spicy roasted garlic sage white bean dip

Dippity doo-dah, dippity-ay, my oh my what a wonderful day. Plenty of foodstuffs coming your way, dippity doo-dah, dippity-ay.

Here we are with the easiest, loveliest appetizer for Thanksgiving, fall parties, yourself, whatever. We went to town on it one night for dinner with lots of crostini, broccoli, and other shit I unearthed from my fridge. Could you enjoy this for the holiday(s)? Absolutely. In fact, I recommend it. Clearly, because I just mentioned Thanksgiving.

Usually for Thanksgiving, mom sets out some type of veggie and hummus tray as a healthy break to the charcuterie we typically embrace for the day. I can always hit a hummus platter real hard – and I don’t have a lick of Mediterranean heritage in me – and if you’re like me in that sense, then you’ll love this Spicy Roasted Garlic Sage White Bean Dip.

The magic here? A whole head of roasted garlic, pureed with white beans, a touch of cream cheese – my secret to an extra smooth texture and slightly tangy undertone – and a pinch of fresh sage for a cozy-down autumn flavor. Quick, effortless, and diverse. Serve it with any number of accompaniments.

No Vampires Allowed

Pretty sure the amount of garlic in a serving would ward off those bloodsuckers pretty effectively. If you believe in that sort of shit.

The beauty of roasted garlic is the mellowing that occurs when the cloves are baked for a period. The sharpness is reduced and replaced with a slightly sweet, caramelized profile. So, a whole head is not too much in this case.

To start, chop off the head with your serrated guillotine (a bread knife. I’m talking about a bread knife) to expose the juicy bits beneath. Place the bulb on a piece of foil, drizzle the cloves with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap in its snug aluminum blanket and roast for awhile.

Once the garlic is finished and appropriately cooled (don’t burn your shit, fool), the cloves pop out relatively easily from their wrappers. Just pull away any stubborn ones if the skins won’t come off.

Blitz!

Your food processor essentially handles the rest of the recipe, so sit back, relax, and keep your finger on the “pulse” button.

My little secret with this dip is a touch of cream cheese. The cream cheese thickens the dip somewhat and renders it a bit more creamy than without. Of course, you can use a plant-based cream cheese, or leave it out if you’re vegan.

Mix up the beans and naked garlic cloves with a little bit of sage, lemon juice, and some olive oil. Taste for salt and pepper as you go. Like I said, the dip is hummus-like, but lacks tahini, so it boasts its own little category among dips.

I like chilling the dip before digging in to let the flavors get to know one another a bit more, and to let it get a bit thicker and richer. You can definitely serve it right away, though, and it’ll still be delish.

If you plan to make this ahead, you’re in luck! The dip keeps very well for a few days, but after three days I’d be sure to enlist the best nose in the house to ensure nothing’s gone sour. I usually keep it for up to 5 days before I’m a little cautious. Lack of preservatives can be a B sometimes.

Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!

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spicy roasted garlic sage white bean dip

The perfect vessel for crispy crostini and any sort of veggies you might crave.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Total Time 45 mins

Course Appetizer, Snack

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

• 1 head garlic
• 1 15 oz can Great Northern or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 oz cream cheese, softened
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp fresh sage, chopped
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• red pepper flakes, for garnish (optional)
• crackers, crostini, and/or veggies, to serve

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Slice 1/4 inch from the top of the garlic bulb to expose the cloves underneath. Peel away the excess garlic skin. Drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil, letting the oil seep between the cloves, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap the garlic completely in foil, set on a small baking sheet, and roast for 30 minutes. Let cool.
• Discard the aluminum foil. Squeeze the garlic cloves out of the skins, peeling away any that might stick.
• In a food processor, combine the drained white beans, the garlic, cream cheese, lemon juice, sage, and a big pinch of salt and pepper. With the processor running, slowly stream in the olive oil, blitzing until very smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
• Pour the dip into a bowl and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle red pepper flakes overtop. Serve with crostini, crackers, and veggies to dip.

Notes

*To make ahead: Dip can be made up to 3 days in advance. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. I find that the flavors marry together nicely over time and the dip tastes even better after being chilled!

*To make vegan: Use a vegan cream cheese.

Keyword appetizer, dip, fall, garlic, roasted garlic, thanksgiving, vegan friendly, vegetarian, white beans