Sautéed fava bean pods: a Zero Waste recipe

Bean Pods - Zero Waste RecipeWelcome to a new edition of our Zero Waste in the Kitchen column!
Today we learn how to value the fava bean skins, a part often eliminated when preparing this spring legume, but which can actually become a simple, tasty, and beneficial side dish.

With this recipe you will discover how to turn them into a dish zero waste, easy to prepare and perfect to accompany main courses or enrich a spring table.

Fava bean husks

The husks of fava beans are first and foremost composed of 80% water and, therefore, have very few calories. However, they contain fiber and minerals, such as potassium, iron, magnesium, calcium, zinc, phosphorus, selenium, and sodium. In addition, they contain lots of vitamins of the group B, such as B1, B2, B3, B5 e B6, but also vitamin C. They also help our body rebalance the intestinal flora And they also have strong satiating power. That is why they are often recommended for those who need to follow a low-calorie diet.

Sautéed broad bean pods

Ingredients:

• 800 g of fava bean husks
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 fresh chili pepper
• Extra virgin olive oil q.b.
• Aromatic herbs to taste.
• Salt to taste

Preparation:

• Clean and wash the broad bean pods thoroughly, removing any tough parts.

• Cut them into lozenges or cubes and blanch them in boiling water for about 1 minute.

• Transfer them immediately to cold water to keep the bright green color, then drain them.

• In a frying pan, heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil with the minced garlic and chili pepper.

• Add the fava bean pods and saute them over high heat for a few minutes.

• Season with salt, add the herbs and, if necessary, add a little water to finish cooking.

• Serve the fava bean pods piping hot.

More Zero Waste ideas and recipes

• If you are craving the unmistakable flavor of the broad beans you can try our Fava Beans Soup, a regional Bontà inspired by the traditional Sicilian recipe.
• I pea pods can be used to make tasty meatballs: follow the Zero Waste recipe.
• If you are looking for more anti-waste ideas you can visit the Zero Waste section.