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Confession #1. I'd never tried fava beans until I was in culinary school.
Confession #2. I didn't even know what they were.
But now I eagerly wait for them to show up at the market each spring.
Fava beans take some work to shell, blanch, and then peel. I won't kid you. But they have such a unique flavor and texture, that they're totally worth the effort. If you do this work ahead of time, say, while you're watching TV some night, just pop them in the refrigerator for up to a few days before using them. (More information on this in the Fava Bean section of this article.
And if you have some left over, use them to make this mashed fava beans and mint spread for some crostini. It's fantastic.
❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- Make ahead - Cook the fava beans and make the herbed ricotta ahead for a super fast dinner.
- Easy-ish - This is a very easy dinner with the exception of shelling and peeling the fava beans. This part is easy, but labor-intensive. (But totally worth it.)
- Family-friendly and crowd-pleaser. Comfort food with fresh veggies and cheese is always popular.
🧅 Main Ingredients + Notes
The secret to faster and easier meals often lies in the ingredients. For example, store-bought items and ingredients you make ahead and store in the refrigerator (or freezer) can turn a 60-minute recipe into a 30-minute meal or less.
For all of the ingredients, measurements, and directions, go to the Recipe Card at the bottom of this post.
- Fava beans - purchase them in the pods as pictured below. See the below section on fava beans. Alternatively, you may find them already shelled and peeled in the frozen foods area of your market. Fava beans are also known as broad beans.
- Cheese tortellini - use your favorite brand from your market.
- Scallions (green onions)
- Cherry tomatoes - grape tomatoes work just as well.
- Garlic
- Ricotta cheese - both full-fat and low-fat ricotta work fine.
- Fresh basil
- Parmesan cheese
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links to products and foods I use in my kitchen. This means that at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. To view my entire storefront of recommended kitchen tools and equipment, check out my shop on Amazon.
🌱 Fava Beans
Fava beans are eaten by the bushel in Tuscany but remain fairly unknown in other parts of world. But if you've eaten broad beans, then you've had them. In fact, there are several names these members of the vetch and pea family are known by.
Favas show up in the spring, and generally only last through early summer, depending on where you live. In appearance, they look similar to both edamame and lima beans, but are very different in texture and taste. Fava beans have a creamy, nutty, slightly bitter flavor.
But they take some prep work.
How to Prep and Cook Fava Beans
First, you have to rip them out of bed.
They lie inside a furry warm pod, all quietly nestled together in the dark. When revealed, they look a lot like fat lima beans.
Next, pop them into a jacuzzi for 5-minutes. OK, don't actually use your jacuzzi if you have one. Just bring a pot of water to a simmer. The fava beans will puff up a bit, slightly toughen, and turn a faintly lighter color.
Drain them in a colander.
Lastly, peel off their jammies to reveal their "inner-bean", as it were. This inner bean is a vibrant green, with lime green tones, that slides apart into two halves. This is the nugget you're looking for, and worth the wait. Seriously.
There are at least 2 ways to do this:
- Pinch the bulge at the fattest end of each fava bean to remove the outer tough skin. Usually, a string will appear at the top. Pull it down the side seam of the bean to split open the outer shell to reveal the inner, brightly colored fava bean.
- Using a paring knife, remove the bulge at the top of the bean and gently cut down the seam of the outer shell. Squeeze the bean to pop the shell open. Discard the shell.
🔪 Recommended Equipment
Having the right equipment for recipes makes prepping much easier. If you want more fuss-free prepping and cooking, check out my updated list of favorite kitchen tools and equipment.
- Large heavy-bottomed pot - to cook both the fava beans and pasta.
- Slotted spoon - for removing the fava beans from the boiling water.
- Paring knife - if needed, to remove the outer skin from the fava beans.
- Colander - to drain the pasta.
- Chef's knife
- Medium skillet - to sauté the tomatoes and scallions.
- Small bowl - to make the herbed ricotta
📝 Instructions Overview
Detailed instructions for making this cheese tortellini dish are in the recipe card below, but here's an overview!
