Fava Bean Salad

4.50 from 2 votes

This gorgeous fava bean salad combines buttery fava beans with mint, salty pecorino cheese, and a zesty lemon dressing. It's a classic Italian combination that is fresh and flavorful.

The recipe yields 4 small servings.

Prep Time10

Cook Time5

Total Time15

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Mediterranean, vegetarian

Keyword: fava bean salad

Servings:

Calories: 194kcal

Author: Katia

Ingredients

3 cups (400gr) fresh or frozen fava beans, shelled
1 fennel bulb, finely sliced
¼ cup pecorino cheese, shaved
¼ cup mint leaves, chopped
1-2 Tablespoon toasted pine nuts (optional)

Dressing

2 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon lemon zest
½ teaspoon honey
1 small garlic clove, grated
½ to ¾ teaspoon salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Bring a pot of salty water to a boil. Add the fava beans and let them boil for 1-2 minutes (3-4 minutes if you cook them from frozen). They are ready when they are all floating on top. Drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside. If you wish, you can pop them out of their shells or leave the skin on as I did.
Make the dressing by adding the dressing ingredients to a glass jar with a lid. Shake vigorously until well emulsified. (Note: I recommend using ½ tsp of salt as you don't know how salty the pecorino cheese is. But you can add more salt at the end if needed).
Next, add the fava beans, the sliced fennel, and mint to a salad bowl. Pour the dressing over and toss until well combined. Toss in the shaved pecorino cheese and pine nuts, and toss gently once again. Taste, and make sure you're happy with the seasoning.
Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with extra mint, shaved pecorino, and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Enjoy with crusty bread, focaccia, or crostini.

Nutrition