This gorgeous fava bean hummus is made with simple ingredients that complement the delicious, earthy flavor of fava beans, also known as broad beans. It’s an easy vegan recipe that’s versatile, healthy, and fresh-tasting, thanks to dill, garlic, and lemon.
Fava bean season is here! I’ve been looking for them at my local foods co-op since the beginning of May, and I finally spotted them at the start of June. When sold fresh, these bright green beans are found in their pods, which means you have to do some prep work to get them ready to eat. It’s totally worth it though!
The creamy texture of fava beans makes them a delicious addition to loads of recipes. I had a feeling that fava bean hummus would be a particularly good way to showcase their creaminess, and boy was I correct. Not only does this dip have the most vibrant green color, it’s ultra creamy (but still vegan), perfectly vegetal, and a great way to experiment with a late spring/early summer vegetable.
I especially enjoy this hummus with fresh vegetables, and it also tastes delicious on warm pita or pita chips. You can spread it on sandwiches, add it to bowls, or serve it on veggie burgers. I can’t wait to hear how you add this pop of green and taste of spring to your meals!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Fava beans: I used a pound of fresh fava beans for this recipe, which yields about 1 cup of beans with the pods removed. After blanching and peeling the beans, you’ll have about ⅔ cup. You can also use dry fava beans that you cook and canned or steamed fava beans. I included tips for how to properly prepare fava beans to use in recipes in the Instructions section and the recipe card.
- Tahini: Tahini makes fava bean hummus extra creamy, but since the beans are already very creamy, you can omit it if you don’t have it.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic will contribute the best flavor, but garlic powder totally works as a sub.
- Dill: I love adding dill to earthy recipes like this one, but you can substitute mint or basil instead if that’s what you have. You can also use dried dill (1 heaping tablespoon) if you don’t have fresh.
- Lemon juice: Substitute red wine or white wine vinegar if you don’t have lemon juice.
- Extra virgin olive oil: My favorite high-quality brand is Partanna.
Instructions
The full recipe card for fava bean hummus, including ingredient quantities and step-by-step instructions, is at the bottom of the post. Here is a preview of the recipe with photos to guide you.
“Unzip” each fava bean pod. I usually pull one of the pointy ends down to see if I can unzip a tiny portion along the seam. Then, I press my thumbs against the seam to gently open up the rest of the pod. Remove the beans from the pod, discarding any browned or shriveled ones.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop the beans in the pot and boil for 30 to 60 seconds.
After boiling the beans, immediately drain them and transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. You can also use a slotted spoon to transfer them from the boiling water to the ice water, as long as you can do it quickly. If you drain the beans, you may notice that the water is red. This is normal.
After letting the beans sit in the ice bath for a few minutes, drain them. Then, remove the skins. Use your fingers to rip open a small hole in the skin and peel it off.
Transfer the blanched and peeled fava beans to a food processor or high-powered blender (like a Vitamix). Add the tahini, garlic, lemon juice, dill, and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. You may need to add some more olive oil to promote blending.
Storage
Fava bean hummus keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days. For maximum freshness, enjoy it within a few days. I don’t recommend freezing this recipe.
Serving
I love eating fava bean hummus with fresh vegetables, including carrots, radishes, broccoli, and bell peppers. It would even taste delicious with my Refrigerator Pickled Asparagus as a dipper! You can also serve the hummus with pita chips or bread, spread it onto sandwiches, wraps, and burgers, or add a dollop to bowls and salads.
More Dip Recipes
- Avocado Green Goddess Dressing (+ Dip)
- Slow Cooker Taco Dip with Refried Beans
- Jalapeño Relish
- Scallion Pesto (Green Onion Pesto)
I’d love to hear how you like this recipe! Rate/review using the stars on the recipe card or in the comments, and follow the Veg World on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Looking for something totally different? Browse the recipe library.
📖 Recipe
Fava Bean Hummus
Equipment
- Food processor or high-powered blender
Ingredients
- 1 pound fava beans - in their pods, about ⅔ cup de-shelled and peeled
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 1 clove garlic - minced
- ¼ cup fresh dill - plus more for garnish
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice - from ½ lemon
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil - more as needed
- Freshly ground black pepper - to taste
- Salt - to taste
- Flaky sea salt - for serving
- Vegetables, bread, or chips - for serving
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Fill a mixing bowl with ice water and set aside.
- In the meantime, prepare the fava beans. Unzip each pod. Start by pulling one of the ends down the seam to see if you can break open the pod. If it doesn't fully open/unzip, press your thumbs on the seam to open it. Remove the beans.
- Transfer the beans to the boiling water and cook for 30 to 60 seconds.
- Immediately drain the beans and put them in the bowl of ice water. When you drain the boiling water, it will likely be red. This is normal. After the beans sit in the ice water for a few minutes, drain them.
- Remove the skins of the beans. Use your fingers to rip a small whole in the skin of each bean to peel it off. You will have about ⅔ cup of beans after they have been removed from their pods, blanched, and peeled.
- Transfer the beans to a food processor or high-powered blender. Add the tahini, garlic, dill, lemon juice, and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
- Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. You may also need to add some more olive oil to promote blending. Taste and adjust the seasonings as desired.
- Serve the hummus garnished with flaky sea salt, a drizzle of olive oil, and a few sprigs of dill, alongside fresh vegetables, bread, or chips.
- Leave a rating or review by tapping the stars on this recipe card (above) or in the comments section (at the end of the post)!
Notes
- Recipe yields about ½ cup. Double the recipe if you want to make a larger amount.
- Store the hummus in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days.
- You can sub dry fava beans that you cook, canned, or packaged, steamed fava beans for the fresh ones. Just skip all of the steps that pertain to preparing fresh ones.
Nutrition
Enjoy this green treat! – Lizzie
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