Fava Beans - Fresh in Pod

Fresh Fava Beans

Fresh fava beans are one of the signature crops of late spring and early summer at Norwich Meadows Farm. Long cultivated throughout the Mediterranean and Middle East, favas are prized for their rich flavor, creamy texture, and deep culinary history.

Available Sizes

Available as Baby Fava Beans and full-size Shelling Fava Beans.  Both sold freshly harvested still in the pod.

What Are Baby Fava Beans?

Baby fava beans are harvested early, before the inner beans fully mature and before the pod develops fibrous texture. At this stage, the entire pod is tender and edible, similar to a snap pea or young romano bean.

These young pods are especially popular grilled or blistered with olive oil, lemon, sea salt, and herbs.*

What Do They Taste Like?

Fava beans have a distinctly fresh, green flavor with more richness and depth than English peas. Their profile is often described as grassy, nutty, buttery, and slightly mineral.

• Baby Favas — tender, grassy, sweet, and delicate with fully edible pods
• Shelling Favas — richer, creamier, more savory, and dense once shelled and peeled

Favas pair especially well with olive oil, citrus, yogurt, mint, dill, pecorino, garlic, seafood, grilled meats, and spring alliums.

How to Use Baby Favas

• Grill or blister whole with olive oil and lemon
  
• Char and finish with sea salt and herbs
  

Because they are harvested immature, the pods remain tender enough to eat whole.

How to Use Shelling Favas

• Shell and peel for purees, pastas, risotto, and salads
• Pair with pecorino, mint, lemon, and olive oil
• Add to braises, spring stews, or grain dishes
• Serve raw or lightly blanched in traditional Mediterranean preparations
• Use in spreads, dips, and warm vegetable compositions

Our shelling favas have become a seasonal staple at the Union Square Greenmarket and appear each year in many of New York’s leading restaurants.

Why They’re Different

These are field-grown specialty fava beans selected for flavor, tenderness, and culinary performance rather than storage durability. Hand harvested fresh throughout the season, they are intended for kitchens where texture, sweetness, and freshness are critical.

Favas have been foundational ingredients throughout Italy, North Africa, the Levant, Greece, and the broader Middle East for thousands of years, where they remain central to many traditional spring dishes.

Allergen / Dietary Note: Fava beans are legumes. Individuals with G6PD deficiency (favism) should avoid consuming fava beans.

Shipping & Delivery

We ship all produce via overnight delivery nationwide.
At checkout, please select your preferred delivery date.

Order Deadlines:
• Order by Friday at 12 PM EST → Tuesday delivery
• Order by Monday at 12 PM EST → Thursday delivery
If a delivery date falls on a holiday, your box will arrive on the next available business day.