You only need 4 ingredients and 5 minutes to make this creamy white bean dip! Served with pita chips and veggies, it's a delicious snack or appetizer.
If you have cannellini beans, olive oil, and a lemon in your kitchen, you’re well on your way to making this white bean dip recipe. My advice? Go for it! It comes together in seconds in the bowl of a food processor, and it’s absolutely delicious. Lemon juice and zest fill it with bright flavor, olive oil adds richness, and the white beans blend into smooth and creamy perfection. Once you have it on hand, you’ll find yourself scooping it up with carrot sticks and pita chips, slathering it onto sandwiches, dolloping it onto bowls, or (like me) eating it by the spoonful out of the fridge! Trust me, you want to try this recipe ASAP.
White Bean Dip Recipe Variations
I love this simple, lemony white bean dip recipe as written, but feel free to use it as a blank canvas! Here are a few of my favorite variations:
- Herb it up! I love this fresh twist! I like to blend in basil or rosemary, but other fresh herbs like tarragon, parsley, thyme, mint, dill, or chives would be great too. Dried herbes de Provence would also be a lovely addition.
- Go the garlic route. Add 1 garlic clove to the food processor along with the other ingredients, or use roasted garlic! To make it, slice 1/4 inch off the top of a head of garlic. Place it cut-side-up on a piece of foil, drizzle it with olive oil, and sprinkle it with salt. Wrap the garlic in the foil and roast for 40 to 60 minutes at 350°F, or until the garlic cloves are deeply golden brown and tender. Let it cool slightly, and then add 1 clove at a time to the dip, blending in more to taste.
- Cook the beans yourself. If you have the time, cooking your own beans is totally worth it. You can amp up their flavor by simmering them with an onion, garlic, herbs, or dried chiles, and you can control their final texture. For this recipe, I like to cook them until they’re very soft and almost falling apart. Drain them and allow them to cool slightly before you blend up the dip, but don’t toss the bean liquid! Use it instead of the water in this recipe to add delicious depth of flavor.
How to Serve White Bean Dip
This white bean dip recipe is a fantastic party appetizer! When I’m hosting, I often serve it with fresh veggies, crackers, and baguette as part of a loaded crudité platter.
But because this recipe is so easy to make, it’s also a great everyday dip. Keep it on hand to eat as a snack with veggies and pita chips, slather it onto a veggie sandwich, scoop it into a pita with crispy baked falafel, or add it to any grain bowl for extra protein.
More Favorite Dip Recipes
If you love this white bean dip, try one of these easy dip recipes next:
Then, find more delicious appetizers here!
White Bean Dip
Ingredients
- 1½ cups cooked cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 small garlic clove
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 to 4 tablespoons water, if needed
Optional fresh herbs:
- 2 tablespoons torn fresh basil leaves
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
Instructions
- In a food processor, pulse the cannellini beans, olive oil, lemon juice and zest, garlic, salt, and several grinds of pepper until combined. If the bean dip is too thick, slowly add the water with the food processor running. Process until smooth. Blend in the basil and/or rosemary, if desired.
- Serve with veggies or pita.
Wonderful flavor – the rosemary made it unique from any other bean recipe I’ve even prepared.
I only needed 1 tablespoon of the oil, but probably because I used canned beans. There was a bit of liquid still left after draining them. So there’s a hint if someone wants to use less oil. Thank you for this wonderful recipe.
This was delicious! Added a little fresh chopped rosemary. It’s great with or without the fresh herbs. Used Rancho Gordo Royal Corona Beans.
I just bought the same beans from Rancho Gordo!
Looking forward to using them to make this.
Made this tonight just because. Followed recipe exactly, and it was creamy and so delicious. I tried not to eat the whole thing in one setting! Love that it’s healthy and protein packed. I have some leftover naan that I’ll be eating this with.
I’m so glad you loved it!
Can you please tell me how many days this dip will keep in the fridge for? Thank you ☺️
Hi Shae, it will keep for about 5 days. Hope you enjoy!
You probably can’t make it last 5 days – it’s that good!
This recipe is so simple & so delicious. I make it all the time as a base under all types of roast vegetables.
Can I find it in any of your cookbooks?
Perfectly garlicky and smooth, easy to whip up for spread or dip. Cooked beans in chicken stock for extra flavor ?
Thank you so much for this recipe!
Delicious!
I added about a hundred grams of Greek feta and some dried Oregano to taste.
Bellissimo ?
Hi T, so glad you loved the dip! Those additions sound delicious.