White Bean Dip
Cannellini beans, tahini, lemon and cumin blitzed into a smooth, scoopable dip. Ten minutes, no cooking, and enough for six.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 0 min
- Total
- 10 min
- kcal
- 238.2
- protein
- 8 g
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
What you’ll need — tap to tick off as you go
- 480 g
- 60 g
- 45 ml
- 45 ml
- 2 cloves
- 2 g
- 3 g
- 60 ml
- 1 g
- 10 g
Process
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Drain the cannellini beans in a colander and rinse them well under cold running water. Shake off excess water but do not pat dry; a little moisture on the beans helps the dip blend smoothly.
Add the garlic cloves to the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times until finely chopped, scraping down the sides so no large pieces remain.
Add the drained cannellini beans, tahini, lemon juice, ground cumin and salt. Blend for 30 seconds, then scrape down the sides with a spatula.
With the motor running, pour the olive oil through the feed tube in a thin stream, then add the ice water 1 tbsp at a time until the dip is creamy and light, about 1 to 2 minutes total. Stop and scrape once halfway.
Taste and adjust: add more salt, lemon juice or cumin if the dip tastes flat. Blend for another 10 seconds to combine.
Transfer the dip to a shallow serving bowl and swirl the surface with the back of a spoon. Drizzle with a little extra olive oil, then dust with smoked paprika and scatter over the chopped flat-leaf parsley.
Serve at room temperature with warm flatbread, pita chips or raw vegetables. If made ahead, let it sit out for 15 minutes before serving so it loosens up.
Kitchen notes
Kitchen notes
- The most common mistake is under-blending: bland, grainy dip comes from stopping too early. Run the food processor a full 1 to 2 minutes past the point where it looks smooth; the texture should turn glossy and mousse-like.
- Ice water, not room-temperature water, is the trick that makes the dip fluffy. Add it 1 tbsp at a time while the motor runs, and stop as soon as the dip holds a soft swirl.
- Tahini brands vary a lot in bitterness and thickness. If yours is very thick, add an extra 1 to 2 tbsp ice water; if it is bitter, balance with an extra squeeze of lemon rather than more salt.
- For a silkier result, pinch the skins off the beans before blending. It takes 3 minutes and removes the slight chalky edge some canned beans have.
Substitutions
- cannellini beans→butter beans or great northern beans, drained and rinsed
- tahini→smooth natural peanut butter or sunflower seed butter for a nut-free version
- lemon juice→lime juice or 1 tbsp white vinegar
- smoked paprika→sweet paprika or a pinch of cayenne
Storage & reheating
Store the dip in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days; press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface or pour a thin layer of olive oil on top to stop it drying out. It does not freeze well because the emulsion separates and turns grainy. To reheat, skip the microwave and instead stir in 1 to 2 tbsp cold water or lemon juice, or let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes, until it is spreadable again.
| Nutrient | Per serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | 238.2 kcal |
| Protein | 8 g |
| Carbohydrates | 23.6 g |
| Fat | 12.8 g |
| Saturated fat | 1.8 g |
| Fiber | 6.2 g |
| Sugar | 0.5 g |
| Sodium | 480 mg |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
FAQ
The questions we get asked most
Why is my white bean dip grainy instead of creamy?
Grainy dip almost always means it was under-blended or not enough liquid was added. Run the food processor for a full 1 to 2 minutes and add ice water 1 tbsp at a time until the mixture turns glossy. If you have a weak blender, blend the beans alone first, then add the tahini and liquids.
Can I make white bean dip without tahini?
Yes. Replace the tahini with 3 tbsp of plain yogurt or 2 tbsp of olive oil plus 1 extra tbsp lemon juice. The dip will be slightly less nutty and a bit looser, so reduce the ice water to 2 to 3 tbsp and add it gradually.
How long does white bean dip last in the fridge?
Kept in an airtight container with plastic wrap pressed onto the surface, it keeps for up to 4 days. After that it starts to taste stale and the garlic turns sharp. Stir well before serving and add a splash of water if it has thickened.
Can I freeze white bean dip?
Freezing is not recommended. The water and oil separate during thawing and the texture turns grainy and watery, even after re-blending. If you must freeze it, do so for up to 1 month and re-blend with a tablespoon of fresh olive oil after thawing.
Why does my white bean dip taste bitter?
Bitterness usually comes from old tahini, raw garlic or too much lemon pith. Use tahini from a freshly opened jar, remove the garlic's green sprout before blending, and juice the lemon without pressing into the white pith. A pinch of sugar or an extra tablespoon of olive oil will round off mild bitterness.
Can I use dried beans instead of canned for this dip?
Yes. Soak 200 g of dried cannellini beans overnight, then simmer in fresh water for 45 to 60 minutes until very soft, and drain. Reserve 60 ml of the cooking liquid and use it in place of the ice water; dried beans give a slightly nuttier flavor but take much longer.
How do I know when the dip is the right consistency?
It should fall slowly from a spoon in a thick ribbon and hold a soft swirl when you drag a spoon through it. If it plops in a heavy blob, blend in more ice water 1 tbsp at a time. If it runs off the spoon like a sauce, blend in 2 tbsp of extra drained beans.
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