Cheesy Vegetarian
Parmesan Baked Fava Bean Chips
These parmesan baked fava bean chips are a crispy, crunchy snack idea – perfect for entertaining, or for a nut-free lunchbox snack!
I’m so glad I discovered how to make these little baked fava bean chips. They’re such tasty little nibbles, and can be used in all sorts of ways: everything from a classy appetiser to serve with wine, all the way to the other end of the spectrum, as a fun nut-free snack for your kid’s lunchbox. They’re so easy to make too!
What are fava beans?
Fava beans (also known as broad beans) are often eaten in their fresh, green form. They’re used all over the world in all sorts of ways (check out this list!).
If you buy fava beans in their dried and split form, when they are small and light brown in colour, they’re perfect for making these crunchy fava bean snacks.
Dried split fava beans actually aren’t the easiest thing to find, at least in the UK, but you can buy them online. I bought these ones* from Amazon – it’s about a fiver for a bag, but one bag is enough to make 4 batches of fava bean chips, so it works out pretty economical overall (cheaper than buying 4 big bags of fancy crisps!).
Crunchy fava bean snack
When fava beans are roasted, they become crispy and crunchy, and a brilliant alternative to potato chips or roasted nuts. I discovered them around Christmas time a few years ago. Every year at that time, we avoid having to make actual meals by surviving solely on little canapés and snacks for about two weeks. And these crispy fava beans are one of my favourite little nibbles!
You can flavour your fava bean chips with anything you like. I used vegetarian parmesan cheese (‘real’ parmesan is made with cow’s rennet, which isn’t veggie), and it works so well. Not only do you get the crunchy beans themselves, but you also get little flecks of crispy parmesan cheese, which brings so much flavour. Is there anything that tastes better than crispy cheese?!
How to make homemade fava bean chips
Step 1: Boil the split fava beans
First, boil the dried beans until they’re soft. It takes half an hour or so, so I’d recommend boiling them while you’re doing something else (cooking dinner / cleaning the kitchen / chatting on the phone, etc…), just to save time.
Step 2: Toss the cooked beans in olive oil
Add some olive oil, and spread the cooked beans out on a baking tray. At this point, you can add plenty of salt and pepper, and whatever dried herbs and spices you fancy.
This time, I just used some mixed Italian-style dried herbs. In the past I’ve used my beloved smoked paprika instead, which also works well (though it does turn the fava bean chips a bit neon orange!).
Step 3: Part-bake, then add the parmesan
Roast the fava beans for about 20 minutes, until they’re starting to crisp up. Then add the finely grated parmesan, and mix everything together. This is where the magic happens – pop it back in the oven again, and as the cheese crisps up, it will bring so much amazing flavour to the beans.
Step 4: Roast again until crispy
After another 15 minutes in the oven, the fava bean chips will be golden brown and crispy all over.
You can eat them warm, straight off the tray (my preferred method, mainly due to my lack of self-control). Or, you can leave them to cool, then store them in an air-tight container until you’re ready to eat.
Nut-free lunchbox snack
My daughter’s starting school later this year, so I’m trying to stock up on ideas for nut-free lunchbox snacks. Most schools here don’t allow any nuts in lunchboxes due to potential allergies in the school, and these fava bean chips are a perfect alternative.
They’re nut-free, so able to be packed in school lunchboxes (as well as being suitable for those who suffer from nut allergies, of course). They serve the same function as a bag of crisps, but they’re a nice change, and will keep your child full all afternoon.
They’re also a bit less intensely crunchy than nuts, so less of a choking hazard for young kids.
How to serve fava bean chips
There are plenty of different ways to serve these fava bean chips. Here are some ideas:
- in a kids’ lunchbox, as an alternative to nuts
- as a classy appetiser to serve with wine
- with a sandwich, instead of potato crisps
- scattered over a salad, crouton-style
- as a crunchy topping for soup
Are fava bean snacks healthy?
Everyone has their own definition of ‘healthy’, but I’d definitely place these fava bean chips closer to the ‘healthy’ end of my own personal spectrum. They’re like 95% beans, which can’t be bad, right?
And even though I did add some oil and parmesan cheese to my roasted fava beans, they’re a good alternative to the big bag of crisps that I usually crave, while still tasting amazing and totally hitting the ‘crunchy snack’ spot.
Parmesan baked fava bean chips
Ingredients
- 125 g (~ 1/2 cup) dried split fava beans
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried mixed herbs
- 2 tbsp finely grated vegetarian parmesan-style cheese
Instructions
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Boil the dried split fava beans in plenty of water for around 25-30 minutes, until they are soft, but still holding their shape. Drain away the water.
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Heat the oven to 150°C (Gas Mark 2 / 300°F).
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Add the olive oil to the pan of beans, and toss to coat the fava beans. Spread them out on a baking tray, in a single layer if possible, and sprinkle with salt, pepper and dried herbs.
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Place in the oven and roast for around 20 minutes, stirring halfway. The beans should be beginning to crisp up.
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Sprinkle the parmesan over the beans, and mix well. Spread the beans out again, and roast for a further 15 minutes, until crispy and golden brown.
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Eat warm, or leave to cool, and store in an airtight container.
Nutrition
Calories from Fat 46
Note: Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on exactly what ingredients you choose. Information above is for 1/6 of the batch.
Looking for more lunchbox snack options? These carrot and cheddar bites are ideal:
The post Parmesan Baked Fava Bean Chips appeared first on Easy Cheesy Vegetarian.
