This white bean dip is healthy, easy, vegan, and gluten-free. It’s also delicious as heck, filled with garlic, cumin, and tahini. It may make you rethink the notion of healthy being boring.
Adapted from Sam Talbot | 100% Real | Oxmoor House, 2017
This white bean dip is essentially a milder, smoother, creamier riff on traditional hummus made with chickpeas. In addition to being delicious, it’s quite easy to make and super healthy, which makes it perfectly acceptable to eat straight from the bowl. No carrot sticks required.–Angie Zoobkoff
What can I serve with bean dip?
To be honest, there’s really not a lot that you can’t do with white bean dip. But here are some of our faves…
Serve it in a pretty dish with all manner of colorful crudités, such carrots, cucumbers, celery, jicama, radishes, bell peppers, fennel, green beans, and so on.
Set it out with a charcuterie spread of salami and prosciutto and the like along with lots of crackers or tortillas.
Spread it on toasted bread, sprinkle with herbs, and serve as crostini alongside drinks.
Slather it on pita or toasted bread and top with sautéed mushrooms, roasted bell peppers in olive oil, shaved asparagus with feta and a squeeze of lemon, or any other toppings you can scrounge from your fridge.
Make it into a vegetarian sandwich by piling it on pita or sliced bread along with whatever veggies you like, such as sprouts, avocado.
Smother a baked pizza crust with it and cut into wedges or slivers or even squares and serve as a vegetarian lunch or nosh.
☞ Contents
White Bean Dip
Ingredients
- Two (14 1/2-ounce) cans no-salt-added cannellini beans drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup tahini (sesame paste)
- 1/4 cup store-bought or homemade vegetable broth or water plus more as needed
- 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3 tablespoons cilantro leaves (optional)
- Extra-virgin olive oil for serving (optional)
- Freshly ground black pepper for serving (optional)
Directions
- In a food processor or high speed blender, combine the beans, tahini, vegetable broth or water, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, salt, and cilantro, if using. Process until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. It may be necessary to add another tablespoon or so of broth or water to reach the desired consistency. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- When you’re ready to serve the white bean dip, simply dump it in a bowl. [Editor’s Note: Or take some inspiration from the ideas listed above the recipe.] If desired, drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with pepper.
Show Nutrition
If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #LeitesCulinaria. We’d love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
Creamy and delicious! This white bean dip had an amazing, almost whipped texture that was much smoother and creamier than most chickpea versions of hummus. It came together quickly with just a handful of pantry ingredients. The white balsamic vinegar provided a hint of sweetness and the overall flavor was pleasant and balanced.
I made it without the cilantro and then put half back in the processor and added cilantro. I liked both versions, but definitely preferred the hummus without the cilantro. I appreciated that it did not use any additional oil. I did need to add an extra tablespoon of water to help it blend. I ate some immediately and it was good, but the flavors definitely melded better after chilling.
It’s great for dipping veggies but I enjoyed it most when I served it as a tartine spread over toasted thinly sliced homemade sourdough and then topped it with roasted red peppers and/or artichokes. It would be a great back-pocket recipe to serve last-minute guests.
This white bean hummus just took my hummus game to a new level! It was rich and creamy, with a subtle cilantro flavor, and it was so quick to put together. I’d highly recommend including both the olive oil and black pepper as they completely elevate the dip from good to spectacular. This was lovely as a dip with raw veggies and pita chips, but I loved it best when spread on pita bread, drizzled with oil and lemon, a pile of shaved asparagus, and a sprinkling of feta.
This white bean dip was nice and creamy without any oil! I was skeptical of the recipe because it didn’t call for oil as well as the unusual addition of both balsamic vinegar and cilantro. I have to admit I didn’t taste either of the latter ingredients and the hummus was well-balanced and satisfying in the way that hummus is.
In the future, I can see myself using more creative seasonings when serving it as a simple dip (lemon zest and rosemary? sumac and oregano?). I can also see myself leaving this basic version of white bean dip in the fridge for wraps, sandwiches, etc. It happily accompanied me to work with veggies, pita, and hot sauce for a delicious healthy desk lunch.
HUNGRY FOR MORE?
If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #LeitesCulinaria. We'd love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Quick and delicious! We love hummus enjoyed this version with the white beans that has a very smooth consistency. Whipped up in the blender in minutes. I know our guests will be asking for this recipe.
Thank you, Lily! I hope everyone loves the recipe as much as we do. Please let us know what you make next.
Just FYI -Even using your pin it button, this will not pin. Using the Pinterest pin it button, it says this site does not allow pinning. Using your pin it button, it simply does not work. Not sure if this is just my device or what but this happens on every site that doesn’t allow pinning using the Pinterest button – even when your site pin it button is used.
Thank you so much, MB! We’re actually aware of the issue and have contacted Pinterest and it’s a larger problem that they’re working to address. I will let you know as soon as things are resolved—hopefully very soon! We so appreciate you taking the time to let us know and we appreciate your patience.
Enjoy hummus and need it more as a snack due to high sugar levels.
This will make a nice alternative for variety.
Thanks
You’re so very welcome, stanp! So happy to oblige.