Bissara

Bissara is the humble, fiercely loved fava bean soup of Morocco, sold by street vendors in the north and eaten for breakfast or a quick lunch with a hunk of bread. Dried split fava beans cook with garlic and cumin until they collapse, then get blended into something as smooth as velvet. It costs almost nothing and tastes like a warm blanket.

Velvety fava soup with a cumin drizzle

The soup is thick and creamy, with a deep earthy flavor that garlic and cumin lift into something memorable. The traditional finish is a generous swirl of olive oil and a dusting of paprika, which turns each bowl a beautiful sunset orange. Serve it steaming hot with crusty bread for dipping, and do not skip the oil, it is half the point.

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