15 Fava Bean Recipes You Need to Try This Spring

It’s time to get better acquainted with favas! An ancient member of the pea family, they have a nutty taste and buttery texture all their own. They do take a bit of work -- fava beans have to be shelled, and unless they’re extremely small, the individual beans will have an outer skin that needs to be removed as well -- but they're deliciously worth it. Click through for our favorite recipes featuring favas.

Fava Bean Basics

In Season: Peak season for fava beans is late March through early May.

What to Look For: Seek out sturdy green pods with a velvety fuzz. Avoid any with slimy brown spots or overly large beans.

How to Store: Refrigerate for up to one week.

How to Prep: For most recipes, you’ll blanch and peel the beans: Remove beans from pods, and cook in a pot of salted boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain, and run under cold water. Remove the skins.

Learn the trick to peeling fava beans in our how-to video.

Roast chicken pan juices mingle with thyme, roasted garlic, and buttery favas to form a beautiful foundation for this comforting skillet dinner.

Two of spring's stars come together in this dish. This recipe makes a modest amount of favas go a long way, for maximum effect: sprinkled over blanched asparagus, topped with a lemony dressing, and finished with toasted almonds. The end result is one standout side.

This simple, velvety soup is accented with the umami tang of Parmesan cheese.

Never grilled beans before? Your guests will be delighted by this deliciously charred, shell-it-yourself appetizer.

Dijon mustard and Parmesan cheese add a bright zing to this brilliant green vegetarian ragout of asparagus, sugar snap peas, radishes, and herbs. Serve over pasta, polenta, or tortellini to make it a main dish.

A hint of spice from crushed red pepper adds a lively edge to mild, creamy fava beans in this mix.

Gussy up plain poached chicken with favas simmered in a mixture of chicken stock, cream, and sauteed leeks.

Favas add intrigue to a simple green salad made with frisee, baby spinach, carrots, goat cheese, and a white-wine vinaigrette.

The trifecta of asparagus (green and white!), artichokes, and favas is the star of this spring salad. A bright, citrusy buttermilk dressing ties the flavors together beautifully.

Turkey and pancetta meatballs add a hearty note to this pasta dish bursting with the fresh flavors of spring.