Ful Medames
Ingredients
&w=3840&q=75){kind=small}
&w=3840&q=75){kind=small}
&w=3840&q=75){kind=small}
- 16 ounces dried small fava beans – sorted and rinsed
- water – for soaking and cooking as needed
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic – minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- tomato – diced (for serving)
- parsley – chopped (for serving)
- scallions – thinly sliced (for serving)
- green chili – thinly sliced (for serving)
- eggs – hard-boiled and quartered (for serving)
- pita bread – warmed (for serving)
Instructions
1. Pick over and rinse the dried small fava beans until the water runs clear.
2. Place the beans in a large pot or bowl and cover completely with water for soaking and cooking, keeping the level at least 2 inches above the beans; soak 8–12 hours at room temperature.
3. Set the pot over medium-high heat, bring to a boil, and skim any foam; reduce to low, cover, and simmer gently until the beans are very tender, 1.5–2.5 hours, stirring occasionally—the beans are ready when skins split and a bean mashes easily between your fingers.
4. Ladle off about 0.5 cup of the cooking liquid, then drain off any excess if needed; return the beans to the pot over low heat and coarsely mash with a potato masher until thick but still spoonable.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, minced garlic, ground cumin, kosher salt, ground black pepper, and extra-virgin olive oil until emulsified; stir this dressing into the mashed beans and warm for 2–3 minutes, adding a splash of the reserved cooking liquid if the mixture seems too thick.
6. Spoon the ful into shallow bowls; top with tomato, parsley, scallions, and green chili (for serving) as desired; if using eggs, add them on the side; serve with pita bread (for serving) while hot.
Ful Medames is a warm, savory mash of small fava beans enriched with olive oil and brightened by lemon, garlic, and cumin. Its texture ranges from chunky to silky, but the hallmark is a hearty, spoonable consistency that soaks up plenty of oil and tangy dressing. Often finished with fresh toppings like tomato, parsley, and scallions, it is comforting, earthy, and deeply satisfying, whether eaten plain or with garnishes.
In Egypt, ful medames is a daily staple and widely regarded as a national breakfast. Traditionally cooked low and slow—historically in tall pots kept warm overnight—it has nourished communities for centuries, with roots traced back to pharaonic times and enduring through medieval Cairo’s street vendors. From there it spread across the region, inspiring local variations from the Levant to Sudan while remaining an anchor of Egyptian food culture.