Roasted Carrot Dip
If you have followed me for any time, you are most likely aware that I prefer a white bean-based dip over one that is garbanzo bean-based, like hummus. The texture is smoother and creamier, in my humble opinion, because of the different bean.
I also don’t think that tahini is the big deal ingredient that most people think it is. (Sorry Elaine and Yotam.) I love it in some things, not in everything.
So if I want a white bean dip or spread, I reach for my favorite – canned Great Northern beans. Then I decide what I’m going to add to it. Hummus eaters make hummus, with tahini and lemon. Same dip, all the time! I like to change things up.
Recently I came across a Roasted Carrot Hummus dip from My Kitchen Witch, and it caught my attention because carrots are one ingredient I haven’t added to white bean dip!
On this blog there are recipes for white bean dip with fresh rosemary, spices, beets, roasted butternut squash, paprika cream, and pumpkin. This just goes to show what can be done to make spectacular and tasty dips. You don’t always have to make hummus!
I’m not using Debi’s recipe, because hers is a hummus. This recipe is a white bean dip. But those roasted carrots got my attention! Thanks, Debi!
Roasted Carrot White Bean Dip
6 small orange and/or yellow carrots
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
2 cans Great Northern beans, drained
1-2 cloves garlic
1/2 – 1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt, to taste
Olive oil
Aleppo pepper, optional
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Scrub the carrots, if necessary, trim the ends, and dry off on a paper towel.
Place the carrots, cut into uniform pieces if necessary, in a jelly roll pan, or baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper.
Roast until the carrots are caramelized but also tender. Sometimes I turn off the oven after the caramelization shows, to let veggies cook all the way through; you don’t want any burnt bits on tender carrots.
Remove the pan from the oven and let cool.
Meanwhile, place the drained white beans in a food processor jar.
Add the cooled carrots, garlic, cumin, and salt. Pulse as much as you can, then slowly add olive oil until there are no pieces of carrot or garlic any longer, and the dip is creamy.
If you like the carrot bits in your dip, process the garlic first, then add the carrots.
Serve immediately with pita bread, pita crisps, crackers, or bread.
You can see in the photo above how creamy and “pourable” this white bean dip is. And it doesn’t thicken and get mealy like garbanzo bean-based dips do.
I sprinkled Aleppo pepper on top of the dip, and for extra color, served it with blue corn chips.
Before I could even wash dishes, my husband had finished the dip! That’s his thumb in the photo.
verdict: Obviously my somewhat picky husband loved this dip, but I concur that it’s outstanding! The carrots add a subtle sweetness.
Note: I’ve never found that Hummus or white bean dips keep in the refrigerator. The garlic gets an off taste from oxidation, I presume, and it never tastes as good as when it’s just made. I recommend only making what you plan on eating on the same day.
I’ve only ever tasted white been dip once and loved it!!! Wonderful idea with the addition of roasted carrots and this would never last past day one at my house 😊
I didn’t include links, but you can search my blog or check out the recipe index for variations of white bean dip. Simply garlic and chopped rosemary, or adding roasted red bell peppers, tahini and lemon just aren’t necessary. The bean is so much smoother and creamier, which is why I never order hummus out – it’s always dry and mealy.
All wonderful choices Mimi…adding roasted bell peppers has me craving some now and I haven’t had breakfast yet! Thanks so much for sharing and can’t wait to try some😊
Hahaha! And it’s pretty! Sometimes I just add garlic, cumin, coriander, and cayenne. So many options!
That’s my point. In my experience, when people add ingredients to hummus, they still keep the tahini and lemon. I love hummus, but it’s not always required in a bean dip, and omitting them allows for even more creativity!!!
Ha ha! Funny to see my name next to the great man’s!!!
For me, I’ve never managed to make a white bean dip that wasn’t grainy, I’ve never managed it make it as smooth as something chickpea based :(
I’m happy to try again though…but you’ll never move me on tahini ;)
Try a different bean! Trust me on this! I’m old and I’ve made lots of bean dips – it’s the garbanzos!!! Maybe you can tell the creaminess/smoothness from the photo? I love tahini, i just hope i made the point that it doesn’t belong in every variety of bean dip!!! Glad you saw the post!
I agree completely, not every dip needs tahini ;)
For me, I do think that the different chickpeas make a difference. I’ve tried many different types of chickpeas, garbanzos, ceci, and the bigger the chickpea, the worse the dip in my experience. The large Spanish garbanzos create a horrible consistency.
I’ll have to try some other beans :)
Well I’ve heard of removing the husk, but I just refuse to do that. If there was an extra special health benefit to garbanzos over my white beans, maybe.
I don’t remove the husk, I’ve tried it, and it does make a smooth homous, but there’s not enough difference for me to bother every time.
Interesting.
And yes, I can see how smooth your dip looks :)
Awesome recipe Mimi! So creammmy! :D
Yes!
Thanks! It does taste bad the next day, just like jarred garlic tastes bad.
That’s interesting, I’ve never had that problem, I have dips in the fridge for days and they just get better. Maybe it’s a transatlantic thing? Different garlic maybe?
