Delicious and easy to grow, aquadulce fava beans are the best variety of fava beans to grow in your backyard. They’re great even if you’re a novice gardener taking your first steps in the hobby.
Keep reading to learn what fava beans taste like, where to buy them, and how to grow them in your backyard. We also have additional suggestions on how to cook and serve them!
All About Aquadulce Fava Beans
Often confused with broad beans, fava aquadulce bean is an early-cropping, high-yielding variety of massive beans. They’re a white-seeded bean species with waxy outer shells.
They’re a lesser-known cousin of the famous fava beans.
Depending on when you harvest them, aquadulce beans can be green, brown, or black.
Long Pods
The fava bean pods grow up to nine inches long and typically hold up to eight beans in a single gorgeous fava bean pod.
Conditions Required to Plant Aquadulce Fava Beans
Aquadulce fava beans are one the best, hardiest broad bean varieties for autumn sowing. They can be sown from autumn until spring.
The aquadulce fava bean grows easily in well-manured, loose soil with a 6 to 6.8 pH.
Aquadulce beans prefer cool weather with temperatures below 60 degrees Fahrenheit and full sun exposure during the day.
Ways to Enjoy Aquadulce Fava Beans
You can find aquadulce fava bean seeds at your local grocery store or fresh from the farmer’s market. Of course, you can always grow your own (more on that later!).
Eating and Serving Them
Eating aquadulce fava beans is a treat for those growing them. They have a rich flavor with nutty undertones and a chewy texture. These plant beans are best paired with salty flavors.
Eating Them Raw
You can pick them young when the baby pods are smaller than a thumbnail and eat them raw to enjoy their delicious flavor.
Eating Them Mature
If you’ve picked mature aquadulce beans, boil them for 10 minutes before integrating them into any meal.
Quick Snacks for Kids and Adults
If you like your aquadulce beans sweet, cook them in lightly salted, simmering water for two minutes. This makes for the perfect snack for little kids.
Those going for a smooth and creamy touch can toss the beans in generous amounts of butter. They can also be cooked and served with chopped crisp bacon and chives.
Soups, Stews, Meals, and More
If you’re cooking with mature aquadulce fava beans, using them in soups and stews is best. You can also use them as an alternative to green beans in dips, braises, on the grill, or sauteé them.
Other serving options include rice, eggs, lentils, or quinoa.
Here are some refreshing recipes to try using aquadulce beans!
- Egyptian style broad beans with tomato salad
- Moroccan fava bean and vegetable soup
- Full mudammas
- Mexican fava bean soup
- Fresh fava bean and parmesan salad
- Flatbread with fava beans, cucumbers, and burrata
- Fava bean stew
- Herbed fava beans with pasta
- Fava bean and cauliflower risotto
Aquadulce beans can be stored for the long term too. Dry or blanch the beans and store them in an airtight container in the freezer. They will last up to three months.
You can also store and use them fresh. Just put them in the freezer unshelled and eat them within two weeks.
Health Benefits of Aquadulce Fava Beans
Aquadulce beans are a fantastic source of fiber. They also contain high amounts of protein, thiamine, and Vitamin B6.
The fava aquadulce bean can help reduce blood cholesterol levels. They can also have a laxative effect when consumed in larger quantities.
Note: Fava beans are one of the triggers of favism. Those with susceptibility to favism should avoid eating these beans.
Can You Grow Aquadulce Beans at Home and How?
Yes, these beans are easy to grow at home.
Cultivating aquadulce fava beans from garden seeds is the best option, as transplanting fava bean seedlings might be too stressful for the plant.
You can sow the plant seeds in double rows two inches deep with nine inches between each row. If you’re starting another double row, keep it 18 to 24 inches away from the previous one.
You may also have to provide support for this variety as it grows. These products should help build the ideal support:
Place the stakes at least 47 inches apart and add twine as needed.
Keep the base of the plant moist with regular watering and adjust the water quantity as required, especially if you live in an area with dry weather.
Pests and Diseases
Here are common diseases and pests to be careful of when growing these beans:
- Aphids
- Blight
- Mosaic virus
- Mites
- Rabbits
- Flea beetles
- Leafhoppers
This delicious garden crop needs very little maintenance during the growth phase. Just cut off any new shoots or weeds coming out from the base to reduce competition.
Once the bean flowers start to wilt, you may find a cluster of leaves at the top of the plant. Make sure to pinch these out to maximize the fava bean crop and stop further growth.
These pinched greens are edible and make a great filling for an omelet or tart. You can also stir fry them in butter until slightly wilted to add a new side dish to your repertoire.
Harvesting
Harvest season starts between eight to 12 weeks after sowing and lasts four to six weeks. You can pick pods two to three times per week.
The pods are ready to pick when the beans start to peek through from the pods. Harvest them by giving the bean pod a sharp downward twist.
You can enjoy a good year’s crop in one season and then replant them next year.
The fava bean plant keeps growing shoots if you leave it as is. This can exhaust the soil before next year’s planting. This means extracting the plant after harvest is a must.
Where Can You Buy Aquadulce Fava Bean Seeds?
Have we sold you on the idea of growing aquadulce fava beans in your garden? If so, you can order bean seeds from True Leaf Market, one of our favorite online retailers for seeds.
Wrapping Up Aquadulce Fava Beans
Nutritious, nutty, and super easy to grow, the aquadulce fava beans are a must-try in your cooking and gardening endeavors.You can keep digging into the various types of fava beans to grow and eat on our Bean Plants page!