This Caramelized Onion White Bean Dip is downright addicting – perfectly sweet and savory caramelized onions are puréed with cannellini beans, a touch of balsamic, thyme, lemon, and garlic to create the most mouthwatering appetizer. This dip is incredible with crostini, spread on a sandwich, or served with veggies!
This caramelized onion white bean dip is my latest obsession. It was born on a night where I had very few groceries left from the week. A couple onions, a can of white beans, a little bit of thyme, garlic, half of a lemon, and a few pantry staples. I’m always in the mood for a good dip, and thus this white bean dip was born! You will not be able to get enough of it.
As much as I love hummus, sometimes I just want something a little different.
There’s something about white beans that I just LOVE. Whyyyy are they so good?! I grew up eating this cannellini bean pasta that my mom made frequently, and it’s still one of my favorite meals to this day. So much so, one of the recipes in my cookbook
One night recently, I was in the mood for a good dip, and my groceries were dwindling. I had a couple sweet onions, a can of cannellini beans, half of a lemon, some thyme, and garlic, and I figured this would be the perfect combination of flavors for a delicious dip.
The only time consuming part of this recipe (if you even want to call it that), is making the caramelized onions.
If you’re making this for a party or get-together, you can certainly make the caramelized onions ahead of time. They are extremely easy to make, they just take a little bit of time to cook down and get all beautiful and caramelized.
I like to cheat and add a little brown sugar to my caramelized onions, which helps add a little extra depth and sweetness, and I also like to add a touch of balsamic vinegar to add more depth, and also a little acidity.
There’s something about caramelized onions that just feels fancy and luxurious, and this dip exemplifies that. It couldn’t be easier or more cost effective to make, and it really is impressive when you serve it! You will absolutely love this with a nice glass of red wine and some patio/porch sitting. 🙂
All you need to make this caramelized onion white bean dip:
- sweet onions
- cannellini beans
- thyme
- lemon
- brown sugar
- balsamic vinegar
- garlic
- butter
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
Could not be simpler or more delicious. It’s always those simple recipes with fresh, quality ingredients that often turn out to be the best – exhibit A and B, just to name a couple.
Here’s a quick rundown of how to make this perfect dip:
- Caramelize your onions. All you need is a little butter, olive oil, sweet onions, brown sugar, salt, pepper, and a little balsamic and garlic to add during the last few minutes. This process takes about 45 minutes and is worth every minute spent babysitting those onions.
- Make the dip. Blend together three-fourths of the caramelized onions plus the garlic cloves added during the last few minutes of cooking, a can of cannellini beans, thyme, the juice of half a lemon, a touch more balsamic, olive oil, salt, and pepper to a food processor and blend until super smooth, silky, and creamy.
- Assemble. Add the dip to a bowl, top with the reserved caramelized onions, a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of flaky salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and some fresh thyme.
- Serve. I like to serve mine with homemade crostini, pita chips, and veggies.
If you love this recipe, you will also love these:
Warm Artichoke Bruschetta
Burrata Toast with Caramelized Peaches
Lemon Artichoke Hummus
Harissa Carrot Dip
Creamy Lemon Herb Dip
Greek Salad Hummus Board
Green Curry Hummus
And don’t forget to share a photo on Instagram and tag me @spicesinmydna if you make this recipe! Nothing makes me happier than seeing what you create in the kitchen!
Caramelized Onion White Bean Dip
This Caramelized Onion White Bean Dip is downright addicting - perfectly sweet and savory caramelized onions are puréed with cannellini beans, a touch of balsamic, thyme, and garlic to create the most mouthwatering appetizer. This dip is incredible with crostini, spread on a sandwich, or served with veggies!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 medium sweet onions, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 tablespoon (plus 1 teaspoon) balsamic vinegar, divided
- 1 clove garlic, smashed
- 1 (15.5 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- juice of 1/2 a lemon
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed, plus extra for garnish
- flaky sea salt, for garnish
- crostini, pita chips, and/or veggies for serving
Instructions
Begin by making the caramelized onions, In a large heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and the 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the onions, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and pepper and stir to combine. Let the onions sweat for a minute or two, then add the brown sugar. Cook the onions over medium to medium-low heat for about 40-45 minutes, stirring frequently, until deeply golden brown and caramelized. In the last few minutes of cooking, add the 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and the garlic.
Once the balsamic has been absorbed and the garlic has had a chance to sauté for a few minutes, remove the caramelized onions from the heat and let cool for several minutes.
In a food processor, add the drained and rinsed cannellini beans, three-fourths of the caramelized onions, smashed garlic clove, lemon juice, thyme leaves, remaining 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar, remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a few turns of cracked black pepper. Blend until smooth and creamy. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if needed.
Spread the dip in a bowl and top with the remaining caramelized onions. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of flaky salt, a sprinkle of fresh thyme, and freshly cracked black pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature with crostini, pita chips, and/or veggies.
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