I’m a sucker for a good dip, and this Lemony White Bean Dip is a new household favorite. It’s so garlicky, buttery, lemony all at once with hints of warm spice and subtle heat. There’s so much flavor packed into this little dip thanks to a few easy techniques, like toasting pine nuts and frying lemon, whole spices and garlic in olive oil.
If you love my Classic Hummus recipe, you’ll go crazy for this dip! It uses just 10 ingredients, takes 15-20 minutes to make, and is singing with gourmet flavors.
This white bean dip is also super versatile. You can serve it with pita or crackers as a sharing plate as an afternoon snack or pre-dinner appetizer, or double the recipe and serve it as a party appetizer alongside crudités. It’s also a great sandwich or wrap spread (lately, I’ve having it as an open-faced sandwich with arugula + baked tofu—so yum!).
PS: If you’re looking for more crowd pleasing dips, don’t sleep on this gorgeous Beet Hummus or this holiday-must-make Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip! Or get more dip inspiration in this roundup of 30 delicious vegan dips.
Watch! How to make Lemony White Bean Dip
Step-by-step instructions
Toast the pine nuts in a frying pan over medium heat until golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes.
Add the toasted pine nuts and cannellini beans to a food processor, along with the lemon juice, miso, salt and pepper.
Blend until the dip comes together. Add a few tablespoons of ice water and blend until smooth and creamy.
Make the garlic-lemon topping. Using a vegetable peeler, shave several strips of lemon peel. Thinly slice the garlic cloves. Lightly crush the cumin and coriander seeds. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan until warm. Add the garlic and cumin and coriander.
Gently fry for 2 to 2.5 minutes, until garlic is turning golden (but not brown). Add the lemon peel and chili flakes and fry for another 30 seconds. Take off the heat and strain.
Transfer the dip to a shallow plate or a bowl with a lip. Add the white bean dip and use the back of a spoon to create waves. Pour the infused oil on top and add the crisp garlic-lemon peel mixture.
Sprinkle on chopped parsley if desired, reserved pine nuts, and serve with pita/crackers/crudités.
Tips for making this white bean dip
If you’re making this for a party, feel free to double the recipe. Just use a large frying pan to toast to make the garlic-lemon topping and to fry the pine nuts (or toast them in the oven; 350ºF for 6-7 minutes).
When slicing the garlic, try to slice into rounds as evenly as possible for even cooking. *If you have a mandoline and a cut-proof glove, you can use that to slice the garlic. I have this handheld mandoline and safety glove and they work great (affiliate links).
When making the garlic-lemon topping, don’t let the oil get hot. You want it to be just warm; otherwise the garlic will burn.
When serving this dip, I like to keep the lemon peels in because I enjoy them. But some folks won’t want to eat them, so you can leave them off if you want.
If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, you can use the back of a cast iron skillet or heavy chef’s knife to crush down on the spices. You don’t need them to be ground, just lightly crushed to help release some aroma.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sure. If you are serving it for a party where presentation is important, you can make the dip ahead of time but wait until the day of to make the garlic-lemon topping and assemble it.
In an airtight container or lidded jar in the fridge for 5 to 7 days.
Yes, you can easily freeze this dip. To freeze, transfer the dip to an airtight container but don’t fill it all the way up to allow for expansion. Thaw it in the fridge the day before consuming.
Whether refrigerated or thawed, this dip is best if it comes to room temperature.
Yes, though you won’t get the same amazing buttery flavor. I think walnuts would be the best option.
Pita bread or some sort of crusty bread is perfect, as are crackers or crudités for something lighter.
If you want to serve this an appetizer, a few main meals that would work nicely include:
– Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad
– Creamy Lentil Stuffed Squash
– Roasted Beet and Fennel Salad
– 10-Ingredient Roasted Eggplant Pasta
If you love this white bean dip, be sure to rate and review with your feedback below and tag me on Instagram with your recreations :)
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Lemony White Bean Dip
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup (54g) pine nuts
- 1 (15-ounce) can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 medium lemon
- 1 tablespoon white miso paste
- 3/4 to 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 to 3 tablespoons ice water
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced (try to slice as evenly as possible for even cooking)*
- 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds
- 1 heaping teaspoon Aleppo pepper, or ½ to ¾ teaspoon red pepper flakes**
- 1 small handful of parsley (optional) chopped
Instructions
- Toast the pine nuts***. Heat a medium frying pan over medium heat. Allow the pan to heat up for a few minutes to get hot. Add the pine nuts and shake the pan frequently until toasty and golden but not dark brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Scoop out 1 teaspoon of the nuts and set aside for the topping.
