This vegan white bean and lentil dip is made with simple ingredients and it will be ready in just 5 minutes! The recipe is characterised by the combination of earthy flavours with the freshness of ginger, olive oil, and lemon juice.
While a classic hummus with chickpeas and tahini is a great choice in terms of both nutrients and taste, it’s important to learn how to bring a variety of foods on our table, so knowing you can create plenty of other delicious dips with different legumes and combinations can be useful.
Dips are generally simple to make and easy to adapt if one or two ingredients are missing. Whether your choose hummus, guacamole, or a creamy avocado sauce, pair your dip with raw veggies, roasted potatoes, toasted bread or your favourite crackers and use it as a chance to create a lovely shared platter for your friends (or even just for yourself!).
White beans (and legumes in general) are packed with nutrients and inexpensive: a practical way to include more plant-based protein, fibre, and minerals into your diet. You can easily find dry beans in the shops and turn them into one of your kitchen’s staples (even better if you can buy them in bulk, to reduce packaging and embrace a more “zero waste” lifestyle). Soak the dry beans for at least 8-9 hours before cooking and store them in the fridge for 3-4 days with their cooking water.
For this homemade dip, you can use either cannellini or butter beans: they both have a floury texture and a characteristic nutty taste. White beans are among my favourites: they don’t need much to create a flavourful meal and it’s easy to combine them with many different vegetables (definitely try white beans with tomatoes or green leafy vegetables!). In addition to white beans, this dip contains a few tablespoons of cooked red lentils: the perfect extra ingredient to get a smoother finish and a stronger earthy flavour.
SILKY WHITE BEAN AND LENTIL DIP
Ingredients:
- 250 g cooked cannellini beans (or butter beans)
- approx. 2-3 tbsp cooked red lentils
- 2 tbsp tahini (sesame seed paste)
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tsp freshly grated ginger (or 3/4 tsp ground ginger)
- a pinch of turmeric
- a pinch of salt (optional)
- a few tbsp of cold water (or you can use the cold cooking water from the beans)
- extra virgin olive oil
For the preparation of this homemade bean dip, keep in mind the guidelines I’ve shared for hummus: it will turn out smoother if you use some of the beans’ cooking water, a pinch of bicarbonate of soda, and slightly overcooked legumes.
Use a blender or a food processor – add the water in small portions step by step based on how the dip looks like. Add the tahini as the last ingredient when you already have your creamy mixture. Adjust the spices and lemon juice to your preferences and do the same for the toppings. This plant-based dip it’s naturally gluten-free and it pairs really well with some good quality extra virgin olive oil and a bit of fresh parsley.
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