Summer Garden White Bean Whip with Herbs & Lemon

Annnnnnd here we go.

All the grilled corn! All the time!

This dip tastes like grown-up summer — the kind of summer built around grilled vegetables and watermelon margaritas, long evenings and slow, sun-warmed days. It’s the season when you crave bright, fresh flavors and food that feels effortlessly seasonal.

Non-grown-up summer is full of icy pops (I still keep them in the freezer), blue raspberry treats and toasted marshmallows. Those treats pair perfectly with a sweaty game of capture the flag, backyard radios and early-morning swims when neighbors might invite you in. But this dip? This dip is quintessentially grown-up summer.

Words barely capture my obsession with this dip. It’s creamy, herb-forward and bright, with grilled corn and sweet cherry tomatoes folded into a whipped white bean base. I know I’m doubling down on tomatoes this week — odd for me since I usually only care about them with basil and mozzarella or on pizza — but this one was worth it.

You absolutely need a massive chip piled high with this dip.

Doooooo eeeeeet.

I promise tomorrow we’ll talk about ice cream. No tomatoes involved.

Two years ago I posted a summer crostini with whipped roasted garlic goat cheese that quickly became my go-to appetizer. It’s simple, flavorful and screams summer. But I’m pretty sure this whipped white bean dip has taken the top spot. It shares many of the same summer elements — grilled corn, tomatoes, basil — but there’s a time for crostini and a time for a dip. This is the dip time.

The base is ultra-smooth and herby. I prefer white beans for dips because they purée so creamy and silky; they’re more tender and lush than chickpeas. I season the beans generously so the base is flavorful even before toppings.

But of course, the toppings are everything.

Load it with grilled corn — I like to grill six to eight ears at the start of the week and use them across salads, tacos, salsas, pastas and now dip. Add really sweet, poppable cherry tomatoes. Heap on every herb you can find: basil, thyme, rosemary, parsley, chives, mint — mix and match to your taste.

Add thinly sliced scallions; if you’re already grilling corn, toss the scallions on the grate as well. Grilled scallions are surprisingly delicious — slightly charred, soft and sweet — and they add a smoky note that pairs perfectly with the creamy beans.

You can even spoon this onto crostini if you want to cross recipes — it’s versatile and makes a spectacular spread. It’s a total flavor bomb and yes, it makes you feel like a grown-up.

Look at those dip ripples.