Dreams do come true! We had an idea for a charred pepper and white bean dip, but we never imagined it would turn out this good. Trust us when we say this is going to be your new favorite savory, spicy, creamy, lemony, oh-so-versatile dip.
It’s the perfect companion for veggies, wraps, flatbread, naan, and beyond. Just 8 ingredients and 30 minutes required. Let us show you how it’s done!
Inspiration
While not a traditional hummus as it doesn’t use chickpeas, this creamy, dreamy white bean dip is hummus-inspired with a smoky, spicy twist!
How to Make Serrano White Bean Dip
It starts with charring serrano peppers in the oven, giving them a beautiful smoky flavor and toning down some of the intense spiciness of the fresh peppers. Placing them on foil keeps them from getting stuck to the pan, and it also gets wrapped around the peppers after roasting, which (pro tip!) makes them much easier to peel!
Sautéing garlic and shallots brings out their natural sweetness and depth of flavor while also beautifully balancing the spiciness of the charred serranos. Adding the white beans in with the garlic and shallots helps them get warmed and softened, leading to extra creamy results!
Whirl it all up with cashew butter (or tahini) for creaminess, lemon juice for brightness and balance, and salt and pepper for extra flavor.
The magic happens when you throw everything together in the food processor, and just a few pulses later, you’ve gone from a few beans and peppers to a creamy, spicy, and super savory dip. We dare you to share this with other people — we admit it’s kinda hard!
We hope you LOVE this white bean dip! It’s:
Creamy
Smoky
Spicy
Savory
Versatile
& SO delicious!
It goes well with literally almost anything! Dip your veggies, flatbread, or naan. Or pair with The Ultimate Mediterranean Bowl, Spring Buddha Bowl with Quinoa & Lemony White Beans, Garlic & Herb Sweet Potato Nourish Bowl (30 Minutes!), The Simple But Good Breakfast Bowl (20 Minutes!), Kale Falafel Hummus Wraps (30 Minutes!), or anything else your heart (and belly) desires!
More Creamy Dip Recipes
- Lemon and Herb White Bean Dip
- Cheesy Vegan Spinach & Artichoke Dip
- Creamy Kale and Spinach Dip
- Creamy Brussels Sprout and Shallot Dip
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Charred Serrano White Bean Dip
Ingredients
DIP
- 2 serrano peppers, halved and stems cut off
- 5 Tbsp olive oil (DIVIDED)
- 4 large cloves garlic, minced
- 3/4 cup minced shallot (~1 large shallot)
- 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans (or ~1 ¾ cups homemade)
- 1/2 tsp each sea salt and black pepper
- 1/4 cup cashew butter (sub tahini for nut-free)
- 1/4 cup lemon juice (~2 medium lemons)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 F (218 C). Spread the peppers out on a baking sheet lined with foil (or a bare baking sheet brushed with oil) and roast for 15-20 minutes, flipping the peppers halfway to ensure even charring.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, warm 2 tablespoons (30 ml // adjust if altering number of servings) of olive oil. Once hot, add the garlic and shallot, sautéing until softened and translucent — about 3 minutes. Lower heat to medium-low and add the cannellini beans and the salt and pepper. Mix well to combine and heat for 3-5 minutes or until the beans are warmed through.
- Remove peppers from the oven and carefully wrap the foil around them to steam for a few minutes. Then carefully peel away the skin and remove the seeds, making sure to wash your hands thoroughly after.
- To a food processor, add the bean mixture, charred peppers (start with just 1 if you prefer less heat), cashew butter, and lemon juice. Blend for about 1 minute, scraping down the sides as needed. Then, with the processor running, carefully stream in the remaining 3 tablespoons (45 ml // adjust if altering batch size) of olive oil until the mixture is creamy and smooth.
- Enjoy warm or chill before serving. It’s delicious in bowls, as a spread on sandwiches, or as a dip with fresh veggies, crackers, pita bread, flatbread (or gluten-free flatbread), or naan (or gluten-free naan).
- Leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Not freezer friendly.
Video
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with cashew butter.
Laurel Thomson says
This was amazing! I made this for a get together and got so many compliments.
Perfectly smoky with just a hint of heat. I think next time I’ll try 3 peppers for a little extra heat.
Whoop! We’re so glad everyone enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing, Laurel! xo
Kathy says
Delicious!!! Spicy & Beautiful!
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Kathy. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a star rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
Stacey says
Wow! This is so good I almost ate it by the spoonful! I omitted the last 3 TB of oil and still found it rich and creamy. So good!
