This ultra-creamy butter bean "hummus" recipe is a fun twist on traditional hummus! It's a delicious snack that comes together in just a few minutes. Try it out for your next dinner party or meal prep for the week!
I've got a plethora of bean and lentil recipes, but I've recently been playing around with new ways to incorporate butter beans (aka large lima beans) into my cooking. When I made this hummus, I was in shock! It was such a great use for these starchy, creamy beans.
This homemade 'hummus' is super luscious, with a prominent nutty flavor from the tahini. I say "hummus" in quotation marks, because, technically, the word means "chickpea" in Arabic, so I'm not entirely sure if a butter bean variation can truly be called that, but it follows the same method! For more dip recipes, try my spicy sour cream dip, sour cream and chive dip, jalapeno artichoke dip, or baked brie with fig jam.
Ingredient Notes
- Butter beans: Instead of garbanzo beans, like you'd need in a traditional hummus, you'll want a can of butter beans. Butter beans have a rather mild flavor, so don't be shy to give the dip a good squeeze of lemon juice and plenty of salt to help bring out the flavors.
- Garlic: I like using fresh garlic as it gives the dip a bit of a "punch." However, raw garlic can spoil more quickly, so if you'd like to extend the shelf-life of the dip from 3 - 4 days to a week, I recommend subbing the grated garlic for 1 teaspoon of garlic powder.
Optional paprika oil: I like topping the dip with a bit of homemade paprika oil, but you can omit this if it's not your thing!
TIP: You can also make your own beans using my Italian beans recipe (just sub the cannellinis with dried butter beans)
For a full list of ingredients and quantities, refer to the recipe card.
How to Make Butter Bean Hummus
Equipment Note: The consensus is that a food processor is the best option for making a smooth and creamy hummus. I've tried it both ways, and you can also just as easily use a high-speed blender with success!
Step 1: In a food processor, combine butter beans, fresh lemon juice, tahini, ground cumin, olive oil, grated garlic, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of black pepper.
Step 2: Process until mostly smooth. With a spatula, scrape down the sides of the food processor to ensure everything's nicely incorporated.
Step 3: With the processor still running, slowly add a couple of tablespoons of the reserved bean liquid until it reaches your desired consistency.
Step 4: Taste, and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a wide bowl or plate, and serve as is with a drizzle of olive oil OR serve with the paprika oil as instructed below.
Step 5 - Make the paprika oil (optional): Set a small saucepan over medium heat, and add the olive oil. Once the oil is shimmering, stir in the paprika, immediately remove from the heat, and transfer to a small bowl to cool to room temperature before drizzling over the hummus.
Alternatively, you can garnish the dip with a sprinkle of paprika instead of making the oil!
Expert Tip
Don't be afraid to season the hummus with a good amount of salt and lemon juice! It'll help balance the savory, nutty, slightly bitter notes of the butter beans and tahini and bring out more flavor.
Serving Suggestions
- Go classic: Serve with warm, fluffy pita (I love this recipe!), crispy pita chips, or my beginner-friendly recipe for Samin Nosrat's focaccia.
- Dress it up: For a great appetizer, top the dip with some chopped roasted red peppers and toasted pine nuts.
- Pair it: Serve with my burrata bruschetta, cilbir, whole-roasted harissa cauliflower, or vegetarian gyros.
Recipe FAQs
Butter beans are much larger than cannellini beans, and I find they have a starchier, milder flavor.
Hummus is best served at room temperature, so if you're eating leftovers, I recommend allowing it to come room temperature before serving.
Yes, absolutely! Make sure to save some of the cooking liquid.
Did you try this recipe?
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Butter Bean Hummus
Equipment
- Food processor, or high-speed blender
Ingredients
- 1 (15-ounce) can butter beans, drained | liquid reserved
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, from 1 large lemon (or 2 medium lemons)
- ¼ cup tahini
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, grated | or 1 teaspoon garlic powder*
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt to taste
Paprika Oil (Optional)
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- To a food processor, add 1 (15-ounce) can butter beans (without the liquid), ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, ¼ cup tahini, 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1 garlic clove (grated), ½ teaspoon ground cumin, and a pinch of salt. Process the mixture until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- With the processor running, gradually add as much of reserved liquid as needed until the mixture reaches your desired consistency. You can add water, if needed, to thin it out.
- Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt or lemon juice if needed.
- Transfer the hummus to a serving bowl and drizzle with the paprika oil (if using - recipe below).
For the Paprika Oil (Optional):
- Set a small saucepan over medium heat with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. Once hot, stir in ½ teaspoon smoked paprika and immediately remove from the heat. Set aside to cool to room temperature before adding to the hummus.
Video
Notes
- Because of the milder flavor of butter beans compared to chickpeas, this dip is rather tahini-forward. If you'd like a milder tahini flavor, you can add less.
- Don't be afraid to season the hummus with a good amount of salt and lemon juice! It'll help balance the savory, nutty, slightly bitter notes of the butter beans and tahini and bring out more flavor.
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Owner's Review: I never thought butter beans could yield such a creamy texture! I was honestly so surprised at how well this recipe worked out when I began testing it.