Red Pepper White Bean Spread

This healthy riff on hummus takes under 10 minutes to make. Packed with flavor from red peppers, white beans, lemon, and basil, it's vegan & gluten free.

I added this spread to sandwiches as my contribution to The Food Matters Project this week. It’s a hummus-like spread that I slathered over little toasts and topped with arugula, cucumbers, and scallions.

We ate these for lunch yesterday… and then the leftover spread, well, that just got eaten by the spoonful. I love pestos and spreads like this because they’re so versatile. If we didn’t devour the whole batch in one sitting (I made a half batch – big mistake) I would have kept the extra around all week to put on my eggs, spread over roasted veggies, or snack on with pita triangles.

adapted from Mark Bittman’s Food Matters

5.0 from 1 reviews

Red Pepper White Bean Spread

 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Ingredients
  • 2 cups cooked cannellini beans
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 cup walnuts
  • 4 roasted red bell peppers
  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • Sea salt and fresh black pepper
  • 1 cup fresh basil (optional)
Instructions
  1. In a food processor, pulse together the beans, garlic, walnuts, and peppers. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, and basil (if using), and process until combined. Taste and adjust seasonings.

 

 

 

20 comments

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Rate this recipe (after making it):  

  1. Cynde Route
    10.14.2021

    This is sooooo good! I only stopped eating it so I could make this comment. Now I’m going back to eat some more.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      10.15.2021

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

  2. Amanda
    07.13.2019

    Planning to make this this weekend. How much does this yield and how long can you store it in a fridge?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      07.13.2019

      About 3 cups, and I’d keep it for up to about 5 days in the fridge.

  3. Cattie from animalmassageguide.com
    08.23.2013

    This sounds delicious! But what, if anything, could you replace the nuts with? I’m allergic to them unfortunately…

    • jeanine
      08.23.2013

      Hi Cattie,

      Skip the nuts and it’ll be more of a roasted red pepper hummus… I’d start with 1 roasted red pepper (4 is probably way too many for that amount of beans). And probably use 1/4 cup of olive oil instead of 1/2. Let me know if you try that and how it works out!

  4. Cassie
    07.17.2013

    This was w-o-n-d-e-r-f-u-l! Great recipe adaptation. Thanks for this. Definitely make a whole batch. You’ll need it!

    • jeanine
      07.17.2013

      so glad you liked it!

  5. i have a can of butter beans to use up – is that an okay sub for the cannellini beans?

    • jeanine
      03.05.2012

      Yes, I’m sure butter beans will work just the same. Chickpeas would work too.

  6. Gorgeous photo! wow! 🙂 You are truly talented!
    Looks like the perfect light sandwich that is not lacking on flavour.

  7. So tasty. I love your little toasts. You are really gifted at food photography and styling, Jeanine. So glad you’re participating in the project!

  8. NICOLE from givingtable.org
    02.20.2012

    LOVE YOUR VERSION! I THINK IT’S PERFECT AS A SANDWICH SPREAD, TOO. I ATE MINE IN PITAS WITH AVOCADO AND VEGGIES FOR DAYS.

  9. Yeah, white beans! I can’t stop myself with them lately. We’re on the same page there and with the lemons. Acid always helps 🙂

  10. This looks amazing, I am so obsessed with red pepper dips and spreads right now, so this couldn’t come at a better time. I just made an eggplant roasted red pepper dip a couple of weeks ago. I’ll definitely have to try this! Your photos are absolutely beautiful, by the way.

  11. erin from naturallyella.com
    02.20.2012

    This truly is worthy of eating with a spoon (but would have been delicious to eat on eggs!) Lovely photo as always!

  12. That is SUCH a beautiful photo – like the pages of a magazine. I love dips/spreads of this sort, as well…such versatility!

  13. Joanne from joanne-eatswellwithothers.com
    02.20.2012

    Mmm I can definitely see how some citrus would have brightened this up! I might just have to add some to my leftovers!

A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.