- Using a vegetable peeler, shave off 4 to 6 strips of lemon peel, about 2 inches in length. If you only get shorter strips, just use more. Try to not peel too deeply to avoid the white pith; set aside. Juice the lemon.
- In a food processor bowl, add the toasted pine nuts, cannellini beans, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon miso paste, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and black pepper. Blend until the dip comes together and is relatively smooth, scraping down sides as you go. Stream in 2 tablespoons of ice water and blend again until creamy but spoonable; add one more tablespoon if you want a looser consistency. Taste, adding more lemon juice or salt as needed (I usually add an extra ¼ teaspoon kosher salt).
- Transfer the dip to a serving bowl and make ridges with the back of a spoon.
- Make the topping. Lightly crush the cumin and coriander seeds in a mortar and pestle, or use the back of a heavy chef’s knife or sturdy mug to lightly crush them. Fit a small or medium bowl with a fine-mesh sieve.
- Heat the olive oil in the same frying pan used in step 1 over medium heat. Once the oil is warm (but not too hot), add the garlic and crushed spices. Cook, swirling the pan or stirring frequently, for 2 to 2 ½ minutes, until the garlic just turns golden (don't wait until it browns). Add the lemon peel and chili flakes and cook for another 30 seconds. Pour the oil and aromatics over the sieve, so that the aromatics sit in the sieve and the oil sits in the bowl.
- Pour the infused oil over the dip. Top with the garlic-lemon topping, along with the reserved pine nuts and chopped parsley.
Notes
So good… made it with Lima beans just needed a little more water. It was such a nice accompaniment to my couscous salad. With crispy pita breads as dippers. The whole family went crazy over it!
What an interesting substitution Mike, it sounds great! Thanks for sharing :)
How would this be without oil? I have to have a no-oil diet. Has anyone tried it that way?
Hi Marie, The oil is necessary for the topping only, so you would want to omit the topping. You can try a different topping, like Za’atar and chopped parsley.
I’ve had the ingredients to make this for a month and finally decided it would be dinner. I didn’t want to wait any longer. This dip is fabulous!! It will absolutely impress at a party. I don’t know if bits and pieces of pine nuts is the goal…? I’ll have to use my small cup Nutri-bullet next time to get it creamy. Thank you Nisha!!
Hi Diana, wonderful to learn you’re a fan of the dip! And as for the pine nuts, they may show up a bit in the dip because the nuts are roasted and not soaked. If you really want a creamy texture you can try soaking them before adding them to the dip but they won’t have that lovely roasty flavor.
I think you’re right about loosing the roasted pine nut flavor. I would prefer bits of nuts rather than soaking them for the creaminess.
Thank you!
You’re welcome!
Hi! I have everything except the white miso paste. Can I skip this or do you have suggestions for a substitution?
Hi Claire, if you have soy sauce or tamari, use 1/2 tablespoon in replacement of the 1 tablespoon white miso paste. Hope this is helpful!
Oh my!! This recipe was a beautiful alternative to hummus…not that there’s anything wrong with hummus. But the topping was so beautiful and savory and deeply flavorful. The Aleppo oil was to die for! My coworkers LOVED it ❤️
So generous of you to share this dip with your coworkers, Siobhan – we always want it all to ourselves! And thanks for leaving a beautiful review.
Wildly tasty! Run do not walk to make this dip. I really loved the infused oil and toping that is leftover, it gave this dip real depth (hehe). The Miso was also an unexpected but amazing touch. Because of it though, next time I won’t add as much salt (it was a smidge too salty for my taste). Thank you for your wonderful videos and tips. My partner and I enjoy watching you and enjoying all the recipes!
Hi Stevie, we’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed the recipes! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating alongside your review? Star ratings are big help to readers who are thinking of making the recipe. Thanks!
