It was our first year growing Broad Beans in the garden here in Canberra and they survived through the winter frosts beautifully to produce a surprising amount of pods that are just now becoming mature enough to pick. Mostly, I’ve been allowing them to reach about the 18-20cm mark, so that they can be shelled and the tender beans inside eaten raw, without peeling. For those that sneakily grow a little larger, I’m hoping to test out Jamie Oliver’s recipe for Spicy Broad Bean Fritters… which very much looks like falafel. I’m already dreaming about sandwiching a few into some home-made flat bread with salad and yoghurt dressing.
The success of the salad below depends greatly upon the freshness and size of the Broad Beans you use. If possible grow them yourself or purchase them from the local farmer’s market and use as soon as possible. I’ve decided not to include quantities, just go with amounts that feel, look and most importantly taste right to you.
Happy spring!
Greek-Style Broad (Fava) Bean Salad | Gather and Graze
- Young Broad Beans (shelled, but not peeled)
- Feta Cheese (broken into small chunks)
- Kalamata Olives (pitted and sliced)
- Fresh Mint (finely sliced)
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- Freshly-squeezed Lemon Juice
- Salt and Freshly-ground Black Pepper
Place broad beans, feta cheese, olives and mint into a serving bowl and drizzle over with a generous glug of olive oil and a little lemon juice to taste. Season with salt and black pepper before serving immediately.
Gather & Graze 
I love how you did not include quantities – so many of us cook like that and so it makes perfect sense. I am not growing broad beans this year – not too late yet!! c
Lovely to hear from you Cecilia! It’s really not an exact science, is it!? Far more relaxing to cook this way and pass the idea on to others recommending the same. 🙂
Oh yes pl! I adore Greek food – gimme fetta or gimme death – but I have never tried your fava bean salad. Cheers for the inspiration x
Thanks so much HM! Hoping to get back into blogging soon… it’s been WAY too long. xx
Broad beans are actually one of few things that give a good harvest in my kitchen garden, and I often make this sallad for summer lunches. This is a favorite recipe! 🙂
Meggie, I’m so pleased that you can vouch for how lovely this salad is! Thank you for stopping by today. 🙂
Put those fave to work, Margot! That opening shot is really beautiful. Young fave sure are good, aren’t they? I can never find the young ones here. No matter what market I got to, no matter the part of the growing season, the fave always look old. My family has no tradition of cooking fave so finding young beans is very much preferred. Your salad would be very welcome at my table. Maybe I’ll toss my plans for zucchini next year and replace them with a couple fave vines. First, though, I’d better devise a method to keep that bunny at bay. 🙂
Thanks so much for your kind comment John! It’s all about finding space in the garden isn’t it… even with about 6 Broad Bean plants in the veggie bed, I’m still struggling to make a big enough salad to feed all 4 of us. Might need to double the amount next year. 🙂 Thankfully we don’t have any bunnies to worry about… but possums… that’s another matter! Hope you have a lovely weekend.
I only like broad beans when there young and sweet. I’m scarred by memories of childhood. I think their season here might have been and gone, but if I see them at the market I’ll try your delicious combination of flavours. Hope you’re well x
😀 Seems it wasn’t the done thing back then to peel the outer skin away, but instead to allow the family to chew away in frustration. Luckily Mum never prepared them for us, due to never liking them as a child herself. Funny to only really be discovering them over the past couple of years.
They’re fabulous in this salad Sandra, with the little pop of fresh mint bringing it all together.
Thanks, all going well here, though might send you a quick email over the coming week to catch up a little better. M.xx
Can almost taste them! They’re one of my faves. Yet I didn’t even notice them in the shops earlier. Aren’t they early for you? They’re usually never in the shops here until July. Oh, can’t help myself…bought several goodies from a farmer selling his locally produced veg (very unusual for me) just yesterday. Anyway, I bought Romanesco broccoli, which I adore. So delicious. And a green pumpkin. Shame the little pies just made tonight are more beige than orange in colour! Still, the flat smells nice. 🙂
– Have you tried popping them out of their inner shell? Such a brilliant green.
Thanks so much for your thoughts Johnny! Being a relative newcomer to the delights of broad beans, I’m still working out the best ways of preparing them… the ones I’ve been picking until now have been young enough that the outer skin hasn’t needed peeling away, but I’ll definitely do that with the beans that grow any larger. Oh and yes, such a stunning, vibrant green!
Are your pumpkin pies for Halloween? We’ve not even got ourselves organised enough to put up any decorations this year… not that we tend to get (m)any trick or treaters on the night anyway. Best have a few little sweets/chocolates set aside just in case though. Lovely to buy fruit and veg direct from the farm… always taste SO much better! Enjoy your Sunday. 🙂
No decos?? Actually, I’m getting fed up with pumpkins! In the middle of taking pics. Might even post. If I can get fab photos of my gorgeous witch…
I’m jealous! I can’t get these beans where I live, and they wont grow! This salad looks fantastic!
That’s such a pity, Mimi. I wish that I could somehow send you some, but can imagine how sad and withered they’d look on arrival… Lovely to hear from you today!
Beautiful! Really miss growing broad beans back at our home in Spain. We even have recipes using the outer skins of the young beans. The salas looks gorgeous.
Tanya, I can imagine the climate would be perfect for them over in Spain! Gosh, what do you make with the outer skins? I’m totally intrigued… 🙂
Here’s one of the links to a soup…will see what else I can find. Waste not, want not! https://chicaandaluza.com/2012/05/19/broad-bean-and-potato-soup/
This is probably the most typical dish, not a great photo, but it’s worth making! https://chicaandaluza.com/2012/04/23/habas-con-jamon-broad-beans-with-cured-ham/
Thanks Tanya! I agree… waste not, want not… lovely to be able to make use of the whole bean! I’m sure they taste amazing.
This looks delicious, Margot!
Thanks dear Steph! It was made even more delicious for the fact that the broad beans were home-grown. Hope you’re all well and having a relaxing weekend. Love to catch up for coffee with you soon. M.xx