This Sicilian pasta with fava beans recipe is springtime on a plate! Vibrant green fresh fava beans, peas and fresh mint are tossed with pasta for a delicious quick and easy meal.
Fresh fava beans, also known as broad beans, and green peas are harvested in springtime in Sicily and they are simply yet beautifully paired in this pasta e fave recipe!
Tossed with mint adding subtle sweet flavor and freshness just before serving, pasta with fava beans and peas is literally spring on a plate.
You do need a few minutes to boil the fava beans and remove the outer skin before they are ready to add to your pasta.
But once the fava beans are ready this dish is literally ready in the time it takes to boil your pasta. A quick and easy weeknight dinner!
What if I don’t have access to fresh fava beans?
Of course, fresh fava beans are not always easily found in my neck of the woods. And that is why I usually resort to frozen fava beans found at my local grocery store. Which means that this dish may be enjoyed year round.
They could not be any easier to prepare. Just give them a quick boil; transfer them to a bowl of ice cold water and once cooled, slip off the outer skin with your finger tips.
If you happen to have access to fresh fava beans still in their pod, simply remove the fava beans from the pod and proceed as indicated in the above paragraph.
List of ingredients
- Fava beans: fresh or frozen. Do not use dried fava beans which require soaking for several hours before cooking.
- Leek: white part only
- Peas: fresh or frozen. Avoid using canned peas.
- Spaghetti: or other pasta of your choice such as linguine; penne; farfalle; fusilli etc..
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Fresh mint leaves
- Ricotta salata: for serving or other grated cheese of your choice such as Pecorino or Parmigiano
The following are step by step instructions with images to guide you through this recipe. Please scroll to the end of this post for the detailed printable recipe card.
Step by Step Instructions
Prepare the fava beans
I used frozen fava beans and prepared them as follows:
- Boil fava beans for 2 minutes, then transfer to a bowl with ice cold water.
- Once cooled, use your fingertips to slip off the outer skin. Set aside.
- This step may be done a day ahead. Refrigerate the fava beans until ready to use.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Cook the pasta for 2-3 minutes less the cooking time suggested on the package.
- Meanwhile, heat olive oil over medium heat in a skillet large enough to hold the pasta.
- Sauté the chopped leek, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the prepared fava beans and peas as well as salt and paper, to taste.
- Add a ladle or two of pasta cooking water and let the mixture simmer while the pasta is boiling.
- Drain the pasta and add to the fava and peas mixture. Toss together.
- Add more pasta water, as needed, until the pasta is reaches the desired level of doneness and the sauce is clinging to the pasta.
- Remove from heat and stir in freshly chopped mint. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and serve immediately with freshly grated ricotta salata.
Recipe Notes
-Substitute 3-4 green onions or 1 onion for the leek.
-Replace the mint with freshly chopped parsley; basil or fennel fronds (finocchietto).
-For a non-vegetarian dish, sauté some diced pancetta before adding the leek to the pan.
-Use pasta of your choice including linguine or medium length pasta such as penne; fusilli; farfalle or gemelli.
-For a creamier consistency, cook the fava benas and peas longer. Add extra pasta water and mash them with the back of your wooden spoon.
-Toss in a teaspoon of lemon zest at the end of cooking for extra flavor.
Keep leftovers refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Did you try this recipe?
Let me know how much you enjoyed it by rating it in the recipe card below!
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More easy pasta recipes!
- Pasta with Broccoli
- Sicilian Cucuzza with Pasta
- Sicilian Pasta with Anchovies and Breadcrumbs
- Pasta with Ricotta
- Pasta with Zucchini and Mushrooms
- Swiss Chard and White Bean Pasta
- Sicilian Pasta with Creamy Pistachio Sauce
- Pasta with Potatoes in Tomato Sauce
- Spaghetti with Zucchini
- Pasta with Chickpeas in Tomato Sauce
- Pistachio Pesto Shrimp Pasta
- Creamy Chickpeas with Pasta
- Spaghetti Aglio e Olio with Escarole
- Spaghetti with Green Beans
- Pasta with Potatoes
- Pasta with Peas and Potatoes
Ingredients
- 350 grams fresh or frozen fava beans about 2 1/2 cups
- 1 leek white part only, chopped
- 1 cup green peas fresh or frozen
- 4 tbsp. olive oil plus extra for drizzling
- 450 grams pasta spaghetti, linguine. or medium length pasta such as penne, fusilli, bowtie
- freshly grated ricotta salata for serving or Pecorino or Parmigiano cheese
- handful fresh mint leaves roughly chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Prepare the fava beans
- Boil fava beans for 2 minutes, then transfer to a bowl with ice cold water.
- Once cooled, use your fingertips to slip off the outer skin. Set aside.
- This step may be done a day ahead. Refrigerate the fava beans until ready to use.
Assemble the dish
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta for 2-3 minutes less the cooking time suggested on the package.
- Meanwhile, heat olive oil over medium heat in a skillet large enough to hold the pasta once. Sauté the chopped leek, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the prepared fava beans and peas as well as salt and paper, to taste. Add a ladle or two of pasta cooking water and let the mixture simmer while the pasta is boiling.
- Drain the pasta and add to the fava and peas mixture. Toss together. Add more pasta water, as needed, until the pasta reaches the desired level of doneness and the sauce is clinging to the pasta.
- Remove from heat and stir in freshly chopped mint. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and serve immediately with freshly grated ricotta salata.
Notes
-Replace the mint with freshly chopped parsley; basil or fennel fronds (finocchietto).
-For a non-vegetarian dish, sauté some diced pancetta before adding the leek to the pan.
-Use pasta of your choice including linguine or medium length pasta such as penne; fusilli; farfalle or gemelli.
-For a creamier consistency, cook the fava benas and peas longer. Add extra pasta water and mash them with the back of your wooden spoon.
-Toss in a teaspoon of lemon zest at the end of cooking for extra flavor. Storage Keep leftovers refrigerated for up to 3 days. Please note that the nutritional information provided is approximate and may vary according to exact ingredients used and portion size.
Needed to use up my fava beans and this was perfect. Thank you!
Thank you, so glad you enjoyed this simple pasta dish!
I made this with fresh fava, peas and green onions from the garden. Used fronds as advised. Loved it. Making more tomorrow for family Sunday dinner.
Hello Susan, I’m so glad you enjoyed this simple pasta recipe. Thanks for sharing!