Grandpa Joe's
Fava Bean Salad

Simple and delicious.

About this recipe

Fava beans are very seasonal in Michigan, so this is a very special treat whenever I can get them fresh.

Ingredients

  • fresh fava beans
  • pecorino Romano cheese
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • lemon
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • kosher salt
  • 1 clove garlic
  • crusty bread

Directions

  1. Shell the fava beans and discard the pods. 
  2. Drop the beans into boiling salted water and cook for 2 minutes.  Drain the beans and immediately plunge them into ice water. 
  3. Drain again and remove the outer skin from each bean.
  4. Mix the beans with olive oil, lemon juice, freshly-ground pepper, salt, and slivers of pecorino Romano cheese. 
  5. Serve with (or over) crusty bread that has been grilled or toasted, rubbed with garlic, and drizzled with olive oil.
Fava Bean Salad with pecorino Romano cheese shards.  Mille grazie, Evelyn and Colin, for all your work to make the salad and pictures a reality!

Notes

  • This is a perfect opportunity to use your very best extra virgin olive oil!
Fava bean.
Open pod.
Beans ready to be boiled.
Bean with its outer skin partially removed.
Posted: March 2014; pictures added: July 2015.