Broad beans (Vicia faba), also called fava beans, are one of the oldest cultivated crops, with archaeological evidence of their use stretching back thousands of years in the Mediterranean and Middle East. They produce large, flat seeds inside thick, padded pods.
The beans are eaten at two main stages: young and green (immature seeds), when they have a sweet, grassy flavour and tender texture, or dried and mature, when they become starchy and earthy. Dried broad beans are a staple in cuisines from Egypt (ful medames) to China, while fresh broad beans are prized in European and Middle Eastern cooking.
In Australia, broad beans grow well as a cool-season crop and are common in home gardens and market gardens, particularly in southern states. They’re also an important rotation crop for farmers because, like all legumes, they fix nitrogen in the soil.
How it's produced
Broad beans are grown as an annual cool-season crop, planted in autumn or early winter in temperate climates. They prefer well-drained soil and can tolerate light frosts, which makes them well-suited to southern Australian growing conditions. The plants grow upright to about a metre tall and produce clusters of pods along the stem.
For fresh market sale, pods are hand-picked when the beans inside are plump but still green and tender. For dried beans, the plants are left until the pods turn black and dry on the stem, then harvested mechanically or by hand. Broad beans are also grown as a green manure or cover crop to improve soil nitrogen. Australia produces broad beans commercially, particularly in Victoria and South Australia, for both domestic use and export.
What it costs the planet (per kilo)
≈ Estimated from its category — typical for legumes & pulses, not measured for this item yet. Sources & methods →
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