Fava bean hummus

Whether enjoyed as a dip, a spread or a sandwich filling this is a delicious and easy hummus recipe made using dried fava beans.

It's lighter in colour than chickpea hummus and has a lovely subtle flavour.

Serve with crackers and crudités for a healthy snack or turn it into a more substantial meal with a selection of mezze dishes.

What are fava beans?

Fava bean is another name for the broad bean. Fava beans, or broad beans, originate from ancient Persia. They’ve been found in prehistoric sites as far afield as Switzerland and Egypt - in the tombs of the pharaohs no less.

The broad bean is also used in Chinese cooking and it's thought that it travelled there from the middle east in prehistoric times too.

Dried fava beans - or broad beans - are a light yellow in colour, rather than the bright green of fresh broad beans.

The dried fava beans I used were produced by Hodmedod’s and grown in the UK.

Read more about how to prepare and cook fresh broad beans.

Do you need to soak dried fava beans before cooking?

It depends on what type of fava beans you have. Dried fava beans either come whole or split.

If you have split fava beans then you don’t need to pre-soak them. However, if you do pre-soak them they cook quicker - so you can soak them if you wish.

Whole fava beans should be soaked overnight in cold water before cooking.

How to cook fava beans

Split fava beans

• Cover with water and bring to the boil.
• Simmer for 20-50 minutes until soft.
• Top up with water as needed during cooking.
• When soft, drain and allow to cool before proceeding with the fava bean hummus recipe below.

Whole fava beans

• Soak overnight in cold water (see above). Place them in a large saucepan and cover with water - they'll soak up the water so add plenty.
• When ready to cook, drain the fava beans and cover with fresh water - around one part beans to four parts water.
• Bring to the boil then simmer for 30-45 minutes or until tender.
• Drain.
• You may need to peel the skins off if you have whole fava beans.

What ingredients do you need to make fava bean hummus?

• 250g dried split fava beans
• One lemon
• 2 tbsp tahini
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Pinch sea salt, to taste
• Water

Do you need any special equipment to make dried broad bean hummus?

Yes, you will need a food processor* to make this recipe.

What should you serve with fava bean dip?

Other recipes that go really well with this dip include:

• baba ganoush
• harissa hummus
• baked Greek beans
• quinoa tabbouleh
• flatbreads
• cauliflower hummus
• Israeli salad
• vegan spanakopita
• baked cauliflower falafel
• roast beetroot dip
• garlic tahini sauce
• cauliflower bulgur pilaf
• summer couscous salad with broad beans and asparagus

If you like this you might like my oil free hummus recipe or this black bean dip