Egyptian Ful Medames Savory Oat Bowl
Creamy steel cut oats cooked in broth are topped with warm, garlicky cumin-lemon fava beans, chopped tomato, parsley and a generous drizzle of olive oil. It is a hearty, Egyptian-inspired breakfast bowl that also works for dinner.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Wait
- 15 min
- Total
- 1 hr
- Makes
- 4 generous bowls (about 2 cups / 480 ml each)
Steps
Before you start
- Look for canned fava beans (ful medames) in the international aisle or at Middle Eastern grocers. Cooked canned brown fava beans are used here.
- Oats and beans cook at the same time, so the first step is chopping everything: onion, garlic, tomato, parsley and lemon.
- Steel cut oats take about 25 to 30 minutes; start the oats first and make the beans while they simmer.
- Optional toppings (eggs, tahini) are listed in the ingredients; hard-boil the eggs first if using (10 minutes in boiling water, then ice water).
Chop the ingredients
- Finely dice the onion, grate or mince the garlic, dice the tomato into ¼-inch (6 mm) pieces and chop the parsley.
- Zest the lemon (about 1 tsp), then juice it (about 3 tbsp / 45 ml).
- Keep the tomato and parsley in a separate bowl from the onion and garlic.
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Ready when: All vegetables are cut and within reach of the stove
Tip: Do this first; once the oats are on, the beans come together quickly.
Start the oats
- In a 3-quart (3 L) saucepan, combine the steel cut oats, vegetable broth, water and ¼ tsp fine sea salt.
- Set over high heat and bring to a boil, stirring once or twice.
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Ready when: Large bubbles break across the whole surface
Tip: Use a pot with room to spare; oats foam up and can boil over.
Simmer the oats
- Reduce the heat to low, partially cover with the lid, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes in total, stirring every 8 to 10 minutes to stop the oats sticking.
- After the first stir, start the beans in the next steps while the oats keep simmering.
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Ready when: Oats are tender with a slight chew and the mixture is thick and creamy, like loose risotto
Tip: If the oats look dry before they are tender, stir in ¼ cup (60 ml) hot water.
Sauté onion and garlic
- While the oats simmer, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a 10-inch (25 cm) deep skillet over medium heat.
- Add the diced onion and cook, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, cumin and optional Aleppo pepper and stir for 30 seconds.
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Ready when: Onion is soft and translucent, and the garlic and cumin smell fragrant but not browned
Tip: Garlic turns bitter if it browns; lower the heat if it colors.
Simmer the fava beans
- Pour in both cans of fava beans with their liquid.
- Add ½ tsp kosher salt and the black pepper.
- Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Give the oats a stir during this time.
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Ready when: The liquid has thickened to a loose, saucy consistency that coats a spoon
Mash and brighten
- Mash about one-third of the beans directly in the pan with a potato masher or fork, leaving the rest whole.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest and lemon juice.
- Taste and add salt if needed.
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Ready when: The beans look chunky and creamy, with a distinct lemony aroma
Tip: Add lemon off the heat so it stays fresh and bright.
Finish the oats
- When the oats are tender and creamy (about 28 to 30 minutes of simmering), remove the pan from the heat, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes to thicken slightly.
- Stir well before serving.
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Ready when: Oats hold a soft mound on a spoon
Prep the toppings
- Toss the diced tomato with half of the chopped parsley.
- If using, thin the tahini with 1 tbsp water until pourable, and halve the hard-boiled eggs.
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Ready when: Tahini pours in a thin ribbon
Tip: Hard-boil eggs for 10 minutes, then cool in ice water for easy peeling.
Assemble the bowls
- Divide the oats among 4 bowls, about 1 cup (240 ml) each.
- Spoon about 1 cup of warm fava beans over each.
- Top with the tomato-parsley mix, eggs and tahini if using, and the remaining parsley.
- Drizzle each bowl with 1½ tsp olive oil and serve immediately.
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Ready when: Bowls are hot, with bright toppings and glossy oil on top
Tip: Serve right away; the oats firm up as they cool.
Good to know
Tips
- Do not drain the canned fava beans; the liquid helps make the sauce creamy.
- Mash only part of the beans so the bowl keeps both a creamy sauce and whole beans.
- Stir the cumin into the oil for just 30 seconds to wake up its flavor without scorching.
- Season at the end: canned beans and broth vary in saltiness, so taste before adding extra salt.
Make ahead
Cook the oats and fava beans up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate separately in airtight containers. Dice the tomato and chop the parsley fresh on the day of serving.
Storage & reheating
Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Fridge: store oats and beans separately in airtight containers for up to 4 days. Freezer: freeze the oats and beans separately for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat in a saucepan or microwave with a splash of water or broth, stirring until steaming hot, then add fresh toppings.
Substitutions
- canned cooked fava beans → canned chickpeas or white beans. Milder and less earthy, but still creamy when partly mashed; use the same weight and drain half the liquid.
- steel cut oats → old-fashioned rolled oats. Use 1½ cups (120 g) and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes in the same liquid; the texture will be softer.
- low-sodium vegetable broth → chicken broth. Gives a richer flavor, but the bowl is no longer vegetarian or vegan.
- fresh flat-leaf parsley → fresh cilantro or mint. Cilantro gives a more pungent flavor; mint gives a fresher one.
