puréed fava bean soup

Soon after my roommate returned to the States while I was still living in Egypt, I came down with the flu. Since I was living alone, my sweet grandmotherly landlady brought me a soup similar to this two days in a row, along with a large stack of aish baladi, Egypt’s national flatbread. Her version was slightly different, it didn’t contain carrots or celery, and the beans were partially mashed rather than puréed. I’d like to think of this as the Egyptian equivalent of chicken noodle soup, since it helped nurse me back to health. I’m not sick at the moment, but I don’t need an excuse to eat fava beans. I like puréed soups that are on the thicker side, so I only added two cups of stock. If you prefer a thinner soup, add a cup or two more.

Puréed Fava Bean Soup
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2 cups dried fava beans (broad beans)
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 rib of celery, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon paprika
4 tomatoes, chopped
1 bay leaf
2-4 cups chicken stock, vegetable stock, or water
cayenne pepper or red chili flakes, to taste
salt & pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
For garnishing (optional): chopped parsley, lemon wedges, drizzle of olive oil
For serving: flat bread or pita bread

Cover fava beans with water in a large bowl and soak overnight.

Drain fava beans and transfer them to a large saucepan, with several cups of water. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce heat, and cover for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until beans are tender. Stir occasionally. Drain and set aside.

Heat oil in another large stockpot over medium heat. When hot, add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring often, for 5-7 minutes, or until the onions have softened. Add garlic, cumin, paprika, and coriander, and cook for another minute. Add tomatoes and bay leaf, cook for a few more minutes, or until the tomatoes begin to fall apart. Add the stock or water, bring to a gentle boil and simmer for a half hour. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Transfer both the soup and fava beans to a blender, working in batches, and puree until smooth. Return the soup back to the saucepan. Add cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper, according to taste. Stir in the parsley and add the lemon juice, just before serving. Garnish with extra parsley, lemon wedges, olive oil, and serve with flat bread.

Serves 4-6

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Related posts:

1. red lentil and sweet potato soup
2. spaghetti with fava bean sauce
3. white bean soup with olives
4. ful mudammas (egyptian fava bean breakfast)
5. cream of roasted tomato and fennel soup

Tags: dinner, egyptian, gluten-free, middle eastern, soup, vegan, vegetarian