic and cook stirring until the onion turns translucent (about 2 minutes).
Step 4: Cooking the beans
Stir in the fava beans, bell pepper, and tomatoes and cook stirring until it is just heated through (about 1 minute).
Pour in the vinegar, olive oil and cook stirring for another minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the parsley.
Step 5: Serving
Serve at room temperature. Put extra vinegar or lemon juice on the table for those who prefer it more sour.
Top tips
To make the preparation time much faster, use canned or jarred fava beans and skip to step 2.
Variations
You can add extra ingredients like sweet corn, shaved parmesan cheese, and even leftover rice if you prefer.
Other choices for this dish and to make it faster, is to use canned edamame, lima beans or butter beans.
Make a fava bean salad with potatoes by boiling a large potato or two small potatoes and cutting them into cubes, add to the preparation along with the beans in step 4.
Serving suggestions
Serve as a side dish, as a summer-friendly dinner or a mid-afternoon snack.
Nutritional information
Calories: 480kcal - Carbohydrates: 25g - Protein: 9gFat: 38g - Saturated Fat: 15g - Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g - Monounsaturated Fat: 17g - Cholesterol: 36mg - Sodium: 646mg - Potassium: 382mg - Fiber: 7g - Sugar: 4g - Vitamin A: 639IU - Vitamin C: 27mg - Calcium: 48mg - Iron: 2mg
FAQs
What do fava beans taste like?
It is one of the mildest-tasting beans; it has a harder skin, but a creamy inside.
Do you need to soak fava beans before cooking?
If you are cooking dry fava beans it is best to soak them before cooking to loosen the skin. Fava has a tough skin, unlike most legumes, so it's best to remove them.
How long do I need to soak fava beans?
Soak the beans for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
What's fava beans in Spanish?
Fava beans are called habas in Spanish.
What's habas beans in English?
Habas are fava beans in English
Print card
This is just a printer-friendly summary, some useful details are found in the recipe above.
Fava Beans and Bacon Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups of dry fava beans or broad beans. See recipe for how to boil them, or 4 cups of boiled or canned fava beans
- Ice water to cool the beans
- 8 ounces of bacon [227 g]
- 1 large white onion sliced thinly
- 2 garlic cloves sliced thinly
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 2 tomatoes seeded and diced
- ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar or 3 tablespoons of lemon juice
- 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 1½ teaspoon of salt (or more, to taste)
- ½ teaspoon of black pepper freshly-cracked, or ground, (or more, to taste)
- A handful of minced parsley or green onions to garnish
Instructions
Step 1: How to boil dry fava beans
- Note: jump to step 2 if you use canned beansBoiling fava beans: Place the beans in a large pot and add enough tap water to cover it plus 3 cups. Boil the favas until the beans are tender (test by pinching one), and the skin starts to become loose (this will depend on the freshness and quality of the beans and may take up to 40 minutes). Peeling fava beans: Remove the beans from the heat and drain the boiling water. Pour the beans into a bowl ofĀ ice water. Let the beans cool to room temperature. Once cooled, discard the cold water.Press each bean between your thumb and finger to break out of the hard skin as it opens in the seam. Discard the skins.
Step 2: Browning the bacon
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and once heated add theĀ baconĀ to it.Cook stirring until the edges are browned (3-5 minutes). Discard the bacon fat.
Step 3: Cooking the onion
- Lower temperature to medium heat. Stir in theĀ onionĀ andĀ garlicĀ and cook stirring until the onion turns translucent (about 2 minutes).
Step 4: Cooking beans
- Stir in the fava beans, bell pepper, and tomatoes and cook stirring until it is just heated through (about 1 minute).Pour in the vinegar, olive oil and cook stirring for another minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the parsley.
Step 5: Serving
- Serve at room temperature. Put extra vinegar or lemon juice on the table for those who prefer it more sour.
Nutrition
By Tia Clara
, published Aug 13, 2013 on
Yasmin
What a great idea!
Olga
Me gustan las habas, la voy a probar.