Fava Beans

This is habas, the Mexican way with fava beans. The recipe gives you two paths: a brothy simmer or a sauté-and-mash refry. Both end up with cooked favas, sweet onion, Roma tomato, and a bright fistful of cilantro, but they’re completely different dishes by texture.

The simmer version stays loose and soupy, suited for spooning over rice or eating with warm tortillas. The refry method is denser, with some of the favas mashed against the side of the pan to thicken the rest into a chunky, almost-paste that wants to be stuffed into a taco or eaten with chips.

Dried yellow favas have skins that can stay tough if undercooked. They need a long, gentle simmer until truly tender, usually 60 to 90 minutes after an overnight soak. Some cooks pop the favas out of their skins after cooking for a silkier texture.

Add salt at the end, not the start. Salting too early can keep the beans firm forever.

Pro Tips

• Use Roma tomatoes specifically. Their lower water content concentrates flavor and keeps the dish from going soupy.
• Toast a pinch of cumin in the oil before adding onions for a deeper Mexican base note.
• Reserve some bean cooking liquid before draining. You can add it back to adjust consistency on either method.
• Save the cilantro for the very end. Cooking it longer than 30 seconds murders the bright flavor.

Variations

• Add a fresh chopped serrano or jalapeño for heat.
• Squeeze a wedge of lime over the top right before serving for a citrus lift.
• Stir in a crumble of cotija or queso fresco for a salty, creamy finish.