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Garlic and Lemon White Bean Dip with Vegetable Sticks

A smooth, garlicky dip of cannellini beans, olive oil and lemon, served with crunchy carrot, cucumber and pepper sticks. A sesame-free alternative to hummus, ready in 10 minutes.

Snack

10

Serves 4

An outdoor table with a terracotta bowl of creamy pale dip, jars of carrot sticks, a basket of cucumber and pepper sticks, crackers and lit tea lights

Ingredients

  • 1 x 400g (14oz) tin cannellini beans (white kidney beans), drained and rinsed (about 240g/8½oz drained)
  • 2 tbsp (30ml) extra virgin olive oil
  • Juice of half a lemon (about 20ml)
  • 1 small clove garlic (about 4g), crushed
  • Half a tsp ground cumin, a pinch of salt and 2 to 3 tbsp cold water
  • For dipping: 200g/7oz carrots, 200g/7oz cucumber and 1 yellow or red pepper (bell pepper, about 150g/5oz once deseeded), cut into sticks

Method

  1. Blend the beans, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, cumin and salt in a food processor, adding the water a tablespoon at a time, until very smooth. This takes 2 to 3 minutes; scrape down the sides once or twice.
  2. Taste and add more lemon or salt if needed. Spoon into a bowl and finish with a drizzle of oil and a pinch of cumin, if you like.
  3. Cut the carrots, cucumber and pepper into sticks and serve with the dip. Gluten-free crackers are good with it too, but are not included in the nutrition.
  4. The dip keeps in a covered container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Not suitable for freezing.

Why it works

A serving with vegetable sticks gives you 5g of protein and 6g of fibre for 162 calories.

A hummus without sesame. Hummus is made with tahini, a sesame paste, and sesame is one of the 14 major allergens in the UK and EU and one of the 9 in the US. Creamy cannellini beans and olive oil give a similar smooth dip without it.

Blend for longer than you think. Two to three minutes in a food processor, with a little cold water, turns the beans silky. A short blend leaves a grainy dip.

Why it is tagged for blood sugar. With 14g of carbohydrate, plenty of fibre and some protein, this snack is unlikely to cause a sharp rise in blood sugar, and the vegetable sticks add crunch and volume.

Free from gluten, dairy, soya, nuts and sesame. For another dip, try the beetroot and walnut hummus.