🫘 Egyptian ful with tahini
This is ful the way Cairo street carts serve it: fava beans simmered until soft, mashed with cumin, lemon juice and olive oil, then topped with diced tomato, onion and a drizzle of tahini. The result is hearty, earthy and creamy with a fresh, tangy finish. It is the everyday Egyptian breakfast, eaten with pickles and fresh vegetables.
Diets
Allergens
Contains (in a typical recipe):
What it is made of
Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cans (800 g) cooked fava beans, with their liquid
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tomatoes, finely diced
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp tahini, loosened with water
- Salt to taste
Method
- Heat the beans with their liquid over medium heat for 10 minutes.
- Mash them to a coarse purée and season with cumin, lemon juice and salt.
- Spoon into bowls and drizzle with olive oil.
- Top with the tomato and onion and finish with the tahini.
How to make it lighter
- Tahini and olive oil carry most of the calories — use 1 tsp of each per bowl.
- Pile on extra tomato, onion and fresh herbs for volume.
- Fill up on the beans and vegetables, and add raw cucumber or radish on the side.
History
Fava beans have been grown in Egypt since antiquity, and ful has long been the everyday breakfast of Egyptians of every class. In Cairo it is sold from early morning by street vendors who keep it warm in large pear-shaped pots called qidra, dressing each portion to order.
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Values are estimates per 100 g for a typical recipe; home and restaurant versions vary. Diets and allergens are worked out from the ingredients of a typical recipe — always check with whoever cooked the dish. Not medical advice. Nutrition data: Me Nutrition dish database v13. How we count →