Plant-based White Bean Dip is a quick and easy Mediterranean dip for fresh vegetables and whole-grain crackers.
Bean Dip sounds so ho-hum, but…
Seriously, I make this plant-based recipe a few times a month. It’s ready in about 5 minutes when I use my food processor. Packed with flavor, fiber and protein, I eat it for lunch with carrots, snap peas, apple slices, cucumber slices, and whole-grain crackers as my dippers. I eat it for breakfast. It makes a great appetizer because you can make it a day or 2 ahead.
How to make White Bean Dip
So quick and easy and a protein- and fiber-packed friend to dip fresh vegetables, artisan fruit crackers, and whole-grain crackers!
- Drain and rinse canned beans.
- Whirl in a food processor with herbs, lemon, red pepper flakes and olive oil.
Cook’s note: basil, rosemary, parsley, and tarragon are my go-to herbs, but use what you like, fresh or dried. If you don’t have fresh herbs, substitute a tablespoon of dried herbs.
The ingredients
- 1 (15 ounce) can cannellini, white kidney beans, or navy beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs (basil, rosemary, cilantro, or tarragon)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 lemon, zested and juiced
- Dash of red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Bean dip variations
This dip wants you to put your stamp on it. Add flavor with what you have available. But here are some ideas to get you going…
- jalapeño
- chile powder
- smoked paprika
- roasted peppers
- caramelized onion
- avocado
- spinach, fresh or cooked
- pomegranate molasses
Beans are healthy
I ❤️ bean’s health benefits. As interest grows in plant-based meals, beans are one of the most high-octane foods you can dip your pepper strips!
Beans are a good source of plant-based protein. With 6-8 grams in a half-cup serving, they’re on par with an egg, a cup of milk or 2 tablespoons peanut butter. The fiber in beans helps keep the munchies away. After eating them you feel full longer because the fiber slows the emptying of your stomach. With 8 grams of fiber per half cup, beans are one of the highest fiber foods. Since we need between 25-35 grams of fiber per day, we could benefit from eating more beans. These nutritional gems fill you up plus offer a host of nutrients to support heart health and weight maintenance.
How much fiber do you need?
Here is the Institute of Medicine’s recommended intake for total fiber:
- adults 50 years and younger is set at 38 grams for men and 25 grams for women
- men and women over 50 it is 30 and 21 grams per day, respectively
I challenge myself to use at least a can of beans a week. Want to join me?
Besides a taco or refried beans, some people struggle with how to use beans. You might like these recipes with beans.
- Sweet potato nachos
- Greek salad with tuna and beans
- One pot baked Greek chicken stew
- Gallo Pinto (black beans and rice)
- Black Bean Quinoa Salad
High Five Fiber Challenge
I created a free, 5-day challenge you can join by clicking this link. You’ll get tips and tools, resources and recipes to create your own roadmap to meet your fiber goals toward high fiber meals. Don’t ya? Won’t ya? Seriously, it’s only 5 days 😉 Find it right here.
P.S. Hungry for more healthy diet tips and recipes? Sign up for my newsletter here.
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PrintWhite Bean Dip
Plant-based White Bean Dip is a quick and easy protein- and fiber-packed friend to dip fresh vegetables and whole-grain crackers! Canned beans make it super simple!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1.5 cups 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Food processor
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 1 (15 ounce) can cannellini, white kidney beans, or navy beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs (basil, rosemary, cilantro, or tarragon)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 lemon, zested and juiced
- Dash of red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- In a food processor, combine all ingredients. Process until smooth, or to your desired consistency.
Notes
If you don’t have fresh herbs, substitute a tablespoon of dried herbs.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 tablespoons
- Calories: 130
Comments
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Great recipe. I made it with fresh parsley and a dill dip mixture that we buy from our local spice shop. I love dill and lemon. It tastes wonderful. Thanks for sharing it.
Hi Nancy, your version sounds good with dill! Thanks for sharing.
Judy