FoodHow to cook perfect fava beans: A simple trick revealed

How to cook perfect fava beans: A simple trick revealed

The fava beans will retain their color and flavor. Just add one ingredient.
The fava beans will retain their color and flavor. Just add one ingredient.
Images source: © Adobe Stock | CUKMEN

1:04 PM EDT, June 7, 2024

Are you preparing to cook fava beans? When shopping, don't forget one crucial product. Add it to boiling water, and you'll understand why it's essential. The difference will be visible to the naked eye!

The fava bean season won't last forever, so its fans want to make the most of it. This tasty legume can be an exciting addition to meals and salads, and many people believe it's best-eaten solo. It doesn't matter how you consume it; you must remember an important rule about cooking fava beans. It's more than essential, as you'll understand in a moment.

Cooking fava beans: use a simple trick

First, a bit of theory. Fava beans have high protein, folic acid, potassium, and sodium content. Eating them lowers the level of bad cholesterol in the blood, prevents anemia, and supports the heart, intestines, and nervous system. They are an excellent meat substitute, and cooking them is quick and pleasant. There are only two problems, which fortunately are easy to solve.

First: the smell. While cooking fava beans, one can detect quite an unpleasant odor. To avoid this, it's worth adding some spices during cooking. Bay leaves, fresh dill, lemon juice, or reliable caraway seeds work great. And even though these ingredients will solve the odor problem, there's still another: a disagreeable change in color. Don't worry; we'll handle that too.

How to cook fava beans

When cooking fava beans, it's worth remembering one more important product: baking soda. Admit it: How many times has this inexpensive kitchen ingredient saved you? And it will do so again. A teaspoon added to the boiling water will keep the fava beans from losing their delicious green color. That's not all. Baking soda will also make your fava beans cook faster, affecting their taste and texture.

Fava beans are not only tasty but also healthy.
Fava beans are not only tasty but also healthy.© Canva | Ilaria M

Remember, cooking fava beans should be done without a lid. With the addition of baking soda, the whole process shouldn't take more than 8-9 minutes. And they're ready!

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