Fava Bean & Arugula Salad
A fresh, vibrant spring salad made from ingredients grown just steps away from our kitchen.
The Recipe
Bright, buttery, and full of spring flavor — this salad tastes like the season.
Fava beans are one of my absolute favorites — so underrated and incredibly fresh. When harvested young, they have a tender bite and a buttery flavor that’s even better than it looks.
This salad is a celebration of spring’s earliest harvests. We love it as a starter or light lunch when fava beans first appear at the farm. The method is simple, and the ingredients shine.
Preparation is flexible — toss in a handful of asparagus if it's in season, or enjoy the peppery bite of arugula on its own. It’s a dish that adapts with the field.
Ingredients
1 bunch of asparagus, ends trimmed
approximately 1 pound of fresh fava beans
2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 lemon (juiced)
handful of arugula (coarse stems discarded)
Shaved Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano to taste
salt, black pepper and red pepper to taste
Instructions
Prep the Veggies
Trim and slice the asparagus on a long diagonal into large, bite-sized pieces.
Shell the fava beans and discard the pods.
Blanch
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch the asparagus for 2 minutes, then transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.
Repeat with the fava beans, blanching for 3–5 minutes depending on their size. Once cool, gently remove the outer skins — it’s a bit of work, but it reveals the vibrant green center and makes all the difference.
Make the Dressing
In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste. Adjust the balance with more lemon or olive oil as desired.
Assemble the Salad
Add the blanched fava beans and asparagus to the dressing and let them marinate for a minute or two. Toss in the arugula, top with shaved parmesan, and serve fresh.
Notes & Tips
Fava beans can be blanched and peeled a few days ahead and chilled in a sealed plastic bag.
Be aware that fava beans can cause a potentially fatal food intolerance in some people of Mediterranean, African, and Pacific Rim descent.
From Field to Fork: A Story of Local Harvest
At Comstock Farm & Kitchen, spring marks the return of our favorite greens and legumes — and few crops say “spring is here” like fava beans.
These buttery, bright beans require a little extra prep (and patience), but they’re worth it. The flavor is deep and earthy, especially when tossed warm over arugula freshly picked from the rows. Add a squeeze of lemon and some parmesan, and you’ve got a salad that tastes like the season.
We love that this recipe is forgiving — it changes with what’s ready in the field. Some days we add asparagus, sometimes we don’t. Either way, it’s a staple of our early harvest.
Every ingredient in this dish is grown with care right here in Carmel Valley. By choosing seasonal produce and cooking with what’s fresh, you're not only eating well — you're investing in sustainable agriculture and honoring the rhythms of nature.
Join the Farm Club 🌿
If you're a home cook, a restaurant, or a local chef who believes in seasonal ingredients and supporting your community — we invite you to join our Farm Club.
• Get quarterly deliveries of our freshest jams, jellies, and seasonal produce
• Experience one-of-a-kind small-batch flavors not found in stores
• Support a working farm and the youth of Rancho Cielo
• Celebrate the seasons, one harvest at a time