Cheesy Vegetarian
15 Minute Peanut and Sesame Noodles
These simple peanut and sesame noodles are the perfect Asian-style side dish or main meal, with an irresistibly silky peanut sauce.
It’s time for another 15 minute recipe! Because I just don’t have the brain power these days to spend any longer in the kitchen. These peanut and sesame noodles are coated in a luscious peanut and sesame sauce that you’ll want to eat by the spoonful.
Asian-style noodles
These peanut noodles aren’t inspired by any one country in particular – I suppose they’re just a mixture of all of my favourite flavours from Asian cuisine.
The end result is a simple noodle dish that could be served alongside any other Asian-inspired dish, or even just on their own.
Probably not authentically anything… but delicious all the same, and oh-so-easy to make.
How to make simple peanut noodles
Step 1: Boil some noodles and veg
First, get your noodles on to boil. I chose some simple dried egg noodles, which cook in about 5 minutes.
I always like to add some extra veggies when I’m boiling noodles or pasta, as it’s so easy to do, and extra veg are always beneficial. This time I added some chopped green beans, as that’s what I had in the fridge. To be honest, any green veg would work well here – see below for some more ideas.
Step 2: Blitz up the sauce
Next, the sauce… ohhhh, the sauce.
This incredible, silky peanut sauce can be whizzed up in a food processor in about 2 minutes, so do it while the noodles are cooking. I used my mini food processor (almost identical to this one on Amazon UK* – here’s a similar one on Amazon US*). It’s perfect for making small batches of sauces (as well as dressings, dips, etc.), and it’s easier to use and clean than my larger food processor.
The sauce is made from all sorts of tasty things, which all happen to live in my kitchen cupboards permanently. As long as you have a fairly well-stocked pantry, you’ll probably already have everything you need to make this peanut sauce:
- peanut butter
- sesame seeds
- soy sauce
- sriracha (or similar hot sauce)
- honey
- garlic
When these simple ingredients are blitzed up together, they make the most irresistibly exquisite sauce. It’s salty, it’s sweet, it’s spicy – it’s got a bit of everything.
Step 3: Combine!
When the noodles are cooked, drain them, and add the peanut and sesame sauce. I find a pair of kitchen tongs is best for tossing the noodles through the sauce.
Step 4: Garnish with plenty of toppings
Garnish may sound like an optional extra, but it’s a pretty important part of this recipe.
Without the garnish, you have an admittedly delicious, but pretty simple bowl of peanut noodles.
With the garnish, you have a completely irresistible bowl of noodles, with all sorts of different textures and flavours.
How to garnish peanut noodles
I always think it’s a good idea to highlight individual ingredients from a recipe in the garnish. So I topped my bowl of noodles with extra chopped peanuts and sesame seeds, to give a beautiful crunch.
Fresh veggies are also always welcome – some chopped spring onions not only an extra pop of vibrant green to the plate, but also a fresh flavour that lifts the dish and stops it from being too stodgy. Some fresh coriander (cilantro) would have the same freshening effect.
How can I adapt this recipe?
If you’d like to make this recipe your own, feel free to mix things up a bit:
- Swap the green beans for a different green vegetable, such as edamame (I love the frozen ones), broccoli, pak choi, peas, or anything else remotely similar.
- Add lots of extra stir fried vegetables for a more substantial dish (more like a peanut-flavoured chow mein).
- If you’re missing one ingredient from the sauce, experiment with a substitution, e.g. cashew butter instead of peanut butter, or a small piece of onion instead of the garlic.
- For a vegan version, swap the egg noodles for rice noodles, or even just rice.
How to serve peanut noodles
I served my peanut and sesame noodles on their own for lunch.
Each bowlful contains a very impressive 20g of protein (read more about vegetarians and protein here!), as well as fresh veg and carbs – so there’s no real pressure to add anything else on the side.
However, if you do fancy serving something alongside your peanut noodles, to add a bit of interest, there are all sorts of things that would work well:
- extra stir fried vegetables
- spring rolls
- vegetarian egg fu yung
- vegetarian Asian-style dumplings
- tofu (perhaps teriyaki tofu or lemon and black pepper tofu)
However you serve your peanut and sesame noodles, just heap them up high, add plenty of toppings, and enjoy!
Peanut and Sesame Noodles
Ingredients
- 175 g (~ 6 oz) green beans, sliced
- 225 g (~ 8 oz) dried egg noodles (or vegan noodles, if needed)
- 2 tbsp peanut butter
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp soy sauce (I used dark)
- 1/2 tbsp sriracha (or similar hot sauce)
- 1/2 tbsp honey
- 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
- 3 tbsp water
- To garnish (choose at least 2): Sliced spring onions, sesame seeds, chopped peanuts, fresh coriander (cilantro), etc.
Instructions
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First, cook the green beans and dried noodles in a pan of boiling water. The noodles I used cook in about 4-5 minutes, so I boiled the green beans for a couple of minutes before adding the noodles. The beans should end up soft enough to eat, but still with a bit of bite.
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While the noodles are cooking, add the next 7 ingredients (peanut butter through water) to a food processor (I used a mini one), and blitz for around 60 seconds, until smooth. It should all come together into a smooth, runny sauce – add more water if needed.
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When the noodles are ready, drain the water, and add the sauce. Cook for a couple of minutes over a medium heat to warm the sauce.
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Serve the peanut noodles topped with your choice of garnish.
Nutrition
These peanut noodles would be perfect served alongside some vegetarian egg fu yung:
The post 15 Minute Peanut and Sesame Noodles appeared first on Easy Cheesy Vegetarian.
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