I kept out what I needed and froze the rest in single-serving jars.
Delicious!
Thank you!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Stacey. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
:D says
What did you garnish your bean dip with?
The dip is garnished with smoked paprika, olive oil, some additional roasted serranos, and parsley!
Komal says
What do you use as garnish? I want to try making this for my charcuterie board.
Hi Komal, we used smoked paprika, olive oil, parsley, and extra roasted peppers for our garnish in the photos!
CD says
Great flavor!!
Thanks, CD!
C Quin says
Delicious!! Another winning recipe from Minimalist Baker 😍
Yay! Thank you so much for the lovely review! xo
Trish says
So I didn’t measure the shallot and probably used less oil bit oh my God was it good. I can’t wait to make it again. I used the 2 peppers, I like heat. It was great on these sweet potato pea cakes I made that were lacking and instead of using sweet Chilli sauce like it said I put this on it. Totally transformed it.
Ooo, sounds delish! Thanks for the great review, Trish. We’re so glad you enjoyed this dip!
Heather says
Delicious! I made with Rancho Gordo mayocoba beans. I’ve been dipping cauliflower in it. The blend of flavors in this dip is delightful. I will definitely bookmark to make again.
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoy it, Heather! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Michelle says
I was making this while I had something else in the oven, so I had to change the technique slightly. I was also pressed for time, and didn’t read the instructions fully, so made a couple of inadvertent changes.
Despite my errors, this recipe was excellent and one I’ll make again. I figured since I was going to blend everything, I charred the serrano (seeded and halved), garlic (whole) and shallot (quartered) in a cast iron skillet. When it had good color, I turned off the heat and added a lid so it would soften even more.
I didn’t have cashew butter on hand, so I used tahini (as listed to sub in recipe). It was really good, but I want to try this again as written because I think the cashew butter would offer a nice flavor that isn’t reminiscent of hummus (not that there’s anything wrong with that!). I was only able to add 1 of the serrano peppers so my 8-year-old could eat it. I would have liked the extra heat – it was probably about a medium heat with 1 pepper – the ones I bought seemed more spicy than usual for serranos.
My mistake was not heating the beans with the vegetables before blending. I think this would have opened up the flavors even more. I was using this for the savory teff crepes recipe. Since everything else in the meal was hot, it warmed the bean dip. Another great recipe – it was able to withstand my mistakes and remain a keeper!
Jennifer says
Giiiiiirl I love anything serrano so I made this and it is GOOD! Thanks for the recipe!
Yay! Thanks so much for the review, Jennifer!
lauren says
love the level of heat! we used 2 peppers
Woohoo! Thanks for the lovely review, Lauren!
Jamie says
Have you ever tried this recipe with a different white bean? Like Navy Beans? Would it make a difference?
Hi Jamie, we find navy beans to be a bit bitter, but most other types of white beans would work well!
Abigail Gerber says
Hands down THE best dip! I made it and then quickly forwarded the recipe to everyone I know that likes food. Well done!
Aw, yay! We’re so glad you enjoy it, Abigail! xoxo
Marie Biddix says
So good!!! I have made it twice in less than a week. This year we have had an abundance of peppers in the garden and this has been the best recipe for us. It is so good to take on the boat or on road trips. We have been eating it with your GF naan, vegetables, and just by itself, it is amazing as written using tahini. Thank you so much for another versatile recipe. It is good warm, hot, cold, room temp, just any way I can get it in my mouth! You all are the best.
That’s so great to hear, Marie! It’s one of our top favorite recipes this year, so we’re thrilled you’re enjoying it too! Thank you so much for your lovely review! xo
Elise says
This was absolutely delicious.. you did it again Dana!
I used tahini, only a tbsp of lemon juice, and kept one pepper’s seeds in and it had an excellent well balanced flavor. Also, Since I’ve had a jar of dry white beans just sitting in my pantry for months now, I made the white beans from scratch… Prepared the beans on the stovetop in a sort of Ethiopian method… soaked the beans overnight of course, rinsed them, and then warmed some coriander seeds, cumin seeds, mustard seeds and allspice in a few glugs of olive oil on low heat in a large pot until the seeds started to pop. Then added the uncooked beans, crushed unpeeled garlic, half an onion, whole peppercorns and some tarragon. Added filtered water and let it cook for about 2 hours. Then proceeded to use these beans in your recipe. I think it added an additional depth of flavor to the dish and I’ll be repeating it next time. Thanks so much Dana, you’re always my go to for solid recipes. Really appreciate all the work you do!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Elise! Your additions sound so incredible! Thank you so much for your kind words and support! xo
Connie Lamberes says
I would have ranked this recipe a 4.5 but that was not an option and of course, it’s all a matter of a person’s taste. This was a great, healthy dip and really liked the flavor. I love lemon (I am greek) so I used two lemons, which was way too much and it overpowered the entire dip so I had to fix it with more beans.
