White Bean Dip With Sesame

If you want a dip as satisfying as hummus but without chickpeas, this creamy and flavorful bean dip recipe using cannellini beans and toasted sesame oil will absolutely solve your cravings!

What Kind Of Legume To Use Instead Of Chickpeas In Hummus

I can tell you that Edamame works really well. I actually have a wonderful dip that uses frozen edamame. It ends up looking a lot like guacamole, (very green!) and so I leaned into it there and called it Edamole, and used some flavors you’d typically find in guac.

Another bean that works really well in a satisfying thick, hummus-like dip is cannellini beans, sometimes called white kidney beans. That’s what I’ve gone with here. It’s rich and creamy, and of course, it’s garlicky too!

Other beans that work well in a dip are black beans and pinto beans. I tend to give these more of a Mexican flavor when using them though.

Can You Use Canned Beans?

Actually, yes. People often prefer chickpeas cooked from dried for making hummus because of their texture. Canned cannellini beans have a smooth texture that actually works really well when turned into a dip.

Note that if you’re using dry beans, you want to use a single kind, not a mixture. If you find yourself with a mixture of beans, like a soup mix, don’t use them to make a dip. They have an uneven texture that doesn’t puree well. Instead, make this delicious 13 Bean Soup Recipe, where all the textures really shine.

What Other Ingredients Should You Use?

I actually don’t put tahini in my hummus if I’m making it with cannellini beans. I usually feel that tahini is in hummus for its smooth texture. The cannellini beans are much softer than chickpeas though so you don’t need that texture-helper. And in fact, I get away with less olive oil in the recipe as well because of that.

Instead, I just use garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and the beans. A pinch of cumin and/or coriander is really nice in there too, but totally optional. If you miss the sesame flavor of tahini, you can totally add some, but what I prefer is a little bit of toasted sesame oil. You get the smooth texture of the pureed beans with a light touch of that traditional sesame flavor going on. So great!

Not having our beloved chickpeas around is a bit sad, but I think we’re all going to find some new fun and delicious plant-based dips to have instead.