I am tired of hummus. Don’t get me wrong, it tastes amazing, and I will never turn it down, though I have decided I have a new favorite bean dip. But if you are looking for a good hummus recipe, don’t worry, we’ve got you, too.
This is a creamy, thick, and garlicy dip that is easy to make. You can use any white bean, but I prefer cannellini over great Northern, as I find they have a bit more taste to them. The process of making this dip is similar to hummus and you can top it off however you prefer to give it your own twist. I prefer some nice crunchy garlic chips and paprika oil, but I also love garlic. You can always leave this off, use less garlic, or find a different topping. Harissa, a hot chili paste that originated from North Africa, is another amazing topping option.
But before we get into the recipe, let’s talk about the health benefits of this dip. Beans or legumes have some amazing nutritional qualities. They contain a lot of protein, minerals, and dietary fiber, so beans make an amazing plant-based protein.
Beans do not have all the essential amino acids to be considered a complete protein source, like animal-based protein sources. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. Essential amino acids are necessary for the body and need to be consumed for our bodies to attain the correct amounts. One way to get our amino acids with plant protein, is pairing complementary proteins together, to get all of the essential amino acids. When complementary proteins are paired together, they will provide all of the essential amino acids. These do not need to be consumed within the same meal, just within the same day! But to ensure you get your protein in every meal, you might want to take this into account. One example includes legumes/beans and grains, like pita and bean dip or a peanut butter sandwich.
While canned beans are easy and quick to use, they do come with potentially a lot of salt. Therefore, I highly suggest buying low-sodium or no added salt forms, then draining and rinsing your beans. This will remove most of the additional salt, if present. Dry beans usually do not have any added salt, but you do have to soak them overnight and boil them for about 30 minutes to 1 hour.
To make this white bean dip a complete protein source, I suggest serving your white bean dip with some pita or flat bread! If you are looking to get in your vegetables, carrot or cucumber sticks would work great as well.
White Bean Dip
Servings: 4
Prep time: 6 minutes
Cook time: 4 minutes
Total time: 10 minutes
1 1/2 cup (15 oz) canned cannellini or great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 small garlic clove
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 Tablespoon water (or as needed)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
For the topping (optional):
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon paprika
For serving:
Pita chips or bread
Carrot or cucumber sticks
1. In a blender, add the beans, 1 small garlic clove, 3 teaspoons olive oil, 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, water, black pepper, and salt. Blend until smooth, adding more water if necessary.
2. Taste and season with more salt and pepper as needed.
For the Crispy Paprika Garlic Topping:
1. Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
2. Add the garlic, stir and cook until golden brown.
3. Add the paprika, stir and cook for only 30 seconds.
4. Turn off the heat and let cool. Once cool, poor over your finished white bean dip.
5. Enjoy with any of your favorite sides!
If you are looking for more plant-based recipes, join our Hands-On Meatless Monday with Vegetarian Middle Eastern on March 24 at 6pm at Lincoln Square.
