White Bean Dip

Creamy, easy White Bean Dip is anything you want it to be: a healthy snack, a party appetizer, a spread on a vegetable sandwich, and a side dip for carrots and other raw vegetables. There is hardly an event not improved upon by this easy white bean dip!

My first forays into cooking while living on my own involved beans. From a lovely pot of minestrone soup that can serve 16 people to a can of beans pureed into something so creamy and dip-able. Beans are a great starting point to create simple recipes for beginner cooks.

Other Bean Dips to Try:

• Hummus without Tahini
• Hummus without Garlic
• Bean Dip warm with Tex-Mex flavors
• Black Bean Dip
• Seven Layer Dip
• Classic Hummus

When it comes to white bean dip, we need a lot of super flavorful ingredients to make the final dip super delicious. White beans are the mildest of all the beans, in my opinion, and so we'll be using lemon, garlic and herbs to bring them to life. Also, salty chips or crackers are best for serving.

How to Make White Bean Dip

This recipe is little more than tossing into the bowl of a food processor and hitting 'puree,' but expect to be amazed at the delicious flavors! Do not be afraid of the raw garlic, it will mellow as the dip rests. Also, ensure your herbs and spices are fresh and fragrant, not dusty and sitting in the pantry for years.

You can serve this white bean dip with crunchy, salty pita chips, which is what I do the most often. I also love to dip carrot sticks, celery sticks and baby radishes in it, too. If I have any leftover from dipping, it's great smeared on a vegetable sandwich.

The Ingredients

• Cannellini Beans. One 15-ounce can of cannellini beans is my choice, but you can use any type of white beans. The same ones you use for my Sausage and Bean Soup work here, too.
• Garlic. Two cloves of fresh garlic (no jarred, pre-chopped stuff here, okay?)
• Lemon Juice. Freshly squeezed only.
• Olive Oil. The fancy 'finishing oil' stuff that you usually use in a salad dressing is what we need. Not cooking olive oil, the extra virgin stuff.
• Italian Seasoning. This is a blend of dried basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme leaves and marjoram. It can also have red pepper flakes, garlic powder, and dried parsley. Use your favorite one.
• Salt & Pepper.
• For serving: crunchy, salty pita chips, crackers, carrot sticks, celery sticks, baby radishes, and olives (specifically, the garlic-stuffed green olives).

The Directions

1. Gather all ingredients and have them ready to add to the bowl of a medium-to-large food processor.

2. First, add the beans, peeled garlic cloves, lemon juice, olive oil and salt to the bowl and puree until smooth.

3. Once this mixture is super smooth, add the black pepper and Italian seasoning, and pulse just a few times to blend together.

4. Scrape the white bean dip into a serving bowl, and garnish with an extra drizzle of olive oil and sprinkling of salt. You can serve right away or tightly wrap and refrigerate until needed. If refrigerating, let it rest at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips:

1. To Make Ahead: Make the recipe in its entirety, and then place it in the serving dish. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap and chill for up to 24 hours before serving. Be sure to remove it from the fridge and allow to rest at room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving so it's not too stiff.
2. To Store: White bean dip will keep for up to 4 days in the fridge, if its tightly wrapped and you don't double-dip! Place the leftovers in an air-tight storage container and scoop out only what you need for each serving. If the white bean dip sits out for more than 2 hours at room temperature, or if anyone double-dips into it, it's best not to eat the leftovers. Practice food safety, please!