This simple fava bean crostini is a delicious broad bean dip or spread paired with crostini and manchego cheese. This dip can be made a few days in advance making it the perfect party appetizer for spring.
Also known as broad beans or horse beans, fava beans can can be hard to find off-season. And for this recipe you need fresh fava beans – dried will not work. The good news is you can often get them on sale for $1 or $2 dollars a pound in April and May, making this a perfect springtime dip or appetizer!
Ingredients
- Fresh Fava/Broad Beans
- Fresh Lemon
- High Quality Olive Oil
- Sea Salt
- Cracked Pepper
- Manchego Cheese
To Serve:
How to Make
Step 1: Shelling Fava Beans
In order to shell the bean, you’ll want to bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Once it’s starts boiling add the fava beans and cook for 8 minutes. While they’re cooking, fill another large bowl with ice water.
Once they’re cooked, use a slotted spoon to transfer the beans to the ice water bath. Once they’re cooled, you can strain the beans out and tap dry with a towel. Then, shell both the outer and inner shell leaving only the bright green inner beans.
You can leave the inner shell on but but it will give the beans an earthy flavor and you won’t have that signature bright green fava bean look.
Step 2: Making Fava Bean Dip
Once they’re shelled add them to a food processor along with lemon and garlic and puree until smooth. While still pureeing, slowly add the olive oil. If you want, you can stop here and serve with crackers and veggies and a dip. Or, you can assemble into a delicious crostini appetizer.
Step 3: Assembling Fava Bean Crostini
If making crostini, add a tablespoon or so to each crostini, add a slice of manchego cheese, a drizzle of olive oil, and salt and cracked pepper and you’re good to go!
Making Ahead and Storing Fava Bean Dip and Crostini
This easy appetizer if great because you can make both the crostini and drip ahead of time and assemble the day of. The crostini can be made up to 24 hours in advance and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. The fava bean dip can be made 48 hours in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
Look for more easy appetizers? Check these out!
- Blackberry Goat Cheese Crostini
- Pretzel Board
- Roast Beef Horseradish Crostini
- Roasted Garlic Beet Dip
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Fava Bean Crostini
INGREDIENTS
- 2 pounds fresh fava beans
- ½ -¾ cup olive oil plus more for drizzling
- 2 cloves garlic
- Juice half lemon
- Manchego cheese thinly sliced
- Kosher or sea salt
- Fresh cracked pepper
- Crostini
Instructions
- Bring an extra large pot of water to a boil
- While bringing water to a boil, fill a large bowl with ice water
- Once the water is boiling, add the fava beans
- Let boil for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally
- Using a large slotted spoon, move the fava beans to the prepared ice water bath
- This will stop them from cooking and allow the outer shell to slide right off
- Once they’ve cooled, drain the ice water
- Shell the fava beans by removing both the large outer bean and the inner white bean
- Put the shelled fava beans, garlic, olive oil and lemon into a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth.
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Add a tablespoon or two to the prepared crostini
- Top with a few slices of manchego cheese
- Drizzle with olive oil and add kosher salt or cracked pepper
Notes
- You can leave the inner shell on but but it will give the beans an earthy flavor and you won’t have that signature bright green fava bean look.
- The fava bean dip can be made 48 hours in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
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