My White Bean Hummus with Cranberry is a great tasting dip and the ideal appetizer for serving over the holidays. Packed full of the festive flavors of cranberry, orange and pecan, this is a dip everyone will enjoy.

WHITE BEAN HUMMUS WITH CRANBERRY

You can’t beat my White Bean Hummus with Cranberry when it comes to great tasting appetizers that are quick to prepare.

In my house we eat a lot of white beans, otherwise known as cannellini beans.

I use them in soups like this White Bean Soup, in appetizers like this White Bean Artichoke Dip, side dishes like these Easy Bacon Baked Beans, to pasta like this Smoked Sausage Pasta with White Beans. 

One look at the recipe on my blog and you will see that I love hummus.

However, I love to experiment with ingredients and coming up with new flavor combinations.

I wanted to create a hummus for the festive holiday and came up with the idea for my White Bean Cranberry Hummus.

This homemade hummus is loaded with dried cranberries, infused with a garlic and rosemary olive oil.

My unique twist is that I’ve substituted the more commonly used lemon juice with orange juice instead.

I find that orange juice adds a sweet and sour flavor to the finished dip and has a more festive flavor which pairs perfectly with the sweet, slightly sour cranberries.

I’ve made my white bean hummus without tahini and added chopped pecans to finish the dish instead. 

This dip is great to eat with fresh vegetables, crackers, toasted baguette or pita bread.

Are Legumes in the Mediterranean Diet?

Yes, legumes are an important part of the Mediterranean diet.

Legumes are pulses like lentils, peas, beans and chickpeas and are a staple part of a traditional Mediterranean diet. Beans form the basis of many meals in Mediterranean eating, as they are nutrient rich, high in protein and packed with fiber, B vitamins and phytochemicals.

All the things your body needs as part of a healthy diet. Not only do beans, peas and lentils add flavor to any dish but they also have a great texture.

Beans are an inexpensive and economical ingredient that most of us have in our pantries at home. A can of beans is easily transformed into a nutritious and delicious meal or appetizer, like today’s White Bean Hummus. 

Recipe Ingredients

• Olive Oil: Olive oil is my oil of choice as it’s what you would traditionally used in a Mediterranean diet. It adds flavor to the hummus along with nutrients. I try to use a good extra virgin olive oil when I can. 
• White Beans: I used cannellini beans to make my white bean hummus, but you can substitute with any variety of white bean like navy beans, chickpeas or lima beans.
• Dried Cranberries: I add dried cranberries to this white bean hummus as they add a wonderful, slightly sharp, sweetness to the dip. 
• Orange Juice: My unique addition to this hummus is orange juice. Not only does orange juice pair beautifully with the cranberries, it also adds a lightly sweet and sour flavor to the hummus.
• Fresh Herbs: I have used fresh rosemary and garlic to infuse the olive oil and flavor the hummus. You could substitute with a little fresh thyme in place of the rosemary.
• Pecans: I top my hummus with chopped pecan nuts to add an element of crunch. You can substitute the pecans with walnuts, pine nuts or almonds if you prefer.

How Do You Make White Bean Hummus

This is such a simple recipe that can be made in under 15 minutes! 

I start by infusing the olive oil with a little fresh rosemary and garlic.

This fragrant oil is then added to the bowl of a food processor along with all the remaining ingredients, except the pecan nuts.

Pulse the ingredients in the food processor until you form a smooth paste.

If it’s too thick, add a little water until you reach the consistency you want. Add the water a little at a time.

Once the hummus, spoon it into a serving dish and store covered in the fridge until you are ready to serve.

Just before serving I like to top the hummus with chopped pecans and some extra cranberries to add some texture.

Tips for Making Hummus

• Don’t Burn the Olive Oil: Be careful that the olive oil doesn’t burn or the hummus will taste bitter. You just need to saute the garlic and rosemary until fragrant and then remove the skillet from the heat.
• Make-Ahead: This is a great recipe to help you get ahead. Make the hummus earlier in the day, or the day before, cover and store in the fridge until you are ready to serve.
• Feeding a Crowd: No problem. This White Bean Hummus recipe can be doubled or tripled to feed a crowd.
• Leftovers: Store leftover hummus in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• Add Extra Ingredients: For today’s hummus there are a lot of nice additions you can add. I like adding chopped olives, extra fresh herbs or goat cheese. 

Do You Use Chickpeas in Hummus?

Hummus is most commonly made with chickpeas.

However, you can use any legume to make hummus. I have used white beans, but you can substitute chickpeas with any other cooked beans like edamame, lima beans or black beans.

Don’t let your creativity stop you, why not swap the legumes for cooked vegetables instead? Great vegetable to try include carrots, beets, sweet peppers or sweet potato for something a little different.

Serving Suggestions:

• My White Bean Cranberry Hummus makes the perfect dip for serving with warm pita bread, Homemade Baked Pita Chips, fresh bread, crackers or a rainbow of vegetable sticks. However, hummus can be so much more than a dip. Hummus can be used in a whole variety of dishes, so here are some ideas to get you started.
• If you have any leftover turkey over the holidays why not try my Mediterranean Turkey Hummus Panini which would taste great with any leftover white bean cranberry hummus.
• Use hummus as a key ingredient in another dish like my Hummus Platter, Spiced Beef & Hummus Pita Pizza or my Buffalo Chicken Hummus Rolls.
• Alternatively use hummus to create more great tasting appetizers like my Cucumber Hummus Bites, Buffalo Chicken Hummus Bites.
• I love adding hummus to buddha  bowls or rice bowls. Try adding it to this Greek Quinoa Bowl, Mediterranean Buddha Bowl, Mediterranean Salmon Bowl, 
• Breakfast is better with hummus? Try my Mediterranean Hummus Toast. 

Other Hummus Recipes to Try:

Lebanese Hummus Recipe

Easy Beet Hummus

Roasted Red Pepper Greek Yogurt Hummus

Lemon Hummus

Spicy Hummus