Freeze your feast: Ultimate guide to preserving fava beans

The fava bean season is slowly coming to an end. Before you sink into despair, longing for the taste of summer, stock up at the market and freeze them. You’ll thank yourself during the winter.

Everyone eagerly awaits the fava bean season, and we constantly purchase bags of these green beans. The peak season is at the turn of July and August, so this is the last call to stock up on your home supplies. Freezing is an excellent way to preserve their freshness, but improperly frozen fava beans can become rubbery and lose their flavour.

If you want to enjoy the taste of fava beans outside their season, freezing is the best solution. Although young fava beans work best, older ones are not a hindrance. They will differ in texture, as older fava beans may have tougher skins. Each of them should be washed immediately after purchase to remove any impurities.

It might seem that freezing is simple, but merely tossing fava beans into zip-lock bags is not the best solution. They lose their colour and do not look as appetising. Blanching helps preserve all their taste qualities.

Blanching is briefly submerging the product in boiling water and then immediately transferring it to icy water. This stops the action of enzymes that cause the breakdown of vitamins and preserves the colour. Blanched fava beans remain green and retain their nutritional properties.

First and foremost, thoroughly sort the fava beans, removing any damaged or contaminated pods. Then, without peeling, place the fava beans into boiling, lightly salted water. After one minute of boiling, immediately transfer them to a bowl of icy water to halt the cooking process. This way, the fava beans retain their crunchiness and beautiful appearance. After cooling and drying, you can spread the fava beans on a flat surface and freeze them.

Frozen fava beans are a lifeline for harder, no-vegetable times. They can stay in the freezer for up to a year, perfect for switching to fresh ones later. The question arises, though—how do you defrost them?

Throwing frozen fava beans directly into boiling water shortens the dish's preparation time. This is an ideal solution if you need them quickly. If you plan to use the fava beans in salads or other dishes where their crunchiness is essential, it’s worth defrosting them in the fridge or a bowl of cold water beforehand.

Remember – do not defrost them in the microwave, as they will lose their flavour and nutritional properties.