Quinoa and green fava bean salad on a beautiful serving plate

If you love fresh, vibrant salads, this quinoa and green fava bean salad is a must-try. It’s packed with refreshing flavors from mint, lemon, and green onions, while crunchy cashews add a satisfying texture and the fava beans bring a delicious creaminess. It also keeps well in the fridge for a few days, making it perfect for meal prep.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

Fresh, vibrant flavors from mint, lemon, and green onions
Creamy fava beans and crunchy cashews for great texture
Naturally vegan and gluten-free
Keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days, perfect for meal prep

Key Ingredients & Substitutions:

Green fava beans – also known as broad beans, a legume with a rich, slightly nutty flavor and a buttery texture. A great source of plant-based protein, fiber, and vitamins like folate and iron. Fresh fava beans need a bit of prep, boiling and peeling, but add wonderful depth and are well worth the effort. Frozen works too.
Quinoa – always rinse it thoroughly before cooking, this removes its natural bitter coating. This recipe uses the rice method, sautéed briefly first for a nuttier flavor.
Cashews – roasted cashews are used here, but any nut you like works.

Pro Tips for Success:

Rinse the quinoa well before cooking, don’t skip this step, it removes the natural coating that can make it taste bitter.
Sauté the quinoa briefly in olive oil before adding water, this brings out its nutty aroma.
With fresh fava beans, boil them briefly, then peel off the outer skin one by one to reveal the tender, creamy centers inside. This step takes a little time, but it transforms the beans, making them softer and sweeter than unpeeled ones.
Let the quinoa cool to room temperature before mixing everything together.

Serving Suggestions

Serve as a light lunch on its own
Great as a side with grilled tofu or a protein of your choice
Perfect for meal prep, packs well for lunches

FAQ

Can I use frozen fava beans? Yes, cook them according to the package instructions.
How long does this keep? Up to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
Do I need to peel fresh fava beans? Yes, after boiling, peel off the outer skins one by one to reveal the tender centers.

Looking for more great recipes?

Quinoa and Green Fava Bean Salad

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Total Time 35

Servings:

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Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa rinsed and drained
1 cup fresh or frozen green fava beans already shelled from the pods (see Notes)
4 green onion stalks thinly sliced
¾ cup fresh mint leaves finely chopped
⅓ cup cashews (roasted) roughly chopped
Zest of 1 lemon
1 garlic clove minced
4 tbsp olive oil (1 tbsp for cooking the quinoa, 3 tbsp for the salad)
3 tbsp lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
For cooking the fava beans: a pot of boiling water with about 1 tsp salt

Instructions:

Cook the quinoa: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a suitable pot. Add the quinoa, a generous pinch of salt and pepper, and sauté for about a minute, stirring. Add 2 cups of water, stir, and cover. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and cook for 10-15 minutes until all the water is absorbed. Let it cool to room temperature.
Prepare the fava beans: If using frozen fava beans, cook them according to the package instructions. If using fresh, bring a pot of well-salted water (about 1 tsp salt) to a boil, like cooking pasta, and cook the beans for about 5 minutes. Drain, then peel off the tough outer skin of each bean one by one to reveal the tender green center inside.
Assemble the salad: In a mixing bowl, combine the cooled quinoa, cooked fava beans, green onions, mint, lemon zest, garlic, cashews, the remaining 3 tbsp olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
Store: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Notes:

The 1 cup of fava beans refers to beans already removed from their pods. If you’re buying fresh fava beans in the pod, you’ll need roughly 1 lb (450g) of pods to yield about 1 cup of shelled beans.
Rinse the quinoa thoroughly before cooking, this is essential to remove its bitter coating.
Let the quinoa cool to room temperature before assembling.
Frozen fava beans work well, cook them according to the package instructions.
Keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days, great for meal prep.

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