Just when I thought no other dip could outrank hummus, I discovered Greek fava bean dip. The spread reminds me of hummus but the texture is a little fluffier and the raw onions on top add the perfect crunch. To make my version extra special, I topped it with pickled onions, fresh mint, crumbled feta, parsley, sumac, and capers. If you enjoy hummus, hopefully, you'll fall in love with this dip!
Greek Fava Bean Dip
Ingredients
Fava bean dip
- 8 ounces yellow split peas
- 4 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 2 ½ cups water
- salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- zest of 1 lemon
Toppings
- ½ cup chopped red onion
- 3 tablespoons boiling water
- 3 tablespoons white distilled vinegar
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
- pinch of salt
- ¼ cup capers
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- ¼ cup crumbled feta
- 2 tablespoons chopped mint
- 2 teaspoons sumac
- extra virgin olive oil for finishing
Instructions
- Soak yellow split peas in boiling water for 15 minutes. Drain.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Saute onion and garlic until softened, about 5 minutes. Add yellow split peas, thyme, water, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cover the pot. Continue to simmer for 45-50 minutes or until peas are tender. Skim any foam that rises to the top.
- Meanwhile, make pickled onion. Combine boiling water with vinegar, sugar, and salt, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Pour mixture over chopped red onion and let sit for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
- Remove thyme and transfer cooked split peas to a blender. Add lemon juice, lemon zest, and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Puree until smooth. Season dip with salt and pepper and transfer to serving bowl.
- Drizzle extra virgin olive oil on top and sprinkle dip with pickled onion, capers, parsley, feta, mint, and sumac. Serve wam.
**Helpful tips and common mistakes
When I first ordered Greek fava bean dip, I was perplexed at the color. It was a light tan color, not a green shade like I expected. It wasn't until I researched the spread that I discovered that it's actually made from yellow split peas, not fava beans! So why is it called Greek fava bean dip? You got me there.
To make this scrumptious spread, we first have to cook yellow split peas. Split peas take a while to cook so to shorten the cooking time, first soak them in boiling water for 15 minutes. You can also soak them in room temperature water overnight.
Drain the peas and set them aside. Then, heat oil in a pot and saute chopped onions and garlic until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the peas to the pot along with thyme, water, salt, and pepper, and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat and continue to cook the peas until tender, about 45 minutes. The peas should expand as they cook and absorb majority of the water.
Discard the thyme and blend the yellow split peas, along with any remaining cooking liquid, with lemon juice, lemon zest, and olive oil. Season the Greek fava bean dip with salt and pepper and blend until creamy and smooth.
Now for the toppings. If you want to stick to the traditional recipe, simply chop half of a small onion and sprinkle some on top of the dip. I wanted to make my version a bit fancy so I decided to add pickled onions, fresh herbs, sumac, feta, and capers.
Feel free to make the pickled onions up to a week in advance.
Spoon the warm dip into a serving bowl, drizzle extra virgin olive oil, and pile on the toppings. Serve the Greek fava dip with pita bread or just enjoy it by itself if you prefer.
One bite of this Greek fava bean dip and I felt like I was back in Greece. The warm dip is creamy and fluffy at the same time while the toppings add extra layers of flavors and textures. I'm so glad this recipe makes a large batch because I'll be snacking on it for days!
For more dip inspiration check out this roasted cauliflower white bean hummus recipe!
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