White Bean Dip (Printable)

Velvety white bean dip with garlic and lemon juice. Ready in 10 minutes. Vegetarian, gluten-free, and vegan.

# What You'll Need:

→ Beans

01 - 2 cups white beans (cannellini or great northern), drained and rinsed (15 oz can)

→ Aromatics & Seasoning

02 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
03 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
04 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
05 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
06 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Optional Additions

07 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley or chives, chopped

# Directions:

01 - Place white beans, minced garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a food processor or blender.
02 - Process until completely smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed for even blending.
03 - Taste the mixture and modify with additional lemon juice, salt, or olive oil to achieve desired flavor balance.
04 - Incorporate ground cumin or fresh herbs if using, and pulse briefly to combine.
05 - Transfer to a serving bowl, drizzle with extra olive oil, and sprinkle with fresh herbs. Accompany with pita bread, vegetable sticks, or crackers.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The silky texture transforms ordinary vegetables into something you cannot stop eating, and Ive watched friends who claim to dislike beans become complete converts after one bite.
  • You can throw this together in exactly 10 minutes with pantry staples, which has saved me countless times when unexpected guests text theyre on their way over.
02 -
  • The temperature of your beans matters tremendously, and room temperature beans blend into a much smoother dip than cold ones straight from the refrigerator.
  • Adding just a tablespoon of the bean liquid from the can creates a silkier texture without thinning the dip too much, something I discovered completely by accident when I was too lazy to drain them properly.
03 -
  • If you have an extra minute, quickly sauté the garlic in a tablespoon of the olive oil until fragrant but not browned before adding to the processor, which mellows the sharp bite while deepening the flavor profile.
  • The difference between a good white bean dip and a memorable one often comes down to the quality of your olive oil, so this is the time to use that special bottle you save for special occasions.
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