Ful Medames (Egyptian Breakfast Fava Beans)

We stumbled into ful medames almost by accident, at a tiny Middle Eastern deli near us that Lucas insisted on trying because he liked the sound of the name. Lucas is my self-appointed savory quality control officer, and he does not hand out approval lightly, so when he asked for it again the following week, I paid attention.

Ful medames is Egypt’s national breakfast, and by most accounts one of the oldest dishes still eaten regularly anywhere in the world, going back thousands of years along the Nile. It is built from slow-simmered fava beans, mashed just enough to hold together, dressed with olive oil, lemon, garlic, and cumin, then topped with whatever the kitchen has on hand, usually a hard-boiled egg, chopped tomato, and onion.

It reminded me instantly of my own arroz de feijão malandrinho (recipe on the site), a humble bean dish dressed up with whatever is good that day and just as filling. Different country, same instinct.

Ful Medames Recipe

Prep time: 10 minutes · Cook time: 10 minutes · Total: 20 minutes · Servings: 4 servings · Calories: ~260 per serving

Ingredients

• 2 cans (15 oz each) fava beans, drained, liquid reserved (or 1 1/2 cups dried fava beans, soaked and cooked)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Juice of 2 lemons
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• For serving:
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced or quartered
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1/2 small onion, finely diced
• Fresh parsley, chopped
• Warm pita bread
• Extra olive oil, and a pinch of chili flakes or Aleppo pepper

Instructions

1. In a saucepan, combine the fava beans with about 1/2 cup of their reserved liquid (or water), the garlic, and the cumin. Warm over medium heat, mashing some of the beans against the side of the pot with a fork or spoon. You want a chunky texture, not perfectly smooth.
2. Simmer for about 10 minutes, adding a splash more liquid if it looks dry. It should be thick, like a hearty dip, not soupy.
3. Stir in the olive oil and most of the lemon juice. Taste and season generously with salt and pepper. Fava beans need more seasoning than you would think.
4. Spoon into a shallow serving bowl or divide among individual plates.
5. Top with the diced tomato, onion, hard-boiled egg, and parsley.
6. Finish with a drizzle of good olive oil, the rest of the lemon juice, and a pinch of chili flakes if you like heat.
7. Serve warm with plenty of pita for scooping.

Recipe Notes

• Canned fava beans, sometimes labeled ful medames right on the can, are sold at Middle Eastern and international grocery stores in the US, and widely available online. They are the easiest route and perfectly authentic.
• Dried fava beans need an overnight soak and about an hour of simmering until fully tender before you proceed with the recipe.
• This keeps beautifully in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. The flavor actually deepens overnight.
• If you are hard-boiling the eggs yourself, cook them fully, since a fully set yolk and white is the safest option for a dish that sits out on the table.