Cannellini Bean Dip

I wanted to make some hummus to accompany a Mediterranean-style meal but we didn't have any chickpeas. So, I decided to make a white bean dip instead and I actually enjoyed it more than hummus. I think that canned chickpeas can taste a little feet-ish (sorry if I've just nauseated you but they do). But cannellini beans are always perfect in my book. They're incredibly creamy so they lend themselves to being blended and quite neutral in flavor so they soak up seasonings well.

Ingredients:
15 oz. can cannellini beans
2 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 tablespoon + 3 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
+ feta crumbles
+ parsley
+ dippers (pita chips, celery, carrot sticks, etc.)

So, our food processor hasn't been feeling too hot. No matter because I just went old school with a mortar and pestle. Either works.

Start by adding the sesame seeds and 1 tablespoon olive oil to mortar (or food processor) and grind it up and you'll have tahini. If you are not into the idea of making your own tahini because you already have a jar in the fridge that needs to be used, then by all means, chuck 2 tablespoons of tahini into the bean dip.

Next, toss in a garlic clove and mash it into a paste. Then, add in the lemon juice and beans. Mash until smooth.

Season the bean dip with salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and 3 tablespoons olive oil. Mix the ingredients together.

Spoon the dip into a serving dish and drizzle in a little olive oil, sprinkle in some feta cheese and parsley, and add a little cayenne pepper.

How gorgeous is that?

Vegetables are definitely the healthier dipper option, but I like flatbread pita chips. Just cut up a pita into triangles, brush with oil, sprinkle with salt, and then bake until crisp.

Grab a chip and go for it. The bean dip is creamy and garlicky. There's a brightness from the lemon juice. There's a little spice from the cayenne pepper. The sesame seeds add lots of nuttiness. It's a really well-balanced dip and you can be content in knowing that there are zero preservatives and weird chemicals mixed in because it's homemade.

It's a delicious snack but it also makes a pretty good lunch alongside a Greek salad.

Here's the recipe page: