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 appetiser, topped with caramelised 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. I have kept this recipe vegetarian, but listed ham or bacon as an optional extra in the tips section for readers who are not vegetarian or vegan.

It is a warming and filling dish to try in the colder months, and a small serving is a lighter lunch in the warmer seasons. We hope you enjoy trying our flavoursome, protein-packed Greek split pea soup and find it just as delicious as we do.

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

Recipe by Liz FlynnCourse: Recipes, Soup RecipesCuisine: GreekDifficulty: Easy

Servingsservings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

15

minutes

Vegetarian

YES

Vegan

YES

Gluten-free

YES

Dairy-free

YES

An easy but delicious recipe for fava, a Greek split pea soup.

Ingredients for Flava

• 400g/ 15 oz split peas, rinsed

• 3 tbsp Greek olive oil

• 1 medium onion, diced

• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced

• 2 celery stalks, diced

• 1 tbsp ground cumin

• 1 litre of vegetable stock

• Small bunch of fresh parsley, finely chopped

• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

How to Make Fava

• Put the oil into a large saucepan and put it over medium heat on the hob.
• When the oil begins to sizzle a little, add the onions to the pan and sauté for 2 or 3 minutes.
• Next, add the diced carrot and celery and cook in the pan for another five minutes to allow all the ingredients to soften.
• Add the split peas, cumin, salt, and black pepper to the pan and stir the ingredients together.
• Cover the ingredients with the stock, cover the pan with a lid, and increase the heat on the hob to medium-high to bring the soup to a boil.
• As soon as the soup begins to boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, then simmer for an hour.
• 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, making it more like a traditional British pea and ham soup. Another alternative for those who eat meat is to add chopped smoked bacon.
• 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, adding to the Greek authenticity of the dish.
• 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, and let us know about any adaptations you made to the original recipe, as our readers might enjoy trying your ideas.