Step 1

Fresh fava beans are large and come in a pod. The pod must be removed and the beans must be peeled to enjoy them in recipes.

Step 2

When you look at the fava bean pod, you will notice that the edges have a seam. To open the pod, snap off the tip and pull down; the seam will open like a zipper. If you have trouble "unzipping" the pod cleanly, don't worry. Once the pod is open at least somewhat you can easily tear it open the rest of the way with your hands.

Step 3

Remove the beans from the pod. Each pod should have 4 or 5 beans. You may want to collect them all in a bowl.

Step 4

When you are done, fill a mixing bowl with cold ice water (enough to cover the beans) and set aside. Then, fill a pot with water (enough to cover the beans) and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, blanch the fresh fava beans for 30 seconds.

Step 5

With a slotted spoon, immediately transfer the blanched fava beans to the bowl of ice water. This will stop them from cooking any longer.

Step 6

Your beans are now ready to peel. This is a bit time consuming, but the skins should slip off fairly easily by pinching between your thumb and forefinger.

Step 7

2 pounds of fava bean pods will yield about 1 cup of blanched, shelled beans. Once the shells have been removed they will be quite tender. You can steam them longer to heat through, add them to salads, or use them in any recipe you like.

Step 8

The method below uses a ratio of 10 cups of water per 1 pound of dried fava beans. If you plan to use a different amount, please adjust accordingly using this ratio. There are two ways to soak dried fava beans - either with an overnight soak, or with a shorter "quick soak."

Step 9

OVERNIGHT SOAK - in a large pot or bowl, combine the fava beans with water at a ratio of 10 cups of water per pound of dried beans. Soak overnight.

Step 10

Once the beans have soaked, you will notice that they have increased in size, indicating that they have absorbed moisture.

Step 11

QUICK SOAK - you will need 1 hour. Place the fava beans into the bottom of a large pot and cover with water. The beans will expand, so make sure you cover by several inches of water to allow for this. Bring beans to a boil. Let them boil for 3 minutes, then remove from heat.

Step 12

Allow the beans to soak in the hot water for 1 hour. After soaking using either method, drain and rinse the beans. Discard the soaking water.

Step 13

Peel the beans by squeezing each one between your thumb and forefinger. The skin should slip off easily. This step is time consuming, but a must for proper texture with the larger beans in particular (which have a very tough skin no matter how long you cook them).

Step 14

After peeling, you will need to continue cooking the peeled fava beans until tender. Place the beans in a large pot and cover again with the same ratio of fresh water (10 cups per pound of beans). It is important to use a fresh batch of water for cooking; the soaking water contains oligosaccharides, released from the beans during soaking, that can lead to digestive discomfort. Add salt to the fresh cooking water if desired to give the beans more flavor (I use about 1 tablespoon salt for every 10 cups of water). Place on the stovetop and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer the beans until tender. This can take up to 45 minutes depending on the size of your beans. Test them every 10 minutes or so for doneness; when finished cooking they should be tender but not mushy.

Step 15

Drain the cooked peeled beans in a colander. Now your beans are ready to use.

Step 16

The method below uses a ratio of 10 cups of water per 1 pound of dried fava beans. If you plan to use a different amount, please adjust accordingly using this ratio. There are two ways to soak dried fava beans - either with an overnight soak, or with a shorter "quick soak."

Step 17

OVERNIGHT SOAK - in a large pot or bowl, combine the fava beans with water at a ratio of 10 cups of water per pound of dried beans. Soak overnight.

Step 18

QUICK SOAK - you will need 1 hour. Place the fava beans into the bottom of a large pot and cover with water. The beans will expand, so make sure you cover by several inches of water to allow for this. Bring beans to a boil. Let them boil for 3 minutes, then remove from heat. Allow the beans to soak in the hot water for 1 hour.

Step 19

Once the beans have soaked, you will notice that they have increased in size, indicating that they have absorbed moisture. After soaking using either method, drain and rinse the beans.

Step 20

Place the beans in a large pot and cover again with the same ratio of fresh water (10 cups per pound of beans). It is important to use a fresh batch of water for cooking; the soaking water contains oligosaccharides, released from the beans during soaking, that can lead to digestive discomfort. Add salt to the fresh cooking water if desired to give the beans more flavor (I use about 1 tablespoon salt for every 10 cups of water). Place on the stovetop and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook the peeled fava beans until tender. This can take anywhere from 10-45 minutes depending on the size of your beans. Test them every 10 minutes or so for doneness by taking out a bean and slipping it out of its skin; the inner bean should be tender but not mushy. The smaller the beans, the faster they will cook.

Step 21

Generally these small beans will have a much improved textured after peeling, but very small dried fava beans may be eaten with skins on after a prolonged cooking process. I always cook then peel, but some recipes may specify cooking with skin on. If that's the case, prepare to cook for a long time-- it can take 2 hours or longer to soften those tough outer skins. If you're peeling them, they won't need nearly as long to cook because you'll be testing the inner bean for doneness, and not the tough skin.

Step 22

When the beans are tender, drain in a colander and rinse with cool water. If peeling the beans after cooking (my preference), you may remove the skins by squeezing the beans one-by-one between your thumb and forefinger. The skin should slip off easily. Discard the skins. Now your beans are ready to use.

Step 23

If you would like to freeze your fava beans for future use, first allow the beans to cool completely, then transfer them to a freezer safe container. I recommend resealable freezer bags, which you can place in the freezer until needed. I like to measure out 1 ¾ cups of beans in each bag, which is equivalent to the amount in a standard sized can. They will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Step 24

When ready to use your frozen beans, remove them from the freezer and thaw. They can be reheated on the stovetop, added to soups and stews, or used however you would use canned beans.