Foul medames is a slow cooked dried fava beans recipe, a traditional Egyptian breakfast item that can also be enjoyed any time of the day. Learn how to cook dried beans and make the best ful medammes easily at home, from scratch and it takes literally 5 minutes active time.
Along with Koshari and Ta'ameya (falafel), ful is considered Egypt's national dish. Scoop it with some pitas for a hearty breakfast, lunch or dinner. It is so versatile and can be dressed up in various ways. Mash it for an unforgettable dip, or eat it as is.
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❤️ Why You'll Love It
- An easy hearty ful medames recipe made from simple pantry ingredients.
- Old fashioned recipe that's stood the test of time.
- Ful Medames recipe just like grandma did hers.
- A recipe that has been enjoyed by people for generations.
- Ful makes a great vegan meal or a healthy breakfast.
Many people will tell you to peel the fava beans because the skin is never soft enough. Traditionally ful medammes dishes are enjoyed skin on, you are welcome to peel the beans but peeling is not for me not only for the authenticity of the recipe but time wise too.
📝 Ingredients
Note: This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
📋 Ingredient Notes
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- Rice is used to thicken the finished ful medames and give it volume. You can use peeled split fava as well, and some people go against that. I use a tiny amount of uncooked rice, though.
- Dry lentils and tomatoes are usually added to give ful medames a desired vibrant color.
- Some people add garlic and onions or one of them without the other. I liked adding only garlic to give a savory touch.
- Baking powder is my secret ingredient here for a softer skin.
🥄 Instructions
Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Place beans, rice, and lentils in a fine colander and wash.
- Place them in your slow cooker with tomato and garlic.
- Pour in boiling water, ensuring there are a couple of inches of water above the bean's level.
- Cover with foil, then place the lid on. Set to cook on low for 4 hours.
- After three hours, remove the lid and foil, then mix in the baking powder. It will foam a bit, like in the picture above, so do not panic. Cover and cook for the remaining hour. Cook for more time if you feel the beans are not done to your liking.
- Remove the lid and turn off your slow cooker. Cool completely before placing in the fridge or freezing.
💡 Amira's Tips
- I have found that soaking dry beans in cold water overnight as usually and traditionally done, makes it harder to get a soft skin. The beans cook quickly while the skin is still so hard. If you must, soak it for just a couple of hours, but not anymore.
- If you cannot find fava beans, you can use pinto beans, as it is the closest in taste and size.
- Baking powder is added to soften the outer shell of the beans, this is especially necessary for dry fava beans sold in the US market. You can add the baking powder at the beginning of cooking when using a slow cooker, but this is not the case when using an instant pot.
- Check out the recipe card below for instant Pot instructions and other cooking methods.
- I like adding lots of olive oil to my ful medames plate, but my husband introduced me to adding ghee. It gives a terrific flavor. More on that in the how to serve ful medames below. Please note these serving suggestions also work for canned beans bought from the Middle Eastern market.
💬 FAQs
Ful mudammas is sort of slow cooked dry fava beans. It is a real power legume in the Middle East especially Egypt. Ful is the main breakfast dish in Egypt along with falafel.
There are two sizes of fava beans in the market, small and big. you can use any but the small ones are more traditional and appealing.
Personally, I feel it is. It is a protein packed meal, add to it some tomato, garlic and olive oil and it is heavenly good. Experts recommend that you consume up to 3 cups of beans weekly.
Well, we have a lot on our breakfast table. Ful medames and falafel are the king and queen of breakfast. Halva fudge, egg casserole(s). date paste with eggs, Belila, lentil stew and much more.
🍽️ How To Serve Ful
Let me start by saying there are a lot of recipes for this classic Egyptian dish. Some are vegan, and others are not. You can almost dress a plate of cooked beans in endless ways. I am going to give you the most popular ways here, and I hope you'll find one that will appeal to you:
- The most popular in Egypt is adding a mixture of flax oil and corn oil to ful medames after ful has been heated thoroughly on the stovetop. Do not heat the oil mixture on the stovetop. Spice it up with ground cumin, ground coriander, salt, cayenne pepper, or chili peppers and vinegar or lime juice. Serve with some green onions, this is called ful bel zeet el haar.
