Seasonal ingredients
Spring Broad Beans and Petit Pois in Morocco
For a few short weeks in spring, Moroccan markets fill with mounds of fresh broad beans in their velvety pods and sweet young peas still on the vine. Foul akhdar (fresh broad beans) and jelbana (peas) are the tender, green heart of spring cooking — shelled by hand at the kitchen table, they go into light stews and tagines that taste of the season's brief, generous freshness. After a winter of dried pulses, they are a green celebration.
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- Seasonal ingredients
- Updated
- 20 July 2026
At a glance
- Fresh broad beans (foul akhdar) and peas (jelbana) peak in spring, roughly March to May.
- They mark the return of tender, green vegetables after the dried pulses of winter.
- Broad beans with artichokes and peas with meat or artichoke are the classic dishes.
- Both are shelled fresh and cooked quickly to keep their sweetness.
The green season
Broad beans and peas are among the first fresh legumes of the year, arriving as the spring warmth returns and before the heat of summer. From roughly March into May, depending on region and altitude, the markets pile them high — broad beans in their thick, downy pods, peas in crisp green shells — and Moroccan kitchens turn to the pleasant, sociable work of shelling them by hand.
This is cooking that celebrates freshness and speed. Where winter demanded long-simmered dried beans, spring rewards a light touch — quick stews and tagines that let the young vegetables keep their colour and sweetness.
The classic spring dishes
Fresh broad beans and peas pair beautifully with the other stars of the Moroccan spring — artichokes, preserved lemon, fresh herbs and young lamb.
- Foul akhdar tagine: fresh broad beans stewed with garlic, cumin, olive oil and coriander.
- Broad beans with artichokes: a classic spring pairing, bright with preserved lemon and herbs.
- Peas with meat (jelbana): young peas simmered with lamb or beef in a light tomato sauce.
- Peas and artichoke tagine: two spring vegetables together, delicate and green.
- Bakoula and bean salads: broad beans folded into herb and green salads.
Choosing and cooking
The pleasure of spring beans and peas is in their youth. Choose broad beans with firm, bright green pods and peas that are crisp and sweet — the older they get, the starchier and less tender. Very young broad beans can be cooked in their skins, but larger ones are usually double-podded, the grey outer skin slipped off to reveal the vivid green bean within. Peas are best cooked briefly to keep their bite and sweetness.
These vegetables belong to a wider spring bounty of artichokes, wild greens and fresh herbs. For the full picture, see spring produce in Morocco and what to eat in Morocco in spring.
Frequently asked questions
When are fresh broad beans and peas in season in Morocco?
Both peak in spring, roughly from March into May depending on region and altitude. They are among the first fresh legumes of the year, arriving after the dried pulses of winter and before the summer heat. The markets fill with broad beans in their pods and peas on the vine during these weeks.
What is foul akhdar?
Foul akhdar means green (fresh) broad beans, as opposed to the dried broad beans used in bissara. In spring they are shelled fresh and cooked quickly — stewed with garlic, cumin and coriander, or paired with artichokes and preserved lemon — to make some of the lightest, greenest dishes of the Moroccan year.
How are fresh peas cooked in Morocco?
Fresh peas (jelbana) are most classically cooked with meat — simmered with lamb or beef in a light tomato and onion sauce — or paired with artichoke hearts in a delicate spring tagine. They are cooked briefly to keep their sweetness and bright green colour, unlike the long-simmered dried pulses of winter.
Do you need to peel fresh broad beans?
Very young, small broad beans can be cooked in their thin skins. Larger, more mature beans are usually double-podded — first shelled from the pod, then blanched so the grey-green outer skin can be slipped off to reveal the tender bright green bean inside. This gives a sweeter, more delicate result.