This creamy cannellini bean dip takes 5 minutes and blends garlic, lemon, and olive oil: no tahini needed! Serve it with pita, crackers, or crunchy veggies.
Here’s a confession: I might like this cannellini bean dip even better than hummus! That’s saying something from someone who’s written a half dozen hummus recipes over the years. This easy dip is packed with protein, so simple, and there’s no need to use tahini all.
This cannellini bean dip recipe was inspired by a creamy whipped feta dip I saw on Instagram. I thought: surely one can make this as a dip with white beans? Two cans of white beans, one lemon, a drizzle of olive oil, and five minutes later I had something smoother than any hummus I’ve made — and my kids absolutely love it!
5 Star Reader Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “This is such a quick and easy dip, a nice alternative to hummus! I appreciate not needing to bust out the tahini, mix it because it separated, spill some, etc. We’ve all had it in our lunch bags with veggies to dip, such a nice snack!” -Tanvee
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
I love a good hummus recipe but I’m also all about this cannellini bean dip. It’s full of fiber and such a fun healthy snack! Here’s what you’ll love it:
- Five ingredients: They’re all pantry staples, plus salt and pepper.
- Healthy snack made of whole foods: It’s naturally vegan and gluten-free, with a good amount of fiber and plant protein. It’s one of my favorite Mediterranean diet snacks.
- Two ways to serve it: Make it bright and lemony or swirl in basil pesto for a fun variation.
Ingredients for Cannellini Bean Dip
Here’s all you need to have on hand for this one:
- Cannellini beans: This type of bean is also called white kidney beans. They’re larger and creamier than navy or Great Northern beans, but those work as an easy swap.
- Garlic: Raw garlic gets punchier as the dip sits, so don’t add more than specified in the recipe below. For a mellower version, use less or even try roasted garlic.
- Lemon juice: Use fresh lemon juice only; bottled tastes flat. (I still need to remind my mom of that!)
- Olive oil: This oil adds richness to the dip.
- Cumin: If you’re skipping the pesto, add more to taste.
Tips For Making Cannellini Bean Dip
This is truly a “blend it all up” type of recipe, but here are a few important tips:
- Use a food processor. It’s much easier for blending without too much liquid (a blender needs more liquid for everything to blend).
- Make sure to save the can liquid for blending. This helps to make a thick, creamy white bean dip. If you forget to, you can also use water!
- Blend until super creamy. Most people stop blending at 30 seconds, but keep going: usually around the 90-second mark it turns from a bean purée into something super creamy. If it gets too thick, add more reserved bean liquid 1 teaspoon at a time.
Plain or Pesto? Two Flavor Variations
I like serving this dip both ways. I have a bunch of frozen basil pesto in ice cube trays from this summer, so I like adding these to change it up. Here are the two ways:
- Lemony: Skip the pesto and if you like, bump the cumin up to 1 teaspoon. The dip tastes bright and garlicky. My kids like this version.
- Pesto swirl: Pulse in ¼ cup pesto for a green, herby dip, or spoon it over the top and drag a knife through it for a fun look. Basil pesto is classic, but kale pesto, arugula pesto, or sun dried tomato pesto are all delicious spins.
Ways to Serve This White Bean Dip
This bean dip is an easy appetizer with a Mediterranean vibe that works well in various spreads. It’s great for serving as a book club snack! Here are some ideas:
- As a classic dip: Add warm pita bread, crunchy pita chips, or homemade crostini, or serving with my ultimate veggie tray.
- On a mezze board: Add marinated olives, loaded hummus, and tzatziki. Or add it to an antipasto platter.
- As a spread: Swap it for mayo or hummus in a Mediterranean veggie sandwich or easy veggie wrap.
- In a bowl or lunchbox: Dollop it into a Mediterranean bowl or grain bowl, or pack it with carrots and crackers as a packable cold lunch idea.
Storage Tips
This cannellini bean dip stores in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, and tastes even better after a few days. I don’t recommend freezing it, but it’s possible: it should freeze for up to 3 months (see How To Freeze Hummus).
Dietary Notes
This cannellini bean dip is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, gluten-free, and nut-free (the standard version without pesto). It also fits the Mediterranean diet.
More With Cannellini Beans
Creamy Cannellini Bean Dip
This creamy cannellini bean dip takes 5 minutes and blends garlic, lemon, and olive oil: no tahini needed! Serve it with pita, crackers, or crunchy veggies.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Mediterranean Diet, Vegan, Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 2 small garlic cloves
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice (juice of 1 large lemon)
- 2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained with liquid reserved
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon cumin (or more to taste)
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, if desired
- ¼ cup basil pesto, optional
Instructions
- Chop the garlic: Add the garlic cloves to the bowl of a food processor and process until finely chopped, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Blend the dip: Add the lemon juice, cannellini beans, olive oil, cumin, kosher salt, black pepper, and 1 tablespoon reserved bean liquid. Blend for 1 to 2 minutes, until the dip is very smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice as you go.
- Taste and serve: Taste and adjust the salt, lemon juice, and pepper as desired (if making without the pesto, you can increase the cumin up to 1 teaspoon if you like). If using the basil pesto, pulse it in until just combined or swirl it over the top of the dip before serving. Serve with bread, pita, crackers, or vegetables.
