My family is a hummus family, through and through. My husband, stepdaughter, and I love to make White Bean Hummus, cut up a ton of veggies, and put on a big spread for a healthy snack! Now, my 3 year old daughter has joined the gang, and she’s crazy about this hummus, too. It’s a crowd-pleaser and works out to be much cheaper than store-bought hummus! You only need 5 ingredients and a food processor to make this delicious, protein-packed dip. I’m sure your family will love it just as much as mine does!
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What is White Bean Hummus?
We’ve been on a white bean kick recently here at Budget Bytes (Tuscan white bean stuffed tomatoes or chicken sausage white bean skillet, anyone?!), so it only makes sense that I share my favorite white bean hummus recipe with y’all. It’s just as delicious as traditional chickpea hummus but is made with creamy white beans instead. I add canned cannellini beans, toasted garlic, lemon juice, tahini, and olive oil to a food processor and blend until smooth—that’s it!
Side note: I love following Dr. Joel Fuhrman, and one of his teachings has always stuck with me: G-BOMBS! Fit in greens, beans, onions, mushrooms, berries, and seeds daily, and you’re on the road to excellent health. This easy white bean hummus recipe combines a few of those requirements, so it’s always in my refrigerator as an easy-to-grab snack!
Ingredients for White Bean Hummus
Aside from the cannellini beans, this recipe stays true to the classic ingredients found in regular hummus. Here’s what you’ll need to make this homemade white bean hummus recipe:
- Cannellini Beans: Most of us probably have a few tins of this creamy white bean in the pantry, making it a great option for a last-minute dip! Drain and rinse the beans before using. Butter beans, navy, and Great Northern beans could also work.
- Tahini: This is a paste made from ground sesame seeds. It’s one of the main ingredients in most hummus recipes and adds a nutty, slightly bitter flavor. You can usually find it in the nut butter or international aisle of your grocery store.
- Garlic: Crush your garlic cloves to release all that delicious flavor. We’ll toast them in a skillet before blending to mellow out the sharpness.
- Olive Oil: Use it to cook the garlic and to add richness to the hummus.
- Lemon Juice: Adds a bright acidity that balances out the creaminess of the beans and tahini.
- Water: Use some cold water to thin out the hummus to your desired consistency.
- Seasonings: Salt and black pepper enhance the flavors of this white bean hummus.
Serving Suggestions
This white bean dip is the best snack to take on the go! I dip everything from carrots and celery to crackers and pita bread in it. If you’re serving this hummus at a party, try drizzling some extra olive oil, fresh herbs, and crushed red pepper on top (as I did in these photos!). Here are a few more ideas for serving this creamy cannellini bean hummus:
- Spread it on your favorite sandwiches or wraps
- Use it as the base for these Mediterranean hummus bowls
- Mix it into cooked pasta for a simple and delicious sauce (add a little water to thin it out, if needed)
- Serve it as a side with roasted or grilled vegetables
- Level up your breakfast game by making hummus breakfast tacos!
Storage Instructions
This recipe for white bean hummus makes about 4 cups, so there’s a good chance you’ll have leftovers. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also drizzle a thin layer of olive oil on top of the hummus before storing to help keep it fresher for longer, but this is optional.
White Bean Hummus
Servings 12 servings (⅓ cup per serving)Ingredients
- 2 cans cannellini beans, strained and rinsed ($1.72)
- ½ cup tahini ($1.28)
- 3 Tbsp olive oil ($0.57)
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed ($0.15)
- 4 Tbsp lemon juice ($0.20)
- ¼ tsp salt ($0.01)
- 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper ($0.22)
- ¼ cup cold water ($0.00)
Instructions
- Gather all your ingredients and set aside until time to use.
- In a small frying pan, combine smashed garlic cloves and olive oil. Cook on medium low heat to gently cook the garlic, swirling it in the pan occasionally to infuse the olive oil. After about 4 minutes or when the garlic has some light color on it, remove pan from heat.
- In a food processor, combine cannellini beans, tahini, olive oil and garlic from the frying pan, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Process until smooth, streaming in cold water as-needed to help blend and smoothen the hummus.
- Adjust salt and pepper to your liking and serve with fresh vegetables, toasted pita or crackers. Enjoy!
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Equipment
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how to make White Bean Hummus – step by step photos
Gather all your ingredients and set aside until time to use.
In a small frying pan, combine 3 smashed garlic cloves and 3 Tbsp olive oil. Cook on medium low heat to gently cook the garlic, swirling it in the pan occasionally to infuse the olive oil.
After about 4 minutes or when the garlic has some light color on it, remove pan from heat.
In a food processor, combine 2 cans cannellini beans, ½ cup tahini, the olive oil and garlic from the frying pan, 4 Tbsp lemon juice, ¼ tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper.
Process until smooth, streaming in ¼ cup cold water as-needed to help blend and smoothen the hummus.
Adjust salt and pepper to your liking and serve with fresh vegetables, toasted pita or crackers. Enjoy!
Who knew making hummus at home could be so simple? This creamy white bean hummus is the perfect snack or appetizer for the whole family!
I was a bit skeptical of this idea but wanted to try it anyway, especially since white beans are higher protein than garbanzo beans. I was pleasantly surprised–it was much better than I expected. It was delicious, similar in flavor to hummus but had a really good velvety smooth texture. I would definitely make this again. Thank you for a great recipe.
So glad you enjoyed it!
I love Hummus! This is a very easy recipe and my go to for bringing to friend gatherings!
Made this tonight, and it won me over. Way smoother than the traditional hummus. It was finger-licking good! I had to slow down so I could use my cucumbers for dipping.
Woohoo! That’s what we like to hear. Thanks, Sally! (I agree, the white beans get smoother faster than traditional chickpeas! Also a little extra protein.)
Hey Jess, this recipe looks amazing! Do you have any recommendations on adding heat to the hummus? I am thinking about either adding fresh hot peppers or ground cayenne pepper to it. I feel like the ground cayenne might mix better, however, I have never made hummus so I am unsure. Any advice would be appreciated, thanks!
Hey Stephen! Oh boy. Yes! I love this hummus with cracked red pepper (just a sprinkle on top was enough for me, that’s what I did for our photos) but if you want to add more heat, you could totally sauté a hot pepper (I would seed it first so it’s still hot but not overpowering) before the garlic step… Then, add the garlic when the pepper’s cooked to your liking (probably just 4-5 minutes so it’s a bit wilty and has some nice color) Just finish the recipe as normal after that. :) Let me know what you decide to do and how it works out.
Remember, you can always add more spice, but it’s hard to take it away if you’ve added too much!
Worth noting that the way I eat hummus is sometimes similar to how I eat pho… I put a dot or two of Sriracha on every bite. Haha. You can always do that as well! Enjoy.