Creamy White Bean Dip Recipe with Garlic and Lemon

This easy White Bean Dip is smooth, creamy and absolutely delicious. Made with Taleggio cheese, mascarpone and garlic, it’s an ideal appetizer for parties or a quick snack. Ready in about 5 minutes.

This white bean dip is addictive: creamy, cheesy and luxuriously smooth. It’s perfect on a sharing platter with antipasti, or simply served with breadsticks and fresh vegetables. The recipe uses simple ingredients and comes together in minutes, making it great for both entertaining and everyday snacks.

Ingredients – What You Need

• Cannellini beans – canned, drained and rinsed
• Taleggio cheese – cut into rough cubes
• Mascarpone – full fat
• Heavy cream (double cream) – to loosen the dip
• Garlic – one clove
• Salt and pepper – to taste
• Olive oil – optional, small drizzle for finishing

How to Make this Creamy White Bean Dip – Step By Step

1. Drain the cannellini beans and rinse them briefly under warm water until they’re slightly warm. Warming the beans helps achieve an extra-smooth, creamy texture. Alternatively, you can heat them briefly in a skillet after draining.

2. Add the warm beans, Taleggio cubes, mascarpone, cream, garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper to a food processor.

3. Blitz on high until the mixture is silky smooth. If the dip appears grainy, continue processing until it becomes smooth. You can add a splash of warm water (about 1 tablespoon) or extra cream to loosen it if needed.

Top Tip: For the creamiest texture, keep blitzing until completely smooth. Warm liquid helps emulsify the beans and cheese into a luxurious dip.

Serving Suggestions

This dip works wonderfully with raw vegetables like sliced bell peppers, carrots and cucumber, or with char-grilled ciabatta, crostini and breadsticks. It also makes a lovely centrepiece for a sharing platter alongside:

• Cured meats such as prosciutto or salami
• Assorted cheeses – a mix of soft and hard cheeses like gorgonzola, fontina and pecorino
• Marinated olives and pickles
• Roasted or marinated vegetables such as eggplant, peppers or sautéed mushrooms

Can You Freeze it?

Freezing this dip is not recommended because the creamy texture will deteriorate. It’s quick and simple to make fresh, so there’s no real need to freeze. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3–4 days in a sealed container. Bring to room temperature before serving and re-blitz with a splash of warm water or warm gently in a skillet if needed to restore a smooth consistency.

Top Tips for Making this White Bean Dip

• Warm the beans briefly (rinse with warm water or heat in a skillet) to ensure the dip becomes silky and smooth.
• If the dip is too thick, add a splash of warm water or extra cream (about 1 tablespoon) to loosen it.
• You can substitute another soft, creamy cheese for Taleggio if needed—just keep it a soft variety for the best texture.
• Store leftovers in the fridge; bring to room temperature and re-blend with a little warm water or cream before serving.

Recipe — White Bean Dip (Serves 8)

• 1 tsp olive oil (optional)
• 14 oz (400 g) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup Taleggio cheese, cubed (approx. 90 g)
• 1/2 cup mascarpone (125 g)
• 1/3 cup cream (80 ml)
• 1 garlic clove
• Pinch salt and pepper, to season

Instructions

1. Rinse the beans in warm water for a few seconds until warm, or warm them briefly in a skillet.
2. Add beans, Taleggio, garlic, cream, mascarpone and a pinch of salt and pepper to a food processor.
3. Blitz on high until silky smooth. If the mixture looks grainy, continue processing until smooth.
4. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with crackers, breadsticks or fresh vegetables. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil if desired.

Notes

• Warming the beans helps produce a super smooth texture.
• To thin the dip, add warm water or extra cream by the tablespoon until you reach the desired consistency.
• Swap in another soft cheese if you prefer, but choose a soft, creamy variety for the best results.
• Leftovers keep 3–4 days in the fridge; re-blend or warm briefly before serving.

If you try this Creamy White Bean Dip, leave a comment to share how it turned out. Enjoy!