- Pour a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and full medames in a saucepan, heat them up on medium heat, then add crushed garlic and diced tomatoes. Add salt and cumin to your personal preference.
- Ful with ghee, in a saucepan melt ghee until hot then add in ful and mix everything well.
- Mix with tahini, olive oil, lime juice, and cumin. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
- Add a can of chickpea, olive oil, chopped parsley, cumin and salt.
- Saute garlic and chopped red onion in oil then diced jalapeño. Add in diced sujuk/ hot dogs/sausages and cook. Add tomato sauce then ful. Season with salt and pepper.
- Place ful in an oven dish, season it with salt and pepper and mix in some oil. Crack a couple of eggs on top and bake until eggs are done.
- Mashing foul medames with a potato masher, add some hard-boiled eggs, tomato, and parsley so for you to make another hearty lunch. Do not forget to season and add oil as well.
- For a creamy fava beans, peel the beans and mash or process in a mini food processor.
🧺 Storage
Refrigerate - This recipe makes a big batch of ful Medames. After cooking the ful, prepare a dish or two however you like. Place leftover in an airtight container and refrigerate for 4-5 days.
Freeze - Place cooled and unseasoned ful in freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 6 months. It is best to store in two cups portions.
Reheat - Thaw frozen ful in the fridge overnight or in a microwave-safe covered bowl. Reheat in a saucepan on the stovetop.
📣 Related Recipes
- Try this Palestinian bread called Taboon bread, so close to the traditional Egyptian baladi breakfast bread.
- Popular Middle Eastern street food, falafel sandwich, is a must have when you visit Egypt. But you can certainly make them at home with a variety of toppings and condiments.
- Unleavened bread is easy to make and requires no special ingredients or equipment. All you need is flour, water, olive oil and salt.
- Biscuit Breakfast Pizza is the right way to feed a hungry crowd in the morning. All your favorite morning flavors come together in every bit.
- This Baked Falafel recipe with homemade falafel mix is a healthier alternative to the classic fried falafel.
More Egyptian Recipes
- Halawa or Halva is a traditional breakfast item in Egypt. Made from tahini and a bunch of ingredients, this sweet tahini fudge is to die for.
- Here is an authentic koshari recipe with all the tips and tricks to get the best koshari on the table.
- Falafel is a breakfast/ lunch and sometimes dinner recipe in the Middle East. Here are some great authentic ideas for what to serve with falafel.
- A tasty take on the classic Middle Eastern dish, Potato Shakshuka is a delightful breakfast of potatoes and eggs. Melted cheese is atop crispy potatoes and poached eggs in a flavorful sauce.
🥣 Equipment
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Ful Medammes
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups dry fava beans 1 pound
- 1 ½ Tablespoons dry rice any kind, uncooked
- 2 Tablespoons dry red lentils uncooked
- 1 Roma tomato quartered
- 3 large garlic cloves
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½-2 liter boiled water
Instructions
- Place fave beans, rice and lentils in a fine mesh colander and wash under running water.
- Place them in your slow cooker.
- Add dice tomatoes and garlic.
- Pour boiled water, cover the pot with a piece of aluminum foil then place the lid on.
- Set the slow cooker to low for 4-5 hours.
- Check after two hours to make sure there is plenty of water and it is not drying out.
- When 3 hours passed take the lid and the aluminum foil off and stir in the baking powder, be aware that the baking powder will bubble and fizz.
- Put the lid on again and continue to cook for another hour or two until it is fully cooked and soft.
Notes
- Baking powder is added to soften the outer shell of the beans, this is especially necessary for dry fava beans sold in the US market. You can add the baking powder at the beginning of cooking when using a slow cooker, but this is not the case when using an instant pot.
