Want a healthy bean dip recipe that’s quick and easy to make? This chunky black bean dip is loaded with fresh vegetables and a few convenience items. Make this crowd-pleasing black bean dip recipe as mild or spicy as you like. It goes great with tortilla chips or as a tasty salsa over chicken, pork and seafood.
This post has been updated for content since its original publication in 2017. The recipe is the same.
This healthy, flavorful black bean dip has appeared at countless barbecues, weekend pool parties and long visits to the Florida Keys. I make this bean dip recipe any time we’re having a big crowd, because it feeds a lot and EVERYONE loves it.
Why you’ll love this easy black bean dip recipe
- This simple black bean dip is a combination of fresh and canned ingredients.
- It’s healthy and loaded with veggies.
- It’s chunky and flavorful with as much or as little spice as you like.
- You don’t have to get out the blender or food processor, just mix in a bowl and serve.
- You can make it ahead of time.
- It’s versatile. Use it as a dip with tortilla chips or spoon it over grilled chicken, pork, fish & seafood like a chunky black bean salsa.
What makes this bean dip recipe different from others is that it’s chunky, not creamy. It tastes lighter and fresher and you can eat this all day without ever feeling guilty. It’s also really easy to make. Check out the step by step video that shows you how!
What you’ll need for black bean dip
- Red Bell Pepper
- Yellow Bell Pepper
- Jalapenos
- Garlic
- Scallions
- Canned Black Beans
- Ro-Tel (canned tomatoes with peppers)
- Red Onion
- Cilantro
- Fresh Lime Zest & Juice
- Salt
- Pepper
How to make black bean dip
- Rinse and drain the canned black beans.
- Combine the black beans with the garlic, jalapeños, onions, peppers, Ro-Tel, cilantro, lime, salt and pepper and mix well.
- Serve.
How easy is that?
This bean dip recipe is fresh and convenient
Fresh because it’s loaded with colorful, eye-popping vegetables like crunchy bell peppers, red and green onion, spicy jalapeno and aromatic cilantro. Minced garlic and a kick of lime up the fresh quotient for the black bean dip.
Convenience items are the canned black beans and Ro-Tel. (Note: if you can’t find Ro-Tel, it’s simply a mix of diced tomatoes and green chiles that you can also chop fresh yourself).
The secret to a perfect, chunky bean dip is chopping all the ingredients about the same size. Here are my recommendations.
Tips for chopping vegetables for bean dip
- Use a good, sharp knife for chopping.
- Chop the vegetables uniformly to about the same size as a black bean.
I recommend a 7″ santoku knife for chopping vegetables, they’ve got a balanced feel in your hand. My santoku knives are chopping workhorses in my kitchen. Perfect for tackling the veggies in this black bean dip.
Bean dip FAQ’s
Yes. You can make it up to 3 days before serving. However, to make it super fresh, wait to add the cilantro until just before you serve it, otherwise it will wilt. A fresh squeeze of lime juice before serving will brighten up the flavors too.
So you’ve made a big batch, served it at your cookout, but you’ve still got some leftovers? That’s ok, the bean dip will keep for 3-5 days, covered in the refrigerator. Take a note from the tip above and add fresh cilantro and lime before serving again.
No. The fresh vegetables won’t do well in the freezer because their cells will expand, burst and then leave the veggies soggy and mushy. Don’t do it.
Though I haven’t tried it (because I like the black beans in this dip), theoretically, you could use cannellini beans, pinto beans, small white beans or just about any other canned beans. Avoid garbanzo beans and kidney beans here as they have a tougher skin and are chewier.
Use more jalapeno or add your favorite hot sauce to the dip.
What to serve with black bean dip
Once you’ve whipped up this easy bean dip recipe, be sure to have several bags of tortilla chips on hand — which are the ideal transport for getting the dip from the bowl to you mouth! Another option are Fritos corn chips or a sturdy potato chip (I’m currently hooked on Trader Joe’s Wavy Cut chips).
Use healthy bean dip as a salsa topping
I mentioned in the beginning of this post that this bean dip recipe can also be used as a salsa for other recipes. Spoon fresh black bean dip over grilled chicken, pork or seafood.
My daughter (who sticks to a dairy free diet) loves this black bean dip to snack on, but she also tucks it into tacos and burritos to add a ton more flavor while still being healthy. Oh, and it goes great with a cold margarita.
This simple no-cook black bean dip is an easy chop and dump recipe (my favorite). I think it improves by sitting for an hour or two for the flavors to marry, but it’s never stopped me from diving in before that allotted time frame.
More black bean recipes you might like:
More healthy homemade dips to try:
Black Bean Dip
ingredients
- 1/2 red bell pepper 1/4″ dice
- 1/2 yellow bell pepper 1/4″ dice
- 1 jalapeño seeded and minced
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 bunch scallions thinly sliced on a bias
- 2 15- ounce cans black beans rinsed and drained
- 1 10 ounce can original “rotel” tomatoes with green chili drained
- 1/2 small red onion finely diced
- 1 cup cilantro chopped
- 1 lime zested and juiced
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
serve with
- tortilla chips
instructions
- In a large bowl combine the bell peppers, jalapeño, garlic, beans, scallions, rotel tomatoes, lime zest and juice, red onion, cilantro, salt and pepper. Toss to combine.
- Serve with tortilla chips and cold cervezas.
Video
Nutrition
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I’m making the dip for 12 adults. Should I double the recipe or not?
If that’s the only thing you’re serving, double it. If there are other things to munch, you don’t need to.
I’m looking to add more black beans to my diet and I thought this would be a guac-style dip. However, this is even better.
Jacob — this is the one dip we make for EVERYTHING. Game day, picnics, cookouts, cocktails — sometimes we just make a batch and with a margarita — that becomes dinner! So glad you enjoyed it.
This is really great for summer gatherings! I take this same recipe and add vegetable stock and ground turkey to make a chili for the winter. Top it with shredded cheese, sour cream, and a side of cornbread (or keep it vegan) and you’re good to go.
That sounds like a great idea! And we’re coming into chili season!
This recipe was a Huge success and was devoured by all, thanks for sharing!
So glad you enjoyed it Yvonne. Admittedly, we make this at least 2-3 times a month — and it never lasts…
This is so good!!!! Was looking for a healthy appetizer for a get together. Thanks!
We make this dip all the time — one of our favorites and goes great with a margarita!
Looks awesome!! Can this dip be made ahead of time and kept in a cooler for a couple of days? I’m thinking of making it for our camping trip.
As long as you keep it on ice – it should be fine. I make huge batches of this for long weekends and we graze on it the whole time!
This dip filled with fresh veggies looks amazing! This would be perfect for a summer snack or appetizer. Thank you for sharing! I cannot wait to try this!
It’s always a struggle for me to figure out what to bring to family gatherings since they are so large and slaving over the kitchen to cook for 15 the next day kinda sucks on a Friday evening! This sounds SO awesome. SO easy, healthy and dippy dip dip fun! haha 😀
That’s the beauty of this dip! It’s easy, fresh and EVERYONE loves it!
I agree: cold cervezas AND margaritas are absolutely required for maximum enjoyment! I love that all the ingredients for this (GORGEOUS, hello?!) dip come straight out of my pantry. THIS will be making an appearance at my Memorial Day cookout for sure!
Please let me know how you like it! We had it last night while we were floating around my parents’ pool!
Love that this is essentially a big bowl of veggies! And it’s perfect for the long weekend!
Exactly… so it’s a guilt-free snack — except for the tortilla chips…
This dip looks great! I love how chunky it is – perfect for digging a chip into.
Woo hoo one of my favs!