Preserve summer: The ultimate guide to freezing fava beans

The fava bean season is slowly coming to an end. Before you despair over summer's taste, stock up at the market and freeze them. You’ll thank yourself in the winter.

Everyone eagerly awaits the fava bean season, and we constantly buy bags of green beans. The peak season is between July and August, so this is the last call to take care of your home supplies. Freezing is the perfect 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 the season, freezing is the best solution. Although young fava beans work best, the older ones are not a hindrance either. 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 don't look as appetizing. Blanching helps preserve all their taste qualities.

Blanching briefly submerges the product in boiling water and immediately transfers 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 wait for harder, no-vegetable times. They can stay in the freezer for up to 12 months, perfect for switching to fresh ones later. The question arises, though – how to defrost them?

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

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