Foul medames

A Middle Eastern vegan dish built on whole ingredients.

Servings: 4
Active time: 30 min
Total time: 10 h

Organic sourcing

Tomatoes are often on the Dirty Dozen list, making them worth sourcing organic, especially for taste and pesticide reduction.

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried fava beans
• 4 cups water
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• to taste salt
• to taste black pepper
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 2 spring onions, sliced

Method

1. Rinse the dried fava beans under cold water and remove any debris.
2. Soak the beans in a large bowl of water overnight or for at least 8 hours.
3. Drain and rinse the soaked beans thoroughly.
4. Place the fava beans in a pot with 4 cups of water and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1.5-2 hours until beans are tender.
6. In a bowl, combine minced garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, cumin, salt, and pepper.
7. Mash the cooked fava beans slightly and mix them with the garlic-lemon dressing.
8. Adjust seasoning as needed, adding more salt, pepper, or lemon juice to taste.
9. Serve warm, garnished with chopped parsley, tomatoes, and spring onions.

Notes

• Fava beans can be substituted with canned for convenience, just reduce cooking time.
• Foul medames pair well with pita bread or rice.
• Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Source

Paraphrased from the culinary canon by Organic.is editors, 2026. Classic Middle Eastern recipe. If you'd like a specific source for further reading, ask Tinni (bottom-right) for a book recommendation.