If you'd like to get a tasty homemade dip on the table in just 5 minutes (!!), this white bean hummus is the recipe for you! Flavoured with salty feta cheese and a good squeeze of lemon, it's rich and creamy, but literally couldn't be quicker or easier to make.
This one really does tick all the boxes!
I love hummus - it's tasty, it's full of protein, and it's super versatile. The shop-bought stuff is great, but nothing can beat homemade hummus.
This recipe is a little different from a traditional hummus, as it requires no tahini whatsoever - so not only is it suitable for people with a sesame allergy, but it also avoids the need to hunt for an ingredient which isn't always too easy to find in the shops.
I also swapped the usual chickpeas for white beans (cannellini beans), which make the hummus irresistibly creamy. And since they have a lovely mild flavour, they are perfect for dressing up with zingy lemon and tangy feta cheese - not forgetting plenty of black pepper!
I'm telling you, this stuff is insanely good.
❤️ Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's super versatile - quick enough to make for a casual afternoon snack, but also fancy enough to serve to guests.
- It's such a quick recipe, taking literally 5 minutes to prepare.
- The flavour is unreal - very moreish!
- It would make a great centrepiece to any sort of veggie platter or mezze.
🥗 Ingredients
Here's what you'll need to make this incredible white bean hummus:
- feta cheese
- white beans. You can stick with the traditional chickpeas if that's what you have on hand, but I find that white beans make a smoother, creamier hummus.
- fresh lemon juice. Use the bottled stuff if you need to, but fresh is better.
- garlic. This goes in raw, so don't be tempted to use more than one clove unless you're certain it needs it!
- black pepper. I love the freshly cracked stuff, as it really packs a punch.
- salt - though you might not need much (or any), as the feta is salty too.
Optional extras:
- fresh herbs (chives work really well)
- extra virgin olive oil
See the printable recipe card below for detailed ingredient quantities.
👌 Top tip
Don't forget to also buy something for dipping! I love using sticks of soft pitta bread, but you could also choose raw vegetable sticks, crackers, or whatever else you enjoy dipping.
🔪 Equipment
You'll need a food processor to make this recipe.
I use a very old Kenwood food processor - similar in design to this one on Amazon US / Amazon UK.
The one I use is actually at least 20 years old - it used to be my grandmother's! - so I will always recommend Kenwood, as it seems like a brand that's built to last.
📋 Instructions
Here's how to make this recipe - see below for the printable recipe with detailed ingredients and instructions.
Step 1: Add all of the ingredients to your food processor.
I like to keep a small amount of the feta cheese back to use as a garnish later.
Step 2: Blitz thoroughly until the mixture is as smooth as you'd like it. You can leave it with a little texture, or make it completely smooth if you prefer.
For a slightly looser, creamier hummus, you may need to add a small splash of water or extra virgin olive oil. I didn't add either in these photos.
Step 3: Serve chilled.
👌 Top tip
A wide, shallow bowl is always my first choice for serving dips, as it allows for easy dipping, and leaves plenty of space for garnish! This time I added a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a little extra crumbled feta, and some more black pepper. A bit of garnish really adds some wow factor, especially if serving to guests!
💭 White Bean Hummus FAQs
Regular hummus is made with chickpeas and tahini (sesame seed paste). This version replaces the chickpeas with white beans (cannellini beans), and skips the tahini altogether. I find tahini can taste a bit bitter, so avoiding it makes the hummus even creamier and tastier than usual.
I tend to use the spelling 'hummus', but it can also be called 'houmous' or 'hummous'. I've even seen it spelled 'hoummus', though now the word has lost all meaning and I'm not sure any of the spellings are correct.
I tend to serve hummus as a light lunch, with some pitta bread and cucumber sticks for dipping. It would also make a great dinner party appetiser.
Everyone has their own definition of 'healthy', but I personally would consider this white bean hummus to be pretty nutritious. It contains a great amount of protein and fibre, as well as plenty of calcium.
Don't Miss A Recipe!
If you like my recipes, don't forget to follow me on Facebook and Instagram, and subscribe to my newsletter to receive new recipes via email!
📖 Printable Recipe
White Bean Hummus with Feta (No Tahini)
If you've cooked this recipe, don't forget to leave a star rating!
Print Pin CommentEquipment
Ingredients
- 400 g tin cannellini beans, drained (240g, or ~ 1 ¼ cups, when drained)
- 100 g (~ 3 ½ oz) feta cheese, roughly crumbled
- 1 small clove garlic, peeled
- Juice of ½ a lemon
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt (if needed)
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients except for the salt to a food processor, and blitz thoroughly until well combined.
- Remove the lid and scrape down the edges, tasting for seasoning. Add the salt at this point if you feel it's needed (feta can be quite salty, so you may not need any extra). You can also add a splash of water or a dash of extra virgin olive oil if you feel the hummus needs loosening up.
- Blitz again until the hummus is as smooth as you would like it.
- Serve chilled. I like to serve mine topped with a little extra crumbled feta and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on your exact ingredients. Please calculate your own nutritional values if you require accuracy for health reasons.
Mali Nikoline says
This was really good, I didn't even add anything but beans and fetacheese :) I think it will work great as a sub for cream cheese, this is way healthier, both because of beans, but also since it's not ultra processed ;)
Becca Heyes says
Thanks Mali, glad you enjoyed it!
Lynn Walker says
This was so delicious! I had half a left-over baguette to dip and it was amazing. I wonder if you've tried a tapenade in the food processor. I normally just dump in one can of black olive and one of green. Add a little thyme and garlic (if you like it -- it can get really strong if there's tapenade left over). Pulse until it's the texture you like and eat until it's gone!
Also, for anyone feeling they need to eat healthier -- make the above tapenade with one can of black olives and one can of garbanzos. The color isn't very attractive, but it's tasty and good for you!
Becca Heyes says
Oooh yes I love tapenade! Great idea to add some chickpeas too. Sounds delish :)
cmt says
I do this with miso paste instead of the feta and it is my current addiction
Becca Heyes says
Sounds lovely!
Heather says
Looks awesome. Going to have to give this a try.
LittleMonsterx14 says
anything with feta, lemon, and hummus is a winner in my book!
Happy Valley Chow says
Absolutely beautiful, yummyyyyy!!
Happy Blogging!