Fava Recipe: An Easy Recipe for Greek Split-Pea Soup

Fava, also known as yellow split pea soup, is a popular dish in Greece, especially in Santorini. Its main ingredients include yellow split peas, onions, garlic, herbs, and spices. The Greek split pea soup is typically served as a meze or appetizer with a topping of caramelized onions, capers, and a drizzle of olive oil. It has a creamy texture and a slightly sweet and tangy flavour. Our fava recipe is similar to grochowka, a Polish pea soup.

Traditionally, fava is a vegetarian dish, although some recipes also include ham. As you will see from the photograph, I used leftover ham the last time I made this soup. However, I am listing ham as an optional ingredient in the recipe, so you can keep it vegetarian if you wish. Here is our easy and delicious fava recipe.

Useful Information

Ingredients for the Fava Recipe

• 400g/ 15 oz split peas, rinsed
• 3 tbsp Greek olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 litre of vegetable stock
• Small bunch of fresh parsley, finely chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

How to Make the Fava Recipe

1. Put the oil into a large saucepan and put it over medium heat on the hob.
2. When the oil begins to sizzle a little, add the onions to the pan and saute for two or three minutes.
3. Next, add the diced carrot and celery and cook in the pan for another five minutes to allow all the ingredients to soften.
4. Add the split peas, cumin, salt, and black pepper to the pan and stir the ingredients together.
5. Cover the ingredients with the stock, cover the pan with a lid, and increase the hob heat to medium-high to bring the soup to a boil.
6. As soon as the soup begins to boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, then simmer for an hour.
7. Just before serving the soup, stir in the fresh parsley.

Additional Tips for Making Greek Split Pea Soup

• We like to add shredded leftover ham to our fava recipe, which makes it more like a traditional British pea and ham soup.
• Omit the parsley or cumin if you do not enjoy these flavours. Experiment with extra black pepper or a teaspoon of oregano.
• Try our fava recipe with white bread rolls. Some people enjoy a sprinkling of feta cheese over the top of the soup.
• If you like this Greek soup, you might also like our fakes, manestra, or tourlou recipes.

Have you tried our fava recipe? Let us know what you think below.