Easy Fava Bean and Carrot Salad With Ricotta Recipe

By
J. Kenji López-Alt
Kenji Lopez Alt
J. Kenji López-Alt
Culinary Consultant
Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.
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Updated March 29, 2025
20160503-fava-carrot-ricotta-salad-recipe-1.jpg
Fava beans and spring carrots are best left alone. J. Kenji López-Alt

Why It Works

  • Blanching fava beans in the shell gives them a brighter flavor and color.
  • Soaking thinly sliced carrots in cold water makes them curl nicely and gives them extra crunch.

This quick and easy salad takes some of spring's best produce—bright green fava beans and tender young carrots—and does just the right thing to them, which is very little. With a simple vinaigrette, some thinly sliced shallots, and a generous serving of fresh ricotta cheese to add richness, it's all they need to taste their best.

Recipe Details

Easy Fava Bean and Carrot Salad With Ricotta Recipe

Prep 15 mins
Cook 10 mins
Active 15 mins
Total 25 mins
Serves 2 servings
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Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds (700 g) fresh fava bean pods

  • Kosher salt

  • 2 small carrots (about 4 ounces; 115 g), with a small handful of their tenderest greens if available

  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh juice from 1 lemon, plus a large pinch of grated zest

  • 1 small shallot (about 1 ounce; 30 g), thinly sliced

  • Freshly ground black pepper

  • 6 ounces (170 g) high-quality ricotta cheese (see note)

  • 4 slices hearty toast

Directions

  1. Open up fava bean pods and remove individual beans. Discard pods. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil and prepare an ice bath. Add fava beans to pot and cook until crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Transfer fava beans to ice bath and allow to chill for 1 minute. Carefully peel off and discard the outer skin from each bean.

  2. Scrub carrots under cold running water. Rinse greens (if using). Using a sharp knife, a vegetable peeler, or a mandoline, very thinly slice carrots on a strong bias. Transfer carrot slices to ice bath and set aside.

  3. In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Add fava beans and shallot. Carefully dry carrots and greens (if using) and add to bowl. Toss to combine and season to taste with salt and pepper.

  4. Spread ricotta over the bottom of a serving plate and top with dressed vegetables. Serve with toast. Drizzle with more olive oil just before serving, if desired.

Notes

Use a high-quality store-bought ricotta that contains no gums or thickeners. The ingredients should list only milk or whey, salt, and a starter culture or acid. Our favorite nationally available brand is Calabro. Alternatively, it's easy to make your own ricotta.

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
785 Calories
24g Fat
105g Carbs
41g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories 785
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 24g 30%
Saturated Fat 7g 33%
Cholesterol 27mg 9%
Sodium 1407mg 61%
Total Carbohydrate 105g 38%
Dietary Fiber 23g 81%
Total Sugars 13g
Protein 41g
Vitamin C 7mg 37%
Calcium 436mg 34%
Iron 8mg 42%
Potassium 1304mg 28%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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