Dip Recipes Made with Beans
Beans are a healthy and tasty source of protein. There are many different types of beans, each of which is perfect for several different preparation methods. There are a number of different recipes for dips made with beans.
Hummus Recipe
Hummus is one of the easiest dips to make, yet people are very impressed when you serve this international delight. To make your own hummus, you only need a few ingredients. The main ingredient is a can of Garbanzo beans, which you will partially drain and run through a food processor until smooth. (Leave about 1/2 the liquid from the can in the beans when you are processing them.)
Once the beans have been processed to a relatively smooth pasted, add in a clove of garlic, 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of tahini paste. (Tahini paste is sesame paste, and is available in the international foods section of most supermarkets.) Process for a few seconds, until all ingredients are blended, and you are ready to enjoy delicious homemade hummus.
It actually tastes better after the flavors have a chance to blend, so you may want to refrigerate it for two or more hours before eating. It is delicious cold or at room temperature. Serve with pita bread, pita chips, or crackers.
Here are more of my favorite bean dip recipes:
Sensibly Seasoned Southern Caviar Dip is made with the blackeye peas, known to southerners as "Southern Caviar." This tasty dip is easy to make and is actually delicious as either a dip or a side dish. This particular recipe includes cumin, lime juice, and minced fresh Cilantro, so it has a little bit of a Mexican kick. It is super with tortilla chips. This recipe uses Glory Foods canned Sensibly Seasoned Blackeye peas, which are a reduced sodium (yet still delicious) choice.
Layered Black Bean Dip from Chef and the Fatman is another great bean dip with a Mexican flair. It combines jalapenos, cilantro, guacamole, and other south of the border delights for a delicious dip with a kick. It is perfect served with tortilla chips for a day of tailgating or an evening watching movies at home.
Six Layer Dip from the Bizy Mom's Cookbook also uses black beans and has a Mexican flair, but has less of a spicy bite than Layered Black Bean Dip. This is the one that I make for company when I'm not sure what extent of spicy they can handle. It's also great with tortilla chips.