- You can use either big or small fava beans but small is the traditional one to use.
- IP directions:
- Place the ingredients in your instant pot (washed fava beans, rice, lentils, tomatoes and garlic) and cover with water.
- Place the lid on, seal the valve and pressure cook on high for 30 minutes.
- Quick release the pressure, mix in baking powder then pressure cook again for another 30 minutes.
- Let it naturally release the pressure for 20 minutes then do a quick release.
- If you feel the beans are not cooked to your liking or the skin is still not soft enough, mix in another ½ teaspoon and some boiling water if needed then press sauté option for 10 more minutes.
Nutrition
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Della
Thank you for this recipe! When I am invited for a family brunch I will make this recipe they will be surprised!
Rayna Hawley
Thanks for the instructions on making fun from dried beans. I was about to give up and just resign myself to cans. I always soaked them before, and as you said, the beans end ip as complete mush with hard chewy skins. I think this may be on tomorrow’s sahoor menu.
Osama AL Eisa
Thank you very much for useful information
Regards
Rebecca
I only cooked the mixture above for a total of 30 minutes in my InstantPot with NPR (above directions say to cook for an additional 30 min after adding baking powder), and it became complete mush. I did not add baking powder. The mixture looks nothing like the photo. It seems I could cook it for 15 minutes or less, and the beans would be more likely to retain their integrity.
Amira
Did you soak the beans before cooking them in the IP Rebecca?
Annemarie
Hi Amira, thank you for this recipe. Can I also cook the beans in a normal pan?
Nunu
You mean baking soda, right? Not baking powder. Baking soda is what softens beans.
Amira
Nunu, it is baking powder actually.
Samia
I was wondering the same thing! Do you know what the food science behind baking powder (cream of tartar and baking soda) softening the skin?
Paul Smith
Hi,
Do you think this would go with a traditional baharat mix or would this be a bit overwhelming? If this would work, do you recommend adding the mix to the slow cooker to cook for the entire time or add at the end when reheating?
Also, would this be a good partner with fish, sardines for instance?
Sorry for all the questions!
Paul.
Amira
Paul, I have never tried ful with bharat before but why not try in a small quantity? you might end up liking it. For the spices and everything else, add them while reheating and not while cooking. Ful is usually cooked plain and then prepared in many different ways before serving. I have not served beans with fish before and TBH I do not think it will appeal to me but who knows you might like it we are all have different taste. I hope this helps.
Raouf
Some brands add tahini Or garbanzo beans cumin Lemmon hot chili tomato sauce etc.
Erik
Hi, I have made bessera and ful in the past, but I also buy the calafornia garden brand and the sauce/flavour always tastes better? Do you know the brand and if so how to make these???
Amira
Each company has their own secret sauce and unfortunately I do not have their secret yet :). Will do my best though. Thank you for reaching out to me Erik.
Lori
Would be interested if anyone one has used an InstaPot?
Amira
Lori, Instant Por directions are at the recipe card. Check them out.
Samia
Trying it now! I also missed NOT to soak the beans if instapotting so I will reduce the time and report.
Anna Likousis
I love that recipe. Thank you very much.
Ann22
Amira, for ful bil ghee, can you provide ingredients list. It’s one recipe I didn’t pay attention to when my Mom prepared for us and I can’t seem to recreate the correct flavor. Thanks so much.
Bobb
Recently, while working with high school language teachers outside of Cairo, I was served ful almost every day for breakfast and absolutely loved it. Last week I came across your recipe, prepared it exactly as you directed, and now my entire family loves it. Thank you for taking the time to post it.
Amira
Bobb, I am so glad you liked it. Yes indeed you can eat ful for a whole week with a new variation each day and never get bored :).
Vicky
Thank you for this recipe! Can you please suggest how to cook this without a slow cooker or instant pot? Can I bake in the oven? Thank you!
Amira
Vicky, thank you for your interest in this recipe. The other popular way to cook this is on stove top. Follow the same instructions and bring the pot to a boil then reduce heat to a very low flame then keep watching it, adding more water if necessary.
