A few months ago I discovered a serious love for hummus.
Yes — really.
I adore hummus, and hummus has become a regular part of my snacking life.
But don’t picture me nibbling carrot sticks into it every time.
Hand me a bag of Stacy’s pita chips and I’m gone. Pure bliss. Complete surrender.
And my self-control? Out the window.
Beyond hummus, I’ve become smitten with nearly every bean dip I try. The variety is endless and endlessly satisfying.
I tend to hoard these dips, too. My partner won’t touch them because they don’t contain meat — even though they’re full of protein and fiber, he skips them.
No complaints here; he doesn’t need my extra share of fiber anyway.
I thought combining creamy beans with bright, peppery pesto would be a great match. I’m not a big fan of the classic basil pesto; my preference is arugula pesto for its peppery bite. I also like to add a generous amount of cheese for richness.
Yes — there’s cheese in my pesto. Pause, then proceed.
This dip blends garbanzo and cannellini beans with spicy, cheesy arugula pesto swirled through the center. It’s wonderful served as a dip, and would also be fantastic spooned onto sandwiches or tossed with salads.
Two Bean Pesto Dip
Makes about 1 1/2 cups
1 1/2 cups cooked garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
1 1/2 cups cooked cannellini beans
1/4 cup pesto (I used arugula and asiago-style pesto)
1/3 cup olive oil (add a bit more if needed)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Place the beans in a food processor and pulse to combine. With the processor running, stream in the olive oil until you reach a smooth, spreadable consistency. Add salt, pepper and garlic powder and blend briefly to incorporate.
Spoon the bean mixture into a serving bowl and layer or swirl the pesto through it. Alternatively, fold the pesto directly into the beans for a uniformly green dip.
Serve with pita, pita chips or tortilla chips.
I probably would have embraced hummus sooner if it had been a regular part of my childhood. We didn’t eat many beans growing up — unless you count baked beans — and my family wasn’t exactly familiar with different varieties.
Fun example: my mom once asked if hummus was made with “cannoli” beans. Two takeaways: we didn’t cook many beans back then, and we certainly weren’t drawing from Italian pantry traditions.