Pressure cooker ful medames, Egyptian fava beans
Egypt's breakfast of creamy, mashed fava beans with garlic, lemon, cumin and olive oil, cooked from dry with no soaking.
- Time1 hr 15
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £0.75 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Estimated nutrition per serving
- 262kcal
- 23.1gcarbs
- 6.5gof which sugars
- 15.3gfat
- 4.3gsaturates
- 7.7gprotein
- 6.9gfibre
- 0.3gsalt
A rough estimate worked out from the ingredients, for the serving size above. It is a guide only and not medical advice. If you count carbs or manage diabetes, check with your own tools and your care team.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Rinse the beans and put them in the pot with the water and bay leaves. Do not add salt yet, which can toughen the skins. Do not fill past the halfway mark, as the beans foam.
- 2
Lock the lid and set the valve to sealing. Cook at high pressure for 45 minutes. It takes about 10 minutes to come up to pressure first.
45 min - 3
Leave the pressure to drop naturally for 20 minutes (natural release), then open the valve. Natural release keeps the beans whole and tender. Quick release would split the skins and spit foam from the valve.
20 min - 4
Test a bean. It should be completely soft and creamy inside. If not, cook at high pressure for another 8 minutes. Drain, keeping a mugful of the cooking liquid.
- 5
Return the beans to the pot. Stir in 3 tbsp of the oil, the garlic, the juice of 1 and a half lemons, the cumin, chilli and 1 tsp salt. Lightly crush about half the beans with a potato masher, adding splashes of cooking liquid for a soft, scoopable texture.
- 6
Spoon into bowls and top with the tomatoes, parsley, red onion, the remaining oil and lemon juice. Serve with warm flatbread or toast.
- 7
No pressure cooker? Soak the beans overnight, then simmer in plenty of water for 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes until creamy. Unsoaked beans take 2 to 3 hours.
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
