This fava bean salad is filled with springtime flavors, a unique whole grain (kamut) and a delicious pancetta basil dressing. Thank you to USA Pulses and Pulse Canada for helping me to share this post with you.
My first introduction to fava beans was when Hannibal Lecter swooned over the thought of eating them alongside liver and a glass of chianti in Silence of the Lambs. {Shiver} I'm guessing that fava bean sales took a hit that year. It wasn't until years later, when I had finally recovered from watching that movie (nightmares, people!) that I was actually able to try fava beans for the first time. Minus the liver part (and the psychosis that went with it), Hannibal knew what he was talking about!
The season for fresh fava beans is fleeting and nearing the end, so be sure to pop out to your local farmer's market or Middle Eastern market this weekend. While nothing can quite replace the taste and texture of fresh fava beans, canned or frozen versions are good substitutes and are available year round. Sometimes they're labeled as broad beans, so be on the lookout for either name.
Admittedly, fresh fava beans are a labor of love, but so worth the effort. They have two shells, which both need to be removed before consuming the beans. First, either "unzip" the pods or run a small knife down the seam of the pod to release the beans. Blanch them in boiling water for 30 seconds to 1 minute, depending on the size of the beans, then plunge into a bowl of ice water to stop them from cooking further. Last, pinch the beans between your fingers to pop out the inner, tender bean. Ready to eat or mix into salad, soups or stews! If you're short on time, canned favas (or dry) work just as well - just open the can and they're ready to go!
If you're going to try fava beans at any time, this is the time to do it, as 2016 has been declared by the United Nations as the International Year of Pulses. If you haven't done so already, join thousands of others by popping over to take the Pulse Pledge. And what are pulses, you might ask? Lentil, chickpeas, dry peas and beans.
Like many other pulse varieties, fava beans are packed with protein, as well as antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. They are also a fantastic source of fiber and folate, which are all reasons to include them in your diet on a regular basis.
For this whole grain salad, I used kamut, an ancient wheat variety that is high in protein as well as many minerals. It has a wonderful firm and chewy, yet tender texture, which makes it very satisfying and a fantastic salad co-host to more tender ingredients, such as fava beans. In this salad, it's all mixed together with a savory pancetta and basil dressing.
While this salad is wonderful served warm, it's also really good at room temperature, making it a great option for summertime picnics. With a glass of chianti, of course.
Other healthy recipes with pulses:
Indian Spiced Chickpea Flatbread {Socca}
Baked Curry Lentil Cakes with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Printable Recipe
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Warm Fava Bean Kamut Salad with Pancetta Basil Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 cup kamut preferably soaked overnight
- 1 ½ pounds fresh fava beans in pods - you can also use ¾ cup canned or dried versions
The Dressing:
- 2 ounces pancetta chopped
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 7 large basil leaves thinly sliced
Instructions
- Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the kamut, reduce the heat to low and simmer until tender, but still firm, 30 to 40 minutes. If the kamut was not soaked overnight, increase the cooking time to 50 to 60 minutes. Drain the excess water.
- While the kamut is cooking, prepare the fava beans. Remove the beans from the pods, either by “unzipping” the pods or using a small knife to cut along the seam.
- Prepare a bowl of ice water.
- Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the beans and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, depending on the size of the beans. Drain and immediately plunge the beans in the bowl of ice water.
- Peel the outer husk off of the beans. You should have about ¾ cup fava beans.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the kamut and fava beans. Add the pancetta and stir in the dressing. Serve.
The Dressing:
- Add the pancetta to a cold medium skillet. Set over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until he pancetta is browned and crispy. Drain on a paper towel.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, olive oil and salt. Stir in the basil.
Notes
Nutrition
Disclosure: This post contains links to my Amazon affiliate page. Any revenue made from sales through these links helps to support this blog. Thank you!
Meg @ With Salt and Wit
This salad looks too die for! I love the idea of making a big batch on Sunday and snacking all week long!
Gina @ Running to the Kitchen
Every time I hear fava beans that's the exact thing I think about too. Thanks, Hannibal for ruining that for me! That said though, this salad is so enticing! All your food is exactly the stuff I want to eat but I really love everything about this salad from the beans to kamut to that amazing dressing!
Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious
Pancetta BASIL dressing? I am all over this bad boy.