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Incredibly flavorful Tuscan White Bean Dip made with just 4 main ingredients for a simple, yet delicious snack in just 10 minutes. This easy recipe is the perfect dip to serve with freshly cut veggies, crackers, or pita chips, or use it as a spread for sandwiches, and more.
Whether it’s this Tuscan White Bean Dip or homemade hummus, we love having a healthy, tasty snack or appetizer, in the fridge, ready to pull out for impromptu snacking. In fact, this white bean dip is very similar to classic hummus, but it’s made with white beans instead of chickpeas and pesto sauce instead of tahini, oil, and other spices. While we love hummus, this recipe is a delicious way to change things up!
Why you should make this recipe
- Quick & easy to make: Grab a handful of ingredients, and in just a few minutes you’ll be snacking away!
- Healthy: Cannellini beans are very nutritious. They’re fat-free, low-calorie, and a great source of fiber, folate, iron, and magnesium. One 1/4 cup serving contains 11 grams of protein! Pair this dip with fresh veggies and you’ll have a satisfying, nutrient-rich snack.
- Loved by all: Serve this at your next gathering, it will be a welcome app among a spread of heavy, high-fat dips. It also accommodates many diets, as it’s naturally vegan and gluten-free.
- Versatile: Of course, this makes a delicious dip, but it’s also awesome as a sandwich or wrap spread, or add a dollop of it to power bowls.
Ingredients needed
You’ll just need 4 key ingredients to make this creamy white bean dip recipe. Here’s the lineup:
- Beans: This dip recipe uses cannellini beans, which when blended have a nice creamy texture. You can swap the cannellini beans for great northern beans, butter beans, or navy beans.
- Pesto: You can use store-bought or homemade pesto sauce to add bright, herby flavor to the dip.
- Garlic: Use fresh garlic for a delicious savory flavor.
- Lemon: Zest and lemon juice adds tanginess and a light, fresh taste.
- Salt & pepper: Generously season the dip to bring out all of the flavors.
- Fresh basil: Optional for garnishing.
How to make this white bean dip recipe
- Wash the beans: Place the beans in a colander and rinse under cold water. Allow the water to drain very well, then transfer the beans to a food processor.
- Mix all ingredients: Add the pesto, garlic, lemon zest, juice, salt, and pepper. Process until smooth.
- Serve: Transfer the bean dip to a bowl and garnish with fresh basil. Serve with crackers and your favorite crunchy vegetables.
Expert Tips
- Use fresh ingredients: For the best flavor, we recommend using fresh lemon juice, fresh garlic, and fresh herbs. If you have the time to make your own pesto, it will be even more flavorful!
- Thinning the dip: If the mixture is thicker than you’d like or you want to drizzle over a salad or roasted veggies, add a tablespoon of water at a time until it thins out to your liking.
- Double the recipe: If you’re serving this at a large gathering or party, we recommend doubling the recipe because this goes fast!
Frequently asked questions
Typically, a white bean dip is made with cannellini beans, olive oil, lemon juice zest, garlic, salt, and pepper combined in a food processor. In this specific white bean dip recipe, we use pesto sauce instead of olive oil for extra flavor.
Yes, cannellini beans are just another name for white kidney beans. Other popular white beans that may be used in this recipe are butter beans, navy beans, and great northern beans. All three varieties are smaller than cannellini beans and are mild in flavor and easy to puree.
Depending on the specific ingredients, bean dip can be very healthy. This particular recipe for white bean dip is packed with nutrition and for each serving it has just over 80 calories, 4 grams of fat, and 4 grams of protein.
Ways to serve
- As a dip: Clearly, we love this as a dip! It tastes great with a variety of different types of crackers, chips, or pita chips. It also pairs wonderfully with baby carrots and freshly cut broccoli, mini peppers, cucumber slices, and cauliflower florets.
- As a spread: Slather this on your favorite wrap, sandwich, or burger. We love it with our cucumber sandwich and our grilled chicken sandwich.
- For drizzling and topping: Dollop this over salads, buddha bowls, or other types of grain and vegetable bowls. It’s also great thinned out with a small amount of water and used as a dressing over roasted veggies and salads.
Storage recommendations
Place this Tuscan White Bean Dip in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
More dip recipes
- Baked Feta Dip
- Whipped Ricotta Cheese Dip
- Taco Dip
- Chili Cheese Dip
- Cowboy Queso Dip
- Whipped Feta Dip
- Baked Spinach and Artichoke Dip
- Easy Buffalo Chicken Dip
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Tuscan White Bean Dip
Ingredients
- 2 (15oz) cans cannellini beans
- 1/3 cup pesto sauce
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 lemon, zest, and juice of
- kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- Fresh basil leaves, to garnish
- Optional to serve: crackers, carrots, or crunchy veggies of choice
Instructions
- Place the beans in a colander and rinse under cold water. Allow the water to drain very well, then transfer the beans to a food processor.
- Add the pesto, garlic, lemon zest, juice, salt, and pepper. Process until smooth.
- Transfer the bean dip to a bowl and garnish with fresh basil. Serve with crackers and crunchy vegetables of choice.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
So good