I’m still trying to develop recipes while staying home! It’s been lovely to see how many people are spending time in their kitchens and working on their cooking skills. And using beans! I know beans have always been a beloved food, but I feel like they are taking a much more prominent role in people’s diets. So I thought I would bring you a super simple recipe for Harissa White Bean Dip! It’s spicy, flavourful, and tastes extra delicious when you top it with with toasted almonds, cumin seeds, and pomegranate seeds!
What is in this Harissa White Bean Dip?
Well, the name of the recipe gives away the two key ingredients: Harissa and white beans.
Harissa is a North African hot chile pepper paste and it adds wonderful flavour and spice to this dip. There are many different kinds of Harissa — I currently have four different kinds in my fridge, each with a different ingredient list. For this recipe, make sure to use a red Harissa paste (there is a green Harissa paste that is wonderful, with coriander and preserved lemons, but that will give you a much different flavour!) You can also buy rose Harissa, which incorporates rose petals into the paste.
The spice level of Harissa varies depending on the brand, so I recommend tasting a little first or starting off with a small amount in the dip, and adding more depending on your preference.
White beans also play a prominent role here, of course! I love using white beans for dips as they are just so creamy. There are different kinds of white beans — navy beans, white kidney beans, cannellini beans — and any of those will work here.
Then you’ve got your usual dip suspects: olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and salt!
How to serve Harissa White Bean Dip
I love topping this dip with toasted cumin seeds, toasted slivered almonds, and pomegranate seeds. A little drizzle of olive oil never hurts either!
The pomegranate seeds here don’t look top notch, but that is because they were actually frozen! I thought I’d try them out because they were a) cheaper, b) already in seed form, and c) would last and be great to have on hand. They taste great even though don’t look as lovely as the fresh kind.
Make sure you you only add the toppings right before serving, or the almonds will loose their crunch and no one wants that.
This dip is a great alternative to hummus. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE hummus. But it’s fun to change things up! And this is a good bean dip option for those who cannot have sesame or have run out of tahini.
You can use this dip on a sandwich or spread it on toast. The dip is also great served as an appetizer with veggies and/or crackers.
Looking for more bean recipes? Check these out:
Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Candied Pecans
Creamy + Dreamy Wild Rice Soup
This delicious vegan and gluten-free Harissa White Bean Dip makes a perfect appetizer! Top with toasted almonds, cumin seeds, and pomegranate!
- 1 19 oz can white beans (about 2 cups)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp water (adjust for desired consistency)
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp harissa paste (adjust for spice, see note)*
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
- slivered almonds, toasted
- cumin seeds, toasted
- pomegranate seeds (I used frozen!)
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Blend all dip ingredients together in a blender. Adjust spice level and salt to taste.
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Serve with toasted almonds, toasted cumin seeds (toast for about 1 minute), and pomegranate seeds.
*Store-bought Harissa paste can vary in spice level. I taste a little bit before adding to recipes to test the spice level. You may want to reduce or add Harissa depending on the paste you are using.
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