Sarra Ina Garten’s white bean dip is a smooth, creamy blend of cannellini beans, fresh rosemary, garlic, lemon juice, Pecorino Romano, and good olive oil, processed until silky and served with grilled bread or crudités. It comes together in about 15 minutes and serves 6 to 8 as an appetizer or part of a larger spread.
Ina’s Tuscan White Beans from her How Easy Is That? cookbook (2010) provide the flavor foundation for this dip. She cooks cannellini beans with rosemary, sage, garlic, olive oil, and Pecorino, and writes that she has “served these creamy beans as a first course on slices of grilled bread and drizzled with olive oil.” This recipe takes that same Italian flavor profile and runs it through the food processor using the technique from her Creamy Hummus in Go-To Dinners (2022), turning her braised white beans into a smooth, scoopable dip.
The technique that makes this dip smooth instead of grainy is warming the canned beans in a saucepan for a few minutes before they go into the food processor. Cold beans resist breaking down and produce a thick, pasty texture no matter how long you blend. A few minutes of gentle heat softens them enough for the processor to do its job, and you end up with a dip as smooth as her hummus.
Ina Garten White Bean Dip Recipe
Course: Appetizers, dipCuisine: Italian, AmericanDifficulty: Easy8
servings10
minutes5
minutes140
kcalAn Italian-style white bean dip built from the flavors of Ina’s Tuscan White Beans, blended smooth using her hummus technique. Pecorino Romano and fresh rosemary give this dip a savory depth that sets it apart from a plain bean puree.
Ingredients
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2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
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1/4 cup (60ml) good olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
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2 tablespoons (30ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
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1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
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2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
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1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
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1 teaspoon kosher salt
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1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
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1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
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1/3 cup (35g) freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
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2 to 3 tablespoons warm water, as needed
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Flaky sea salt for finishing
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Grilled bread or crudités for serving
Directions
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Warm the beans: Place the drained and rinsed beans in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir gently for 3 to 4 minutes until warmed through. This step softens the beans so they blend smoother.
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Blend the base: Transfer the warm beans to a food processor. Add the garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, rosemary, kosher salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
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Add the oil and cheese: With the processor running, drizzle in the olive oil. Add the Pecorino Romano and process for one full minute until the dip is creamy and uniform.
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Adjust the consistency: Add warm water one tablespoon at a time, processing briefly after each addition, until the dip reaches the consistency of thick yogurt. Taste and adjust salt and lemon juice.
- Serve: Transfer to a shallow serving bowl and spread with a spatula. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with flaky sea salt, and serve with grilled bread or fresh vegetables.
Notes
- Drain and rinse canned beans thoroughly. The starchy liquid left behind makes the dip gummy and dulls the flavor of the rosemary and lemon.
Fresh rosemary makes a real difference over dried. The oils release during processing and perfume the entire dip. Dried rosemary stays woody and sharp no matter how long you blend.
Ina’s tip from her Tuscan White Beans: do not add salt to beans while they boil, because it makes the skins tough. This applies if you choose to start with dried beans instead of canned.
FAQs
What makes this different from hummus?
This dip uses cannellini beans instead of chickpeas, which gives it a milder, creamier base with no tahini. The Pecorino Romano and fresh rosemary push the flavor in an Italian direction, while hummus leans Middle Eastern with tahini and smoked paprika.
If you want to serve both at the same party, they sit well next to each other because the flavor profiles are different enough that guests do not feel like they are eating the same dip twice. Ina’s Hummus Recipe pairs well alongside this one for exactly that reason.
Should you use dried or canned cannellini beans?
Canned beans work perfectly and keep this recipe at 15 minutes total. Drain and rinse them well to remove the starchy liquid, then warm them briefly before blending.
Ina prefers dried beans for her Tuscan White Beans because the texture is creamier and the flavor is cleaner. If you want to go that route, soak 1 cup of dried cannellini overnight, then simmer in plain water for about 45 minutes until very tender. Drain and use in place of the canned beans. The dip will be noticeably smoother, but the trade-off is an extra hour of work.
Can you make white bean dip ahead of time?
This dip keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container, and the flavor actually deepens after a day as the rosemary and garlic settle into the beans. A thin layer of olive oil on top helps seal the surface and keeps it from drying out.
When ready to serve, bring it to room temperature and stir in a tablespoon of warm water if it has thickened. Add a fresh drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of flaky salt right before it hits the table. This dip does not freeze well because the texture turns grainy when thawed.
What herbs work best in white bean dip?
Ina uses both rosemary and sage in her Tuscan White Beans, and either works here. Rosemary gives the dip a piney, earthy flavor that holds up after blending. Sage adds a warmer, more savory note that feels right in fall and winter.
Fresh herbs make a noticeable difference. The oils in fresh rosemary release during processing and perfume the entire dip, while dried rosemary stays sharp and woody. If rosemary is not available, fresh thyme is the closest substitute, and Ina uses it across many of her Italian recipes.
What should you serve white bean dip with?
Ina serves her Tuscan White Beans on slices of grilled bread, and that is the best pairing for this dip too. Thick slices of toasted sourdough or a warm baguette give you enough structure to scoop without breaking. Ina’s Garlic Bread is a natural match if you want something richer alongside.
For a lighter option, fresh vegetables like cucumber spears, endive leaves, and radishes all work because the mild, creamy dip does not overpower delicate produce. Toasted pita triangles split the difference between bread and chips and work for both scooping and spreading.
