Recipes

Moroccan Fava Bean Salad

Serves 4

| Prep Time: 10 mins

| Cook Time: 2 mins

| Total Time: 12 mins

You may need: Ras el Hanout

Discover The Recipe

Spices are essential to Moroccan cuisine and are used to enhance the flavor and aroma of nearly every traditional dish. Spices have been traded for thousands of years, first among civilizations of the far East and then brought progressively westward to India and then Africa and on to Europe. At the height of the Islamic Empire 1000 years ago, Arab traders made fortunes bringing spices to Europe. Along their routes, cultures in North Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia that were fortunate to have regular access, adopted and evolved blends to make them essential accents to their cuisine.

This Moroccan Fava Bean Salad dish highlights one of the most prized North African spice blends called Ras el Hanout, an intoxicatingly aromatic blend that loosely translates from Arabic to mean "Top Shelf". In other words, it's a spice shops best and most exotic mix of spices. Many recipes call for over 20 spices including alluring floral notes. Fava beans are nutrient dense and packed with protein. This vegan dish is substantial on its own or you can pair as a delicious side to grilled meats, like our Chermoula Chicken Skewers.

Ingredients

2 cups green fava beans, frozen
2 cups cherry tomato, halved
1/4 cup red onion, minced
2 Tbsp mint, chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tsp Piquant Post Ras El Hanout spice
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp sea salt + more to taste

Notes

Try to use fresh or fresh-frozen green fava beans over canned favas for the freshest flavor and best texture. Here’s some tips for cooking perfect fava beans every time!

Ras el Hanout is a fragrant and heady spice blend that originated in North Africa. Learn more about this exotic blend here.

Instructions

Bring 4 cups of water to boil in a medium sauce pan. Add the frozen green fava beans and blanche for 2 minutes in the water and then drain in a colander. Rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.

Gently remove any loose skins from the fava beans and discard them. Transfer the peeled beans to a medium mixing bowl.

Add cherry tomato, red onion, mint, lemon juice, Piquant Post Ras El Hanout, olive oil, garlic and sea salt. Toss until well combined. Season with more salt, black pepper and Ras El Hanout spice to taste.

Serve chilled as a side to other Moroccan inspired dishes, such as our Chermoula Chicken Skewers or Lamb Tagine (available on our website), along with fresh pita and yogurt.

Alternatives & Substitutions

This lovely salad is quite nutritious and substantial on its own but would be delicious with our Persian Meatballs or our Lamb Tagine with Apricots. Another delicious Vegan recipe is our Ras el Hanout Cauliflower Pita.
Try using Ras el Hanout spice to make another Moroccan classic (contains meat): Moroccan Lentil and Chickpea Soup. Or, if you are in the mood for chicken, try our Moroccan Braised Chicken recipe.
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