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There’s an old proverb: “Necessity is the mother of invention.” And that saying holds true for this wonderful White Bean Dip! A few weeks ago, we made some Boston Baked Beans and since then, we’ve had a bag of dry navy beans in our kitchen cabinet. Not wanting to see perfectly good navy beans go to waste, my husband Jack decided to create this easy and delicious white bean dip recipe that is creamy and full of fresh flavors!
Navy beans are small, pea-sized beans that are creamy white in color and high in fiber. They are mild-flavored beans that are dense and smooth and perfect for making dips and purees.
To make this white bean dip, soak the beans for 24 hours and then cook them until tender with bay leaves and thyme for added flavor. Next, place the cooked beans in a food processor with some garlic, lemon juice and lemon zest, capers, and fresh herbs. Puree with a bit of the cooking liquid; drizzle the top with some olive oil and some sprigs of fresh thyme – and you’ve got a fabulous dip that’s delicious spread on toasted baguettes or on crackers!
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White Bean Dip
Ingredients
- 2 cups dry navy or cannelloni beans
- 4 cups water, for soaking
- 2 cups water, for cooking
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 large sprig fresh thyme
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Zest from 1/2 a lemon
- 1 tablespoon capers, drained
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage or 2 teaspoons dry sage
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Few grinds black pepper
- Pinch of cayenne
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus some to drizzle over finished dip
Instructions
- Cover beans with four cups of water and soak the beans for 24 hours in your refrigerator (not just overnight but for 24 full hours). Drain and rinse under cold water.
- Place beans, two cups of water, bay leaf and the sprig of thyme in a large sauce pan and bring to a boil covered. Lower to a simmer with cover partially covering the pan and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour for navy beans, a little longer for cannelloni beans. The beans should be soft and tender, if not, keep cooking and check every five minutes or so. I used navy beans and they were done n 45 minutes.
- Drain and reserve the cooking liquid used later in the recipe. Cool the beans and the reserved liquid completely before continuing.
- Place the cooled beans and ¼ cup of the cooled liquid in a food processor with all other ingredients and process until well blended. Add more cooking liquid to process to desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- To serve, drizzle some olive oil and a few fresh thyme leaves over the top. Serve with sliced toasted baguette or crackers.
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YUM!! I pinned this recipe! This sounds so healthy and perfect for a summer party. I’m hosting a tapas party with my girlfriends in a few weeks. This would be the perfect app with some crusty bread and olives.
Thanks Meghan – hope you enjoy the recipe and have a great time at the party!