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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

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