Creamy White Bean Dip

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Serve this healthy white bean dip at your next football get-together, or enjoy it as a power-packed snack during the week.

White bean in a bowl, sitting on a wood board with crackers and cucumber slices.

This creamy white bean dip takes less than five minutes to make. Truly. Simply throw the cannellini beans (white kidney beans), lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, cayenne pepper and thyme in a food processor or blender and puree away. Done!

For game day snacking, serve this easy bean dip alongside other healthy dips, such as 5-minute black bean dip and Mediterranean 7-layer dip.

Serve it up with your favorite raw veggies, crackers or pieces of whole wheat pita. It also works well as a spread on a whole wheat tortilla, stacked with fresh vegetables, similar to my black bean wraps.

I love having these kinds of dips available for afternoon snacking during the week. It keeps me away from the junk!

💙 What's to love about (keyword):

▪️ FLAVOR: Between the zesty garlic, bright lemon juice and fresh herbs, this dip is packed with flavor. It's similar to a white bean hummus, but without the tahini.
▪️ MEAL PREP: Work this dip into your weekly meal prep and keep it on hand for healthy snacks and sandwiches.
▪️ EASY: There's no cooking involved in this recipe. Simply throw everything into a food processor and puree!

Bowl of white bean hummus, crackers and cucumber slices on a wooden board.

Ingredients for white bean dip recipe:

BEANS: Use one can of cannellini beans. White kidney beans, navy beans or Great northern beans work equally well.
CHEESE: Finely grate Parmesan cheese. If following a vegetarian diet, look for Parmesan made with vegetable rennet rather than animal rennet.
OLIVE OIL: A few tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
LEMON JUICE: Fresh is best! I use my favorite citrus juicer to get every drop of juice.
GARLIC: Mince one garlic clove.
THYME: Strip the leaves off of a few sprigs of fresh thyme and mince with a sharp knife.
CAYENNE PEPPER: Just a dash will do ya! If you're sensitive to spice, feel free to omit the cayenne pepper.

See recipe card below for full ingredients list & recipe directions.

Substitutions:

▪️ BEANS: Both Great Northern beans, navy beans and white kidney beans are great substitutes for cannellini beans.

▪️ HERBS: Substitute fresh rosemary, sage, oregano, basil or chives for the thyme.

How to make white bean dip:

PREP THE BEANS: Drain the beans in a fine mesh sieve. Rinse the beans under cold water, then give the sieve a gentle shake to get rid of the remaining water.

COMBINE: Place the beans, olive oil, lemon juice, water, minced garlic, salt and cayenne pepper in the bowl of a food processor. Puree until the mixture is smooth, scraping down the sides of the processor with a rubber spatula as needed.

ADD THE THYME: Add the fresh thyme and pulse several times to combine.

SERVE: Transfer the dip to a bowl and serve alongside crackers, pita wedges and chopped veggies. Cucumber slices, carrot and celery sticks, bell pepper and jicama strips and broccoli florets are all great options.

Collage of steps for making a white bean dip in the food processor.

Storage Tips:

Add this white bean dip to your weekly meal prep. It works as an afternoon snack or as a sandwich spread.

REFRIGERATOR: Transfer the dip to an airtight glass container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Cannellini bean dip in a bowl, crackers and cucumber on a wood serving board.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Is bean dip good for you?

Bean dip is low in calories and saturated fat. Plus, it's a good source of healthy protein and carbs. Make this an even healthier option by serving it with raw vegetables, such as cucumber, carrots, broccoli, bell peppers and jicama.

Are navy beans the same as cannellini beans?

Navy beans, cannellini beans, white kidney beans and Great Northern beans all under the category of "white beans". They can be used interchangeably in most recipes.

Other Recipes You'll Love

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Printable Recipe

White Bean Dip Recipe

Serve this healthy white bean dip at your next football get-together, or enjoy it as a power-packed snack during the week.

4.80 from 5 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Appetizers

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Healthy Dip, Vegetarian

Prep Time: 5

Total Time: 5

Servings: Servings

Calories: 75kcal

Author: Dara Michalski | Cookin' Canuck

Ingredients

1 (14 ounce) can cannellini beans drained & rinsed (See Note 1)
¼ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (See Note 2)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic minced
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (See Note 3)
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves

Instructions

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the beans, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, water, lemon juice, garlic, salt and cayenne pepper. Pulse until almost smooth.
Add the thyme. Pulse 4 to 5 times, to combine. Transfer to a serving bowl.
Serve with crackers, pita wedges and raw vegetables.

Notes

Note 1: Substitute with navy beans, white kidney beans or Great Northern beans. If using beans you cooked (rather than canned), use about 1 ⅔ cups cooked beans.

Note 2: For a vegetarian dip, use Parmesan cheese made with vegetable rennet rather than animal rennet.

Note 3: If you're sensitive to spice, feel free to omit the cayenne pepper.

Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I provide nutritional information for my recipes as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using the LoseIt! calculator. While I attempt to provide information that is as accurate as possible, you should calculate the nutritional information independently before relying on it.

Nutrition

Tried this recipe?If you make this recipe, I'd love to see it on Instagram! Just use the hashtag #COOKINCANUCK and I'll be sure to find it.

This post was originally published on September 10, 2012 and updated on February 7, 2023.

Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.