Next time I make this, I might stir in some chopped mild peppers with the serranos to increase the pepper content but not sure. I usually make a recipe the way it is written the first time and then revise it a bit to my own taste. All in all, this recipe is definitely one that I will make again!
Thanks for sharing your experience, Connie! We’re glad to hear you enjoyed it overall. Did you measure out the amount of lemon juice from 2 lemons? We would recommend measuring in tablespoons/cups as lemons can vary in how juicy they are. That said, you can also reduce to preference!
MONICA GORDON says
anyone make this with less oil?
Hi Monica, we haven’t, but think it could work with half the amount. Let us know if you try it!
Mike Kearns says
I did, and it came out beautifully. I used 1.5 T in the food processor. I think it’d also be wonderful with all of the oil. I like to drizzle evoo on top of the dip when I remove it to a bowl from the food processor.
AH says
This was delicious. I didn’t have serranos, so I subbed with jalapeños and it was plenty spicy. Don’t skip the smoked paprika garnish – that put it over the top for me. Thanks for another great recipe!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your substitution! Next time, would you mind leaving a star rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
AH says
Oops – sorry. Five stars!
Thanks for the update! xo
MONICA GORDON says
i made this the other day with only 1 T of oil, and 2 serano chilis that were about 3 inches long, so hot ( took all seeds out) could barely eat it, had to add 1/2 can more of the beans and I really like spicy food.
Oh my! So sorry that happened, Monica. We wonder if your peppers might have been extra spicy? They were definitely serranos? We’ve made it several times now and have found it’s spicy, but not overwhelming so. We’ll see if we can make improvements to address variability in the heat level of peppers!
Jess says
So so good!!! I added some Ajvar (red pepper and eggplant) and somehow it was even better! My new go-to for anything bowls!
That addition sounds SO good, Jess! We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Carla Sokol says
This looks delicious! Unfortunately, I can’t do anything high in oil so that includes nuts and tahini. Do you have another suggestion?
Hi Carla, how about chickpea brine? Let us know if you try it!
Connie Lamberes says
Is there much of a difference between the Cashew butter or tahini in this recipe? If you use Cashew Butter, do you buy it in a jar or make the cashew butter homemade?
Hi Connie, cashew butter adds a little more richness with a more mild flavor, but either one works! We like using Artisana brand, but homemade should be fine too. You can find our other cashew butter brand recommendations here. Let us know how you like it!
Sara says
If I were to try this with jalapeños, any suggestions on the quantity? Should I make any adjustments to the base of the recipe?
Hi Sara, we’d suggest roasting 3-4 jalapeños, but starting with just adding 2 of them to the dip and increasing as desired for more heat. Let us know how it goes!
Kinga says
Can I substituted serrano peppers with jalapeno peppers?
Hi Kinga, we don’t think it will be as spicy, but still delicious! Let us know how you like it!
Sara says
Just made this and the fan club said it was spicy?! We can’t use fresh garlic and we were out of shallots. I used the onion I had on hand! Also, used tahini vs the cashew blend.
Seems like this will be in a rotation at our house!
Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Hi Sara, We’re so glad everyone enjoyed it! If it was too spicy, you can try 1 1/2 serranos next time. Hope that helps!
The Vegan Goddess says
This looks dreamy. What did you garnish it with?
According to Medical Medium, foil is not healthy for cooking because it transfers toxic metals and we are, unfortunately, already inundated with heavy metals in our environment that we are ingesting. Metals apparently contribute to neurological illnesses, Alzheimer’s, etc.
So, I am wondering if wrapping it in parchment paper would produce a similar result without the metals. Perhaps a covered baking dish would help.
Hi, we garnished with extra roasted serranos, parsley, olive oil, and smoked paprika. Parchment paper works here too! Foil just makes it a little easier to peel the skins. But even if you don’t peel the peppers, it will be delicious! Hope you love it!
Christina says
I tend to roast on parchment paper and put the roasted peppers into a bowl and cover them for 10-20 min afterwards. They steam as they cool and that seems to help the skin peel off easily. Works with beets too.