This smooth fava bean dip is an Egyptian dip made with dried fava beans, cumin, and garlic. It's perfect for dipping or stuffing flatbreads.
An incredibly delicious Egyptian dip: fava bean dip with cumin, lemon juice, and lots of spices. And if you are into bean dips just as much as I am, you could also try this Low-Calorie Hummus, the Roasted Red Pepper Dip, the Easy Hoummus, or the Romanian White Bean Dip; they are all a delight.
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Recipe ingredients
Fava beans: Also known as faba beans or broad beans. Unlike other beans, you will have to remove their exterior before being able to eat them. I think this is why they are not as popular as other beans, as peeling them is time-consuming.
- I made this Egyptian dip with dried fava beans, which were still in their skin. You can use dried and split beans or canned ones for a speedier version.
Baking soda for cooking the beans, the soda will help them soften.
Other ingredients: Onion, garlic, cumin seeds, and fresh lemon juice.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to cook dried fava beans
There are two types of dried fava beans: large and small. Below are the instructions for cooking large ones.
- Step #1: Cover the fava beans with water, add baking soda, and soak them overnight. Make sure there is enough water in the bowl; they will swell a lot.
- Step #2: Drain and peel. Peeling 2 lbs/ 1 kg took me about one and a half hours, so ensure you have that time. You will not need so much to make the dip, so I chose to cook the whole bag to save time and energy. I froze the rest and used them to make the dip again.
- Step #3: Cook the fava beans in plenty of water. Cover them with water, bring to a boil, and simmer for up to 40-45 minutes. Check after 25-30 minutes; you want them to be tender and properly cooked, but they should not get mushy. Keep checking every 5 minutes or so.
- Step #4: Drain well, let cool a little, and proceed with the recipe.
Good to know!
Peeling the beans is time-consuming, but it's easy; you will have no difficulties removing the skin.
When peeling the beans, I discovered that a few had little holes inside and things in the holes that looked like dried and rehydrated tiny worms. ๐ I discarded those beans.
How to store?
Freezing: If you cook a whole bag of beans, you can freeze them and use them in another recipe or make this fava bean again.
Refrigerate the fava bean dip in an airtight container for about 4-5 days.
How to serve fava bean dip?
Serve as a dip for vegetables, as a spread on bread or crispbread, as a filling for pita bread or flatbread with other toppings like waxy cooked eggs, feta cheese, and red onions, cooked chicken Shawarma style, baked vegetables, falafel or other chickpea meatballs or broccoli and cauliflower balls. Add some Mediterranean Parsley Tabbouleh, and make a Persian eggplant dip, too.
Fava Bean Dip
Ingredients
- 7 oz dried fava beans 200 g, Note
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- 1 medium onion
- 4 garlic cloves
- ยฝ teaspoon whole cumin seeds
- ยฝ cup water or cooking water from the beans 125 ml
- 5 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice about 1 large lemon, more to taste
- 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
- fine sea salt and pepper
Instructions
- Soak beans: Place the washed beans into a large bowl. Cover them with plenty of water; they will swell a lot. Add the baking powder, stir, and soak overnight.7 oz dried fava beans/ 200 g + 1 tablespoon baking soda
- Peel fava beans: Drain and peel the beans, discard the peel and any beans that have wormholes in them.
- Cook beans: Place the peeled beans into a large pot and cover them with plenty of water. Bring to a boil, turn the heat down, and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes. Start checking after 30 minutes already; the fava beans should be tender but not mushy. If they are not done yet, keep checking every 5 minutes.
- Reserve some cooking water: Drain the beans and reserve some cooking water. If you use already cooked beans, you can use plain water for the dip.
- Saute: Chop the onion very finely. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and cook the onion for about 3-5 minutes until soft. Stir often. Add the grated garlic cloves and the cumin seeds and cook, stirring constantly, for another minute.1 medium onion + 1 tablespoon olive oil + 4 garlic cloves + ยฝ teaspoon whole cumin seeds
- Combine: Place the cooked fava beans into a food processor. Add the onion mixture, about ยพ of the reserved cooking water, lemon juice, olive oil, and some salt and pepper.ยพ from ยฝ cup water or cooking water from the beans 5 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice + 4 tablespoon olive oil + fine sea salt and pepper
- Process until very smooth, stopping the food processor a few times in between and scraping its walls properly. Adjust the consistency with some of the remaining water, if necessary. Add more salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste.
Catherine says
Any tips on how you might adapt this with fresh beans?
Adina says
Sorry, Catherine, I've never used them. I think this recipe is supposed to be made with dried beans, they have a different consistency than fresh ones when cooked.
Martin Reynolds says
I had this in Italy and to remove the skin of the beads they had a gadget that grinds the beans, like a circular cheese grater that leaves the skin above the grater and the ground up beans below. It called a passaverdura IPAC. IPAC is the make I think
Adina says
Sounds good, removing those skin is the only thing keeping me from making this dip more often.
Liz says
Delicious.....and here in Italy I can buy the dried Fava beans already peeled.
Adina says
Oh, you are lucky, it takes ages to do it.
Sissi says
It's a fantastic change from the chickpea hummous! (By the way, I've just made some hummous today.....funny coincidence).
angiesrecipes says
You will have to take that away from me, or I would finish the whole bowl at one go!