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My Favourite Greek Fava Recipe

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★★★★★

4.6 from 143 reviews

A traditional Greek Fava recipe featuring creamy yellow split peas pureed with sautéed vegetables, enhanced with lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil, topped with sweet caramelized red onions for a perfect Mediterranean dip.

Ingredients

Scale

Main Ingredients

  • 1 litre Water (33.8 fl.oz) (boiling, for soaking the split peas)
  • 250 g Yellow split peas/Greek Fava (8.8 oz)
  • 1 Carrot
  • 1 Onion
  • 1 Leek
  • 6 tbsp Olive oil (extra virgin)
  • 1 tsp Granulated sugar
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 litre Water (boiling)
  • 2 Vegetable or chicken stock cubes
  • Pepper
  • 1 Lemon (juice of 1 lemon)

Caramelized Onion Topping

  • 1 Red onion
  • 1 tbsp Olive oil (extra virgin)
  • 1 tsp Honey

Instructions

  1. Soak the split peas: Put the yellow split peas (Fava) in a bowl and pour boiling water over them. Stir with a wooden spoon until the water becomes dark. Let the peas soak for 5 minutes.
  2. Drain and set aside: Pour off the soaking water and transfer the peas to a separate bowl until needed.
  3. Chop vegetables: Finely chop the onion, carrot, and leek to prepare them for sautéing.
  4. Sauté vegetables: Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a pan and sauté the chopped onion, carrot, and leek until they become soft and fragrant.
  5. Cook the split peas: Add 1 litre of boiling water, the soaked yellow split peas, bay leaves, stock cubes, granulated sugar, and pepper to the pan with the vegetables. Simmer gently for 20 minutes until the peas are completely soft.
  6. Strain peas: Use a strainer to separate the peas from the cooking liquid. Save the liquid in a bowl and discard the bay leaves.
  7. First puree batch: Place half of the cooked peas and vegetables in a blender along with some of the reserved cooking liquid. Puree until smooth, then slowly add extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice, blending to create a soft, creamy puree.
  8. Second puree batch: Puree the remaining peas with little or no liquid, then mix this thicker puree with the first batch to reach desired consistency.
  9. Adjust seasonings: Taste the dip and add extra salt and/or lemon juice if needed, remembering the fava dip thickens as it cools.
  10. Prepare caramelized onion: Slice the red onion and fry it in olive oil. As soon as it starts to caramelize, add 1 teaspoon of honey and stir to coat evenly. Continue cooking until golden and sweet.
  11. Serve: Spoon the caramelized onions on top of the Greek Fava dip and finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Notes

  • Soaking the split peas briefly helps to remove bitterness and improve texture.
  • Adjust the amount of cooking liquid to achieve your preferred consistency.
  • Using fresh lemon juice brightens the flavors and balances the richness of olive oil.
  • This dip thickens as it cools; consider serving slightly looser than desired.
  • Caramelized onions add a sweet, savory contrast that enhances the dish.
  • Can be served as an appetizer with pita bread or raw vegetables.

Keywords: Greek fava, fava dip, yellow split peas, Mediterranean dip, caramelized onion dip, vegetarian appetizer

Find it online: https://ellaeatsdaily.com/my-favourite-greek-fava-recipe/