This garlicky white bean and basil dip is the summer appetizer you need! Made with cannellini beans, fresh basil, garlic, and plenty of lemon juice, this vegan dish has it all. With bursting cherry tomatoes and pine nuts to top it off, this dip will leave you coming back for more. This easy appetizer comes together in less than 15 minutes and all you have to do is pulse everything together in a food processor!
Summertime
As the heat starts to kick in, all I can think about are summer barbecues, pool parties, and family gatherings. I wanted to create a dish that was simple to make, requires no oven, looks beautiful, and (most importantly) tastes incredible. This garlicky white bean and basil dip has it all. I love the way the bright bursting cherry tomatoes and oil looks against the backdrop of this creamy white bean dip. Every bite is filled with vibrant flavors and varied textures that will keep you coming back for more!
Bring this gorgeous dish to a barbecue or family gathering and everyone will be impressed! Little do they know that this recipe only takes 15 minutes to make, and it all comes together in the food processor!
There’s nothing better than sitting around the table with friends and family sharing appetizers on a summer night. No matter who you choose to share this with (or if you keep it to yourself 😉 ) this dip will be enjoyed by all.
Crowd Pleaser
Hummus better step aside, because this garlicky white bean and basil dip reigns supreme.
When I was thinking of appetizers to test for the blog, I looked in my pantry and saw a can of cannellini beans that I bought and never thought of what to do with.
One of my favorite flavor combinations are creamy white beans with olive oil, sea salt, and lemon. I had never experimented with mashing these beans into a dip, but it didn’t take long to realize that this combination was gonna be a winner.
The great thing about this dish is that it is vegan, so no matter who you are serving this to, it will be enjoyed by just about everyone! This light and refreshing appetizer is made with simple and nutritious ingredients.
The Ingredients
This appetizer is packed with plant-based protein, fresh herbs, and bold flavors. All you need are 8 ingredients to make the white bean and basil dip! The tomato and pine nut topping is a super easy combination that you can add to any dip or hummus. There’s something magical that happens when you fry cherry tomatoes and pine nuts in olive oil until golden and bursting with flavor.
Here’s what you need!
White Bean and Basil Dip
- Cannellini beans
- Pine nuts
- Fresh basil
- Garlic
- Lemon juice
- Nutritional yeast
- Salt
- Black pepper
Tomato and Pine Nut Topping
- Olive oil
- Cherry tomatoes
- Pine nuts
- Garlic powder
- Black pepper
Quick and Easy
While this dip may look fancy and complicated, in reality, there are only 4 steps to making the entire thing!
To make the white bean and basil dip, all you have to do is add all of the ingredients to a food processor. To get a perfectly creamy consistency, pulse the mixture together, stopping every once in a while to scrape down the sides and mix everything with a spoon.
I like my dip to be slightly chunky with some texture from the basil, so I always pulse just a few times, making sure not to over mix.
Serve this beautiful dip on a platter or bowl with some crackers, fresh chopped vegetables, or crostini!
Tomato and Pine Nut Topping
I don’t know about you, but whenever I buy hummus, I always go for the sections with the crunchy toppings and oil. For this dip, I decided to fry some cherry tomatoes and extra pine nuts in a pan with plenty of oil to get the tomatoes to burst with flavor and turn the pine nuts a beautiful golden color.
To add some more moisture and flavor to the dip, I added a few spoonfuls of the olive oil that I used to fry the cherry tomatoes and pine nuts. The olive oil swirled with this white bean dip is heavenly!
To make the tomato and pine nut topping, just heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a small pan on medium to high heat. Once shimmering, add your chopped cherry tomatoes and pine nuts. Let this mixture fry for 4-5 minutes or until the tomatoes are soft and bursting with juiciness.
Top your dip with tomato and pine nut topping and let the party begin!
If you liked this dish, be sure to give it a rating and comment below! I would love to see what you guys think. As always, tag me on Insta @sipandscone and share your creations! 🙂
Garlicky White Bean and Basil Dip
Ingredients
White Bean and Basil Dip
- 1 can cannellini beans drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 1/2 cup minced fresh basil
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Tomato and Pine Nut Topping
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup chopped cherry tomatoes
- 2 tbsp pine nuts
- pinch of garlic powder and black pepper
Instructions
- To a food processor, add the drained cannellini beans, pine nuts, basil, fresh garlic, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper.
- Pulse everything together until well combined. The consistency should be slightly thick and chunkier.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a small pan on medium to high heat. Once shimmering, add in the chopped cherry tomatoes and the 2 tbsp of pine nuts. Stir occasionally and let the mixture fry for 4-5 minutes, or until the tomatoes and juicy and tender.
- Serve the white bean and basil dip on a platter. Top the dip with the roasted tomatoes and pine nuts. Add a small spoonful of the leftover oil from the roasted tomatoes. Serve with crackers, vegetables, or crostini!
Notes
Liked this recipe? Check out this other delicious appetizer I have on the blog!
- Beet Hummus with Whipped Goat Cheese Swirl
- Garlicky White Bean and Basil Dip
- Cheesy Spinach and Raisin Fritters
Let the summer begin!
Sip & Scone
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