Cannellini Bean Dip with Pan-Fried Mint
Cannellini Bean Dip with Pan-Fried Mint
Cannellini beans are incredibly soft when cooked, which is why they lend themselves so perfectly to dips. Here, the somewhat bland beans are puréed with garlic and lemon juice — then, for a major flavor boost, topped with pan-fried fresh mint. (And does this dip ever turn out flavorful!)
Serve this robust dip with fresh bread slices, croutons, crackers, endive and radicchio Treviso leaves, or raw vegetable sticks. It makes for a sensational hors d’oeuvre or antipasto.
Ingredients
For the pan-fried mint
- 1/4 Cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3/4 Cups loosely packed fresh mint leaves, large leaves torn in half
For the dip
- 3 Cups cooked cannellini beans or navy beans, drained
- 1 large clove garlic, peeled
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 3/4 Teaspoons sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
For the pan-fried mint
Heat a small frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil and the mint leaves. Sauté until the leaves are crisp and dark green, stirring continuously, about 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and add the remaining olive oil. Set aside.
For the dip
Place the beans, garlic, lemon juice, oil, salt, and pepper, to taste, in the bowl of a food processor. Process, scraping the sides of the bowl once, until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer to a serving bowl. Make a well in the center of the dip, pour the fried mint and its oil inside, and serve.
Nutritional Facts