How to perfectly peel fava beans (or omit them with this trick)

Broad beans really work when it comes to beans. Unlike other legumes, fava beans must be double-hulled to release the buttery beans inside the pod.

Considering the time it takes to peel several pounds of fava beans to get a usable part, it might not seem worth the effort, but after growing fava beans for over a decade, I’ve honed my technique to be able to do the job relatively quickly (and with minimal disruption).

If you’re still fumbling around with fava beans, here’s an easy way to peel beans (twice!) and one trick that lets you skip peeling altogether (and still enjoy eating them).

How to quickly peel fava beans

With fava beans (also known as fava beans), there are two layers between you and the bean. A spongy, fibrous outer pod and a thick, waxy inner pod.

If you grow your own fava beans, harvest them when the pods are 6 to 8 inches long and large but not too bloated. (If you don’t leave it for too long, it will ripen and wither.)

Starting at the pointy end of the pod, use your fingers to bring the tip back up.

Begin peeling the pods from one end of the bean.

Peel the string at the seam until the pod opens like a zipper.

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When you pull the sides apart, the rows of beans inside will come out easily (or with just a little push).

When you split the pod, the beans inside will be revealed.

But it’s over! Each bean has a thick shell that must be removed individually.

The easiest method is to boil the beans in a pot of boiling water until the shells begin to wrinkle, about 1 minute.

Parboil the beans to remove the outer waxy coating

Strain the beans and submerge them in ice water to stop cooking.

Strain the parboiled fava beans and soak them in a bowl of ice water.

You’ll see that part of the outer shell (now soft, pliable, dull gray-green) has begun to split, revealing the bright green bean inside.

How many fava beans do I need for one meal?

Generally, 1 pound of fava pods yields about 1/3 cup of double-shelled fava beans.

This means you should harvest (or buy) 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of fava beans per person if it’s a side dish, and 1 1/2 to 2 pounds of fava beans per person if fava beans are the main event.

Depending on the size of the pods, you can assume a ratio of 3:1. So for every 3 pounds of fava beans, you’ll end up shelling nearly 1 pound of beans.

A simple trick to eliminate shelling

Most fava beans you buy at stores or farmers markets are 6 to 8 inches long, and this is also the size that most people pick beans from their gardens.

But did you know you don’t have to wait that long to harvest? Broad beans are edible at any stage and can be harvested when they are only 4 to 6 inches long and the shells can be completely removed. When fava beans are young and small, they can be cooked and eaten like green beans.

immature broad bean pods — Immature fava beans can be eaten whole just like green beans.

But personally, I like them to be medium in size, not as thin as green beans, but not as plump as commercially available fava beans.

A woman's hand holding a large fava bean and a medium fava bean in an outstretched palm — Most fava beans are harvested on the larger side (right), but the medium-sized pods (left) can be grilled whole and eaten without peeling the beans.

Broad beans are still soft, but they have meat in them, so they taste great on the grill. Add a little oil, salt and pepper and fry until you get nice blistering marks. I like to serve it with a squeeze of lemon and shredded Parmesan cheese.

(My favorite recipe for grilled fava beans can be found in the Lean Vegetable Cookbook.)