White Bean Basil Dip
This creamy dip is packed with flavor and protein. It is creamy from the white beans and fresh and bright from the basil. This also comes together in about 10 minutes, so it’s a handy last minute recipe when I have people coming over! Perfect as a dip, but my favorite use for this is as a sandwich spread, for an Italian sub!
Ingredients.
1 Can Cannelini Beans, or other white beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 Medium Red Onion, Diced
3 Garlic Cloves, Sliced
1 Tsp Chili Flakes
4 Tbs Olive Oil
1 Handful of Basil
1 Lemon, Zest of 1, Juice of 1/2
1 Tbs Nutritional Yeast (or 2 Tbs Fresh parmesan)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Method.
Step 1.
Place 1 Tbs of Olive oil in a cold pan. Add in your sliced garlic and chili flakes and turn the heat up to medium. Once the garlic is fragrant, drop in your onion, season with salt, and stir occasionally until onions begin to caramelize (they’ll go beyond being translucent and start to brown, about 5 minutes).
Step 2.
In a food processor or blender, add in your can of drained white beans, your caramelized onion mixture, nutritional yeast, lemon zest and juice (zest of full lemon, juice of 1/2), salt and pepper.
Step 3.
Blend until creamy, adding a splash of water if it’s too thick for your blender. I like to leave some texture here with bits of onion still visible, but you can blend to your liking.
Step 4.
Once your bean dip is smooth, taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Finally add in your basil, (and a splash of water if it’s looking too thick) and pulse your blender a few times. Here you just want the basil to be incorporated everywhere, you’re not going for a full blend - that would turn the dip fully green (not the end of the world if you over blend, but the white dip with pops of green is so pretty). Once you’ve incorporated in the basil you’re ready to serve!
Step 5.
Serve as a dip with crackers, toasted naan, carrots or cukes, or my personal favorite - as a sandwich spread!