Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the fava beans and garlic cloves and let simmer for 4 to 5 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, prepare a bowl of ice water.
Save 1/2 cup of the cooking water, then drain the beans and garlic. Place the beans in the ice water to stop cooking. Remove and discard the white outer skins from the fava beans, saving the bright green beans inside.
Place the peeled fava beans and garlic in a blender or food processor. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, olive oil, and mint and pulse to combine. The mixture shouldn’t be completely smooth–it’s nice to leave some texture. If it’s too thick, add in a bit of the reserved cooking liquid. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (Also feel free to adjust the flavorings to suit your palate–if you like more lemon or more spice from the red pepper flakes, feel free to add more of either!).
Serve with whole wheat pita chips, whole grain flatbread, or grainy crackers.
*In the spring and summertime, by all means make this with fresh fava beans! There will be more peeling involved, but it will be even more flavorful. If you can’t find frozen fava beans in your grocery store (I usually buy mine at a Middle Eastern store) feel free to substitute frozen peas or even peeled edamame. The taste will be slightly different, but still delicious.
