Bored with your usual hummus recipe? This easy bean dip goes way beyond average. With sun-dried tomatoes, fresh herbs and lemon and a whole head of roasted garlic this cannellini bean dip can be served at room temperature or warmed in the microwave with a basket of pita chips or crunchy crudité. Creamy Tuscan white bean dip is healthy and is great football game food.

You may have seen other tuscan white bean dip recipes or cannellini bean dip out in the  blogosphere and they may sound pretty good to you.  This one is better.  Because this easy bean dip has several layers of flavor, starting with a whole head of sweet, roasted garlic.  Roasting garlic is easy to do and just requires a smidge of olive oil, sprinkle of salt and a little time in a hot oven to achieve a soft, spreadable consistency. Roasting transforms the sharp flavor of raw garlic to a mild, nutty, lip-smacking goodness.

The second layer of flavor comes from fresh rosemary, thyme and sage, bloomed in hot oil to release their aroma and oils without becoming sharp and adds a fuller, rounder flavor profile unlike so many one-note cannellini bean dip recipes.

How To Make Cannellini Bean Dip:

1. Slice the garlic crosswise to expose the individual cloves.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
2. Wrap the garlic in tin foil and roast in a hot oven for 30-40 minutes or until the garlic is soft and fragrant.
3. While garlic is roasting, chop the herbs and heat the olive oil in a small sauce pan until it’s hot, but not smoking.
4. Turn off the heat and immediately add the herbs (they will sizzle at first and then subside.
5. Drain cannellini beans but DO NOT RINSE THEM.
6. Transfer beans to a food processor and pulse several times.
7. Add the herbs and oil and pulse to combine.
8. Remove the garlic cloves from their papery skins and add them to the beans. Process until smooth.
9. Finely chop the sun-dried tomatoes and add to the Tuscan White Bean Dip, pulse to combine.

How To Serve Creamy Tuscan White Bean Dip

• Cannellini bean dip can be served immediately or can be covered and refrigerated until you’re ready to serve.
• Best served at room temperature or warmed for 30-40 seconds in the microwave.
• Transfer easy bean dip to a serving dish. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with fresh herbs.
• Serve with pita chips and or assorted crudité for your next party or for healthy football game food.

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White Bean Dip

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: bean dip, cannelini, game day, garlic, sun dried tomatoes

Dietary Restrictions: Gluten-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 95 kcal

This creamy, rich dip with roasted garlic, fresh herbs and sun-dried tomatoes is perfect for snacking and hors d'oeuvres. Try it for game day or your next dinner party -- it gets gobbled up whether you're drinking beer or sipping cocktails.

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Ingredients

FOR ROASTED GARLIC:

• 1 head garlic
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• pinch kosher salt

FOR WHITE BEAN DIP:

• 1 29 ounce can Cannellini beans (white kidney beans)
• 3/4 teaspoon fresh chopped rosemary
• 3/4 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh chopped sage
• 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• head of roasted garlic peeled
• 1/4 cup oil packed, sun-dried tomatoes finely chopped

OPTIONAL GARNISH:

• drizzle of good olive oil
• sprinkle of fresh herbs

Instructions

MAKE THE ROASTED GARLIC

1. Preheat the oven to 400.

2. Use a sharp knife and trim the top 1/3" - 1/2" of the head of garlic. Place the garlic in a small piece of tin foil (use the trimmed pieces as well) Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.  

3. Seal up the tin foil and roast for 30 minutes or until garlic is very tender. Remove from oven and let the garlic rest until it's cool enough to handle.  Remove the garlic cloves from the peel and set aside.

MAKE THE WHITE BEAN DIP:

1. Heat the olive oil in a small pan over medium high heat until the oil starts to moire and is hot but not smoking. Turn off the heat and immediately add the chopped herbs. The oil will sizzle because of the freshness of the herbs. Swirl the pan so that the herbs are completely coated with the hot oil and set aside.

2. Drain the cannellini beans in a mesh strainer, but DO NOT RINSE THE BEANS. Discard the bean liquid. Transfer the beans to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse several times until the beans resemble a chunky dip.

3. To the bean mixture, add the oil and herb mixture, kosher salt, and lemon juice. Pulse 4 to 5 times to incorporate the ingredients. Add the garlic and lemon juice and pulse to puree the roasted garlic.

4. Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and pulse 2-3 times to combine.

5. Transfer the white bean dip to a serving bowl. Drizzle a little olive oil over the top of the dip and sprinkle with fresh herbs. Serve with pita chips or fresh crudite.

Recipe Notes

You can serve this dip at room temperature or heat it in the microwave for 30 seconds to a minute, then garnish with herbs and olive oil.  Delicious either way!

Nutrition Facts

White Bean Dip

Amount Per Serving

Calories 95 Calories from Fat 81

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 9g 14%

Saturated Fat 1g 5%

Sodium 155mg 6%

Potassium 67mg 2%

Total Carbohydrates 2g 1%

Vitamin A 1.1%

Vitamin C 7.7%

Calcium 0.8%

Iron 1.3%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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