Here’s that famous Greek fava bean recipe! This is a soft and super smooth yellow pea dip from the Greek mediterranean island of Santorini… Serve this pea dip lukewarm, sprinkle it with a fragrant olive oil and a handful of chopped sweet onion!
Lush!
I fell in love with this dip about 6 years ago. We were visiting the glorious Greek island of Santorini in the mediterranean sea. During our stay we tried loads of fava versions in several restaurants all over town.
Santorini
And every time we would stumble upon another fava bean dip, and they all had a different twist. I reckon that it just depends on how the chef likes his fava bean dip!
The winner?
We had the best fava dip in Naoussa, a vibrant blue and white restaurant in Fira.
Why was that the best one? Just because their bean dip was lukewarm. Their creamy yellow split pea puree had the perfect texture and consistency. It was also light, sprinkled with good quality olive oil and some freshly chopped red onion. Very appetizing.
Hands down the best I have tasted in Santorini!
Easy Greek Fava Bean Recipe
Be aware though.
You can find bunches of yellow ‘fava’ beans in the tourist shops and minimarkets in Santorini. However these are not the real fava beans but simply yellow split peas. And therefore they are also extremely overpriced.
Don’t be fooled, avoid the fake merchandise!
The real fava beans are a true delicacy. They grow in Santorini’s microclimate and are almighty expensive. Why? Because the annual harvest of real fava beans is very small.
Yellow Split Peas
You can of course use yellow split peas as a substitute for this Fava bean recipe.
They are available in very larger supermarket. It’s your best option if you want to make this fava dip but you can’t any real fava beans around where you live.
Do you love mediterranean Greek dishes?
Then also check out a bunch of other Greek recipes of mine: chicken souvlaki with tzatziki, avgolemono soup, moussaka and feta prawn saganaki!
Enjoy!
Easy Greek Fava Bean Recipe
- 9 oz yellow split peas (250 g)
- a handful red onion chopped
- 2 garlic cloves chopped
- 1 tsp red wine vinegar
- good quality olive oil
- pepper
- salt
1) Rinse the the yellow split peas a few times. Soak them in cold water for at least 5 hours (preferably overnight).
2) Bring 2 cups (480 ml) of water to a boil over high heat. Add a little pinch of salt. Drain the yellow peas and transfer them to the boiling water.
3) Once the peas are cooking turn down the heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until they start to fall apart. Add extra water if necessary.
4) Pour the cooked peas in a colander and let them drain and let them cool a bit until they are lukewarm.
5) Blend half of the cooked peas and the chopped garlic. Add a little olive oil until you get a rich, glossy but firm puree.
6) Transfer the yellow pea puree to a bowl. Stir in the other half of cooked peas and mix well. Season with pepper, salt and a couple of drops of vinegar to taste. Garnish with the chopped red onion and sprinkle generously with olive oil. Serve lukewarm.