Step 1
Prep and blanch the fava beans. Follow the instructions in the above Fava Beans Section to prep and blanch the beans, but instead of draining them, remove the beans from the pot of water with a slotted spoon.
Reserve the water for simmering the cheese tortellini while you peel the favas.
Step 2
Pasta. Return the water in the pot to a simmer and add the cheese tortellini. Cook according to the package directions. Reserve ¼ cup of pasta water and drain.
Step 3
Sauté. Sauté the scallions, tomatoes, garlic and salt until the tomatoes soften and begin to pop.
Step 4
Herbed ricotta. Stir together all of the ingredients for the herbed ricotta in a small bowl.
Step 5
Combine. In a large bowl, stir together the pasta and the herbed ricotta. Gradually add enough pasta water to make a creamy pasta, and toss with the sautéed scallions, tomatoes, and garlic.
Toss with the fava beans and serve warm.
⏰ Tips to Simplify and Save Time
- Blanch and peel the fava beans ahead of time, maybe while watching TV on a Sunday evening, and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
- Stir together the ingredients of the herbed ricotta , and store it in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
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Cheese Tortellini Pasta with Fava Beans and Herbed Ricotta
Ingredients
Fava Beans and Pasta
Herbed Ricotta
- ½ cup ricotta cheese full-fat or low-fat
- ¼ cup chopped basil leaves
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt or ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Shell the fava beans and bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat (you should end up with about 3 cups of fava beans). Add the beans and simmer for 5 minutes. Fish the beans from the water using a slotted spoon and set aside to cool enough to handle. Add the pasta to the water, cook according to the directions on the box, and drain.
- When the fava beans are cool enough to handle, peel them by pinching the slightly bulbous top, and tearing it off. You can also use a sharp knife. You should have about 2 cups brightly colored fava beans (the" inner bean").
- Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet, and add the scallions. Cook until slightly softened and fragrant. Add the tomatoes, garlic, and salt. Cook for another few minutes until the juices of the tomatoes are released.
- Combine all of the Herbed Ricotta ingredients in a small bowl. Fold into the warm pasta. Gently toss with the tomatoes and top with the fava beans.
The Finer Cookie/Kim
Fresh fava beans are as delicious as you say. They come and go so quickly here, that I often miss them. Every year I remind myself that this is the year I'm buying a bushel, but...I love to make my own fresh ricotta, now you've got me thinking. Thanks for the inspiration
The Wimpy Vegetarian
You're so welcome! I'm happy to find a fellow fava-lover!
The Ninja Baker
Love your analogy of the sleepy fava beans nestled in their blankets! And your photos and recipe make me want to manja!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Thanks so much!! I always feel so guilty ripping them open 🙂
Liz
OK, I need to get with the program and try favo beans. Your pasta looks terrific!
cheri
Hi Susan, the year before last I grew fava beans in my garden. When they were very young we would grill them and eat them whole. I absolutely adore them and love your example how to. Beautiful dish!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Oh how fun, Cheri! I would love to grow them. And you're right, young fava beans are fabulous grilled as whole pods!! I've done that, but not for years now. I need to do that again 🙂
Renee@Renee's Kitchen Adventures
Such a great dish to welcome spring! I've never cooked fava beans, but I love to eat them!
Eileen
OMG, this look so tempting. I love fava beans with pasta.
Amy Barrett
This sounds so good
Christie
I love those colors! You just know it's going to tasted like spring in a bowl.
Caroline
This looks and sounds delicious - I love the idea of the lava beans in with the pasta.
mjskitchen
Every time I hear or read "fava beans" I think of Silence of the Lambs. It's amazing how 2 little words can have such an effect. 🙂
Oh how I love tortellini and this dish is definitely a winner!
Jessie | Kitschen Cat
Mmmm this sounds delicious! I don't think I've actually ever had fava beans, but it sounds like it's time to try some. Hate to have to rip them out of bed though... 😉
Keith @ How's it Lookin?
I gotta try this. I haven't had tortellini in a while, thanks for the idea
Sarah
This sounds amazing!