Interesting. Maybe I use more garlic, so it’s more obvious? I only chop garlic immediately before I use it as well.
I tend to blend mine in with the dip, maybe that makes a difference?
I do that as well.
Who knows then??
No idea. When my husband was a vegetarian, I always made white bean dip sandwiches for a road trip, and I always made it that morning right before we left. I just don’t like the smell the next day. Just a personal thing I guess.
And isn’t that the crux of all of our food experiments and creations? It’s all about personal taste
I learned that the tough way when I started cooking for a couple. Wealthy, but had to taste in food – good food. I was banned from all seasonings. I wish I was kidding about that. And with catering as well – it doesn’t matter what I like or think is the right way to prepare something. There were some tough years!
I can imagine!!! That’s another reason I wouldn’t want to make food a career!
It was traumatic.
I kind of fell into it by accident, when this couple asked me to cook for them, and it worked because we needed money, but I only worked when the kids were at school. I worked hard, but I was always there for my girls.
Sounds like you found a perfect scenario :)
That’s why I started my business when Ben was 4 and was starting school :)
They added a subtle sweetness and pretty color!
Nice! Thanks for the shout out.
You’re so welcome! Thank you for the idea!
What a clever idea to use roasted carrots in this fantastic dip! We love white bean dips (or cannellini, as we Italian call the white beans). It really is smoother and creamier. I can just imagine how good it tastes adding the roasted carrots!
I don’t buy cannellini beans because they’re 3 times as expensive! But I’m sure they’re softer than garbanzos as well!
This was the first one I’ve ever spotted, and I can’t believe I’d never done it!
Wow. Like an Asian carrot salad? Incredible.
This looks delicious. I love the addition of roasted carrots. :)
They add such a pretty color and sweetness!
Lovely dip Chef Mimi – has inspired me to switch the tahini and try white beans!
Even if you made your hummus, substitute great Northern beans! The texture will be so different!
I will do thank you!
I love dips but seldom make them. I will have to try this one. I am also not a big fan of tahini. I do use it in my regular humus.
Traditional hummus is lovely. I’m just saying there are so many options with flavors, plus, there’s a better bean out there. Hope I made that clear and don’t offend anyone!
You didn’t offend me, you gave us a great recipe that looks delicious 😋.
I love tahini but I agree with you it doesn’t go to everything! This dip looks very tasty and i am sure carrots gave it a very sweet touch!
Even if you want to add something like carrots to beans, you also don’t have to include tahini and lemon. I just hope I didn’t offend anyone!
You really should. They so much softer and smoother, plus once you get them to the proper consistency, they don’t thicken up more. But at any time, they’re not dry and mealy.
It was really fun using the carrots! If I had leftover roasted veggies that would probably be good in a dip!
White bean dips are awesome! I do like tahini, but it’s used way too much these day IMO. Love the roasted carrots in this — such nice flavor. Thanks!
I agree completely. The carrots add a lovely sweetness. Subtle, but it’s there.
Wow looks so delicious. I am gonna try this.
You’ll love it!
I bet. Will try it out and post soon :)
This dip looks delicious, I like the use of roasted carrots! I have all these ingredients I need to give this a try! Take care.
You’ll love it!!!
Mimi, I got hooked on hummus years ago before it became a “thing.” My husband’s sister married into a Middle Eastern family and that was my intro to hummus, tabbouleh and all sorts of things that used to be unusual. Now hummus is sold in grocery stores and every potluck has several tubs of store-bought hummus! But I’ve never met a bean I didn’t like, so a lovely white bean dip like this one sounds good to me.
Trust me on this. It’s not traditional, but it’s a better bean for hummus and other bean-based dips. I just tried to comment on your Mexican rice post 3 times and it wouldn’t work.
Mimi, it worked! It actually worked the first time, so I don’t know what was going on at your end — some sort of mysterious glitch? Thank you!
This sounds really nice. And I agree. As much as I do like hummus, I like variety even more.
Yes! That’s why I rarely make the same thing twice. So much to experience!
I love roated carrots. I can imagine the sweetness they’d bring to the dip, as you suggest. Nicely done!
Thank you so much!
This looks great. I like the idea of a white bean base with the roasted carrots. Do you ever add tahini to your bean dips?
Elena
Ah! Just scrolled up and saw the tahini comments :)
Elena
Hahaha! No, I only add it if I want hummus, but usually everyone asks for a different dip variety!
I, too, really like white bean dips – and the tahini is it necessary for me, either. However, that said, I do like baba ghanouj with tahini and lots of lemon! I need to try your carrot and being version, because my current version is just carrots butter and cumin!
Well baba ghanouj is pretty fabulous. As is hummus. I just prefer great Northern beans, and a variety of different flavored and seasoned dips. So little time….
Nice! I bet this will be outstanding with grilled tuna.
Are you sure you meant to write that here?!! It’s a dip, like for crackers…
Oh yes. A cracker would be nice for crunch. A dip means that next to dipping you can put it on something with a spoon, right? So put it on a cracker, and then a piece of grilled tuna on top. Trust me.
Okay. Like a crostini. Yes!!
Thank you!