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Moroccan Bessara (or bissara) is a delicious, satisfying pureed fava bean dip or soup that's popular street food as well as humble family fare.

Although it's enjoyed throughout the country, it's especially popular in the north of Morocco, where it might be served as a standalone dish or as a side to fish.

How to Make Bessara

Bessara is prepared by soaking dried, peeled split fava beans overnight, simmering the soaked beans with garlic, olive oil, paprika, and cumin, then pureeing the mixture to the desired consistency.

Dried split fava beans — Dried split peeled fava beans are used to make bessara. Stray bits of brown skin are easily removed after soaking. Photo: Christine Benlafquih | Taste of Maroc

Traditionally the soaked split fava beans are cooked for several hours until they have broken down on their own. They are then passed through a sieve or food mill.

However, in modern kitchens we're more likely to use a blender or immersion blender, so the beans need to be cooked only about an hour before they're ready to be pureed. It's so much quicker and easier, and also yields a smoother texture to the fava bean puree.

Moroccan bessara dip — Moroccan Bessara served as a dip. Photo: Picturepartners | Bigstock.com

If made as a thicker puree, bessara is likely to be served as a dip from a communal plate, usually with crusty Moroccan bread on the side.

If thinner, bessara is ladled into individual bowls as a soup. That's how it's enjoyed as street food, and it's also how I serve it at home.