Black Bean Dip
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Break out the chips for this creamy black bean dip—it’s not only easy to whip up and healthy, but irresistibly delicious!
One of our most memorable family trips was to Costa Rica, where we explored the jungle, made friends with monkeys and sloths, and zip-lined above the rainforest (okay, I didn’t, but the rest of the family did). For me, the adventure was as much about the food as it was about the thrills. We enjoyed everything from homemade corn tortillas to hearty rice and beans, beef empanadas, and the classic arroz con pollo. One of my favorites was this deliciously creamy black bean dip. Although it’s not the prettiest dip at the party, its incredible flavor and simple preparation will make you fall in love at first bite.
“It’s so delicious…and also makes a GREAT filling for burritos. Spread it on a tortilla, add some chicken or beef, some sautéed veggies, cheese, sour cream, guac…YUM!”
What You’ll Need To Make Black Bean Dip
The secret is using lots of onions, garlic, jalapeños, and fresh lime juice to boost the flavor. I also like to add lots of fresh cilantro but if you don’t care for it, it’s perfectly fine to leave it out.
Two jalapeño peppers might seem like a lot, but I don’t use the seeds or ribs, which is where most of the heat is. The dip has a little kick, but it’s not spicy. If you like heat, you can add some of the seeds but go easy — you can always add more at the end.
Be sure to either wear gloves or wash your hands very well after handling jalapeños, and never touch your face while you’re chopping — if the juice comes in contact with your eyes, it will sting terribly!
Step-by-Step Instructions
Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a small saucepan. Add the onions, garlic and jalapeño peppers. Notice that I leave the garlic in fairly large chunks; if you chop it too finely, it will burn.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft, about ten minutes. Do not brown.
Combine the beans with onion mixture, salt, cumin, lime juice, water, and fresh cilantro in a blender or food processor.
Purée until almost smooth. If you’re using a blender, you may need to stop and stir it a few times.
Transfer the dip to a serving bowl and top with more fresh chopped cilantro and a lime wedge if desired. That’s all there is to it. Enjoy!
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Black Bean Dip
Break out the chips for this creamy black bean dip—it’s not only easy to whip up and healthy, but irresistibly delicious!
Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 small yellow onions, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped into large chunks
- 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and chopped*
- 2 (15.5 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, from one lime, plus more if desired
- 3 tablespoons water
- ¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a small saucepan. Add the onions, garlic and jalapeño peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft, about ten minutes. Do not brown.
- Transfer the cooked onion mixture to a blender or food processor and add the black beans, salt, cumin, lime juice, water and cilantro. Blend until smooth (if you're using a blender, you may need to stop and stir a few times to help it out). If the dip is too thick, add more water or lime juice, little by little, to thin it out. Taste and adjust seasoning, then transfer to a serving bowl. Serve warm, cold or room temperature with tortilla chips.
- *Most of the heat from the jalapeños is in the seeds and ribs, so leave those out. If you like a spicier dip, reserve the seeds and add them little by little when you're blending the dip.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (12 servings)
- Serving size: 1/4 cup
- Calories: 114
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Sugar: 1 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Sodium: 231 mg
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Comments
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This is such a wonderful and simple recipe. I accidentally touched my each eye with my two index fingers after handling the peppers on my first try. Apparently the chili likes to remain under the nails for 3 days no matter how much I tried scrubbing it off. I’ve learned my lesson and it did not happen the second time around. Today I will be making it for the 3rd time. I am excited to try your other dairy free recipes. Thank you!
This is my go-to for every get together. It’s so easy and always a hit!
I am hosting a cinco de mayo party this year and was wondering if you can make this in advance?
Sure, Natalie – you can definitely make it a day or two ahead. Enjoy!
Another question! Would red onion work?
Thank you!
Sure!
Hi! How long can this be stored before consuming? Thank you!
Hi Kasey, I’d say 2 – 3 days at the longest. Hope you enjoy!
Thank you! This recipe was so easy to make and so fast!
Wow, this was amazing! I was looking for something to do with the leftovers of a pot of black beans I had made and this was perfect! Even my 4 year old loved snacking on this with chips. Thank you! 🙂
My son’s Spanish class was celebrating Dia de Los Muertes in school today and the kids were asked to bring something in to share. Walked through the grocery store and saw a can of black bean dip in the chip aisle. Googled black bean dip recipes and found this one. So glad I did! My 14 year old son enjoyed making it in the kitchen with me and it turned out perfectly. Between the texture and the flavor, it was almost like a Mexican hummus. The flavors of the black beans, garlic, cilantro, and cumin really shine and are accented with just a hint of heat from the jalapenos. Will be making this over and over again for all sorts of occasions. Thanks for an awesome recipe that is both easy and delicious!
Can this dip be made a day ahead & stored refrigerated or is it better served the same day it’s made? Also, does it work well with pinto beans? Thanks so much, looking forward to your cookbook.
Hi Chrissy, this can be made a day ahead with no problem. I’ve never made this with pinto beans, but I suspect it should work. enjoy! (And glad you’re looking forward to the cookbook :)!
What do you do to make it better looking?
As is, it’s not all that pretty :). If you garnish it with some cilantro that helps. You could also finely dice a bit of red bell pepper and sprinkle it on top for a little contrast of color.