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By Beckie Hemmerling · Zero AI content
You are here: Home » Dips & Spreads

Creamy Lemon Cannellini Bean Dip

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This easy creamy white bean dip recipe is made with pureed cannellini beans, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, and salt.

Any white bean will work for this crazy good cannellini dip.

Top down view of pureed white dip with lemon zest in a wood bowl. Spoon and crackers on the side. this …

Cannellini bean dip is like hummus except it has a smoother consistency. It also has a lighter taste, especially since theres no tahini.

Rinsing canned cannellini beans is optional.  The bean "sauce" is full of flavor and starches but has been known to give some people gas 🙂

Lemon cannellini dip is so easy to make. Make a double portion and freeze some for later.

Ingredients on a wood cutting board with a chefs knife, pastry scraper, and lemon zester. Drained white beans, salt and pepper, a garlic clove, and a whole lemon.

Variations on Lemony Cannellini Bean Dip

This is a basic recipe for cannellini bean dip. It's super easy to customize this spread to whatever ingredients you love. Try:

  • Any white bean will work. I prefer cannellini beans because they are extremely smooth when blended. White bean examples include great northern beans, navy beans, and lima or butter beans.
  • Add a fresh or dry herb in the dip or as a garnish like: sage, parsley, basil, cilantro, thyme, or rosemary.
  • Add spices like cardamom, curry, garam masala, cumin, or chili powder
Top down view of creamy white puree in a food processor.

Bean Dip Thickens As It Sits

All beans become thicker with time because starches release and thicken the dip (or soup in a lot of cases).

It's ok if you added a little to much water. Put the lemon cannellini dip in the refrigerator and it will thicken a bit with time.

The amount of water depends on how thick you like it.  Thick dip means less to no water.  2 tablespoon is a general rule for a thinner dip (it's still thick tho!) that's easier to spread in a thin layer.

Serve Lemon Cannellini White Bean Dip

  • on toast or crackers
  • with vegetables / crudite
  • as a base for sandwiches instead of mayonnaise or butter
  • as a base for a great salad dressing
Side view of pureed white dip with lemon zest on wood bowl. Crackers in background.
Print
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Top down view of white bean dip with lemon zest on top in a wood bowl.

Creamy Cannellini Bean Dip with Lemon

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Print Recipe

This easy creamy white bean dip recipe is made with pureed cannellini beans, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, and salt. Any white bean will work for this crazy good cannellini dip.

  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 6 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 15 oz can cannellini beans, drained / rinsing optional (see notes below)
  • 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium lemon, zested
  • 1 medium juicy lemon ( ~ 3 Tbsp), juiced
  • 1 small garlic clove (~ 2 tsp)
  • ½ tsp salt
  • pinch white or black pepper
  • 2 + tablespoon water *see notes

Instructions

  • Add all ingredients (except water and lemon zest) to a food processor and pulse until smooth.
  • Add water to desired consistency and pulse again.
  • Add salt and lemon juice to taste.
  • Place in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil, and garnish with lemon zest.

Notes

  • The amount of water depends on how thick you like it.  Thick dip means less to no water.  2 tablespoon is a general rule for a thinner dip (it's still thick tho!) that's easier to spread in a thin layer.
  • Rinsing canned cannellini beans is optional.  The bean "sauce" is full of flavor and starches but has been known to give some people gas 🙂
  • Author: Beckie Hemmerling
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes
  • Category: Dip
  • Method: Food Processor
  • Cuisine: Italian
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Serving Suggestion

Serve this creamy lemon cannellini bean dip recipe with complementary dishes to round out your meal like:

  • White bowl with wood spoon of red quinoa, diced tomatoes and cucumbers and red onions, and chopped parsley mixed together.
    Gluten Free Tabbouleh with Quinoa
  • 2 pieces of raw salmon fillets on an aluminum sheet pan with asparagus, sliced red peppers, and halved cherry tomatoes.
    Sheet Pan Mediterranean Salmon
  • Roasted cauliflower half face down sprinkled with cranberries, pistachios, and chopped rosemary.
    Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Pistachios and Cranberries
  • Romaine lettuce chunked, chunks of tomatoes, red peppers, whole olives and crumbled feta cheese. On a white plate.
    Easy Mediterranean Salad with Feta Cheese

You May Also Like

If you like this lemony white bean dip, then you may also like these dips, sauces, and spreads:

  • Small blue bowl of off white hummus with a mint garnish. Spoon inserted into hummus.
    Simple and Easy Homemade Hummus
  • Blue bowl of blended tan pinto bean hummus on a wood cutting board with a lemon half and spoon in the background.
    Easy Creamy Pinto Bean Hummus
  • Wood bowl of pimento cheese with 3 crackers and a small spoon hanging out. Crackers on plate in background and one with pimento cheese on it.
    Easy Homemade Pimento Cheese
  • Bowl of Tzatziki (yogurt, cucumbers, lemon) sauce. falafels in background.
    Easy Chunky Tzatziki Sauce (No Garlic)

More Dips & Spreads

  • 8 little crostini toast on a green slab board topped with goat cheese and cranberry sauce and garnished with rosemary. Side view.
    Cranberry Goat Cheese Crostini Appetizer
  • Top down view of smashed pistachios, dried cranberries, chopped rosemary in a white bowl with a spoon. Rosemary sprig and lemon half on the side. Cropped close.
    Savory Pistachio and Herb Garnish
  • Chili Lime Compound Butter Roll on a wooden cutting board with a bowl of fresh lime juice with a teaspoon in it, fresh sliced bread, a lime, and ground chili powder with a butter knife.
    Chili Butter with Lime and Honey
  • Wood bowl of brown dip garnished with chopped parsley and lemon zest. Purplee and white napkin in background. Top view. Close up.
    Roasted Eggplant Dip (No Tahini)

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Hey y'all!

I’m Beckie Hemmerling. I love food and glorify it sometimes but also think of it on a basic level of providing strength & nourishment. Cooking has helped me *try* to figure out life, not just my own, but also other peoples. I have cooked through many joys / sorrows and cooking has always been a meditative place through these highs & lows. As a professional cook, I have been a “food therapist” to each one of my clients. My clients keep me on my toes and contribute to my personal & professional growth more than words can say…. More background info →

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