Chef Margarida
Azeitonas Temperadas
The marinated olives that sit on every tasca table in Portugal, swimming in garlic, herbs, and enough azeite to make you reach for bread before you've even ordered. This is how we begin.
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Favas com Chouriço
Created by
Fava beans and chouriço, stewed slow until the beans turn creamy and the broth runs red with smoky fat. Spring in a bowl. Bread for soaking is mandatory.
Appetizers & Snacks
Portuguese, Azores
Comfort Food
Weeknight
20 min
Active Time
40 min cook•1 hr total
Yield4 servings
When the first favas appear at the market, you know winter is finally over. In Portugal, this is cause for celebration. In the Azores, it's practically a holiday.
My grandmother didn't grow favas in Alentejo (too hot, too dry), but I learned this dish from the Azorean grandmothers I've documented. Every May 1st, Labour Day, families gather around bowls of favas com chouriço. The workers' holiday. The spring holiday. The kind of cooking that says: we made it through another winter, and now we feast on what the earth gives us.
The technique is simple because it has to be. A slow refogado of onion and garlic. The chouriço goes in early so its smoky fat flavors everything. Then the favas, a splash of water, and patience. You're not cooking here so much as coaxing. Low heat. No rushing. The beans should turn creamy but hold their shape.
At Mesa da Avó, we serve this in the center of the table with a basket of bread and nothing else. The bread is not decoration. It's for soaking in that broth, that red-tinged liquid that tastes like smoke and spring and comfort. This is petisco eating at its finest: shared plates, torn bread, conversation that goes longer than planned.
Favas com chouriço is inseparable from May 1st celebrations in the Azores, where fresh fava beans mark the end of winter scarcity. The tradition dates back centuries, when labourers would gather after the morning's work to share communal pots of stewed favas. On the mainland, particularly in Alentejo and Ribatejo, the dish appears whenever spring favas come into season, though the Azorean May Day connection remains the strongest cultural anchor.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
fresh fava beans in pods
Quantity
1 kg (or 400g frozen/shelled)
chouriço
Quantity
250g
sliced into thick rounds
toucinho or bacon
Quantity
100g
cut into small pieces
onion
Quantity
1 large
diced
garlic
Quantity
4 cloves
minced
extra virgin olive oil (azeite)
Quantity
1/4 cup
bay leaves
Quantity
2
water or light chicken broth
Quantity
1 cup
red wine vinegar
Quantity
1 tablespoon
sea salt
Quantity
to taste
black pepper
Quantity
to taste
freshly ground
fresh coentros (optional)
Quantity
for serving
roughly chopped
crusty bread
Quantity
for serving
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| fresh fava beans in pods | 1 kg (or 400g frozen/shelled) |
| chouriçosliced into thick rounds | 250g |
| toucinho or baconcut into small pieces | 100g |
| oniondiced | 1 large |
| garlicminced | 4 cloves |
| extra virgin olive oil (azeite) | 1/4 cup |
| bay leaves | 2 |
| water or light chicken broth | 1 cup |
| red wine vinegar | 1 tablespoon |
| sea salt | to taste |
| black pepperfreshly ground | to taste |
| fresh coentros (optional)roughly chopped | for serving |
| crusty bread | for serving |
Equipment Needed
- •Heavy-bottomed pot or deep skillet with lid
- •Warm serving bowl
Instructions
- 1
Shell the favas
If using fresh favas, pop them from their pods. You'll lose about 60% of the weight to pods, which is why you need a full kilo. If your favas are large and mature, blanch them in boiling water for 2 minutes, then slip off the outer skins. Young, tender favas don't need this step. Frozen favas can go straight in.
The Azorean grandmothers I've documented prefer smaller, younger favas that don't need peeling. They say the skins add texture. If yours are tough, peel them. As avós sabem. - 2
Render the pork fat
In a heavy pot or deep skillet, warm the azeite over medium heat. Add the toucinho or bacon and cook until it starts to render its fat and turn golden at the edges, about 5 minutes. This is your first layer of flavor.
- 3
Build the refogado
Add the onion to the pot and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden, about 10 minutes. Don't rush this. Add the garlic in the last minute, letting it soften but not brown.
Não tenhas pressa. The refogado is the soul of this dish. If you rush the onion, you taste impatience in every bite. - 4
Add the chouriço
Push the onion mixture to the sides and add the chouriço rounds to the center of the pot. Let them sizzle for 2 minutes per side until they release their red-tinged fat and develop a slight char. The oil will turn the color of sunset. This is good.
- 5
Stew the favas
Add the favas, bay leaves, and water or broth to the pot. Stir everything together. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook until the favas are completely tender and starting to turn creamy, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir occasionally and add a splash more water if it looks dry. The favas should be soft enough to mash against the side of the pot.
- 6
Finish and serve
Remove the bay leaves. Stir in the red wine vinegar. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. The broth should be rich with chouriço fat, slightly glossy, deeply savory. Transfer to a warm serving bowl. Scatter with coentros if you like. Serve immediately with plenty of crusty bread for soaking. The bread is not optional. It's the whole point.
Chef Tips
- •Use proper Portuguese chouriço, not Spanish chorizo. They're different animals. Chouriço is smoked and garlicky with a coarser texture. If you can't find it, look for linguiça as a substitute.
- •Fresh favas in season are worth seeking out. They have a sweetness that frozen favas can't match. Check farmers' markets in late spring.
- •Some families mash half the favas at the end to thicken the broth. Others leave them whole. Both are correct. I prefer mostly whole with a few crushed against the pot's edge.
- •The vinegar at the end is traditional and important. It cuts through the richness and brightens everything. Don't skip it.
Advance Preparation
- •Fresh favas can be shelled up to a day ahead and refrigerated in a covered container.
- •The stew reheats beautifully and some say it's better the next day when the flavors have deepened. Add a splash of water when reheating.
- •Keeps refrigerated for 3 days. The chouriço fat will solidify on top. This is normal and delicious.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 300g)
Calories
650 calories
Total Fat
49 g
Saturated Fat
14 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
33 g
Cholesterol
85 mg
Sodium
1400 mg
Total Carbohydrates
24 g
Dietary Fiber
6 g
Sugars
4 g
Protein
33 g
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