Beans are the healthiest food in the world. If you love beans, you have to enjoy fava beans. These beans come in pods and have to be pried open to get to the good stuff. If you are cooking any veg cuisine or stew or soup that calls for fava beans and you don’t have it right now, don’t panic you have lots of fava beans substitutes that you can use in a recipe without ruining your dish/recipe.
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What are Fava Beans?
Fava Beans are also known as broad beans throughout the world. They are large and flat but have a nutty flavor that makes them popular in various cuisines. They are rich in nutrients, including fiber, protein, and vitamins A and C. Fava Beans have some health benefits also. We have listed some important health benefits and nutrient profile of fava beans for you.
Nutrient Profile of Fava Beans:
- Calories: 187 calories
- Carbs: 33 grams
- Fat: Less than 1 gram
- Protein: 13 grams
- Fiber: 9 grams
- Folate: 40% of the Daily Value (DV)
- Manganese: 36% of the DV
- Copper: 22% of the DV
- Phosphorous: 21% of the DV
- Magnesium: 18% of the DV
- Iron: 14% of the DV
- Potassium: 13% of the DV
- Thiamine (vitamin B1) and Zinc: 11% of the DV
Health Benefits of Fava Beans:
- It contains Immune boosting nutrients.
- Fava Beans Beneficial for Bone Health.
- It may improve symptoms of Anemia.
- It may improve high blood pressure.
- Fava Beans help lower cholesterol.
1. Chickpeas [Garbanzo Beans]:
The popular name for chickpeas is garbanzo beans. They are small-round in shape and have a nutty flavor. When it comes to nutritional values, they are high in protein and fiber, but low in calories. You can hardly find its fresh form in your nearby market, but you’ll definitely find its dried and canned version easily. As you know chickpeas are dried so they demand double the quantity of water for the best result.
If you are replacing fava beans in falafel, make sure to take double the quantity of chickpeas to replace fava beans.
2. Edamame:
Edamame is basically an immature soybean packed with protein and carbs. It has a similar texture and flavor to the fava beans. They are easy to find fresh, frozen, and canned. You should boil them for about 812 mins. before using them in a recipe.
3. Cannellini Beans [White Kidney Beans]:
Cannellini Beans are also known as white kidney beans. They are rich in protein and fiber. This bean comes in both dried and canned versions. If you really care about its nutritional value, I recommend using its dried version. Cannellini beans are much different in appearance when compared to fava beans. They have a soft and creamy texture along with a nutty flavor. If you are making stews or soups that require fava beans, you can easily replace them by adding Cannellini beans.
4. Green Peas:
Peas are small green seeds that come from pea pods. They are available all year in the supermarket or your nearby markets. Peas are much sweeter than fava beans. It’s a versatile ingredient that goes well with most recipes such as pot pies, casseroles, soups, stews, stir-fries, and salads. When you don’t find fresh peas, you can choose either a dried or frozen version of the peas.
5. Lima Beans [Butter Beans]:
Lima Beans are also known as butter beans. They are usually small, round, green beans. They are much similar to fava beans. When these beans are cooked, it gives a silky, creamy texture with a slight hint of crispiness. They are much starchier than fava beans. Lima Beans work pretty well with soups, stews, baked dishes, and as a side dish for meat and fish.
6. Red Kidney Beans:
Red kidney beans have a sweet, mild, and creamy texture that breaks down after cooking. They are slightly different from pinto beans still, but they contain some healthy nutritional values. Kidney beans can also be cooked in many ways such as boiled, baked, fried, in soup, and in curry. This can be a good fava beans alternative, but you can’t get the signature creaminess of fava beans.
7. Frozen Faba Bean:
Frozen fava beans are easily available in the market. They are a good fava bean alternative that you can use in your recipe. If you don’t find frozen fava beans, you can use canned beans instead. Frozen fava beans should be cooked until just tender. Make sure they are not overcooked otherwise, they will be mushy and lose their shape.
8. Black Bean:
If you are looking for a healthier option without losing the taste of fava beans, black beans would be a great choice. They are high in fiber and protein and beneficial for those trying to lose weight. They are a good source of antioxidants. Black beans work well in soups, stews, salads, puree, and other vegetarian cuisines. These beans are mild and have a velvety smooth texture which is similar to fava beans.
FAQ:
Who can't eat Fava Beans?
According to doctors, people with the genetic disorder G6PD should not eat fava beans. If these patients consume fava beans, they would feel fatigued, have shortness of breath, or worse, die.
What is the English Name for Fava Beans?
The English name for fava beans is broad beans.
Now, you know the best Fava Bean Substitute. You can choose according to what you have in the kitchen or you can also buy from amazon. Please! comment down below your questions, and let us know how much informative is this article for you. 🙂
