Cilantro-Cumin Black Bean Dip

This Mexican-inspired vegan black bean dip is creamy, garlicky, and good for you, too.

Whenever someone suggests bringing store-bought salsa to a party, my inner self shouts out a big “Noooo!” Jarred salsa freaks me out. Why is it that something that’s supposed to be made from fresh vegetables can just sit there in a jar on a store shelf for months? How can those limp tomatoes and odd bits of red skin be remotely appetizing? And why does store-bought salsa always taste surprisingly sweet?

A part of me wants to apologize for sounding like a snob, but I am not even sorry. And don’t get me started on packaged guacamole… *full body eyeroll* 

I love to make dips from scratch. They’re super easy and I can create the exact texture and flavor I want, and not have to worry about strange chemicals or preservatives that are always looming in store-bought stuff. A while back, Bon Appetit featured a ridiculously handy guide from Anna Jones for how to make pretty much any bean dip your heart desires. I used it as inspiration to create this vegan black bean dip and added a few of my favorite Mexican flavors: cumin, cilantro, and lime.

This black bean dip comes together quickly and you probably already have everything you need to make it in your kitchen. It’s creamy, garlicky, bright from the lime juice, a bit smoky from the paprika, and fragrant thanks to the cilantro. The beans’ high fiber and protein content makes this dip healthy and satiating, too, and a great alternative to hummus. Instead of regular tortillas, this dip goes perfectly with plantain chips.

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