Roasted Garlic Avocado White Bean Dip

Recipes for white bean dip abound in cookbooks, magazines, and the food blogosphere, and it’s easy to see why.  White bean dips have huge appeal because they are healthier and lower in calories compared to appetizers made with cheese, cream cheese, pastry, bread, and nuts.  Still, I have found most white bean dips rather bland, consisting only of pureed white beans, garlic, olive oil, and lemon. However, with a few simple recipe tweaks it’s easy to turn a basic, unexciting dip into a sensational, savory one.   Roasted Garlic White Bean Avocado Dip contains fresh basil, avocado, and roasted garlic – ingredients not commonly found in white bean dip, but ones that make this dip truly exceptional.  

Raw garlic can sometimes be harsh and overpowering, especially if the other flavors in a dish are mild.  Roasting garlic kills its natural bitterness and sweetens it, making it perfect to add to dishes where a more mellow garlic flavor is desired, such as this dip. To make the roasted garlic simply place a head of garlic on a piece of aluminum foil and drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil on top.  Then wrap the foil tightly around the head of garlic, fully encasing it, and roast for 45 minutes at 350 degrees F.

After the garlic is roasted, squeeze the cloves out of their papery skins and throw them into a food processor, along with all the other ingredients, and blend until you have a smooth, creamy mixture.  (Even after the mixture is fully pureed small flecks of basil will remain visible.)

Roasted Garlic White Bean Avocado Dip is a delicious, savory dip that’s perfect for vegetable crudites but equally good with crackers, pita bread, or tortilla chips.  You can also use it as a sandwich spread or dollop it on grilled meat or vegetables.  This vegan, gluten-free dip is packed with protein, fiber, and healthy avocado fat, and has only 111 calories per ¼ cup serving.

Roasted Garlic Avocado White Bean Dip

 

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Author: QUEEN OF MY KITCHEN

Serves: 10 - ¼ cup servings

Ingredients

• 1 head of garlic
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 – 19 ounce can of white kidney beans/cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1½ ounces fresh basil leaves, about 2 cups loosely packed
• 1 ripe avocado, pitted and peeled
• Juice of 1 freshly squeezed lemon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 2-3 extra basil leaves for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Place the head of garlic on a piece of aluminum foil, drizzle with olive oil, and wrap it up securely, encasing the entire head inside the foil. Place on a small baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes.
3. Remove from the oven and once the foil is cool enough to handle unwrap the package and remove the head of garlic. Separate the cloves and then squeeze them out of their papery skin into the work bowl of a food processor.
4. Add the remaining ingredients (except extra basil for garnish) and blend until smooth, about 30 seconds. Garnish with fresh basil just before serving if desired.

Notes

*Progresso makes canned white kidney bean/cannellini beans in a 19 ounce size.
*Use/enjoy this dip the day you make it as it does not keep well overnight.

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