Foul Mudammas (Egyptian Fava Beans)

Foul mudammas is one of the most popular Middle Eastern comfort dishes. It’s a hearty, warm stew made up of mashed fava beans, warm spices, lemon juice and fresh herbs. It can be served as a wholesome, comforting breakfast, healthy snack, or a hearty dinner.

It’s easy to see why these Egyptian fava beans (or broad beans) have been served all over the world for years. It’s a creamy, sumptuous dish with warm, mouthwatering aromas and earthy spices. Made with beans, garlic, olive oil, and some fresh herbs and vegetables, it’s a simple dish with plenty of flavor and nutrition.

This is what I remember having several mornings for breakfast when I travelled throughout Egypt. Warm fresh pita dipped into the flavorful dish was a revelation... not your typical pancake or egg breakfast!

In this foul mudammas recipe, you’ll find some delightful, signature Mediterranean flavors alongside the robust Middle Eastern spices. The two cuisines often feature similar ingredients that make up wholesome, flavorful dishes like Greek beans and falafels. 

This rich, hearty ful medames reminds me of how versatile beans are. They’re packed with nutrients and can be the simple centerpiece of any dish, like a cozy Lebanese lentil soup. 

This bean dish is more a dip than a stew or soup, and it’s wonderful served with fresh, warm pita bread. Make it for breakfast, dinner, or something in between and you’ll have a new comfort food in your repertoire! I love to scoop up the warm fava beans with the citrus herb topping and fresh tomatoes bite after bite.

INGREDIENT NOTES AND SUBSTITUTIONS

• Fava Beans - I like to soak dried fava beans overnight for the freshest-tasting option. You can also use canned fava beans for a much quicker prep time, but they may make the dish a bit saltier.
• Cumin - A necessary spice to load this dish up with lots of warm, earthy flavor. 
• Yellow Onion - This will be the base for your sauce. Yellow onion is mild and sweet, but you can substitute with a slightly more pungent white onion.
• Parsley - Plenty of fresh parsley brings out bright, earthy flavors in each bite of this dish. If needed, you can swap for fresh mint, basil, or cilantro for a similar effect. 
• Garlic - The more the merrier!
• Lemon Juice - Freshly-squeezed lemons help brighten up the hearty, savory flavors and add some lovely citrus flavors.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Drizzling some quality extra virgin olive oil on top brings some robust, earthy flavors and aromas that are impossible to resist. 
• Roma Tomato - You can top your ful medames however you’d like, but I think diced plum tomatoes add a nice fresh, sweet burst of flavor. Green onions are also great for garnishing.
• Pita - Fresh, warm pita bread is my favorite way to scoop up and enjoy these Egyptian fava beans.

HOW TO MAKE FOUL MUDAMMAS

1. Soak Beans. If you are using dried fava beans, rinse them and place them in a container. Cover them with at least 1 inch of water, cover the container, and soak them overnight. If using canned beans, add them to a saucepan with ½ cup of water and skip to step 3.
2. Cook Beans. Rinse your beans and cook with enough water to cover them by 1 inch. Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for about one hour, or until the beans are tender. Drain the beans, leaving at least half of the cooking liquid, and return to the saucepan.
3. Mash Beans. Add in your salt, pepper, and cumin. Let simmer for 10 minutes before using a potato masher or fork to mash the beans. I like to leave them a little chunky. 
4. Create Topping. In a food processor, add onion, parsley, and garlic. Pulse a few times before adding olive oil and lemon juice. Pulse until well combined. Thinly slice the tops of the green onion and deseed and dice tomato.
5. Season & Serve. Season your beans to taste before spreading them on a platter. Top with the parsley and oil mixture, sprinkle tomatoes and green onion on top, and add a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil before serving.

Is Foul Mudammas Healthy?

You can probably already guess that these Egyptian fava beans (or use broad beans if you can't find them) make one very healthy dish. Between the beans, fresh vegetables, olive oil, and citrus, there is plenty of fiber, protein, and vitamins in this dish. It’s also very filling and satisfying!

What Does Foul Mudammas Taste Like?

These mashed beans make for a dish that is creamy, nutty, buttery and just a little spicy from cumin and garlic. The beans are served while still warm, so there are plenty of mouthwatering aromatics from the spices, olive oil, and lemon as well. This foul mudammas recipe goes great with freshly chopped peppers, and is usually served alongside vegetables or pita.

What Are Fava Beans?

These are also known as broad beans. They are creamy in texture and have a slightly nutty flavor. They’re similar to lima beans but less starchy. Likewise, they are very similar to chickpeas when cooked this way, but they have a bit less of a distinct bean flavor.

Foul Mudammas (Egyptian Fava Beans)

Foul mudammas is a wholesome, popular bean dish from Egypt. Its robust aromas and warm, earthy flavors make it a great comfort dish for all!

5 from 2 votes

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Course: breakfasts

Cuisine: Egyptian

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 317kcal

Author: Kevin

Ingredients

• 2 cups dried fava beans soaked overnight (or 2-15 oz canned)
• 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

Sauce

• 1 cup yellow onion quartered
• ½ cup flat leaf parsley
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 lemon juiced (3 tbsp)

Toppings/Serve

• 1 roma tomato (plum), diced
• 3 green onions tops sliced thin
• extra virgin olive oil
• 8 pita

Instructions

• If using dried fava beans, rinse and cover with water by 1 inch. Soak overnight, covered. Rinse and cook with enough water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, turn to simmer and cook, covered, for 1 hour or until tender.
• Drain, or leave at least ½ cup cooking liquid. Transfer back into pan. Season with kosher salt, cumin and black pepper and simmer for 10 minutes. Use a potato masher or fork to mash the fava beans, leaving it somewhat chunky. Season to taste.
• If using canned fava beans, place in a saucepan along with ½ cup water. Cook over medium-high heat and season with kosher salt, cumin and black pepper for 10 minutes. Use a potato masher or fork to mash the fava beans, leaving it somewhat chunky. Season to taste.
• Slice the green tops of the green onion thin and deseed the tomatoes. Slice the tomato flesh into strips, then cross wise into small dice. Set both aside.
• In a food processor, add the onion, parsley, garlic and pulse several times. Add olive oil and lemon juice and pulse until well combined.
• Spread the mashed, warm fava beans on a platter and top with the parsley mixture. Arrange the diced tomatoes and green onion on top as desired and add a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
• Serve with pita bread, sliced vegetables and olives.

*The information shown below is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.

Nutrition

Calories: 317kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 746mg | Potassium: 577mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 453IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 110mg | Iron: 4mg