Easy dips such as my Black Bean Dip are fantastic to have in your repertoire. They are ideal when you’re short of time as they take just minutes to prepare and contain store cupboard staples you most likely have on hand. They’re perfect for last-minute entertaining, or a healthy, easy snack for the family.
Why You'll Love This Recipe:
- It is made from store cupboard ingredients that are readily available or you may already have to hand.
- Made as per our recipe, this dip is naturally gluten-free and vegan.
- It is budget friendly and so quickly and easily made.
- When you make your own dips, you are in control of the ingredients that you use. There will not be any artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
- By using various herbs and spices, you can customise the recipe to suit your own taste. I have some suggestions below.
Recipe Inspiration: I like to always have some canned legumes on hand. They are so versatile, lending themselves to uses such as appetisers, soups, vegetarian stews or salads. Our Tuscan Stewed Beans or Vegetarian Nachos with Beans and Corn are just 2 of the many ways I use them when I want a meal in a hurry.
Ingredients and Substitutions:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
- Canned black beans – the black beans have a glossy skin, a meaty texture and are a great source of protein.
- Garlic – a small clove of fresh garlic adds great flavour to the dip.
- Lemon - a little acidity brightens the flavour.
- Extra virgin olive oil – for the best flavour, I use extra virgin olive oil. Use the best olive oil that you have.
- Cayenne pepper - for a little heat. You can use some freshly ground black pepper instead if you prefer.
- Sea salt – properly seasoning the dip is essential to enhance the mild flavour of the beans.
- Chopped parsley and sliced red chilli to serve – optional.
Variations:
Beans – if you prefer, you can soak and cook dried beans yourself.
Herbs – fresh coriander/cilantro is a delicious way to decorate the finished dip.
Spices - use smoked paprika or ground cumin to suit your taste.
How To Make Black Bean Dip:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
1 – Add your ingredients to a food processor:
Turn the black beans into a colander, rinse and drain well. Add the black beans, garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil to a blender or food processor.
2 – Blend until smooth:
Blend until the beans are a smooth consistency. Scrape down the bowl if necessary.
If the dip is too thick for your liking, add a small amount of water until you have the desired consistency.
Hint: when a recipe is as simple as this one, you get the best result by using good ingredients. Use fresh garlic and the best olive oil that you have.
Tips for Success, Storage and FAQs:
You can! We have tried this recipe using red kidney beans. You may also like to try our Cannellini Bean Dip.
Yes, you can. This dip will keep in the fridge for 3 days. Allow the dip to come to room temperature before serving. Stir it well, and if it has thickened a little, drizzle a little olive oil before serving.
Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Top Tip:
For a smooth and creamy dip, be sure to blend it long enough.
Also, the bean flavour is mild, so it needs to be adequately seasoned with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Serving Suggestions:
There are so many ways to enjoy our Black Bean Dip. Some suggestions are:
- Serve it spread on Crostini with slices of cherry tomato and a few coriander leaves.
- Dress the dip up to suit your taste. It lends itself to a variety of alternative toppings or accompaniments such as lemon zest, finely chopped parsley, sour cream, pickled jalapeños or diced cherry tomatoes.
- Add a good selection of crudites. Carrot, celery sticks, and sliced capsicum/peppers are good choices.
- It is delicious with corn chips, crackers or Pita Chips.
- Serve as part of a trio of dips along with our Green Goddess Dip or easy Tuna Dip. This makes for easy entertaining.
- Use it as a spread in a sandwich.
- For more inspiration, view our collection of The Best Dip Recipes.
I am sure that you will find many ways in which to enjoy this very easy Black Bean Dip. Do let me know if you try this delicious dip!
Alex xx
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Black Bean Dip
Please note:
For accuracy, when weights are provided, we recommend weighing your ingredients. This will produce the best results. All oven temperatures listed are for fan forced.
Ingredients
For the Dip:
- 400 g (14 oz) canned black beans See Note 1
- 1 ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil See Note 2
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice - freshly squeezed
- 1 small garlic clove
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper - or to taste
- a little water - if too thick
- sea salt - to taste
Optional Garnishes:
- flat-leaf parsley - finely chopped
- red chilli - finely chopped
Instructions
- Drain and rinse your black beans, and add to the bowl of a food processor, along with the rest of the ingredients.
- Blend until the dip is a smooth consistency, scraping down the sides of the bowl where necessary. Add a little water until you reach the desired consistency.Check that the seasoning is to your liking, adjusting as necessary.
- Serve the dip with chopped parsley and red chilli, and a drizzle of oil if you wish.
Notes
- Beans: I have used canned black beans for this recipe, which I rinse and drain well. You can also use dried beans which you have soaked and cooked if you prefer.
- Tablespoon: we use a standard Australian tablespoon which is 20 ml (4 teaspoons). For readers located elsewhere in the world, please use 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon for each tablespoon listed.
- Storage: store the dip in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Stir well before stirring.
- Freezing: the Black Bean Dip can be frozen for up to 1 month.
Nutrition Estimate:
Nutritional Disclaimer:
The nutritional information is an estimate only, and is derived from online calculators. For accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information based on the ingredients and brands you use.
Jackie says
I was looking for a delicious but healthy snack for the weekends. My husband wasn't keen - and I must admit I was a little unsure especially seeing the colour - it's not the prettiest. But we were both very pleasantly surprised at how delicious this dip is. It will remain in my repertoire now. Thanks Alex for this easy delicious recipe.
Alexandra Cook says
Hi Jackie,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try!
So happy you found it delicious 🙂
It is such a good base recipe that works well with any cans of beans - we have some other ideas on the blog 🙂
Alex xo