Greek Fava dip

5 from 5 votes

Fasting and fava describes Greek Orthodox Lent traditions and get the recipe for fava, a split yellow pea spread/dip.

Prep Time15

Cook Time35

Total Time50

Course: Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine: Greek

Diet: Low Calorie, Low Lactose

Servings: cups

Calories: 458kcal

Author: Mia Kouppa

Finely chop the onion and sauté it in the olive oil for approximately 5 minutes, using a medium size pot. Add the garlic, finely chopped, and sauté for a few more minutes being careful not to burn it.
1 yellow onion, 3 whole cloves of garlic, 1/3 cup Greek olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Rinse the yellow split peas and add them to the pot. Add the water, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and then lower to a gentle simmer. Cook, covered for approximately 25-30 minutes. Check on it frequently and if it appears to be too dry and risk burning, add some boiling water, 1/4 cup at a time.
1 cup yellow split peas, rinsed, 2 ½ cups water, 1 bay leaf
Once the peas are done, remove the bay leaf and puree using an immersion blender, a regular blender or a food processor. Add the salt and lemon juice and mix well.
1/2 teaspoon salt, 2-3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
Remove off the heat, and let sit to cool. It will thicken up as it sits. Ideally, refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving.
To serve, spread the fava on a shallow dish or bowl. Make a few indentations on the surface which will be perfect for holding the extra olive oil you will drizzle on the top. Garnish with chopped chives and capers, or chopped red onion.
Serve with pita wedges or veggies.
Enjoy!