This 5-minute, no-cook vegan black bean dip is creamy, tangy, and bursting with herby freshness. Just put all the ingredients in a food processor and purée!
You know those times when you’re headed to a party or picnic, and you don’t wanna show up empty handed? Those times when you wanna put in just a liiittle more effort than store-bought hummus, but not too much more?
This easy recipe – which I highly recommend you commit to memory like I have – is for those times. It takes literally 5 minutes, requires zero cooking, and calls for a handful of healthy ingredients you probably already have.
This Mexican-inspired black bean dip recipe features the trifecta of everyone’s favorite Latin flavors – cilantro, cumin, and lime – making it borderline addictive. It’s creamy, tangy, and bursting with herby freshness.
What’s In This Vegan Black Bean Dip
The bulk of this vegan and gluten-free dip is, you guessed it, black beans (canned or homemade). In the flavorings department, we’ve got fresh garlic, cilantro, ground cumin, and smoked paprika. Olive oil, lime juice, and a bit of water bring it all together.
Key Ingredients + Substitutions
- Black Beans: Feel free to use canned or home-cooked beans here. You can also subsitute with pinto beans.
- Lime Juice: Can be subbed with lemon juice.
- Garlic: Use a tiny clove – you don’t want to overpower the dip with raw garlic flavor.
- Cilantro: If you’re in the cilantro-tastes-like-soap camp, this recipe is probably not for you, since this dip is all about that grassy freshness. (Try this roasted garlic white bean dip instead!) UPDATE: a reader recently told me they used basil instead and really liked it. I haven’t tasted it myself but it’s worth a try!
- Plantain Chips are the perfect compliment for black bean dip. You can also serve raw veggies (like cucumbers or bell peppers) for dipping, fancy crackers, or even baked yuca fries!
How to Make Black Bean Dip (Step-by-Step Photos)
Find complete instructions with ingredient amounts in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Combine Everything
Drain the canned black beans in a mesh strainer and rinse thoroughly under running water. Then transfer to a food processor and add the remaining ingredients. Don’t worry about chopping anything too finely – the machine will do all the work.
Step 2: Purée the Dip
Purée until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the food processor as needed. Season to taste with more lime juice or salt.
P.S. This recipe is really more suited to a food processor, but if you want to use a blender, you may need to add a bit more water.
Step 3: Serve
Scrape the dip into a serving bowl and drizzle lightly with oil to prevent the surface from drying out. Sprinkle with cilantro, cumin, and chili flakes to make it extra pretty.
Make-Ahead Tips
This vegan black bean dip can be made in advance and kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days; if making for a party, hold off on garnishing until right before serving. I love making it for meal prep, too (in which case I recommend a double batch). Last but not least, you can repurpose leftover dip as a spread on tacos or for adding to a burrito.
FAQ’s
When stored properly – in an airtight container in the fridge – this dip lasts about 5 days.
If you’d like to cook black beans from scratch, follow this guide. Then measure out 1 1/2 cups cooked beans and use them to make the dip.
This dip really does work best with a food processor. However, it would probably work well in a Vitamix – or a similar high-speed blender – too. If you’d like to use a regular blender, you’ll likely need to use more water to bring the ingredients together, which may result in a less creamy dip.
Black bean dip is especially tasty with plantain chips, but tortilla chips work well too. As for veggies, go to carrots, cucumbers, and/or radishes.
More Recipes with Beans
- Roasted Garlic White Bean Dip
- Spicy White Bean “Tuna” Bowls
- Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers
- Avocado Bruschetta with Beans
Let me know if you try this recipe! Give it a rating below and leave a comment, and don’t forget to tag your creation with @thenewbaguette on Instagram.
The Full Recipe
Print
Mexican-Inspired Black Bean Dip
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Snack
- Method: Food Processor
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This 5-minute vegan black bean dip is creamy, tangy, and bursting with herby freshness. Just put all the ingredients in a food processor and puree!
Ingredients
- One 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed (or 1 1/2 cups home-cooked beans)
- 1 small garlic clove
- One handful of cilantro
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime (or lemon) juice, or more to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients in a food processor (or Vitamix), along with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Purée until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and drizzle lightly with oil. Garnish with extra cilantro, cumin, and chili flakes, if you’d like. (Leftover dip may be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.)
Notes
If you want to spice this up, add a piece of raw jalapeño to the mixture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of the recipe
- Calories: 145
- Fat: 7.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 15.3 g
- Fiber: 5.6 g
- Protein: 5.7 g
Madeleine Ferre says
The black bean dip was perfect — it turned out exactly like in the recipe, was incredibly easy, made from ingredients we always have in the house, tasted amazing, and is definitely something we’ll make weekly.
Alexandra Shytsman says
So glad you found this recipe useful! It’s a favorite of mine as well 😀
Dave Muma says
You always come up with great recipes!!
Thanks so much!
Alexandra says
Aw thanks so much! It’s my pleasure 🙂