Dina
Delicious. I used a pressure cooker (on the slow cooker setting), but used the pressure cooking setting for the last 35 minutes, and it turned out great. After finishing, I mashed the beans, added tahini, olive oil, chopped tomatoes,and cumin. It was fantastic. Thank you Amira for an amazing website and recipe. I love your site and use it regularly. I cannot wait to try your Molokhia recipe next. 🙂
Amira
Aw thank you so much Dina, you are so sweet. I am so happy you liked it and the pressure cooker idea is fantastic. I need to give it a try.
Penney
Amira, do you not peel your dried favs beans after they soak over night in water? Are the hard coverings edible?
Amira
No, I do not peel them and yes they are edible Penney, do not worry.
Penney
Thank you! It was delicious.
Amira
This is awesome, happy you liked it.
LudwinM
Got this in the email last week and wanted to try it. I could not find those beans so I used pinto as suggested. They turned out SO GOOD. I've been dressing them in all kinds of dressings and I am loving them all.
Amira
This is great, I am so happy you loved them all! Thanks for the feedback.
Aminah El-Dhany
For people who have a problem eating beans because of the gas, I suggest adding 2 tsp of baking soda when soaking the beans. It will help get rid of the gas before they are cooked. And let the beans soak overnight. My husband loves foul but it doesn't love him. When we add the baking soda while any type of beans are soaking it reduces the gas quite a bit.
Amira
Aminah, my mom does that recently with any type of legumes indeed.Thanks for the note dear.
Aaron
Hi Amira,
I love your website. My queaction is concerning Ful medames in the slow cooker. I'm cooking for one. So can leftovers be frozen for later use?
Amira
Aaron, you can for sure freeze them in portions, my mom always does that.
Sarah
I grew up (in Saudi) eating a lot of Ful, thanks for sharing this!
Amira
Hi Sarah, this is a very common dish in the Middle East:).
Abida
I have seen tinned versions of ful in the World Foods section of my local supermarket but I have never tried the dish before. It looks wonderful and hearty and I hope to make it soon in sha Allah!
Kathy
I would call this comfort food at it’s best! Looks delicious!
Fran @ G'day Souffle'
I just bought a slow cooker and will definitely try this recipe- adding the little franks, of course!
Hotly Spiced
I've never made this or even tried it but it does look like great comfort food xx
merryn@merrynsmenu
This is delightful and I appreciate your explanations for cooking this lovely dish. I am definitely thinking crock pot overnight with the sausages cooked to add before weekend breakfast. The addition of cumin with the tomato, onion and garlic is a bonus. Great video Amira 😀
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef
That is the most wonderful dish. I grew up eating beans and franks on Saturday night and I suppose it's similar but we missed out on all that gorgeous flavor.
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella
That looks wonderful! I really want to give this a go now. I've eaten it so many times but never made it 🙂
Coffee and Crumpets
I love foul and make it often for big breakfast gatherings. I didn't know there was a special pot to make them, I learned something new today! I make it the Egyptian way with lots of cumin 🙂
BTW, what kind of sausages did you use? They look wonderful.
Amira
I've used the Hillshire Farm® Lit’l Smokies. It's all beef, I double checked with the company.
John@Kitchen Riffs
I love beans of all types. As you know -- thanks for the link love! This is a wonderful dish, and one that'd definitely appeal to me. Love the "stomach nail" explanation! Really interest. Thanks for this.
Amira
I'll be making your dish tomorrow and I'll let you know for sure hoe it was. Thanks for the wonderful recipe.
Juliana
This is so interesting...I have never cooked fav bean...this is something that I would love to give a try.
Enjoy your week Amira 🙂
Denise Browning@From Brazil To You
A flavorful, healthy dish! A love several types of beans because I grew up eating a variety of them. Pinned!
Liz
Boy, does this recipe sound terrific. Lentils, beans and rice flavored with cumin? YUM!