Fava Bean and Sweet Potato Soup

I love fava beans and snatch up fresh ones whenever I can find them at the farmer's market or grocery store as they are such a special treat.  In addition to offering a fabulously sweet and meaty flavor and texture, they are full of fiber and protein. 

Favas are easier to find in the spring, so when I saw them in November I had to come up with a new fall-flavored recipe to accompany them...along with some very intriguing "elephant" garlic that I also discovered and used in this soup in a variety of ways (sautéed, roasted, and raw in the cilantro swirl).  If you can't find the fresh favas, fresh or frozen edamame (soybeans) are a great alternative, and regular garlic also substitutes easily for the elephant garlic.

Fava Bean and Sweet Potato Soup from Claudina's Kitchen

Ingredients

Soup
olive oil
1 onion
1 baby fennel
1/2 t. salt + more to taste
1/4. t. pepper + more to taste
1 cloves elephant garlic or 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 med sweet potatoes, cubed
1/2 c. dry white wine
4 cups. vegetable broth
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs each oregano, thyme, and rosemary, tied into herb bundle
2 cups fresh fava beans, shelled and peeled (or edamame, shelled)
1 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
1 clove elephant garlic or 3-4 cloves garlic, roasted, peeled, and crushed into paste
1 bunch spinach, rinsed and coarsely chopped

Cilantro Swirl
1/2 c. cilantro
4 cloves garlic, peeled
3-4 T. olive oil
1/4 t. salt

Garnish
1/2 meyer lemon
1/4 c. ricotta salata shavings

Preparation

• Heat olive oil in dutch oven or large pot on medium-high heat. 
• Sauté onion and fennel with 1/4 t. salt and pinch of pepper until softened, about 4-5 minutes. 
• Add minced garlic and sweet potatoes and continue to cook, stirring regularly, for 4-5 minutes longer.
• Lower heat, add white wine to pan and simmer until pan is fairly dry. 
• Add vegetable broth, bay leaf, and herb bundle and simmer for 10 minutes. 
• While soup is simmering, place cilantro, 4 cloves garlic, olive oil, and salt in food processor until pureed. 
• Add beans, peas, roasted garlic puree and spinach and cook for 5-7 minutes longer until beans and peas are fully cooked and spinach incorporated.  Remove from heat. 
• Ladle into soup bowls.  Add a spoonful of cilantro swirl and stir briefly to combine. Add a squeeze of meyer lemon juice and ricotta salata shavings and serve.

Related Post: Soup Season is Here!

Comments

[Lisa Behrman]

This soup is fantastic!! Thank you for a fabulous recipe! :)