Photo: Ruby Josephine Smith · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Two wooden plates of smooth pale bean soup with cumin and olive oil drizzle, served with bread wedges, olives and a dish of cumin. — Photo: Ruby Josephine Smith · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Middle Eastern & North African · Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner

Bissara (Moroccan Fava Bean Soup)

Name: Bissara (Moroccan Fava Bean Soup)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 70 min
Cuisine: Middle Eastern & North African
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups dried split peeled fava beans; 4 cloves garlic; 6 cups water; 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 2 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp sweet paprika; 1 tsp salt; 2 tbsp lemon juice; 1 pinch cayenne pepper

بيصارة (Bissara)

By BerryFit Kitchen · Nutrition checked with USDA data · Updated Oct 11, 2026 · How we make recipes

A velvety, warming purée of split fava beans simmered with garlic, then finished with cumin, paprika and a ribbon of golden olive oil. It is a humble Moroccan classic that is rich in plant protein and fibre.

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 60 min
Total: 70 min
Serves: 4

Easy
Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten Free
Dairy Free

16%

Per serving327kcal16% of a 2,000 kcal day

20gProtein

46gCarbs

8gFat

19gFiber

Calories come from: Carbs 54% · Fat 22% · Protein 24%

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Ingredients

For 4 servings

1 1/2 cups300 gdried split peeled fava beans
4 cloves12 ggarlic
6 cups1,500 gwater
2 tbsp27 gextra virgin olive oil
2 tspground cumin
1 tspsweet paprika
1 tsp6 gsalt
2 tbsp30 glemon juice
1 pinchcayenne pepper (optional)

Steps

1
Rinse the split fava beans in a sieve under cold water until the water runs clear.
2
Peel the garlic cloves and leave them whole.
3
Put the beans, garlic and water in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat.
4
Skim off any foam that rises to the surface.
5
Lower the heat, partly cover and simmer for 50–55 minutes, stirring now and then, until the beans fall apart.
6
Stir in 1 tbsp of the olive oil, the salt and 1 1/2 tsp of the cumin.
7
Blend the soup with a stick blender until completely smooth.
8
Thin with a splash of hot water if too thick, or simmer uncovered for a few minutes if too thin.
9
Stir in the lemon juice and taste for salt.
10
Ladle into bowls and drizzle with the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil.
11
Sprinkle with the paprika, the remaining cumin and the cayenne, if using, and serve hot.

Swaps, storage and make-ahead

Swaps

Use dried split peas or yellow lentils instead of split fava beans if fava beans are hard to find, simmering until very soft.
For a lighter bowl, skip the olive oil stirred into the pot and keep only the finishing drizzle on top.
Swap the sweet paprika for smoked paprika for a deeper, smoky flavour.
Serve with a gluten-free flatbread labelled that way, or with a crisp side salad, instead of wheat bread.

Storage

Cool and refrigerate within 2 hours in a covered container for 3 to 4 days, then reheat with a splash of water until steaming hot, as it thickens as it sits. It also freezes well for up to about 3 months; thaw in the fridge before reheating.

Make ahead

Make the soup up to 3 days ahead, adding the lemon juice and toppings after reheating. You can also rinse the beans and peel the garlic the day before.

Nutrition values are for the recipe as written.

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Allergens and nutrition

No major allergens in the ingredients.

Check the labels of packaged ingredients for allergens and suitability for your diet.

Full nutrition

	Per serving (470 g)	Per 100 g
Calories	327 kcal	70 kcal
Protein	20.1 g	4.3 g
Carbohydrates	46 g	9.8 g
of which sugars	4.6 g	1 g
Fiber	19.1 g	4.1 g
Fat	8.2 g	1.7 g
of which saturated	1.2 g	0.3 g
Sodium	610 mg	130 mg

Nutrition is calculated from USDA FoodData Central data and may differ from what you cook.