Moroccan Bissara Recipe – Classic Fava Bean Soup
Nadia Terry, FE teacher, Moroccan cooking and baking tutor
Join Nadia, Moroccan cooking and baking tutor, as she shares her passion for her native food culture. In this session, Nadia shares her Moroccan Bissara recipe – a classic fava bean soup that’s simple, hearty and full of flavour. It’s a popular and much-loved dish across Morocco, and one that’s easy to recreate at home.
Made from fava beans, this soup is known as a body warmer, as it's often made during the cold winter days – though it can be enjoyed at any time of year. If you’re looking for a way to keep warm when it’s cold out, try making this healthy, affordable and delicious soup! It’s a brilliant one-pot recipe that’s ideal for batch cooking, and because it freezes well, it makes a great budget-friendly, low-cost option for busy days.
If you’re looking for a healthy, plant-based meal that’s high in protein and high in fibre, this delicious soup is a perfect choice.
This recipe serves 4 – you could always double the quantities and freeze the rest!
Preparation
Set out your ingredients, peel the garlic, soak the dry fava beans in cold water chop the coriander and parsley.
Video time
30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 250g dry peeled fava beans/ you can also you frozen peeled fava beans
- 3 or 4 medium garlic cloves
- 1 tsp chilli powder (optional)
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- salt to taste
- 3 to 4 tbsp olive oil
- 750ml to 1L of water
- tsp of harissa (optional)
Equipment:
- A medium pan
- A wooden spoon
Method:
- In a pan soak the dry fava beans for as long as you can, rinse then put clean water about 750 ml to 1 litre.
- Add the cumin and paprika (and chilli if using).
- Add the peeled garlic.
- Add the olive oil.
- Season with salt.
- Boil until the beans are nice and mushy. This should take about 30 to 35 minutes.
- Give it a good stir. You can use a hand blender if needed. (If you don't blend, remove the whole garlic cloves, or crush them with a fork).
- Serve in a bowl with some drizzled olive oil and a sprinkle of paprika or cumin or chilli powder/harissa. Optional: serve with crusty bread.
This soup can be frozen - reheat thoroughly before serving.
Moroccan flatbread (Msemen)
Why not try Nadia's recipe for Msemen, Moroccan Flatbread - a perfect accompaniment to soup!
