This ultra-creamy white bean hummus is everything I want in a homemade dip! I use dried white beans for the best flavor and smooth texture, a ton of tahini for extra nuttiness and a splash of lemon juice to balance it all out.
White bean hummus is lighter and more delicate than its chickpea cousin, and it’s a great canvas for all sorts of additional flavors.
In this recipe, I lean into a spicy oil topping complete with buttery pine nuts, crunchy little seeds (caraway, coriander, sesame), and the raisiny smoky heat of aleppo peppers. You get drips of spicy oil in every creamy bite.
Of course you can also top it with your favorite pesto, tapenade, or a good peppery olive oil. If you're feeling extra fancy, whip up a batch of crunchy homemade grissini for delicious dippers!
how to make white bean hummus:
- Soak white beans overnight.
- Cook in salted water until very tender, about 1 hour. Learn specifics of how to cook dried beans here.
- Let cool in cooking liquid, then drain and reserve liquid.
- Blend white beans, lemon juice, tahini, olive oil and a little bit of reserved cooking liquid until very creamy, 3- 5 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a serving bowl.
- Use the back of a spoon to create swirls in the surface and drizzle with spicy seed oil (if desired) or your favorite finishing oil.
a few extra tips:
good beans: High-quality dried beans bring so much more flavor to the table than the canned option. Specifically, I love the Marcella bean from Rancho Gordo, which is a delicate little cannellini bean. It’s small, thin skinned and super creamy. It's a little trickier to cook (it can break down from too much stirring), but it doesn’t matter here since we’re blending it all up! In fact, cook them until they’re really soft, which helps with that dreamy texture.
warm and stir your tahini: I use a lot of tahini in this recipe: it adds a silky richness and deep nutty flavor that just can’t be replaced. Make sure to stir the tahini really well before measuring it out so you get the right balance of solids and oil. Warming it up in the microwave makes stirring much easier.
go easy with the liquid: It’s tempting to want to add a lot of reserved cooking liquid and even more lemon juice as you’re starting out, but resist the urge! The food processor will work through the white beans and mash up the mixture to a thick, smooth dip. When in doubt, just run the processor a little longer than you think is necessary.
creamy white bean hummus
This ultra-creamy white bean hummus is packed with tahini, olive oil and a splash of lemon. It’s drizzled with a seedy, spicy pine nut oil that is just so good on top of the white bean dip.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 5 cups
- Category: Dip
- Method: Puree
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
spicy seed oil
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tbsp pine nuts
- 1 tsp aleppo chile flakes (can substitute ½ tsp regular chile flakes)
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- ½ tsp coriander seeds
- ½ tsp caraway
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
white bean hummus
- 1 ½ cups dried white beans, soaked overnight
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 3 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
- ¾ cup tahini
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- crudites and crackers, for serving
- fresh herbs, for garnish
Instructions
spicy seed oil
- Combine olive oil, pine nuts, chile flakes, sesame seeds, coriander and caraway to a small skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until spices begin to smell fragrant, 2- 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook about 30 seconds. Remove from heat and let cool.
white bean hummus
- Drain white beans off their soaking liquid and place in a saucepan. Fill with enough cold water to cover the beans by about an inch. Bring to a boil, season with salt and reduce to a simmer. Cook until very soft and tender, at least 1 hour but will depend on the bean. Drain and reserve 1 cup cooking liquid.
- Combine white beans, ¼ cup cooking liquid, lemon juice, tahini, 1 teaspoon salt and olive oil in a food processor and pulse until combined. Turn the food processor on high and blend until very smooth, 3- 5 minutes, adding more cooking liquid a tablespoon at a time if needed (but err on the side of less liquid). Season with more salt and pepper, if needed.
- Transfer hummus to a serving dish. Use the back of a spoon to create swirls in the surface and spoon spicy seed oil over top. Scatter with fresh herbs; serve with fresh crudites and crackers.
Notes
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
White bean hummus will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 3 days.
Spicy seed oil will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tbsp
- Calories: 48
- Sugar: 0g
- Sodium: 34mg
- Fat: 3.8g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.1g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 2.7g
- Fiber: 0.6g
- Protein: 1.4g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Recipe originally posted 2/7/2022. Updated 6/7/2025.
Jenn says
This hummus is the bomb! I love it so much more than hummus with chickpeas, and I love all the garnishes you suggest!
Indi Hampton says
Thank you so much! They're all so fun!
Lisa says
Super flavorful! My friends were really impressed with how it came out.
Indi Hampton says
So happy to hear this!!
Rebekah Kuk says
I absolutely love hummus, and this white bean hummus is a nice spin on a traditional recipe. The addition of caraway seeds is very unique and adds a great flavor twist. Will definitely make this again!
Indi Hampton says
Thanks so much!! The spicy seed mix is so fun!
Glenda says
One of the best white bean hummus recipes I've ever eaten. The spicy oi and pinenut topping is a perfect finish!
Indi Hampton says
Thank you Glenda!!
Shelby says
I used this as a snack for myself and the base of a wrap for my kids- it was a hit both ways!
Indi Hampton says
So happy to hear this! Thanks Shelby!