Nothing beats sweet, tender favas in sandwiches, soup, and more.
Mashed favas and an exotic mix of spices give the familiar egg salad sandwich a makeover. North African–cookbook author Kitty Morse introduced us to the Tunisian spice blend called tabil, which is easy to make with ingredients that may already be in your pantry.
The pairing of favas and pecorino is a typical springtime dish in Rome—often you’ll see them speared on toothpicks as a snack. Here they’re tossed with chewy farro and cubed salami to make a hearty but still springlike salad.
To keep the color in this mild spring soup bright, use a deep green head of lettuce, cooking it only enough to wilt it, and peel favas shortly before using them.
Recipe: Leek, Lettuce, and Fava Soup
There’s just enough creamy rice to hold together the generous tumble of favas and their greens, which taste similar to spinach.
Recipe: Fava Bean and Greens Risotto
Fava beans are a culinary highlight of spring, but double-shelling them takes time. Very young favas, though, can be eaten pod and all.
The crunchy toasted nuts, stir-fried favas, and curls of parmesan cheese add layers of richness to this first course.
Slowly cooking young vegetables with olive oil brings out their natural sweetness. Green garlic is very young, mild garlic, picked before the cloves have formed; it resembles a green onion. It’s available in spring at farmers’ markets, but if you can’t find it, double the green onions.
Recipe: Braised Spring Vegetables
We picked the favas from our garden and placed them on fresh ricotta.
White wine brings out artichokes’ delicate sweetness. The artichoke-fava combo, minus the pasta, also makes a great side.
Recipe: Artichoke and Fava Pappardelle
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