Our White Bean Hummus is a savory, aromatic hummus complete with roasted garlic, creamy white butter beans, and toasted rosemary! With a sprinkle of cumin and cayenne, the flavors of this hummus are better than any you can find at the store. It's easy to make in under an hour, and perfect for serving with pita chips or crackers as an appetizer or snack, or even as a spread for sandwiches!
Jump to:
Watch the Video
White Bean Hummus with Roasted Garlic
What could be better than a plate of crispy pita chips and creamy hummus to dip them in? We made this white bean and roasted garlic hummus to pair with our air fryer pita chips, and it's the perfect match. This homemade hummus is packed with flavor, easy to customize, and makes a great dip for chips and veggies.
Even if you've never been a fan of hummus before, this white bean hummus recipe may change your mind. The taste and creamy texture are hard to resist.
Even better: the flavors of this white bean hummus develop and deepen with time, so it's a great dish to make a day ahead. This allows the flavors to meld together, resulting in an even tastier dip. You'll love every bite!
Ingredients in White Bean Hummus
- Roasted Garlic: We're using our recipe for roast garlic in the air fryer, which uses garlic, olive oil, and kosher salt. You'll also need aluminum foil. Feel free to roast your garlic any way you prefer, or even make your hummus with raw garlic if desired, but air frying garlic is so easy and worth giving a try!
- Olive Oil: We recommend you use either extra virgin olive oil or light olive oil, and not other vegetable oils, for making hummus. Olive oil offers the best flavor for our white bean hummus recipe.
- Canned White Beans: Any canned white beans will do. We're using butter beans, but you can also use other canned beans such as navy beans, great northern beans, or cannellini beans, for example. Our hummus recipe does not use chickpeas, but you can always add them if you like!
- Tahini: Made from ground or hulled sesame, tahini has a slightly bitter and earthy taste with a creamy texture. Tahini is one of the main ingredients typically used in hummus recipes, adding to its smooth texture and rich flavor.
- Lemon Juice: Use fresh lemon juice only! Bottled lemon juice doesn't taste the same and will ruin the flavor of your hummus.
- Rosemary Leaves: Fresh herbs with hummus is an irresistible combination, and rosemary is our personal favorite. It's excellent, especially if you follow our recipe for toasted rosemary sprigs (included).
- Seasoning: Cumin, black pepper, cayenne, kosher salt come together to form the spice mix for this hummus. These spices complement the other flavors of the hummus without overpowering it.
- Ice Water: Used to thin out the hummus. Keep it ice cold to prevent ruining the texture.
- Toasted Rosemary Sprig (Optional): By toasting a rosemary sprig in olive oil, you not only draw out the best flavors of the rosemary, but also infuse the oil itself with the flavor of rosemary. This is an amazing addition to homemade hummus, so we really recommend giving it a try.
How to Make White Bean Hummus
Roasting Garlic for Hummus
Step 1
Heat the air fryer to 400°F. This is an important step for roasting the garlic properly.
Step 2
Peel most of the outer skin off the whole head of garlic, keeping the bulb whole.
Step 3
Set the garlic bulb on a hard surface with the root end down. Trim about ¼ inch off the top of the garlic bulb to expose the cloves. This allows heat and seasonings to penetrate.
Step 4
Place the garlic bulb on a piece of aluminum foil cut side up. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and add a pinch of salt. Then, wrap the garlic in the foil to form a pouch. Do this for each head of garlic you're roasting.
Step 5
Put the foil-wrapped garlic inside the air fryer basket. Cook for 35-40 minutes at 400°F. The garlic should be soft and caramelized when done. Remove from the air fryer using oven mitts or tongs and set aside to cool.
Step 6
Let the roasted garlic cool before using for hummus. This makes it easier to handle. For more instructions and in-depth tips, see our full guide to Roasted Garlic in the Air Fryer.
Blending White Bean Hummus
Step 1
Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves into the bowl of a food processor. Add white beans, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, rosemary leaves, cumin, black pepper, cayenne, and salt.
Step 2
Purée until the mixture smoothly blends together. Add ice water to thin out the hummus.
Step 3
Taste and adjust the flavor to your liking.
Toasting Rosemary for Garnish (Optional)
Step 1
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the rosemary sprig. It will sizzle. Cook until brown and crisp, flipping once, about 1 minute per side, then transfer to the top of the dip as a garnish.
Step 2
Pour or spoon the remaining rosemary infused olive oil over the top of the dip. Sprinkle it with cayenne for a little additional heat. Serve, and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- We recommend using butter beans as they are the softest white bean for a creamier hummus. But, you can use other white beans if you prefer.
- If you prefer a stronger garlic flavor, use raw garlic instead. Try a ½ tablespoon minced garlic to start and add more to your liking.
- The texture of the hummus can be adjusted by adding more or less ice water. Add it gradually until you reach your desired thickness. Keep in mind that the hummus will thicken slightly upon refrigeration.
- If you want an even smoother texture, use ice cubes. Add an ice cube or two to the food processor when blending the ingredients together. Ice cubes help create a smoother, velvety texture when making hummus.
What to Serve with White Bean Hummus
Make Ahead and Storage Instructions
- This white bean hummus can be made a day in advance and refrigerated. The flavors will meld together, resulting in an even tastier dip. Just give it a good stir before serving.
- Transfer any leftovers to an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for up to five days. Give it a stir before serving, as it may thicken slightly after you add it to the fridge.
- If you have excess hummus, you can freeze it in small portions for future use. However, keep in mind that the texture may slightly change upon thawing, resulting in a slightly grainier consistency. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and stir well before serving.
FAQ
Many hummus recipes use chickpeas; this is the traditional choice. But, you can use any white beans to make hummus. After extensive testing, we found butter beans offered the smoothest texture when blending the hummus. So, our preference and recommendation is for butter beans.
If you're sensitive to garlic, but still want to include it in hummus, the best way to reduce the intensity of its flavor when making hummus at home is to roast it first. Roasting garlic mellows out the garlic flavor, transforming the taste completely.
While a food processor is recommended for achieving a smooth and creamy texture, you can still make the hummus using a blender or immersion blender. The blending process may take a bit longer and require periodic scraping down of the sides to ensure everything is well incorporated.
Yes, you can adjust the amount of olive oil used in the hummus according to your preference. Start with a smaller amount and gradually add more until you achieve the desired consistency and flavor. Keep in mind that reducing the oil may result in a slightly less creamy texture.
This roasted garlic white bean hummus is already vegan-friendly as it does not contain any animal products. Just ensure that any additional ingredients you use for garnishing or serving are also vegan-friendly.
Sauces and Dips
Leave a comment and review for us below if you enjoyed this recipe, or if you have questions about any of our air fryer recipes!
White Bean Hummus
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
Roasted Garlic
- 1 head garlic
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- kosher salt
White Bean Hummus
- roasted garlic
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 can white beans such as butter beans; 15 - 16 oz. can
- ¼ cup tahini
- 1-2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ½ Tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves roughly chopped
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- pinch of cayenne plus more for garnish
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2-4 Tablespoons ice water to thin hummus as needed
Crispy Rosemary Garnish (optional)
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 sprig Rosemary
Instructions
Roasted Garlic
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
- Peel off most of the garlic's outermost skin but leave the whole bulbs intact.1 head garlic
- Trim about ¼ inch off the top of each of the garlic bulbs to expose the cloves.
- Place the garlic on a large piece of aluminum foil, then drizzle 1 teaspoon olive oil and a pinch of salt over the exposed cloves and close the foil into a pouch.1 teaspoon olive oil, kosher salt
- Place foil wrapped garlic in the preheated air fryer basket and air fry for 35-40 minutes, until you can pierce the center of the bulb with a knife. Allow to cool enough to handle before using.
White Bean Hummus
- Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves into the bowl of a food processor. Add white beans, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, rosemary leaves, cumin, black pepper, cayenne, and salt. Purée until smooth.roasted garlic, 1 Tablespoon olive oil, 1 can white beans, ¼ cup tahini, 1-2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice, ½ Tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, ½ teaspoon cumin, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, pinch of cayenne, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Add ice water to thin as necessary.2-4 Tablespoons ice water
- Taste and adjust the flavors to your liking.
Crispy Rosemary Garnish (optional)
- Heat 1 Tablespoon of olive oil in a small heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the rosemary sprig—it will sizzle. Cook until brown and crisp, flipping once, about 1 minute per side, then transfer to the top of the dip as a garnish.1 Tablespoon olive oil, 1 sprig Rosemary
- Pour or spoon the remaining rosemary infused olive oil over the top of the dip. Sprinkle it with cayenne for a little additional heat.
Notes
- We recommend using butter beans as they are the softest white bean for a creamier hummus.
- This recipe yields a cup and a half. The provided nutritional values are for half a cup of homemade hummus.
- If you prefer a stronger garlic flavor, use raw garlic instead. Try a ½ tablespoon minced garlic to start and add more to your liking.
- The texture of the hummus can be adjusted by adding more or less ice water. Add it gradually until you reach your desired thickness. Keep in mind that the hummus will thicken slightly upon refrigeration.
- If you want an even smoother texture, use ice cubes. Add an ice cube or two to the food processor when blending the ingredients together. Ice cubes help create a smoother, velvety texture when making hummus.
- This white bean hummus can be made a day in advance and refrigerated. The flavors will meld together, resulting in an even tastier dip. Just give it a good stir before serving.
- Transfer any leftovers to an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for up to five days. Give it a stir before serving, as it may thicken slightly after refrigeration.
- If you have excess hummus, you can freeze it in small portions for future use. However, keep in mind that the texture may slightly change upon thawing, resulting in a slightly grainier consistency. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and stir well before serving.
Comments
No Comments