Food & Cooking Recipes 15 Fava Bean Recipes You Need to Try This Spring By Martha Stewart Editors Martha Stewart Editors Facebook Instagram Twitter Website An article attributed to "Martha Stewart Editors" indicates when several writers and editors have contributed to an article over the years. These collaborations allow us to provide you with the most accurate, up-to-date, and comprehensive information available.The Martha Stewart team aims to teach and inspire readers daily with tested-until-perfected recipes, creative DIY projects, and elevated home and entertaining ideas. They are experts in their fields who research, create, and test the best ways to help readers design the life they want. The joy is in the doing. Editorial Guidelines Published on May 1, 2013 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos 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. Click through for our favorite recipes featuring favas. 01 of 16 Fava Bean Basics 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. 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. 02 of 16 Fava Beans with Snap Peas and Mint John Kernick Celebrate spring with this twist on minted peas -- swap them out for snap peas and fava beans and keep the butter and fresh mint. View Recipe 03 of 16 Roast Chicken with Fava Beans Roast chicken pan juices mingle with thyme, roasted garlic, and buttery favas to form a beautiful foundation for this comforting skillet dinner. View Recipe 04 of 16 Asparagus and Fava Beans with Toasted Almonds Christopher Testani 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. View Recipe 05 of 16 Fava Bean Soup This simple, velvety soup is accented with the umami tang of Parmesan cheese. View Recipe 06 of 16 Grilled Fava Beans Never grilled beans before? Your guests will be delighted by this deliciously charred, shell-it-yourself appetizer. View Recipe 07 of 16 Spring Vegetable Ragout 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. View Recipe 08 of 16 Fava Bean, Mint, and Pecorino Romano Bruschetta A hint of spice from crushed red pepper adds a lively edge to mild, creamy fava beans in this mix. View Recipe 09 of 16 Fava Beans Over Chicken Gussy up plain poached chicken with favas simmered in a mixture of chicken stock, cream, and sauteed leeks. View Recipe 10 of 16 Spring Salad with Fava Beans Anna Williams Favas add intrigue to a simple green salad made with frisee, baby spinach, carrots, goat cheese, and a white-wine vinaigrette. View Recipe 11 of 16 Fava Bean and Goat Cheese Dip with Radishes Johnny Miller Fava beans and radishes, two colorful harbingers of spring, combine in this brightly flavored appetizer. View Recipe 12 of 16 Fava Bean Salad with Roasted-Garlic Vinaigrette Eugenie Verdel Fava beans unite with fresh corn kernels, cucumber, red onion, and feta in a garlicky walnut dressing for a party-worthy side dish. View Recipe 13 of 16 Ravioli Stuffed with Fava Beans, Ricotta, and Mint with Brown-Butter Sauce Gentl & Hyers Pockets of fresh pasta hold a creamy bounty of fresh ricotta, nutty fava beans, and a hint of mint. View Recipe 14 of 16 Asparagus, Artichoke, and Fava Bean Salad 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. View Recipe 15 of 16 Pasta with Mint Pesto and Fava Turkey and pancetta meatballs add a hearty note to this pasta dish bursting with the fresh flavors of spring. View Recipe 16 of 16 Fava Bean, Parmesan, and Almond Salad Maria Robledo Team earthy favas with toasted almonds, nutty Parmesan, fresh mint, and a simple lemon-and-oil dressing for a sensational crostini topping. View Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit