White Bean Hummus

If the traditional chickpea dip has a smoother, creamier cousin, it is this White Bean Hummus. When we whip white beans in the food processor, they become fluffy, creamy and so dippable. You will love this recipe for an easy appetizer dip!

This recipe is nearly identical to my easy hummus recipe, except for the replacement of garbanzo beans with white beans. There are times when I use the last can of chickpeas to make my roasted chickpeas, but I still crave hummus, so white bean hummus to the rescue!

This definitely isn't the first time I have relied on another bean besides chickpeas for my hummus fix! My butter bean hummus packed with lemon and cumin seeds sautéed in olive oil is another way we make dip with different types of beans.

The white bean hummus recipe here is more of a simple recipe, yet the combination of lemon, garlic, tahini and olive oil flavors makes something truly special.

How to Make White Bean Hummus

It just isn't possible to make white bean hummus smooth and creamy without a food processor. This is the small one I use and love the most. The rest of the process is just gathering the ingredients, dumping them into the bowl, and pressing the 'purée' button.

You will recognize the standard ingredients in this recipe: lemon juice, tahini, garlic, warm water, olive oil, and a fresh herb garnish. If you're lacking tahini, don't miss my hummus without tahini recipe.

The Ingredients

Bowl of white beans, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil and garlic on marble counter.

White Beans. One 15-ounce can of white navy beans is what I use the most. I prefer navy beans because they're the smallest white bean. You can use cannellini beans, if you have them, but navy beans are my top choice. Browse this guide to the types of white beans for more information. Before draining and rinsing your beans, you can reserve two tablespoons of the bean liquid for this recipe. If you would rather use warm water instead, that's fine, too!
Salt. Fine sea salt is added in the beginning to help purée everything, and then add it again at the end, to taste.
Lemon Juice. I'm always an advocate for freshly squeezed, but with only one tablespoon, you can definitely use the bottled stuff!
Tahini. This is a ground sesame seed paste that you can find near the peanut butter. I prefer a toasted tahini, but a raw one works, too. Once you open the jar, you will need to stir it very well to incorporate all of the sesame oil that usually floats to the top.
Garlic. One clove of fresh garlic, keeping in mind that the smaller the clove, the more potent the flavor in the white bean hummus.
Olive Oil. Extra virgin olive oil for adding to the white bean hummus, and also extra for drizzling on top before serving.
Warm Water. There is an optional bowl of warm water in the photo, because if you don't wish to reserve liquid from the can of white beans, you can substitute with warm water.

The Instructions

The hardest part of this recipe is gathering all of the ingredients! Have your food processor out and ready to do the rest of the work.

Beans, tahini, salt, and garlic in a food processor bowl, overheat shot.

Pureed tan colored mixture in a food processor bowl with small bowl of water on side.

Shake the can of beans, open with a can opener, and then reserve 2 tablespoons of the bean water. This is optional for puréeing later. Rinse and drain the beans. Next, in the bowl of a food processor, add the rinsed and drained beans, salt, lemon juice, tahini, and garlic clove.

Purée this mixture using pulses for 1 minute, until the mixture is starting to become smooth. Remove the lid of the food processor and use a rubber or silicone spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Place the lid back on and pulse the white bean hummus again.

Hand pouring warm water into a food processor as it runs.

Bowl of white bean hummus topped with olive oil and herbs, surrounded by crudite for dipping.

While puréeing, slowly drizzle in 2 tablespoons of reserved liquid from the can of beans. Alternatively, you could use warm water in its place. Use warm water if you're concerned about extra sodium from the bean liquid. Pulse until very smooth and fluffy.

Taste the white bean hummus before serving, adding extra salt or lemon juice, to your taste. Serve in a small bowl garnished with an extra drizzle of olive oil, fresh chopped herbs (parsley is great here) and maybe even a sprinkle of paprika for color. Serve with chopped vegetables and pita chips.

Overhead shot of white bean hummus with carrot, celery and pita chips.

Storage Tips

White bean hummus is one of those vegan appetizers that goes so fast at a party! I like to use any leftovers on sandwiches instead of mayonnaise. If you happen to have extra leftover, scrape it into a storage container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Can white bean dip be frozen?

Surprisingly, yes, you can freeze this white bean dip! I typically have issues freezing whole beans because they defrost and split, but because these beans are already puréed, they defrost perfectly. Place the leftover white bean hummus in an airtight freezer storage container, label, and freeze for up to 3 months. To defrost, place in fridge overnight and warm in microwave before serving. You may wish to drizzle extra olive oil and fresh herbs on top to freshen it up.

How to make white bean hummus without tahini:

If you're out of tahini, or have a sesame allergy and wish to avoid it, use additional olive oil in its place. Two tablespoons of pine nuts would be a great substitute, too. You may have some leftover from my Eggplant White Bean Dip.

Recommended Tools to Make White Bean Hummus

Food Processor. You can get away with a mini version, like this 3 cup model.
Spatula. For scraping down the sides of the food processor to make sure everything incorporates well.

If you love white beans, try my Eggplant White Bean Dip with roasted eggplant, pine nuts, and fresh herbs!