Φάβα Σαντορίνης — Santorini Yellow Split Pea Purée with Capers and Onion

Greek Fast With Oil Published June 13, 2026

Fava is the warm, silky purée of yellow split peas that anchors a Greek meze table — golden, dense, and far more filling than its smooth appearance suggests. Cooked down with onion and bay until the peas collapse into themselves, then whipped with olive oil and a flood of lemon, it eats like hummus's heartier cousin. The classic Santorini topping is a tangle of raw red onion, briny capers, and a final thread of oil, which cuts the richness and wakes the whole plate up.

This is fasting food that earns its keep: a single bowl of split peas delivers serious plant protein and stick-to-your-ribs starch, the kind of meal you want after a long Lenten weekday. Pile it on warm bread and it becomes dinner; spoon it beside greens and beans and it becomes a feast.

On oil days, make it exactly as written. For strict no-oil days, cook the purée in water alone and skip the finishing oil — it stays creamy thanks to the starch of the peas, and the lemon and onion carry the flavor. There is no fish version; this dish never needs one.

FASTING LEVEL: Fast With Oil (adaptable for strict days — see notes)
SERVINGS: 4
TIME: 50 minutes

INGREDIENTS

- 1 1/2 cups (300g) yellow split peas (fava beans / yellow split peas), rinsed
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 4 cups (1 litre) water, plus more as needed
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 1/3 cup (80ml) extra-virgin olive oil (omit for strict days)
- Juice of 1 1/2 lemons
- 1/2 small red onion, very thinly sliced, to serve
- 2 tablespoons capers, drained, to serve
- A handful of chopped fresh parsley, to serve
- Warm pita or crusty bread, to serve

METHOD

1. Put the rinsed split peas, chopped onion, water, and bay leaf in a pot. Bring to a boil, then skim off any foam that rises to the surface.

2. Reduce the heat to low, partially cover, and simmer for 35-45 minutes, stirring now and then so the peas don't catch. Add a splash of water if it gets too thick before the peas are soft. The fava is ready when the peas have completely dissolved into a loose, porridge-like mush.

3. Remove the bay leaf. Add the salt and, for oil days, half the olive oil. Blend with an immersion blender (or whip vigorously with a wooden spoon) until smooth and creamy. It will firm up considerably as it cools, so leave it looser than you think you want.

4. Stir in the lemon juice. Taste and adjust with more salt and lemon — fava should be bright, not flat.

5. Spread onto plates or a shallow bowl. Top with sliced red onion, capers, and parsley. For oil days, drizzle generously with the remaining olive oil. Serve warm or at room temperature with bread.

NOTES

- For strict no-oil days, cook and blend with water only and omit the finishing drizzle. Add an extra squeeze of lemon to keep it lively.
- Yellow split peas and true Santorini fava (Lathyrus clymenum) behave nearly identically here; use whichever you can find.
- Leftover fava sets like a thick paste in the fridge. Loosen it with warm water and a little lemon, or fry slices of it for a crisp meze the next day.
- For extra protein and substance, serve over a bed of warmed white beans or spoon alongside lentils.