Lemon Basil Bean Dip

This Lemon Basil Bean Dip is a bright, protein-packed bean dip made with navy beans, ricotta, lemon zest, and basil. Ready in 5 minutes to enjoy over toast, with crackers, or as a veggie dip.

I was searching my archives for something the other day — something I do more than you’d think — and I stumbled on a post from 2010. Flare jeans and polos were still a thing back then, if that tells you anything about how long ago we’re talking. Buried in that post was this bean dip, and I immediately wanted to make it again!

It’s a little wild to realize I have almost 20 years of my own meals and recipes just sitting there, waiting to be rediscovered. I think I need to go back through the archives more often — turns out I don’t always need to reinvent the wheel. I’ve had some unique creations over the years! Back then I was cooking for a totally different life.

Lemon Basil Bean Dip

I love the combo of lemon and basil together, and in this bean dip they are the stars. The navy beans bring the protein and a neutral base, and ricotta makes it rich. Consider this the bean dip for people who don’t love hummus.

The 2010 recipe had almonds pulsed in along with the sunflower seeds, and it was good, but I wanted something a little easier this time, so I left the almonds out and just went with sunflower seeds. If you want that extra crunch and nuttiness back, add the almonds in too. Or swap the seeds out entirely for whatever you have in the pantry.

Go heavy on the lemon zest here. It’s genuinely the best part of this dip, and most of the flavor lives in that zest rather than the juice, so don’t be shy with it. Basil is my herb of choice for this one, but dill or rosemary would both work well if that’s what’s growing on your counter right now. And if you want to bump up the protein even more, swap the ricotta for cottage cheese. It blends smooth the same way and you’d never know the difference.

Serve it with crackers, crostini, or a plate of veggies for dipping. I like to save a little extra sunflower seeds, lemon zest, and basil to scatter on top right before serving. It takes about ten seconds and makes the whole thing look a lot more finished than it actually was to make.

Ingredients

• 1 can white beans, drained
• 1/3 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
• Zest of half a lemon
• Juice of half a lemon
• Handful of basil
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• A few grinds of black pepper
• 1/4 cup salted sunflower seeds

Any white beans will do – navy, great northern, or any of their cousins!

Instructions

Step 1

Add everything except the sunflower seeds to a food processor and blend until smooth.

Step 2

Add the sunflower seeds and pulse a few times, just until combined. You want some texture left, not a totally smooth dip.

Step 3

Serve with more sunflower seeds, lemon zest, or even a drizzle of honey on top.

Tip: I used a food processor for this, and I’d stick with one — a blender doesn’t have the right blade action for a dip this thick and will likely just stall out or leave you with a gummy mess instead of that slightly chunky texture you want.

Ellas Flat’s crackers are so good!

More recipes to try next:

• Orange Marmalade Salad Dressing
• Single Mom Weeknight Dinners