Moroccan · Appetizer
Bessara Fava Bean Dip
Thicker and more coarsely blended than the classic breakfast soup version, this bessara is served as a dip — dried fava beans cooked down with garlic and cumin, then finished with a generous pour of olive oil and paprika for scooping with bread.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 60 min
- Total
- 70 min
- Serves
- 6
- Level
- Easy
Ingredients
- 300 g dried split fava beans, soaked overnight
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp paprika, plus extra to finish
- 5 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to finish
- Salt
Method
- 1
Cook the beans
Drain the soaked fava beans and simmer with the garlic and enough water to cover by 5 cm for 50–60 minutes until completely soft.
- 2
Blend thick
Blend the beans with a little of their cooking liquid, cumin, paprika, olive oil and salt to a thick, coarse dip — thicker than a soup consistency.
- 3
Adjust
Add more cooking liquid only if needed to loosen slightly; the dip should hold its shape on a spoon.
- 4
Serve
Spread onto a plate, drizzle generously with olive oil and a dusting of paprika and cumin, and serve with warm bread.
Chef's tips
- Blend it thick on purpose — this is meant to be scooped with bread, not sipped like the soup version.
- A finishing drizzle of good olive oil makes a real difference to the final flavour.
Frequently asked questions
How is this different from bessara soup?
The soup version is thinned out and eaten with a spoon for breakfast; this dip is blended thicker and served as a scoopable appetizer.