Wow, this was REALLY delicious and surprisingly satisfying! My husband and me had one serving for dinner with some flat bread and it was to die for. So so good, loved the crunchy garlic and the aromatics. Will definitely make this again very soon!!
Awesome, Samira. Thanks for your comment and for taking the time to review!
This is delish! Made it a few times.
Yelena, So glad to hear you love this recipe!
This was wonderful and easy, we are going to make this again and again
Awesome. Thanks for your comment and for taking the time to review!
OK Nisha, you got me! If I would not have made this dip today, I would think: “Okay, she’s just a bean- crazy vegan making a fuss about ‘the best blablabla ever’, never could it be that awesome” … BUT – Oh my god, IT really is! It’s so absolutely delicious! Thank you for that AWESOME recipe and sorry for the thoughts before – I was really sceptic😁
Greetings from Germany, Doreen
So great to hear you loved the dip, Doreen! Thanks for the wonderful review and for trusting the Rainbow Plant Life recipes :)
Best review ever, you’ve convinced me to try this!
Lovely! Enjoy it, Sarah! :)
I made this, but I did a bit of a shortcut for the topping. Instead of cooking the lemon peel and whole spices in the oil, I drizzled oil and then sprinkled the spices and some powdered garlic. This was just due to time constraint. I think there might be a supply chain issue, because in Canada I am having a really hard time finding pine nuts. I’m not sure if it was the walnuts or the brand of beans, but the dip turned a purplish grey colour after a few minutes. Still delicious!
Thrilled you enjoyed the dish, Julia!
Oh my god, this dip is absolutely heavenly! I really like the flavour of cannellini beans and often use them in salads. This dip makes perfect use of its creamy sweet flavour, the garlic, spices and lemon complement it really well. Thanks so much Nisha, new favourite recipe!
Thanks for the lovely feedback, Sara!
This dip sounds delicious ! I guess I could also use dried beans ? How much dried / cooked beans would that be (roughly) ? Thanks a lot !
Hi Eva, one can is about 1.5 cups of beans! Enjoy :)
Thanks a lot ! I made it and it was very yummy :)
Glad you enjoyed!
This was so amazing! Nisha, I thought your hummus was the best thing ever….and then we made this! My family can’t decide which is best! Thank you, thank you thank you! As a vegan myself, I’ve turned so many people to you. My daughter now made more of your recipes than I. She was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and had to switch to plant-based. Your recipes made this transition so easy for her!!!! I thank you so much
Hi Mattie, aww your comment made my day! I’m thrilled you and your family love this recipe and my hummus recipe. And of course, thank you so much for sharing my work with others! Wishing your daughter good health and I am honored that my recipes are helping her out!
Same thought here! The hummus was the best thing ever but then this happend….maybe even more addictive! I love how you can make healthy foods so tasty 💜. This calls for a happy dance ;).
Joy, So glad to hear you loved this recipe!
Mattie, So glad to hear you love the recipes! What a wonderful comment to read :)
This dip came out so good! Amazing. Keep these recipes coming!
Thanks for the lovely feedback, Nicole!
SOO Delicious, Nisha! This and your hummus recipe are my two fav dips to make! I paired this dip with some cut up veggies and homemade baguette slices!
Thanks for sharing, Maneesha! :)
Also, I used toasted walnuts because I did not have pine nuts on hand, and the dip still turned out amazingly!
Wonderful!
Amazing! So good, so easy, so beautiful. Thank you for this recipe.
Linda, So glad to hear you loved this recipe!
Wow…what a favour combination…In Oz we are in the midst of Bunya nut season…. I subbed the white beans for cooked Bunya nut..worked well…
Wow Paula, where do you live? I didn’t know you could eat bunya nuts. It’s be incredible with macadamias too I think.
Great, Paula! Thank you so much for sharing :)
Im allergic to pine nuts and walnuts…how about pepitas? THink that would work?
I enjoyed the taste of the dip.
Thanks for the lovely feedback!
This was so good! I made some of your naan and while it was proofing, I made a batch of this. Fresh, bright, lemony, creamy – just what I want out of a pre-dinner dip.
Thanks for sharing, Mabel!